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Featured Work
Foothill Dusk - Oil and wax on panel 48"x100" 2014My latest commission, a wide panoramic of the Boise foothills at sunset. So grateful to live in a community that values the work of local artists. Thank you for your support!
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Art & ConservationIdaho Conservation League Artist in ResidenceMuch of my work from 2013 was part of a collaboration with Idaho Conservation League that culminated in an exhibition in Boise of nearly 50 paintings. I am continuing my work with ICL this year as their first "Artist in Resident," a program that I worked with ICL to develop. This year's project will feature three regional exhibitions later this year - in Ketchum, Sandpoint, and Boise (see upcoming exhibitions for more details). 25% of all sales from these works goes to support ICL in their efforts to "keep Idaho, Idaho." This project has taken me from the White Clouds to the Owhyees as I explored the state's most vulnerable and amazing landscapes. Read more about ICL's Artist in Residence program here. Read Rachel's guest blog for ICL here.
Upcoming ExhibitionsIdaho and beyondJune 2nd-July 31stSilvercreek Art Grand Opening Group Exhibition331 Leadville Avenue, KetchumSilvercreek Art is a cooperative gallery of Idaho artists in downtown Ketchum. The gallery will open with a group show featuring a variety of media including painting, jewelry, sculpture, textile, and mosaic. Learn more at www.silvercreekart.com
August 2014
North Idaho Landscapes - Sandpoint, Idaho
This show will begin with a car packed full of empty canvases in Boise and end in Sandpoint as an exhibition of completed paintings two weeks later. This is the North Idaho portion of my Artist Residency with Idaho Conservation League. Hosted by the Pend Oreille Arts Council at Panhandle State BankShow. Opens August 29th.
September 2014
Landscapes of the Wood River Valley and Beyond - Silvercreek Art, Ketchum
The Wood River Valley is the birthplace of Idaho Conservation League and I am excited to exhibit a body of work honoring its surrounding landscapes. This exhibition will be my first solo show at Silvercreek Art, opening in June of this year.
November 2014
Solo exhibition at Gallery five18, Boise
The final of my three shows with Idaho Conservation League this year. Works will focus on the Boise foothills and river as well as the Owyhee Canyonlands.
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2014The theme for my work this year is "Magical Mundane" - striving each day to see the magic in daily life, practicing the ritualistic recognition of beauty. I have mostly been creating works composed of multiple pieces, often created on consecutive days. Each painting in these works honors a specific time and place. Together, the grouping reveals the passing of time that these individual moments compile. Immediacy is integral to my process - I paint either on-site or from photos taken shortly before working in the studio. Therefore each work is directly tied to the experience of a very particular place and day.
![Camas Prairie - Corral I 16"x16" Oil and wax on panel 2014]( "Camas Prairie - Corral I 16\"x16\" Oil and wax on panel 2014")
![Camas Prairie - Corral II 16"x16" Oil and wax on panel 2014]( "Camas Prairie - Corral II 16\"x16\" Oil and wax on panel 2014")
![Camas Prairie - Corral III 16"x16" Oil and wax on panel 2014]( "Camas Prairie - Corral III 16\"x16\" Oil and wax on panel 2014")
![Elkhorn Slopes 6"x8" Oil and wax on panel 2014]( "Elkhorn Slopes 6\"x8\" Oil and wax on panel 2014")
![Smokies 6"x8" Oil and wax on panel 2014]( "Smokies 6\"x8\" Oil and wax on panel 2014")
![Baldy 6"x8" Oil and wax on panel 2014]( "Baldy 6\"x8\" Oil and wax on panel 2014")
![Soldier Mountain 6"x8" Oil and wax on panel 2014]( "Soldier Mountain 6\"x8\" Oil and wax on panel 2014")
![Untitled (commission) 48"x100" Oil and wax on panel 2014]( "Untitled (commission) 48\"x100\" Oil and wax on panel 2014")
