HAS IT REALLY BEEN 5 YEARS SINCE I LAST WROTE ANYTHING?

Yes, it has been.

Hard to imagine, but things have been busy and I haven’t taken the time to write. I’ll write about the major events that should bring us up to date, and work to keep up the activities as 2025 rolls on.

Changes

#1

I moved from Portland to Astoria Oregon. I wonderful small town at the mouth of the Columbia River.

#2

Both Geezer Gallery and Spectacular Showroom in Portland have closed. As so often happens that “door closing, window opening” thing happened at the same time.

#3

Port Hopper. An amazing idea (things from around the world) with two really smart, kind and enthusiastic owners. I have been able to spend the last year working with them as they opened, grew, expanded, and exploded! They have let me join their endeavor with not only the large canvases that had come back from Geezer, but also have encouraged me to paint more watercolors, make cards and even join in the holiday fun with ornaments!

#4

I have been able to continue my work creating illustrations for future updates to Camp de Benneville Pines website as well as continue to illustrate events such as Restore Oregon’s Mid Century Modern home tours and to document places such as the outdoor artwork for the Palm Springs Art Museum and the Frey House #2 for the Architecture + Design Center of that same museum.

#5

New adventure in collaboration! Illustrating a children’s book, by Author Arline LaMear. Great fun and wonderful opportunities to meet local groups and booksellers all along the Columbia River Gorge. The book is now in the Lewis and Clark National Park, the Astoria Column, the Columbia River Maritime Museum, Vista House visitors center, the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum, and both Lucy’s Books and Godfather books in Astoria.

COMMISSIONED WORK Part 2

Some artists don’t like to be told what to do, and therefore, don’t like doing commissioned work. While few of us care to be bossed around, the challenge of interpretation from viewer to artist can actually be fun. A puzzle to solve. A challenge to meet. My work is usually based in an idea or inspiration that has come to me but sometimes I am asked to paint an idea someone else has had.

In COMMISSIONED WORK Part 1, below, I talk about a specific project that I was asked to do. It was fun to step away from the intense details I had been working on with my series of tropical foliage paintings and to have the freedom of abstraction and a new palette . The challenge of taking someone else’s ideas and translating them until both painter and viewer are in agreement is tricky, but when it comes together it’s fun for everyone.

To see a range of commissioned work I have done on canvas follow this link and to see commissioned pieces done with watercolor go here.

Sometimes I have been asked to paint solely based on palette, with no imagery specified..

Sometimes I am asked to change one of my own compositions to fit a different shape, size or palette.

Sometimes it’s about a color change.

Or sometimes, a portrait of something or someone.

Whatever the requests, even the really hard ones, I am given a chance to step away from the intensity of my current project, enter someone else’s world, play, and solve a puzzle.

COMMISSIONED WORK Part 1

I recently finished a commission for interior designer, Sam Taylor. Sam’s client was opening a cafe in Colorado and needed large art to fill his walls. Since the cafe is part of a chain Sam wanted us to design artwork that could be reproduced in each of the cafes that would follow. Working with Sam I created a series of watercolors to develop the imagery for 6 different paintings. Our conversation was based on words from Sam and images from me. Our back and forth enabled us to complete the design of the 6 pieces before I ever started work on canvas.

---

When the paintings were completed we had 6 each 36” x 36” acrylic on canvas works. We then had a series of high resolution photographs taken and from that full sized reproductions. The originals will remain in the office of Sam’s client, and the reproductions can be made over and over again as each new cafe is opened.

HIDDEN BEAUTY

The inspiration starts when something catches my eye. In the early days it could be anything.

An old train,

a building

or shoes,

or anything that I could see parts of , that inspired me. It might be the way shapes came together, or the patterns that parts of something created. I thought that if I could isolate what I saw, what made me stop and enjoy, that maybe I could share that pleasure with others.

Eventually I could see things all over. In nature as well as man made objects. It delights me to see that, even in things we might reject as worth looking at, such as dying plants, there is a beauty.

I like that others think I find hidden beauty, and I enjoy finding that beauty and sharing it.

Dead palm fronds

THE TROPICAL FOLIAGE PAINTINGS

Travels to sunny, southern or tropical climates have allowed me to collect photos of amazing foliage. The current series is one that follows past series from 2012 and 2015. I am always surprised at how varied and intense the colors are. The light in these locations is so bright that the contrast and shadowing is amplified to a degree that the northern light of some of my other images cannot begin to match.

The paintings below, from a trip to Hawaii, are part of the 2019 series.

These, from 2015, are from plants seen in Florida.

