Rebecca Meloy
Punkaharju
Central Finland
Oil on canvas
Yew Street Pond
Bellingham, Washington
Oil on canvas
Birch / Clouds
Alajarvi, Finland
Soft Pastel
Field
Edison, Washington
Oil on canvas
Urban Tree / Lilac
Finland
Oil on canvas
Ditch / Farm
Conway, Washington
Pastel
Slough / Tree
Skagit County, Washington
Linoleum Print
Winter Chuckanut Tree
Blanchard, Washington
Linoleum Print
Beach Pine
Pacific Ocean, Oregon
Linoleum Print
Clear Cut Forest
Olympic Forest, Washington
Linoleum Print
“My art evolves around land and trees — maybe because as a child that is where I found centering protection.
Having a strong bond with nature, as an adult I came to realize that I become overwrought when destruction is brought to the environment. Only in 1995, after many years of painting abstract ‘Diary Pages’, the land I love emerged through a gouache painting of an orchard titled ‘Healing Life’. Prior to this change of imagery, I had also been very active attending hearings about wetland filling, water pollution, and jet noise and had co-founded a collaborative local environmental newspaper.
Today, my decisions in using the imagery I select are spontaneous. Frequently it is the quality of light, air, or movement from wind that pulls me into the plein air art-making process. Doing so, I use hand-pulled linoleum printing, soft-pastel drawing, and oil painting.
Recording observations and expressing feelings through hand tools and color is integral to my life. Maybe this process is about working through chaos to calm. I do know that new understanding awakens.”