Charcoal series of owls

  Portland artist Paulette Kaskinen has been drawing and painting since the 1990s when, having finished an MA in art history, she wanted to play with the materials in addition to studying other peoples’ work. Largely self-taught in drawing and painting, Paulette also holds a BA in Anthropology and an MA in Counseling and is a licensed psychotherapist and registered clinical supervisor. Her work has been shown in Portland, Gresham, and Coos Bay.

  I look for images of animals and birds that speak to me in some way, and my goal is to use charcoal or paint to connect with those creatures through my work. For me there are no generic barn owls, any more than there are generic humans: the process of drawing or painting a portrait is one of incredible intimacy, as if the placement of media on canvas or paper is a way of touching the individual creature. To witness a wild animal (not in captivity) over time is an enormous privilege. I will continue to document and interpret actual moments in the life of this particular family from hatching through fledging of the new generation. 

Thank you to Marla Albitz and Topstall Farm for their responsible stewardship of the property these animals call home!