Oregon's volcanic history is rich and varied - the evidence of ancient violence is everywhere you look. During the middle Miocene period, explosive caldera eruptions created the massive rock formations that mark our landscape today. Grasslands and mixed deciduous forests covered the dry lowlands, supporting animals we would recognize, as well as exotic species like -- elephants! Yes, a compact species of pachyderm called Zygolophodon once rooted for food in Central Oregon.
Sometimes I feel like an archeologist when I am painting, scratching at the surface of my panels, adding material and then taking it away.
"Monolith"
12"x12" Oil on Panel
To create "Monolith" I began with thick layers of gesso. Paint went on, then I scratched it off with scraping knives. Sometimes I used sandpaper to "erase" paint, then I would lay on another transparent layer to build up the texture of rocks eroded by time.
But with "Summer Run-Off" my painting approach was the opposite. I began brushing on thinned oil paint, adding thicker paint with quick, gestural strokes, using brushes and the palette knife. I was trying to capture the sparse, dried out feeling of the high desert overlaid with the golden grasses that currently support elk, deer, and pronghorn antelope.
Summer Run-Off
12"x16", Oil on canvas
The location of "Summer Run-off" is the Crooked River Grasslands, where small ravines catch the run-off from summer thunderstorms that sweep through with violent rumbling, lightning strikes, twenty minutes of torrential downpour, and then - sunshine, as if it never actually happened. "Monolith" represents one of the many rock formations found throughout the Oregon Outback. I often wonder what this land looked like before civilization settled in here.
These paintings are part of "Perception and Imagination," my solo show graciously sponsored by High Desert Gallery of Central Oregon.
"Perception and Imagination"
September 29 through October 30, 2009
High Desert Gallery & Custom Framing of Central Oregon
Redmond Gallery
453 SW 6th Street
Redmond, OR 97756
866-549-6250
Hi Sue - I am so happy to see that you have a show coming up at HD Gallery (it sure took them long enough!) Congratulations!
Posted by: Tina Harris | September 12, 2009 at 01:13 PM
Margret, your wonderful blog has been an inspiration - as I'm sure you can tell. Thanks for your comments.
Dawn - I've always enjoyed reading about how other artists work, too, because that's how I learn new tricks! Thank you for your comments.
Posted by: sue smith | September 07, 2009 at 10:50 AM
The colors in Monolith are spectacular, Sue. You have captured the rich iron oxides in the soil and the heat of the day, all in one 12 inch square painting. You ARE an archeologist! Margret
Posted by: Margret Short | September 07, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Thanks for giving us insight into the makings of these paintings. Very interesting. I love seeing how other artists work.
Good luck with your show!
Posted by: Dawn Blair | September 04, 2009 at 03:16 PM