Pacific NW Artists: Capturing the Spirit of the Northwest

Mt. Hood from Elwert Road by Jewel Starz

The Pacific Northwest Artist Exhibition is about Artistic Interpretation of the Pacific Northwest - from the artist perspective.   Whether the subject is Sherwood, Central Oregon, somewhere on the Coast of Oregon or just a walk in the local park, the inspiration is the Pacific NW. Capturing the spirit of the Northwest and bringing it to Sherwood was the dream for this exhibition.

This exhibit is curated by Sherwood's Makers 5 Artists Collective.

Featured Artists:

  

Park Walk 1 by Melody Cleary
Melody Cleary
Artist Bio:

My art is an emotional response to color, texture and design in nature.  I am usually inspired by my own photos taken at local areas, zooming in on a particular portion of the scene where I find a pleasing composition & design.  On the computer, I might convert the photo to black & white to just see values, and blur it (instead of squinting), then let my intuition guide the color choices, trying to remain as free as possible with the paint application via fluid negative brush painting or bold palette knife strokes, always conscious of the of light against dark…I am so drawn to light and shadows.   I enjoy applying and scraping pigment with knives to achieve interesting texture and tones.  Although I am predominantly a representational landscape and nature painter, I also enjoy experimenting with collage and acrylic stained papers in abstract & figurative works.  I am presently focused on these two mediums. 

I've been drawing and painting since grade school and took classes at local art schools, art centers and community college in the 70's and 80's in the Portland area, moonlighting while I was employed.  Since retirement in 2000, I've 'gone to my room' and practiced to find my own voice with paint and colors.  I'm a member of a local critique group whose members use varied media and we continue to experiment and grow in terms of technique, composition, color, and design.

Sauvie Island Oak Island by Mary Jo Mann
Mary Jo Mann
Artist Bio:

I grew up outside of Salem, Oregon with access to large open fields and panoramic sunsets. In those days I had lots of time on my hands and I spent much of it drawing and painting. One of my early memories is trying to capture a huge Oregon Oak tree against the backdrop of a flaming sunset on paper with my crayons.

I eventually went off to college in Seattle and declared Fine Arts as my major. I earned a B.A. of Fine Arts from Seattle University. I spent one year in Florence Italy, where I had the luxury of focusing on art history and my own personal art expression.  Nature continues to inspire and impact my work. I seek to make my paintings arresting to the viewer in the same way that nature stops me up short at times.

The Jetty by Stephen W Miller
Stephen W Miller
Artist Bio:

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Stephen is a multi-medium artist with a focus in photography, acrylic painting, and digital design. His artistic perspective is heavily influenced by his academic background in philosophy and East Asian art. After finishing at the University of Oregon in 2012 he went on to pursue a career in finance but quickly found himself yearning something closer to his passion for the fine arts. In 2014 he left his financial career to pursue his art full time. He currently resides in Tigard, Oregon and is the proud parent of two “fur-children,” a Siberian husky named Koda and a mutt, Riley, affectionately known as “the black and white.”

Johnston Strait by Amy Osborne
Amy Osborne
Artist Bio:

Amy Brodie Osborne was born in Portland, Oregon and raised in the Beaverton area.  Amy started painting watercolors in her teens and continued with college art courses at Portland State University.    In 2011 she branched out focusing her studies on bold acrylic abstracts.  "I love the feel of the tools, the contrast and I delight in the bold conspicuous lines.  But often challenge myself to blend and soften acrylics seamlessly from one color to the next."    Her early watercolors were influenced by the impressionists.  Her bold abstract can be attributed to her admiration of Mexican muralists; having seen many frescos while attending the University of Guadalajara in Mexico.  Amy says " Nothing takes my breath away like the Northwest Coast native art.  I feel. appreciation for and have been studying formline design for years."    She has previously exhibited at the Rose Springs Center Gallery in Hillsboro.

Woodland View II by Darla Boljat
Darla Boljat
Artist Bio:

Oregonian Darla Kay Boljat grew up in Tigard and currently calls Sherwood her home.  She became a professional artist in 2005 after first starting to paint in 2004. Darla says, "Each painting is an adventure I can't wait to begin," and her favorite part of creating is seeing a blank canvas as the opportunities are endless and that is when the fun commences.  She teaches painting techniques to students ages 6-100+,  leading classes from her home studio as well as monthly at three local senior centers.  Each summer Darla paints with students at her annual Summer Camp where she really enjoys helping youths create their own masterpieces in only a few days.  Darla also enjoys creating commissioned paintings of people, places, animals, or any family-friendly subjects. Each oil painting begins with an acrylic sketch then is finished in oil. 
Darla is driven to explore her home state, and the works that she has created as a result of her travels represent her personal best of the beautiful scenery Oregon offers.  Whether it is the nearby escape that is the Wildlife Refuge, the majesty of Mt. Hood, the serene Japanese Gardens, or the still of the Painted Hills, these individual pieces all work together to help illustrate the timeless wonder that is our Oregon.

Barn on Elwert Road by Jewel Starz
Jewel Starz
Artist Bio:

Born in Portland 1949 and raised in Milwaukie Oregon. I completed BFA degree in Painting 1973. Traveled and lived extensively throughout the U.S. including Alaska, California, Florida and Vermont. My creative interests have resulted in occupations such as sign painting, leather craft, portrait photography, cartography,catering and graphic design. Mediums I have worked in for my artistic expression have included oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastels, photography and ceramics.  A recent return to painting after a 25 year absence, has renewed my connection to nature and the landscapes I am surrounded by in my everyday life.

Baker Road Beauty by Victoria Poarch
Victoria Poarch
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