When you’re up in the Monument, do you ever wish that you could capture a moment perfectly? Not just with your phone, where the greens don’t seem as vibrant and blue sky lacks a certain brilliance contrasted with a rolling cumulus cloud. Perhaps you want to freeze an emotion that floods over you as you look across the landscape swaying gently in a warm breeze, the almost invisible birds and insects flitting between the boughs and blades of grass. Even though the technology in our pockets always seems to be improving, it more often than not lacks the vividness of life. This is where artists come in.
Every year, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) selects artists for a one to two week stay in the Monument. During this time, the artists dedicate themselves to capturing the natural beauty of the landscape, its biodiversity, and unique character. Not only do they donate a digital copy of one of their pieces to the BLM, but they also participate in a reception hosted by Friends of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. It was at this reception that we got to meet this year’s artists in person.
Leslie Ann Hauer, who is from the east side of Washington State, set up her gorgeous oil paintings along a table. While she has no formal art training, you wouldn’t be able to tell. Her paintings all captured a snapshot of the Monument in colorful detail. From a gorgeous landscape at Hyatt Lake –with “50 shades of green”-- to a detailed study of a mossy fence post, you truly felt as though her subjects came alive.
Nisty Tharp, a native of Colorado who currently resides in Utah, worked primarily in acrylic paint and markers. She represented the Monument and its wildlife in punchy colors that evoked the vitality of its biodiversity. An art teacher by profession, Nisty spoke about her process and also the challenges of working on unconventional materials such as pieces of local pine wood.
It was great to see so many beautiful pieces and we look forward to experiencing what next year’s artists create.
We would like to thank Leslie and Nisty for donating 20% of their sales at the reception to FCSNM. To learn more about the artists and explore more of their work, please visit their websites:
Nisty Tharp: https://www.nistyartwork.com/
Leslie Ann Hauer: https://hauerart.com/