![Blossoms on Grey - Forsythia I]( "Blossoms on Grey - Forsythia I")
![Blossoms on Grey - Apple I]( "Blossoms on Grey - Apple I")
![Blossoms on Grey - Forsythia II SOLD]( "Blossoms on Grey - Forsythia II SOLD")
![Blossoms on Grey - Apple II SOLD]( "Blossoms on Grey - Apple II SOLD")
![Blossoms on Grey - Forsythia]( "Blossoms on Grey - Forsythia")
![Cusp of Spring I SOLD]( "Cusp of Spring I SOLD")
![Cusp of Spring II SOLD]( "Cusp of Spring II SOLD")
![Cusp of Spring IV SOLD]( "Cusp of Spring IV SOLD")
![Cusp of Spring III SOLD]( "Cusp of Spring III SOLD")
![Foothills Dusk SOLD]( "Foothills Dusk SOLD")
![Foothills Little I SOLD]( "Foothills Little I SOLD")
![Foothill Little II SOLD]( "Foothill Little II SOLD")
![Table Rock Sunset]( "Table Rock Sunset")
![Mount Tamalpais Glow SOLD]( "Mount Tamalpais Glow SOLD")
![Foothills Sunset SOLD]( "Foothills Sunset SOLD")
![Table Rock Northward - SOLD]( "Table Rock Northward - SOLD")
![Foothill Little IV - SOLD]( "Foothill Little IV - SOLD")
![Foothill Little III]( "Foothill Little III")
![Foothill Little VI SOLD]( "Foothill Little VI SOLD")
![John O'Donohue Series #2 "Beauty awakens under the heart some layer of forgotten brightness"]( "John O'Donohue Series #2 \"Beauty awakens under the heart some layer of forgotten brightness\"")
![Hoar Frost Triptych - SOLD]( "Hoar Frost Triptych - SOLD")
![John O'Donohue Series #3 "Beauty fills the needs of the soul" - SOLD]( "John O'Donohue Series #3 \"Beauty fills the needs of the soul\" - SOLD")
![Hoar Frost and Foothills]( "Hoar Frost and Foothills")
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2011-2013These two years marked a return to landscape painting for me after several years working in my "kaleidoscope" style. In 2011 I focused on developing my daily painting practice with tinyExpanses - 3"x3" paintings on canvas in the Plein Air (on-site) style. These tiny paintings helped me familiarize myself with the wide variety of landscapes surrounding the Boise area. In 2012 I partnered with Boise-based environmental law firm, Advocates for the West in an exhibition focusing on vulnerable landscapes of Idaho. In 2013 I collaborated with Idaho Conservation League in a similar project. 25% of the proceeds from sales of all works from 2012 and 2013's collaborations goes back to the these partner organizations.
![First Light Touches Mindbender]( "First Light Touches Mindbender")
![Transform]( "Transform")
![Trail Creek Triptych]( "Trail Creek Triptych")
![Kirkham Quadratic]( "Kirkham Quadratic")
![Lewis Street Landscapes]( "Lewis Street Landscapes")
![Owyhee River Panorama*]( "Owyhee River Panorama*")
![First Light on Foothills*]( "First Light on Foothills*")
![Antz Basin*]( "Antz Basin*")
![Lost River in Grey and Green*]( "Lost River in Grey and Green*")
![Red Cliffs Panorama*]( "Red Cliffs Panorama*")
![Big Horn Basin Study*]( "Big Horn Basin Study*")
![Proctor*]( "Proctor*")
![Harris Ranch Winter Morning*]( "Harris Ranch Winter Morning*")
![Teton Afternoon*]( "Teton Afternoon*")
![Boise River Autumn*]( "Boise River Autumn*")
![Elkhorn Hills*]( "Elkhorn Hills*")
![Lost River Diptych with Mount Borah*]( "Lost River Diptych with Mount Borah*")
![Owyhee River Canyon Diptych*]( "Owyhee River Canyon Diptych*")
![Bighorn Basin 360*]( "Bighorn Basin 360*")
![Foothills Sunset 360]( "Foothills Sunset 360")
![Boise Foothills Winter Palette*]( "Boise Foothills Winter Palette*")
![Boise River*]( "Boise River*")
![Lost River Autumn II*]( "Lost River Autumn II*")
![Lost River Autumn*]( "Lost River Autumn*")
![Trail Creek Towards Ketchum*]( "Trail Creek Towards Ketchum*")
![Slick Rock*]( "Slick Rock*")
![Sawtooth Evening*]( "Sawtooth Evening*")
![Redfish Canyon*]( "Redfish Canyon*")
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CaliforniaThe six years I spent painting the landscapes of Marin County, California, were very influential and dear to me. I return whenever I get the chance to paint more oak trees, beaches, and rolling hills.
