Good bye August, hello September!

It’s been a busy summer here-so I’m squeaking this in under the wire for the month! I’ve got a couple secret projects I’m working on that I have to keep under my hat, but here are some paintings that I can share that I’ve finished recently.

I’ve been working on a series of paintings all about the joy of getting in a canoe or kayak on the amazing lakes in the area.

Send me all your lake recs-small and big! I don’t have a kayak of my own, but I’ll figure out a way to get on the water.

This painting has been on my to do list for a long time. The way the light hit this hill on my way back from Pullman to Spokane really caught my eye!

This painting was inspired by a photo taken by a delightful art patron of mine-the view down Riverside!

I’m really thrilled with this painting-its going to be my Christmas card for this year. If you commission a painting from me or buy a large original work, you also get a Christmas card from me for that year. Just sayin’! :)

And if you need an opportunity to buy some of my art-I’ll be at the Little Spokane River Artist Studio tour at Collista’s studio (the furthest north). I’ll have all original work only, but I will be taking pre-orders for my 2024 calendar with a sample that you can flip through.

This painting is hanging at Terra Blanca Winery for this month as part of the preview show for the Little Spokane River Artist Studio tour. Stop on by if you want to get an idea of what kind of art will be at the show!

CLASSES

So I just finished my Painting Watercolor Flowers class at the Spokane Art School and it was great! If you’d like to take classes with me for the fall, check out my events page-HERE. My last plein air class of the year is in Browne’s Addition on the 9th of September-we’ll be sketching the historic houses near the NW Museum of Art and Culture. I’ll have a Paint & Sip with them in October and I have two classes coming up at the Corbin Art Center, both new classes and something a little different from my usual-I hope you’ll join me in drawing and painting a “favorite spot” or making an accordion book of Spokane landmarks. See you out there!

Sunflowers & Sketcherfest

If you’ve been following my work for a while, you’ve probably figured out that I’m obsessed with sunflowers. I always have been. They are such charismatic and fabulous plants. I grow them every year in my garden and after the first two years of planting seeds, they all come up as volunteers from last year’s plants. This means they don’t always come up in the most convenient places (like the middle of a path), but they are everywhere!

You know what else is everywhere this year? Grasshoppers. We have grasshoppers every year but this summer they are like locusts-eating flowers to the ground and shooting across our field like fireworks when I walk to the garden. They are chewing, chewing, chewing on everything!

Hence, this series of sunflower paintings which I have titled, “Tattered But Still Glowing”. They flowers have been chewed on till their leaves are in tatters, but they are still blooming beautifully and bringing me joy.

Whatever’s chewing on you, keep glowing my friends!

The other major activity of this month was my trip over to Edmonds to participate in Sketcherfest, the world’s first sketchbook based festival. Sketcherfest is a part of the Urban Sketchers movement which you can read more about here. I’ve been following the Urban Sketchers for over a decade and always love to go to their events if I can. Artists from all around the world and the PNW came to show their sketchbooks and sell their wares. I went into raptures of delight flipping through their sketchbooks-glorious, glorious inspiration!

These sketches were done during the free sketchcrawls that happened on Sunday. Over 100 people participated in each of the sketchcrawls and sketchers were spread up and down the waterfront painting and drawing. The general public, just out to enjoy the water, were surprised and delighted, tripping over sketchers at every turn.

It was so much fun-such a great sense of camaraderie among all of us sketchers and it was a joy to get to look at other participants’s sketchbooks. Plus, as you can see, the weather was killer-blue sky, Mt. Baker, and the Edmonds-Kingston Ferry!

Speaking of Sketchcrawls-this is my demo from my most recent Riverfront Park Sketch Crawl class. It was a great class of lovely people and I’m really looking forward to our August class. You can sign up for that here!

This is coming up Sunday-my last art festival of the summer. Come out and say hi! We’ll be in the Wonder Building, so you know what that means-SHADE!!

Stay cool out there friends!

Painting the PNW-Out Standing in Her Field

Hi Guys!

The title of this newsletter is taken from a joke-How do you tell if a farmer is good at his job? He’s outstanding in his field!

Well-this isn’t my field, but I sure had a good time standing out in the field at Slavin Natural Area, just south of the south hill.

The glowing light was incredible!

Most of my plein air (French for painting outside basically-fancy!) kit. I had a little REI stool and I carry all of this in a small Osprey backpack plus sunscreen, water for me, bug spray and an extra layer.

Painting the pond

Had a lot of fun with the texture of the grass in the foreground.

Gorgeous long shadows in the evening-what a great time to paint!

If you’d like to paint with me-I’ve got two classes in July for painting in Spokane Parks.

