I sat in the shade of some poplars outside my barn one recent evening.  Lori is a neighbor with 5 or 6 horses and a beautiful orange red barn.  The ripening grasses and the wind-shaped oak seemed so rich and golden against the glowing sky!

I am consciously trying to paint as many of the wonderful farms nearby our home here on Seavey Loop.  We are just outside the city limits of Eugene and Springfield, Oregon.  Unfortunately this convenience has a downside. and we are currently opposing an effort to industrialize a portion of our wonderful farmlands through an annexation.   

This area of rich soil near the confluence of the Coast and Middle Forks of the Willamette River has long been home to food growers, everything from pie cherries to green beans, strawberries, pumpkins, peaches, turkeys, lamb, beef, hops and flowers.  You name it and it can be grown here.  We have an exceptional county park of 2500 acres just across the Coast fork river and the Nature Conservancy and the Friends of Mt. Pisgah are partnered with Lane County to restore what was a series of gravel quarry ponds near the river confluence to it's original native state.  This area is also home to an amazing range of wildlife.  The pastures where our horses graze are daily host to Great blue Herons, Great Northern Owls, Barn Owls and the vole, ground squirrel and gopher populations to support these predators.  We occasionally see Hawks, Golden Eagles and Osprey.  Turkey vultures and migrating Geese patrol overhead.   Coyotes cross the property on their way to the river and sometimes help themselves to an older hen in our barnyard.  Cougar have been sighted in the upper parts of the park.  The whole area is a treasure of nature and fruitful productivity within bicycle or horse-drawn wagon distance from the center of  both towns.

The are is precious, not just to the farmers and neighbors who live here but to  hundreds of citizens who visit to hike, paint, cycle, picnic, photograph or ride horses in quiet enjoyment of the park.  These people also stop to pick up produce, flowers, meat or farm fresh eggs on their way home.  We are truly blessed to live here.

This painting was mostly done onsite last summer during  a trip to Whidbey Island in WA.  The view is from a park table overlooking a cove off Deception Pass.  I watched a number of sailboats come and go as I worked.  One even dropped anchor form a short while and the mariners came ashore in a small dinghy to explore the park.  As the afternoon wore on and the sun lowered, the water became calm enough to mirror small head and its marvelous colors.  Eventually I was left with one tiny anchored boat and one happy canoeist in a red canoe.  I hope you can find him just coming in front of the head.    This was a magical warm evening filled with golden light.