![West Marin Foggy Morning]( "West Marin Foggy Morning")
![Limantour Dusk I]( "Limantour Dusk I")
![Bay Morning]( "Bay Morning")
![Giacomini Ranch]( "Giacomini Ranch")
![Blue and Green of West Marin]( "Blue and Green of West Marin")
![West Marin in Green and Gold]( "West Marin in Green and Gold")
![Drakes Bay Evening]( "Drakes Bay Evening")
![Mount Tamalpais Spring]( "Mount Tamalpais Spring")
![Mount Tamalpais Glow]( "Mount Tamalpais Glow")
![Mount Tamalpais Sunrise with Fog]( "Mount Tamalpais Sunrise with Fog")
![Olema Twilight]( "Olema Twilight")
![Sand and Sky at Santa Maria Beach]( "Sand and Sky at Santa Maria Beach")
![Stinson]( "Stinson")
![Tamalpais Valley Morning]( "Tamalpais Valley Morning")
![The Pacific from Mount Tamalpais]( "The Pacific from Mount Tamalpais")
![Tomales Bay]( "Tomales Bay")
![Limantour Dusk III]( "Limantour Dusk III")
![Limantour Northward]( "Limantour Northward")
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tinyExpanseDaily Reminder's of Nature's VastnesstinyExpanse paintings are a daily practice of meditation and contemplation through visual journaling. These works are a reminder that beauty is available everywhere, you just have to pay attention! Each oil painting is 3"x3" or 2.5"x3.5" and is done on stretched canvas. TinyExpanses are completed on-site in the Plein Air style of painting and thus represent a direct experience from that particular day. I carry my tinyExpanse painting box with me everywhere I travel - most recently through Finland and Iceland! What freedom my little painting box affords me! One of the sweetest things someone has said about tinyExpanse: "Her ability to capture the essence of an expansive landscape on such a small canvas is like a haiku in oil." tinyExpanses are available on Etsy.
![Two sizes of tinyExpanses - 3"x3" and 2.5"x3.5"]( "Two sizes of tinyExpanses - 3\"x3\" and 2.5\"x3.5\"")
![January 13th, 2014]( "January 13th, 2014")
![October 10th, 2013]( "October 10th, 2013")
![February 1st, 2014]( "February 1st, 2014")
![November 25th, 2013]( "November 25th, 2013")
![january 17th, 2014]( "january 17th, 2014")
![December 6th, 2013]( "December 6th, 2013")
![December 28th, 2013]( "December 28th, 2013")
![December 2nd, 2013]( "December 2nd, 2013")
![December 12th, 2013]( "December 12th, 2013")
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tinyExpanse Portrait DemoA pet portrait in 1 minute.This demo shows me completing a painting of Zoey, a 1 year old goldie doodle. Portraits are available on my Etsy shop.
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Process Plein Air painting in the Pahsimeroi Range
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On siteI love to rise before the sun comes up and head out with my paints in time for the first light. In the winter, I stuff a hot water bottle into my coat to keep warm. I even have a guard dog while I work - a job that Blue took upon herself and takes quite seriously. I work wet-on-wet, or "alla prima," meaning that I complete a painting in one sitting and don't go back and rework details. For me this is in harmony with my focus on immediacy - experiencing and expressing a specific moment in a specific place. Read more about my Plein Air process on my guest blog for Idaho Conservation League.
In the studioWorking in the studio allows me to focus on paint itself, rather than racing to capture a composition before the light changes as Plein Air painting necessitates. This slower pace allows me to develop techniques that I can then apply when I work outside. Working in the studio is an introspective, intimate process where I am allowed the time to integrate all the imagery I am exposed when out on site.