One on the 12th which you can sign up for here at Riverfront Park and another on the 26th at Manito Park that is through the Corbin Art Center and you can sign up for that here. All skill levels welcome-instructions will be personalized for students. I hope you can join me! If you’re interested in what I have going on in August, check out the Events section of my website.

This is my last art festival of the summer on July 30th at the Wonder Building 11-5. I’d love to see you guys and say hi! Thank you to everyone who came out to see me at Manito Art Festival and Bazaar-both shows were great!

Here’s a recently finished painting inspired by a kayaking trip with a friend to Horseshoe Lake. Did you know there are multiple lakes with that name in our area? Thank goodness we carpooled so we didn’t end up at different lakes!

This painting is inspired by a patron who shared this photo with me-a view straight down Riverside.

Happy 4th everyone! Have a lovely and safe weekend!

Jumping June-Art Festivals, Classes & a Throwback!

June is a busy month! I have two art shows right in a row-First the Manito Park Art Festival on Saturday June 10th and then Bazaar in downtown Spokane on Main on the 17th. I’ll be bringing my puzzles and several new paintings and I’d love to see you!

This is the view of the Pavilion as seen with my back to the Pavilion Art Space. My art is on display at the Pavilion Art Space until August. Right now there are two framed paintings and 3 framed sketchbooks (unusual for me!). I’m hoping to add sketches from my students once my Riverfront Park sketch crawl classes start happening. I really enjoyed having my sketchbooks up on the wall. I’d like to do an exhibit of my sketchbooks someday. Is that something you guys would be interested in?

I have painted the Rockwood Boulevard Towers before, but someone asked me to do a winter version as well so here it is-just in time for the Manito Art Festival!

I’ve taught at the Corbin Art Center for 10 years which I was shocked to realize recently. It is also the 125th anniversary of the Corbin House’s construction-so I guess, the house is probably even more shocked about how fast the time has gone than I am! Have you ever taken a class at Corbin?

This painting is at Craftsman Cellars for the Little Spokane River Artist Studio Tour Preview Show this month if you want a peek at what the artists will be at LSRAST this September.

Now for a fun throwback! My mom sent me this photo recently-its me in our hotel room in Hawaii. I think I’m around 12-13.

This is me in 2017 sketching in the UK, photo also taken by my mom. Clearly not much has changed! I still love to travel and to make art!

One last thing!

I’ve got sketchcrawl classes at Riverfront Park and Manito Park coming up in July and August. If you’d like to sign up for one of them here’s the link to my shop!

I was also thinking it’d be nice to do a sketching class in June. Email me back if you’re interested and let me know if weekday or weekend would be better and I’ll bang together a class sign up link to send out. We’d be aiming for either morning or evening so we don’t fry in the heat!

Hope to see you soon!

My April Adventures!

I’ve been busy in April enjoying working on various creative projects that don’t have anything to do with my work, such as messing around with making yard art and turning a giant cardboard roll into a huge pencil. It’s been fun to work with my creativity in a different way-3D!

In other new, I’m a big reader and the highlight of April for me was a gathering with my book club in Quincy. We have members in Seattle, Portland and Deer Park so Quincy was the closest we could get to the mid-point. On my trip to the Airbnb I stopped off at the Feathers-a basalt column ridge that is just 10 minutes off of 1-90 and is very popular with rock climbers.

I was able to just walk up to this cool formation and watch the rock climbers working on scaling them.

I was absolutely charmed by the gap between two of the “Feathers” and the sliver of sunlight field beyond it. When I stepped through, I discovered that I had parked in an unofficial parking lot as I looked out over multiple tents pitched around a larger paved spot. Children ran around laughing and voices floated down from the climbers up above my head.

Our Airbnb was one of these modernist houses on the Cave B Winery complex. I’d highly recommend it. The location is stunning and you can walk to the lip of the gorge (as well as the Gorge Amphitheater venue!)

This shows you the view of the Columbia.

Some of the group wanted to do some wine tasting, so I sketched as we sat on the lawn.

Yellow bells and the below columbia variation of the arrowleaf balsamroot that I see in the Spokane area were both in bloom, but the major flush of spring growth is probably happening right around now.

So cheery!

We walked part of the Upper Ancient Lakes Trailhead and this is the view of Frenchman’s Coulee from the top of a cliff. You can just see the waterfall in the distance, descending the fatherest cliff on the right. New goal-returning to hike out closer to the waterfall some day!

I continued my drive west and stopped at the University of Washington to catch the tail end of the cherry blossom bloom at the quad. There was a lot of rain and wind on my way over the pass and you can the cherry blossom petals fallen like pink snow on the ground.

I was lucky that there was a break in the weather so I was able to squeeze in a sketch in around an hour. I had my hood up and cinched against the wind for most of it. Thank goodness for gortex!

