Description

Cherries For You Pastel on Sanded Paper 26 x 14…$175

Artist Biography:    Awarding winning artist Lorraine Dye is a native Oregonian. Originally from Hood River, she has lived most of her life in Oregon. Lorraine has owned several businesses in the area and had worked at the Bush Barn Art Center for eleven years, drawing inspiration from her fellow artists there.  She has also worked at the State Capitol during legislative sessions.

 Now, “mostly retired,” Lorraine works primarily as an artist and as a member of the Salem Artist Association and Artists in Action. She was also one of the founding members of the Red Raven Gallery in Salem. Lorraine has been a jury member for several shows at the Oregon State Fair, including the 2023 State Fair Arts exhibit.  

 Lorraine has received numerous awards for her work and is currently exhibiting at the Bush Barn Art Center as well as the AiA Gallery. She began painting with pastels in 2005, and is self taught, taking just a few classes to help with technique.  Her impressionistic realism style incorporates strong contrast and vivid colors along with a broad spectrum of subjects ranging from still-life to landscapes and animals. She has worked in other media but prefers to create in soft pastels on a variety of papers to achieve specific creative results.

Over the past several years Lorraine has illustrated a book and has achieved many acknowledgements in local art shows. She has been commissioned and has had work accepted into the Oregon State Capital permanent collection along with a write-up in the Statesman Journal in 2013. Her painting “Ankeny Vineyard was presented to Salem’s sister city in Kawagoe, Japan for the 30^th  Anniversary.

 Artist Statement:    I paint in pastels, not by choice, but because that is what my mother-in-law used. A gifted artist in her own right, it was from her I inherited my supplies. I knew nothing about them until after my first painting class in 2005. It was then I suddenly realized something had been missing in my life. Painting makes me feel energized, creative and happy…it’s that simple!

I am basically a self-taught artist, with the exception of an occasional class along the way. I believe an artist needs to constantly experiment, grow and learn through every painting. I love my pastels for the vibrant colors they offer.