In January of this new year, I was offered a short residency on some property in rural Portugal owned by the lovely folks at Welcome Road Winery. I packed my bags and stowed 3 tubes of paint – red, yellow, and blue (these can make all the colors of the rainbow).

Once I landed in Lisbon I found an art supply store and with in my tortured Portuguese I asked for paper and tape. Luckily, the very friendly clerk was better at English and I found what I was able to buy some very good cold press watercolor paper.

The Portuguese weather was rainy with sun breaks so I was able to capture rain on the page and get some work accomplished outdoors on the gorgeous property. I incorporated the dark, loamy soil from the acreage in some of the works to inform the heart and soul of the place.

I’m looking forward to finding a venue to show these little gems in the coming year. For now I’m busy naming, matting and framing each piece. What a dream of an experience for any artist to be able to work in such a special place. Thank you to the award-winning Welcome Road Winery for their generosity and kindness.

Attic Gallery in Camas, WA has a rich and illustrious history. The gallery was started in, of all things, the attic of Diana Faville’s home in 1973. Since then the gallery has grown into an institution in the arts community, with collectors world wide. I’ve enjoyed the gallery’s representation since 2020, and was asked if I’d host a solo show for First Friday in February. To round out the show I was paired with sculptor Anna Wiancko-Chasman. The work complemented each other well, as Anna and I both draw upon influences from the natural world.

The reception was a lot of fun and the gallery was filled with people coming and going, as the conversation and the wine flowed. I met some lovely people, talked art and listened to the jazz stylings of virtuoso guitarist John Stowell. What a great night. A big thank you to Maria, Diana and Tommer for their generosity and care on behalf of local artists. If you are in the Portland, Oregon area, check out this gem of a gallery!