About
Art Philosophy
All of my work is based on my love of nature and the outdoors. I like to paint subjects that show beauty and serenity, things that can be hard to find in the hustle and bustle of the modern world.
I have worked in both colored pencil and in watercolor, sometimes combining the two. With colored pencil one can create wonderful textures and optical mixing of colors, while the richness of color and quality of light with watercolor are hard to resist. I’ve also done some painting directly on the computer. It is far more forgiving than either colored pencil or watercolor and works especially well for pieces intended for reproduction.
Where You Can See My Work
I usually bring my paintings and ornaments to Portland Audubon’s Wild Arts Festival. This is held in November each year at Montgomery Park in Portland, Oregon. I will be there again in 2011. Look for me in booth 27. My ornaments have also been sold at the Massachusetts Audubon gift store for many, many years, but I didn’t have enough stock to sell to them this year.
Current Projects
My obsession with learning all about the flora of the Western Cascades (my “backyard” mountains) has resulted in a long term project to write a book on the plants and great plant hikes of the area. The title will be Mountain Plants of the Western Cascades and Where to Find Them. This is a huge undertaking and one I am enjoying thoroughly. I have been working on it off and on for a number of years already but have quite a ways still to go. In answer to the question “When will it be done?” I can only say “When it is ready.” My painting is on hold for the time being, but the writing, photography and layout of the book thoroughly satisfy my creative juices. I have also created a website with information on the Western Cascades and its flora at westerncascades.com. You can find samples of the book there as well.
Personal
I enjoy the quiet life in the country outside of Eugene, Oregon, where I’ve been since 1993 (I’m a transplant from New England). My home is shared with my husband, Jim Babson, and my aging feline assistant Boo, along with many wild creatures including deer, coyotes, squirrels, newts, and many birds.
I am also obsessed with growing plants in my own garden—a combination of rock garden and woodland—with many native species. I learn so much watching plants go from seed to bloom (when I can get them to germinate!). Gardening is a wonderful combination of art and science. If only it weren’t such hard physical work. I’ve found that—at least at my age—gardening, drawing, and sewing cannot all be done at the same time, so both art and gardening are somewhat on the back burner while my hands heal from overuse over the last couple of years and I focus on my plant book.
Contact
Tanya Harvey
40237 Reuben Leigh Rd.
Lowell, OR 97452-9712
541-937-1401
info [at] tanyaharveydesign.com (please change the [at] to @)