Karen Budan, OPA, Horsepower, 16 x 20”

Entrance in the exhibition was open to current OPA member artists from the western areas of Canada, the United States and all of Mexico. Approximately 100 artists were selected to participate from over 1,000 submissions and have the opportunity to win more than $25,000 in cash and merchandise that will be awarded by this year’s juror, artist and OPA member Elizabeth Robbins.

Nancy McTigue,  Holly, 16 x 12"; Anne Oborn OPA, Flowers from my Garden, 24 x 18"

“The subject matter for the Western RegionalOPA show varies greatly, with artists sending in representational paintings of subjects that include still life, portraits, street scenes, seascapes, floral, animal, figurative and landscapes,” says OPA president Susan Abma. “Although the Western and Eastern Regional Shows both include paintings of similar subject matter, the landscapes in each show are often very different, usually featuring locations particular to each region. For instance, on the east coast there are often more harbor scenes and architectural scenes, whereas on the west coast there are more canyon scenes and mountain landscapes. Also in the West there are more horse paintings as well as ranch hand and Native American portraits.”

Top: David Harms OPA, Winter Daybreak in the Valley, 24 x 36"; Robin Williamson OPA, Beguiling in Blue, 24 x 18". Bottom: Barbara Summers Edwards OPA, Sounds of Migrating Geese, 30 x 20"; Bradley Giles, Land of the Cahuilla, 18 x 31".

Karen Budan’s piece Horsepower demonstrates the artist’s hyper-realistic approach to still lifes. “I am especially drawn to setups for paintings that include translucency and reflections,” says Budan. She had owned the glass horse bookends depicted in Horsepower for years but it wasn’t until she saw the sun hitting them that she knew she needed to paint them. “I love capturing the distortions and reflections that light on glass surfaces can create and the horses provided just that,” she says, adding that she had fun inserting books about car horsepower between them. “Although collectors of my art are fascinated by the realism I achieve, it is usually the objects in the paintings that have some personal meaning for them.” 

From left: Susan Hotard OPA, The Green Scarf, 14 x 11";  Kimberly Beck,  Finding Balance, 20 x 16"; Eliza Hoffman,  Tibetan Girl, 10 x 8"

Winter Daybreak in the Valley by David Harms was inspired by one of his favorite places—Steamboat Springs, Colorado. “Winter is especially beautiful there and I was definitely captured by the band of morning light peeking through,” he says. Harms joined OPA in 2017 and became a Signature Member this year. “I absolutely love being an OPA member. Painting landscapes is something that I just have to do and swimming in the wake of all the past and present greats is an honor.”

David Wicks, Orange Tractor, 11 x 24"

The model in Beguiling in Bluewas working in a local restaurant when Robin Williamson saw her and was immediately captivated by her beauty. She agreed to model for Williamson, who says although she had no prior experience, was a natural. “The stunning deep-blue sari she brought with her was the icing on the cake,” says Williamson, whose favorite subject is people. “People’s faces and expressions supply an artist with endless possibilities. And while challenging, the pursuit of that perfect painting conveying all the human emotion is completely worth it.” 

Mick Harrison, When News Traveled by Coach, 24 x 40"

“Life is a series of seasons reflecting the change that is inevitable in the earth and in our lives,” says Barbara Summers Edwards. “I along with my Native American friends have a deep respect and love for the rhythm and seasons of creation. Sounds of Migrating Geese reflects that feeling and reverence one gets as we pause to hear, see and reflect on those wonders of creation...the sounds of geese migrating as a precursor to the coming change of seasons. I like to paint these often overlooked moments in our lives that tie us to our world, history and humanity.”

Top: Derek Harrison,  Prickly Pear, 24 x 34"; Susan Jarvis, Waiting for the Milkman, 30 x 30". Center: Robert Goldman, Glorious Sunrise, Lake Powell, 18 x 36". Bottom: Erik Linton, Visitor on a Green Velvet Chair, 36 x 24"; Robert Johnson OPAM, Ghost Ranch Afternoon (NM), 18 x 24".

Susan Hotard initially painted The Green Scarf from life. After analyzing it for a few days she decided it needed embellishment and a warm color to complement the cool green and added the golden brooch and nose piercing. “To complete the exotic look of the model I gave her Egyptian makeup,” says Hotard. “The brush work of the background and scarf lead the eye around the painting. I started with thinner darks, with each pass I added thicker paint, until I used the thickest paint in the highlights of her jewelry, giving it a three dimensional feeling.”

Nancy Romanovsky, Tide-scape, Tolmie State Park, 30 x 30"; William Schneider OPAM, Consider This, 18 x 24"

Oil Painters of America is planning an equally exciting year for artists and collectors in 2024. Visit www.oilpaintersofamerica.com to learn about their upcoming events. —