Watercolor painter joins Central Oregon arts scene

Colors that gently move and melt into one another are the usual signature of a watercolor painter. Watercolor artist Terri Dill-Simpson makes images that sometimes whisper softly, or otherwise march boldly from the paper.

Terri Dill-Simpson’s work is on display this month in the Computer Room of Sisters Library.

Having recently moved to a home between Sisters and Redmond from the Portland area, she is marching boldly onto the local art scene. Earlier this summer, she participated in the highly successful Artist Studio Tour, sponsored by the Sisters Arts Association, and is building a following throughout Central Oregon as a member of both SAA and the Dry Canyon Arts Association of Redmond.

Dill-Simpson is also a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon, Oregon Society of Artists, Buffalo Grass Society of Artists, and Color Fusion. Most recently, she’s also shown her work at the Lakewood Theater in Lake Oswego and Eagle Crest’s show called Art On The River.

Terri was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, and graduated from Lewis and Clark College with a degree in art education. She set that aside for a 20-year career in law enforcement and safety, and for many years worked at the Oregon Zoo. Although her official job at the Zoo was not art-related, she proudly began and maintained the Primate Gallery there for 10 years. That gallery featured work by artists who painted and photographed all species of animals and birds.

When in Portland, she taught at the Northeast Community Center for eight years, and work by her students was regularly featured in the gallery there.

Over the years, Dill-Simpson has organized and participated in fine art and craft shows in Portland and Salem. Now officially retired, she devotes lots of time to her love of painting. She maintains a private studio in her home, where she both paints and gives art lessons.

“My paintings show my passion for color and the incredible beauty of nature,” she says. The Deschutes River and all of its year-round beauty is just a few steps from her studio.

One of the paintings she’s showing is called “Horse Talk.” The background in fine script is all terms relating to horses, like horsehair, horse show, horse shoes, horse carriage. Her collection includes a similar work for a cat, and a fish — “but I won’t do another like that,” she admits, because of the difficulty of hand-rendering each of the terms in watercolor.

A long, narrow painting called “Salmon on the Run” shows the journey they make on their way to spawn. Although most of this painting is watercolor, the salmon are overpainted with acrylic and seem to sparkle and jump off the paper. Three small salmon, rendered in ink, give this piece a traditional signature.

A triptych of works in greens and blues on handmade paper bear the titles, “You Have To Kiss A Lot of Frogs,” “Crabby Blue,” and “Magical Pond,” and depict — of course — a frog, a crab, and water. In addition, you’ll see an elephant, two bird paintings, several floral images, and Multnomah Falls. The largest piece in this show is a cloudscape, a huge billowing cumulus bundle of white that is so typical of the blue skies above the hills of Yamhill County in the summer.

Dill-Simpson also creates pet portraits on request, using photographs to assure the likeness of your family friend. And on special occasions, she will also produce hand-painted furniture via commission.

Her work will be on display at Sisters Library throughout September. Library hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 10 to 5. The library is closed on Sunday and Monday. Most of the work is for sale, and a portion of the proceeds is donated to the Friends of Sisters Library.

To see more of Terri Dill-Simpson’s work you can visit her website at http://www.4brushstrokes.com.