I am in it with all my heart~Vincent van Gogh

Now that I’m on a prolonged break from school, I excited to share the many paintings and stories I’ve neglected to share over the years. I learned in art school that I am a story teller, by nature and that it is a huge part of my personal art journey. This particular painting has been a treasure to me, and I’m finally willing to fully share it.

Hand painted on site for the The Yaquina River Museum of Art (YRMA) Toledo Oregon Plein air exhibit, this small original oil painting epitomizes slow summer evenings far from the distractions of city life. Nute Slough is a small picturesque stream that flows south into the Yaquina River about two miles South West of Toledo in Lincoln County, Oregon. My friend and I were initially painting right off the highway (a rather dangerous endeavor), when a local homeowner offered painting access in their property. Sitting on the lawn chair, looking beyond the backlit torch flowers I was awed by the sheer silence of the beautiful scene. The variety of color in the vegetation growing on the banks of the still water created a feast for my eyes, filling me with gratitude for the moment.

Here is a snapshot I took while I was painting. While blurry, I like how it shows what I see in the landscape compared to what the camera sees. I believe my presence in the scene, my own mood, thoughts, and frame of mind, deeply affects the end product and cements my memory of that specific place and time. It is one of the reasons why I paint, to remember with my whole body what it was like to be in those moments.

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This original landscape painting is available for sale framed as pictured and ready to hang. It is small enough to fit almost anywhere with limited wall space, And is suitable for both traditional and country decor. May it bring the peace and joy inherent to country living into your own life.