SITKA CENTER

The Oregon coast is notorious for its bad weather and often receives over 80 inches of rain. Fortunately, the Sitka Center for Art & Ecology is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places to be while it is raining. Even in the early spring when none of the trees have leafed out, the forest is bathed in the vibrant greens of mosses draped on nearly any surface that is left outside long enough. And the sound… a background symphony of drips, patters, and plops on the roof of my house/ studio. It rained for half my tine at the center, and the bad weather provided a unique opportunity to explore this landscape at the turning of the seasons and to rest and recharge after the stressful first year of the pandemic. One of the unique things about a residency with the Sitka Center is that they do not have set expectations for artists to create a specific project or body of work. They want us to be inspired by the place, let it inform our work, and create what and when we want. This framework was such a gift in so many ways, and I am so grateful for the peaceful time I had in the woods.

I painted both indoors and out, and a lot of my work ended up being grounded in themes of simplicity and pattern. When the weather and tides allowed, I used one of the center’s kayaks to cross the Salmon River and explore a mile long beach which is only accessibly to the public via the water. I spent hours walking the sandy shore and sketching the patterns of the tide, shadows as they moved across the sand, and clouds that rolled over the distant trees of the national forest land.

In addition, I owe special thanks to Camp Westwind for the opportunity to visit their property and paint from their land along the coast.