Fine Arts and Crafts Summer Sale

Signs are up around town advertising this weekend's Fine Arts and Crafts Sale in Olympia. This is a juried show and is known to have high quality art created by artists in the South Sound regions.

I recall several out of town art patrons at the last show who commented about the quality of the artists involved in this show. It is one not to miss.

This is the first weekend and the following weekend will host different artists.

I hope to see YOU there!

More Lupines

I could not resist capturing lupines in another watercolor painting.

This is a newer version of lupines seen through a window. The window is previously painted watercolor paper torn to shape.



Here is a favorite painting I did several years ago. It is one of the earliest watercolor collage paintings; when I began to experiment with this form of creativity.



Lupines Through The Window
Private Collection of Ron and Leslie Case

Woodard Bay

Today my friend and I visited Woodard Bay Natural Resource Conservation Area; 678 acres of coniferous forest on saltwater bay. A sanctuary for a variety of birds, harbor seals, river otters, bald eagles, a colony of bats, and an important great blue heron rookery. The 678 acres encompass maturing second-growth forest, the waters of Woodard and Chapman bays and a rich history that spans from American Indian use to settlement in the 1850s and Puget Sound's logging era.

It is a good place to come and learn about the former uses and about the area's abundant wildlife -- 175 species of birds have been recorded here. Mink are active during the day, and careful watchers can see these members of the weasel family along the water's edge.



Natural Resources wants to protect the scenic, archaeological, historical, cultural and ecological values in what amounts to an urban wildlife refuge only 15 minutes from downtown Olympia. But the primary concern is ecological values.

Lupine Garden

I first met the incredible large purple lupine when I strolled the Metolius River in Central Oregon. It grew profusely on the stream banks.

My neighbor and I planted a patch two years ago and they have multiplied. They are in full bloom at this time.



Last year I created this painting which is part watercolor collage painting and part traditional watercolor painting. In addition, I cut out a few leaves so that they come forward of the picture plane. Not sure if you can see this clearly on a computer screen?


Lupine Garden

Wildlife Artist of the Year 2009

The Wildlife Artist of the Year Competition offered a platform to many artists from around the world to showcase their work, raised significant funds to save critically endangered wildlife, and helped spread awareness of the desperate plight of wildlife.

Australian artist, Pamela Conder, won the prestigious title of Wildlife Artist of the Year 2009.


Category Winner - Endangered Wildlife
Pamela Conder (Australian) - 'Chimpanzees Reflections on Ageing'

Overall Runner-Up


Category Winner - Wild Places
Paul Bartlett (British) - 'Fading Out'



You can view the online exhibit.

You can also vote for your favourite work in the 'People's Choice' category.

Simply email the title of your favourite to dswf@davidshepherd.org.
Your name will be automatically entered into a free prize drawing to
receive a limited edition print of 'After the Rains' and
the winning artist will get a prize too!
Closing date for entries in June 26th.

Gauguin in Portland, Oregon

Gauguin is one of my favorite artists and interestingly ambitious before he so famously found his way to the south pacific and his most iconic works. In 1884 he was busy trying to ingratiate himself amongst the impressionists, then the most vanguard artists at the time. In 1883 Gauguin had decided to become a professional painter, before that having been a stockbroker with a real talent for art. You can see how Gauguin makes even a winter scene look exotic.


Gauguin's Vue d’un jardin, Rouen (1884)

Longtime Portland arts patron Melvin Mark has given the Portland Art Museum Gauguin's Vue d’un jardin, Rouen (Garden View, Rouen) in memory of his recently departed wife, Mary.

Waiting for Inspiration

Wikipedia defines artistic inspiration as sudden creativity in artistic production.

Where does inspiration come from?

Today I was hoping inspiration would show up if I went into my studio. I did not know what to paint? I sat at my drafting table where I create my watercolor paintings and waited. Do I create a collage or a more traditional watercolor painting? What is the subject?

My discipline is to paint at least twenty minutes a day. I felt frustrated, yet compelled to put paint to paper. Many times when I am emotional or wanting to make some connection with Self, I paint a mandala; a Sanskrit word meaning holy or magical circle. Basically, I paint inside a circle which becomes a meditation. Maybe if my mind were quiet, inspiration would find me.

Being an art therapist, I am always asking myself the significance of the images which appear. Today it was a duck with something, figurative-like, on its back. I painted playfully and wondered.

I am beginning to believe that there is a process to spark the creativity whereby inspiration visits. It comes from engaging in art. As the saying goes, "just do it!"