“Doug Fir Forest” 12×9 impasto oil by Karen Doyle
About the trees:
Botanist-explorer David Douglas — this tree’s namesake — described it as “one of the most striking and truly graceful objects in nature.” Tree expert Michael Dirr heralded it as “one of the noblest forest trees.”
Douglas-fir, scientific genus name Pseudotsuga menziesii, the most common tree in Oregon, is the most crucial conifer in the state because of its ecological and economic significance. The Oregon legislature recognized this when it designated Douglas-fir the official state tree in 1936.
Douglas-fir grows in various mixed conifer and hardwood forests in Oregon, from sea level to 5,000 feet elevation. The species has some ability to germinate and grow in the shade of other species and eventually replace them, but Douglas-firs prefer sunlight and mineral soil. Because of their immense size and thick bark, more giant trees can survive wildfire and reseed themselves in many burned-over areas.
The Oregon Champion Douglas-fir is 11.6 feet in diameter and 329 feet tall. Maximum heights can reach well over 300 feet, and diameters can reach 15 to 18 feet. Douglas-fir in the Pacific Northwest ranks as the second tallest tree species in the world behind the coastal redwoods in Southern Oregon and Northern California. When Douglas firs grow in dense forests, they self-prune their lower branches so the conical crown starts many stories above the ground. Commonly living to be at least 500 years of age, the oldest trees can be more than 1,500 years old.
As a versatile timber tree, Douglas-fir has few rivals. No other tree in the world produces more wood products for human use. It’s strong, relatively dense wood produces large timber beams, boards, railroad ties, plywood, and wood fiber for paper manufacture. It is used for reforestation along the Pacific coast. Its seeds are produced first at the age of about 25 years and in large crops every 5 to 7 years.
“Roseate” rosy impressionistic 30×24 oil by Karen Doyle
As its sound might suggest, roseate has to do with “rosy.” Anything that’s roseate is rose colored or pinkish. It’s often used in the term “roseate glow,” typically to describe a sunset.
About wild roses:
Roses first appeared on Earth around the time dinosaurs went extinct, 60 to 70 million years ago.
Fossil records indicate roses grew in Oregon during the Oligocene Epoch, 32 million years ago.
There are three native rose species in the Inland Pacific Northwest: baldhip rose, Nootka rose, and Woods’ rose. Native Oregon roses are wild flowering shrubs providing total spectrum pollen for bees, bird nesting places, and small mammals seclusion. Their fruits or hips are tasty treats for wildlife and a powerhouse of essential human antioxidants.
The wild rose is the National Floral Emblem of the United States as the symbol of life, love, and devotion.
“Fairweather House and Gallery has become one of the historic Gilbert District’s sought-after destinations offering an ever-changing unique visual experience.” —Seaside Signal
Representing a collection of fine art by an exceptional group of regional artists for over sixteen years, from traditional to transitional, contemporary to realism, impressionism to emerging art.
Please read more about our Seaside gallery, our commitment to N.W. artists, and our products made by N.W. artists.
https://fairweatherhouseandgallery.com