These paintings are from a 2012 trip to Hawaii

The contrast between the soft and gentle light in the northern part of the world and the bright, intense light from the more southern areas affects the colors and contrasts of what I see. I am enjoying the vibrancy of these tropical leaves during the darker days of winter, but am thinking I might spend time during the summer with the less intense and more subtle images I have collected of things seen in the north.

It is my hope that you enjoy viewing these paintings as much as I have enjoyed creating them.

MORE ABOUT HIGH RESOLUTION REPRODUCTIONS…..

Since I began offering reproductions of my work I have found that the quality of the work is exceptional, better than I had imagined. Because of the high quality I have been able to have reproductions larger than the original image. This has allowed designers to offer clients large, bold images at a substantial savings. And, because each image is used only a few times, design clients won’t find another copy in someone else’s home.

The images below show one original painting and several variations in size and presentation.

Thank you Michael Thomas and Michael Baker, Design Collective Group, Palm Desert.

Original painting……..

A reproduction a little larger than full size……….

That same image now four panels almost quadruple in final size!

Two of the four panels ready for approval at the printer.

BUNGALOW 17 STUDIO

Here are the watercolors done for Bungalow 17 Studio

HIGH RESOLUTION REPRODUCTIONS

The first in a series that were all reproduced, full size, for Blank Canvas Home and thier client, Sunrise Country Club, Rancho Mirage, California.

iI have been looking for ways to offer my images as reproductions but was unhappy with the quality of the printing that is generally available.  I have found  a source for high resolution prints on canvas and paper.

I am now able to offer my artwork to buyers that might not have the budget for original paintings.

These prints are now available for any of the images in my AVAILABLE section. 

SEVEN WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS

Below are the watercolor paintings just completed of the Palm Springs Art Museum, Architecture and Design Center.

Beginning in November 2016 these originals, prints and notecards will be available in the VAULT DESIGN STORE at the A + D Center.

Stop by and check them out!

Drive up Window

Front Entrance

Side Facing North Palm Canyon

Door Near Drive up Window

Front Entrance with Palm Trees

Corner North Palm Canyon and Baristo

Looking West Toward the Mountains

For more information on the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center go to this website https://www.psmuseum.org/architecture-design-center/

MODERNISM TOUR IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

I recently had the opportunity to tour homes built the the late sixties and designed by architect Robert Rummer in the Oak Hills area around Portland.  Having been a part of the Modernism Week activities in Palm Springs it was fun to be touring with umbrellas instead of sunglasses!

I was really interested to see how the open spaces and integration of outside to inside worked in a world with a very different climate.  Where in the desert there is lots of sunlight and white and bright colors I found the wood interiors of the homes in Oregon to add a warmth that I don't always feel in the homes in Palm Springs. 

Also, the designs all included an atrium or indoor/outdoor area at the entry way.  

Altogether a fun and refreshing change from tours in the southwest!

AUGUST 2016 ART GROOVE

What began in 2007 as a way to allow a few adults to enjoy a week in the  forest while engaging in art has become an amazing experience not just for the campers but for the instructors as well. 

Starting with Life Drawing and building on drawing and painting skills throughout the day, campers developed and strengthened their skills as artists and made many new friends.

Some campers returned for each of the 10 years I have been involved.  Stepping aside to devote more time to my own work, I know I will miss the friendships I have made and the fun of each new camp.

This year included Life Drawing, Watercolor, Acrylic Painting, Photography and Mixed Media printing and book arts.  It was truly the best camp ever!

Future camps will be lead by Debra Mumm, the art goddess of Venus Studios in Palm Desert. 

For more information about Art Groove, Camp de Benneville Pines or Debra Mumm and Venus Studios, please click on the links below:

Camp de Benneville Pines      www.uucamp.org

Debra Ann Mumm   www.venusstudiosllc.com

Content Link Block

Select a page and create a visual link to it. Learn more

BLOG

COLLABORATION

A joint effort, involving designer, home owner and artist.

The Designer recommended a large geometric painting with different surface textures and soft colors. The homeowner wanted to include images of desert plants. The artist wanted to integrate drawing, painting and encaustic materials.

DETAIL OF DRAWN IMAGE. Texture applied to canvas, color rubbed into surface, drawing applied and sealed with encaustic.

PAINTED AND DRAWN IMAGE  Image drawn on textured canvas surface, paint applied and  a softening layer of color added to top surface. entire image sealed with encaustic.

FINAL PAINTING BELOW

ARTIST   Laura Janes

DESIGN FIRM   Design Pure + Simple   www.shopdesignpureandsimple.com