I love being surrounded by Kristen’s bold brushstrokes of trees, filtered light and flowing water in my own art collection and I’ve been in awe as I’ve watched her work mature over the past 20+ years that I’ve known her. Full disclosure, she’s my amazing sister-in-law, and I’ve been so lucky to have another professional artist in the family; we bounce ideas off each other, critique each other and support each other. But besides all that she is truly talented and passionate about preserving nature so of course I wanted to share her work with you.
Here’s what she has to say about her concepts of painting nature, “When I paint places that have been preserved, like national parks and trails, people say, ‘Oh, I’ve been there, that’s so pretty.” Now, I am taking this a step further. To challenge people and myself with questions like, “Is the forest beautiful after it burns? Are forest fires the enemy or a long-banished friend?” Currently I am learning from scientists, organizations, and tribal members about the world we live in. I am challenging my own notions of land use and forest management. I know that this new style of collaboration, diving into the unknown waters of knowledge and coming up with voices that need lifting, is more important to me than simply creating beauty for pleasure’s sake.”
Want to see her work in person? A selection of paintings from The Oregon Coast series is currently on display at the Grants Pass Museum of Art or scroll down for a video where she takes about the process of making this series.
To learn more about Kristen’s work and opportunities for classes, check out her video:
To add her work to your collection visit: www.kristenoneillart.com or follow her on IG at @kristenoneillart
Artists Sharing Artists: is a series of posts where I share some of my favorite artists who are also inspired by nature and use their art to protect what they love. More artists coming soon…
When you are a participating artist in the tour it’s really hard to make your way around to see other artists studios but this year, my husband and I were able to sneak in a few studio visits one afternoon. While we don’t have the biggest budget to buy art, let alone the space to put it in, we also believe in supporting local artists. So many people think that art is out of their price range so I wanted to share the gems that we bought, all for under $200. Seriously. Under $200.
Owner John Albrecht along with Jasper Marino and Tom Watson hope “To enlighten and nurture the creative confidence inherent in all” with this new creative space. Join them in celebrating creativity by visiting the studio at: