Thank You

Hug Point Sea-stack
16x20

As my show Moods of the Pacific Northwest begins to wind down, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all your support. All the friends, family, peers and collectors, you have really added the spice to make this a dynamite experience for me and from the bottom of my heart I

Thank You!

 



From the time I was given the green light to move forward with this project, the entire process has been a life changing experience for me, and one that I will never forget.

 

Each of the paintings holds a special memory for me. Like the morning when I painted Torrent out in the driving wind and rain at La Push, or the time when my great friend, Eric Jacobsen and I straddled a guard rail in The Dalles and I ended up painting Reliable Beauty. Then there was the time when I painted a sea-stack at Hug Point and my freshly loaded palette fell face first on the beach. Consequently, the piece is lovingly adorned with Hug Point sand.

 

As of today, an amazing total of 24 paintings have sold from the show. I couldn't be more humbly thankful that Moods of the Pacific Northwest was so well received.

 

And to my biggest fan, my Grandmother (Betty), who has visited the gallery at least a dozen times with friends and family to do what grandmothers do best... boast.

 

Thanks to everyone who had an opportunity to see the show and/or offer up such kind words, especially those who chose to take a piece home. It truly means more to me than you can imagine.

 

I owe a special thank you to Kevin Weaver, the gallery director of Art on the Boulevard for believing and trusting in me enough to give me my first solo show. It was an unbelievable show of faith that I am so grateful for. Thank you Kevin, for giving me wings.

 

And lastly I would like to thank my wife, Victoria. I could not have done the show without your support and organization. I love you and thank you!

 

 

 

Moods of the Pacific Northwest

Quintessential
36x48

Moods of the Pacific Northwest

 

 

Show Statement

 

Michael Lindstrom, is an oil painter, born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, and has developed a great love for its dynamic beauty. Out of his passion for the diverse topography and seasonal weather patterns was born this show, Moods of the Pacific Northwest.

 

In this show you will see a broad range of subject matter, from moody coastlines to intimate tree lines, to the Gorge, to east of the Cascades. His goal is to give the viewer a feeling of what inspires him about the Pacific Northwest. "It's really a celebration of the landscape, and the beauty that comes with every season."

 

Michael is primarily a plein air painter and feels that painting from life adds a dimension to his work that is difficult to replicate in the studio. "I believe the challenge of working out in the elements gives a painting a certain spontaneity and freshness that captures a moment in time."

 

What you might find even more interesting is that Michael began oil painting only four years ago and put together this show while holding down a full time job. "Painting for this show was no doubt a challenge that I was up for, but add to the mix that I only had evenings and weekends to paint, catapulted me into another gear of intensity."

 

"There are many people I have to thank for helping and inspiring me along my creative journey. However, for this show I am choosing to honor one person in particular: the very first person to inspire me to paint...... As a late teen I watched her periodically bring home paintings from a weekly class and wanted to ask if I could try it, but I never did. Maybe I wasn't ready..... I remember receiving one of her paintings for my 18th birthday that I still cherish today. And more than 25 years later I am taking my mother's inspiration to another level in a show of my own. A tree has grown from that seed planted so long ago."

 

"I have you to thank, Mom, for passing on the inspiration of oil painting to me. I am hopeful to do the same for another."

 

 

Moods of the Pacific Northwest

Dedicated to the memory of

Betsy Lindstrom

 

 

 

 

Aspens' Edge

Aspens' Edge
14x18

 

As I complete the finishing touches on my first solo art show at, Art on the Boulevard in Vancouver, WA, I pause and reflect on the journey that it took to get here.

The places I traveled to, and the people I came in contact with, have all added a richness and vibrancy to this extraordinary experience.

Like the time I met a young woman and her two boys while I painted in the rain on the coast. She used it as a teaching tool for her kids by encouraging them to do what they love no matter what the weather is. 

Or the time my wife and I had a wonderful picnic at the Pumpkin Patch. She read while I painted, then we paused for some great food, and enjoyed the lovely late summer afternoon.

And of course there's the time when my good friend Eric Jacobsen and I were searching for a spot to paint and came across a stubborn cow wondering down the road with clearly too much time on his hands......

All the experiences of preparing for this show are woven into every piece, and it is my hope you can feel the joy, the struggles, and the mood in each painting.

