Thankfully, there are men and women who eagerly, although admittedly somewhat fearfully, stand in front of blank canvases and gather their courage—and summon all of their skills—to transform them into wondrous works of art. Before they reach that point, however, they have settled on a medium that they feel is best suited to them and their subjects.

The artists we feature here have found, for the most part, what they need in oil paints.

Nancy Howe

Heliotrope
Oil
18˝ by 24˝
“I paint because this is the ‘gift’ I was given, the means for me to grow, appreciate, and navigate this life of mine. But I am careful not to confuse what I do with who I am. “The elements that capture my attention and inspire me to paint a subject are strength of design, an atmosphere of light, or human emotion in facial expression, body language, or hand gesture.

Bill Davidson

Paradise
Oil
24˝ by 20˝
“I paint because I think, like all artists, we each feel a need to express our vision of how we want to see the subject matter portrayed in our own unique way. I am always inspired by seeing awesomely created art.“

Jean Chambers

Fact or Fiction
Oil
10˝ by 12˝
“I paint because there are endless possibilities, and it keeps me absorbed. Even when I’m not painting, I’m looking, seeing the world as a painting, and imagining it in paint. If I need to be inspired, all I have to do is set up a still life, shine a light on it, and get interesting shapes and shadows. Setting up a still life is an art form.“

Craig Zuger

Mount Jefferson from Bays Lake
Oil
24˝ by 24˝
“Art has been the one thing about myself throughout my life that I own. Ironically, art has been putting the highlights on my life as I would on a painting. We need each other.

Lori Putnam

Snow Shadows
Oil
20˝ by 12˝

“I paint because it is such a challenge for the mind. Painting is stimulating, exhausting, and pure joy all at the same time. Painting is like working a difficult puzzle. I try to see it completed in my mind, then decide how best to deconstruct it—all the way down to the bare canvas. That’s the only way I know for certain exactly how to begin. For me, painting is problem solving, expression, and paint.“

Albin Veselka

Summer’s Last Light
Oil
20˝ by 12˝
“Years ago, I read Richard Schmid’s book, ‘Alla Prima,’ for the first time. Near the beginning of the first chapter, he addressed the question—why do you paint—to his readers in these words: ‘If you paint because you must do it or die, you are my kind of painter; read on!’ This statement resonated with me on a very deep level and sums up [why I paint]. Painting is like breathing, to me.“