For SHORE THINGS artist Pam Haunschild.

“Tide Pool II” watermedia on cradled board by Pam Haunschild 10 x 10 $295

Abstraction in art basically means to move away from a strict representation of reality. Abstraction can range from a rejection of all reference to the external world like the abstract expressionists (e.g. Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko) to hyper-realism like the photorealist painters (e.g., Richard Estes, Yigal Ozeri). Of course, most work is somewhere between these extremes. I call myself a semi-abstract artist, as I always have an identifiable natural subject in my paintings, but the subject departs from reality in color, texture, form, and/or other aspects of the subject.

“Salt Marsh” original acrylic on board, 24×18 by Pam Haunschild $595

So why do I like some abstraction in my art? Because moving away from “reality” allows me to change colors, forms, textures and other aspects of a scene, which can help increase the impact of a natural subject. For example, the layers of sand, rocks and waves in the “Sea Strata” painting above is an obvious departure from reality, but allows me to compress the different layers and draw attention to natural processes like attrition and erosion that affect the seashore environment.

In “Salt Marsh” my goal was to give viewers the very watery feeling of being in a marsh. I used a lot of very wet paint and let it run, puddle, and mix in a way that mimics natural processes. I eliminated the horizon line and other distractions to keep the focus on the gulls and their watery reflections. Pam Haunschild

About the NW artist:

Pam Haunschild is a contemporary Northwest watermedia painter living in Oregon.

Her art education consists of intensive workshops with artists Robert Burridge, Kathleen Conover, Morton Solberg, Pat Wheeler, and

Lynda Hoffman-Snodgrass.

She teaches workshops on various topics related to watermedia and has taught at Sitka Center for Art & Ecology, Mendocino Art

Center, Corvallis Art Guild, and many other locations in Oregon.

PhD, Carnegie Mellon University (Currently Professor Emerita of Social Science)

Former Jack Crosby Regents Chair of Business Administration at The University of Texas at Austin
Former Associate Professor at Stanford University

There are many marine species found in tide pools, from plants to animals.

Plants are important for food and shelter in a tide pool. Algae is found encrusting over rocks. Kelps anchor themselves to rocks. Wracks, sea lettuce, and Irish moss.

Animals in a tide pool must deal with changing moisture and temperature. All face rough waves and high winds. Tide pool animals have adapted to survive in this challenging environment.

Tide pool animals include:

Shells: animals such as snails, barnacles, and mussels have strong shells, crabs, lobsters, and shrimp have hard exoskeletons. These structures protect these animals from predators and help keep their bodies moist in dry conditions,
Clinging to rocks or to each other: Sea urchins and sea stars cling to rocks or seaweeds with their tube feet. This keeps them from being washed away as the tide goes out. Some animals, like barnacles and periwinkles cluster together, which provides greater protection from the elements.
Hiding or Camouflage: Sea urchins can camouflage themselves by attaching rocks or weeds to their spines. Crabs bury nearly their whole body in the sand. Many blend in well with their surroundings.

Fairweather House and Gallery

612 Broadway St.

SHORE THINGS

Art show and sale

On exhibition through July 30th

Exploring the deep, multifaceted relationship with the sea and shore

Featuring original art by NW artists Paul Brent, Nick Brakel, Emily Miller, Pam Haunschild,Karen Lewis, Lee Munsell, Ron Nicolaides, Vicky Combs-Snider, and Peg Wells

Introducing oil painter Colette Fallon