 

Moods of the Pacific Northwest opens Feb.1 and runs through Mar. 31

www.artontheboulevard.org

 

 

Winter Solitude

Winter Solitude
24x36

One of the great aspects of the Pacific Northwest is snow. Not so much on the valley floor, but all around in the mountain ranges, foothills, and east of the Cascades does the magical wonder of snow, truly gain traction.

Snow, with its blanketing ability can take any scene, no matter how pretty or ugly, and totally transform it.

Being in snow, makes us think, makes us feel like a kid again. Snow is deep, moody, and inspiring.  It's almost as if life transcends.

Some of my personal favorite paintings are of snow scenes.

I knew I wanted to have at least a couple snow pieces in my show, and one of them is Winter Solitude.

And since Christmas is near, I thought this might be a good time to give you a preview and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Peaceful Coastline

Peaceful Coastline
18 x 24

One of the greatest attributes of the Pacific Northwest is the stunning coastline. It's a coastline that can be experienced and described in countless ways, with awe inspiring moments at every turn.  It's a coastline that can be as rugged as a steel mill, and as peaceful as a cup of tea.
With such a broad range of emotions that can be felt there, it's not surprising that it's such a draw to most everyone. 

For me as a painter, I am always trying to capture the mood or the feeling of a subject. And that's part of what makes painting the Washington/Oregon coastline an obvious choice. 

The amazing subtle grays on display any given day, offer substance and depth that you can sink your teeth into. Like a hot bowl of homemade stew, it warms the soul and feeds the spirit.

Make sure to save February 1 2013, on your calendar for my First Friday, solo show debut at Art on the Boulevard , "Moods of the Pacific Northwest."
It's sure to be a moooooding experience.....:)

Show Update

Tree Line Of Color
14 x 18

It feels good to finally give you an update on where my show, "Moods of the Pacific Northwest" is headed.

 Beginning in August, I found myself thrust into the chaos of figuring out how to put together a solo show. Planning the various places to visit and scenes I wanted to paint, has been exhilarating and exhausting all in one. 

One question I have been asked is, "how do you keep up with the pressure of the impending deadline?" A valid question for certain, but not one that I really thought about much. I have felt the pressure of time, but all it really did was to propel me to another gear. I knew that in order to pull this off I would have to step up my game, and in no time I found myself painting a lot larger format out in the field. Plus my wife, Victoria, has been a huge support. Between the two of us, she is the organizer and she has played a big part in me being able to do this. In addition, Kevin Weaver, gave me ample time to work the project.

Having said that, there is still work to do; I still have some moody pieces to complete and plenty of framing to do.

Tree Line of Color, happened to be an early piece in this series. I painted it from one of my favorite spots to work, the Steigerwald National Refuge. At the time it was my largest plein air painting attempted which came with great satisfaction by pushing those boundaries. And even though this is an intimate landscape, whenever I see it, I instantly think of a Cheetah and/or a Giraffe. I think.because of the subtle dark spots against the orange.

It probably sounds corny, but I really wanted to name it, "Cheetah"

What do you think, should I change the name?......

Links

Vicki's blog - theshyshutterbug.blogspot.com

Kevin Weaver - artontheboulevard.org

Mixing it Up



Matterhorn - detail



I would like to share some great and exciting news with you. Now, most of you know that i show my work in Art on the Boulevard, gallery in Vancouver,WA. Well, recently the director of that gallery, Kevin Weaver, notified me that i was selected to have my very own solo show. How awesome is that?.....

I am so excited for this great opportunity, and i can hardly believe this honor has been offered to me.

Let me tell you just how significant this is......

First of all, Art on the Boulevard, is one of the premiere galleries in the Pacific Northwest. Second, Kevin has well over fifty incredible artists; all of them are just as deserving of a show as me. And third, there are only six shows per year.

Spots like this are pretty rare, and i feel very fortunate that the gallery has seen fit to promote and support me like this.

So, my show will debut on First Friday, February 1st 2013 and is entitled "Moods of the Pacific Northwest".

Two of the great things about the Pac. NW is the dynamic weather and diverse topography. My goal is to capture the feeling, the mood of the different seasons, and celebrate the endless beauty, of our textured landscapes and atmosphere from various locations.

During this process of preparing for the show, i might be a bit light on my posts, but i will do my best to keep up. I will begin posting work for the show in December, to give you an inside peek.



The Matterhorn

In case you were wondering these photos are of my mound of titanium white after battling with brush and knife. Plus its always fun to look for interesting shapes, colors and textures in the not-so-obvious places.

Until next time....... Keep mixing it up!