Even past their prime, the trees are just stunning!

Further progress on the sketch!

The cherry blossoms got into everything!

Final sketch!

Finally-if you’re planning to go out and about for First Friday (the 5th)-I’ll be hanging out at the new Spokane Art School location on 2nd with my fellow teachers for the faculty art show. I’d love to see you!

Take a Class with Me!

Hi Everyone!

I have quite a few classes planned for this spring and summer! This email covers just spring classes, but if you are interested in taking an urban sketching class with me this summer, go to my website to the Events section and I have all of my current classes scheduled through August listed there.The spring catalog for the Corbin Art Center classes will get posted soon, so if it isn’t up when you look, please check back!

I hope to paint with you in these upcoming months!

Paint and Sip

Northwest Museum of Art and Culture

Thursday, March 16, 2023

5:45-7:45 pm

 $18 members, $20 non-members 

Explore your inner artist in this watercolor painting workshop led by Spokane artist Megan Perkins, best known for her whimsical paintings of Spokane city landmarks. Along with a reference image, a complimentary glass of wine (21+) or a bottle of water is included. 

*Art supplies NOT provided, please see recommended supply list in confirmation email.*

If you have any questions about this program, please contact Amanda Gardner at 509.363.5357 or amanda.gardner@northwestmuseum.org.

SIGN UP HERE!

Sketchbook Habit

Corbin Art Center

April 10th, 24th, (We SKIP the 17th!), May 1st and 8th, 5:30-7:30

Experience the joy of playing in your sketchbook. In this class we will explore techniques such as notan, blind contour, hatching, color blocking, and more as a route to making work that improves our skills while embracing fun and defeating the inner critique. The goal is to learn ways to make art in small bits of time regularly so that you can make art every day. Please note, you WILL be expected to work in your sketchbook between class sessions. How can you develop a habit without practice? :) (smiley face can be omitted if desired)

You can register for this class at the Corbin Art Center.

Window Swap

Corbin Art Center

April 21st 1-3 pm
This is a 1 session, 2 hour class for all skill levels. 14 year old and up. 

Interested in warming up for plein air (drawing/painting outside) season? In this class, we will use the website “Window Swap” as our inspiration. People from all around the world submit video clips of the view from their window. Travel the world from your chair! Students will learn how to simplify a scene, draw accurately and interpret a video into a sketch. Class can be followed up with the urban sketching/plein air classes that will be offered in the summer.  

Register with the Corbin Art Center.

Big Sky

Spokane Art School

For students 14 years old and up

$72

Thursdays, April 27, May 4 & 11, 2023

5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Skies have a huge impact on a painting, sometimes taking up a large amount of the paper, and dramatically affecting the mood and atmosphere of the work. The sky should be considered carefully when planning a painting. In this class, led by Spokane artist Megan Perkins, students will tackle painting the sky – with clouds, mist, full of color, or as a neutral backdrop with a focus on being expressive and allowing the medium of watercolor to do its magic.

Sign up HERE

Creating Mood in a Landscape

Saturday, April 29, 2023

10 am - 4 pm

 $45 members, $50 non-members 

Learn how time of day, color, lighting, and composition all work together to create mood in a landscape, whether that is happy and bright, dramatic, or tranquil. Students will learn from local teaching artist Megan Perkins to complete multiple studies using techniques to alter mood while using the same reference image, then you will complete a final painting based on your favorite study. Please bring a reference picture to work from. 

If you have any questions about this program, please contact Amanda Gardner at 509.363.5357 or amanda.gardner@northwestmuseum.org.

SIGN UP HERE!

Sketch Out at Riverfront Park

Corbin Art Center

May 31st 1-3 pm at Riverfront Park.  

Want to try your hand at drawing from life? Come join us at Riverfront Park! In this class you will learn how to capture the energy of the park and the beautiful scenery in your sketchbook! Megan Perkins will show her urban sketching kit and demo how she tackles painting on location before helping students make their own piece of art drawing on the inspiration of Riverfront Park. Students have the option of displaying their work alongside Megan’s at the Pavilion Art Space in Riverfront Park. If that is desired, please bring loose leaf paper or a sketchbook where the pages can be torn out for your sketching surface.

We will meet at the Numerica Ice Skate Ribbon.

Students have the option of displaying their work alongside Megan’s at the Pavilion Art Space in Riverfront Park. If that is desired, please bring loose leaf paper or a sketchbook where the pages can be torn out for your sketching surface.

Sign up with the Corbin Art Center.

Please check out my Events Page if you would like to see my summer classes and get those dates on your calendar!

February Fumblings

Anyone else a bit confused that we’re almost to the end of February? How did that happen? I’m not sure. The snow is off the ground in most of Spokane, but out here in Deer Park, we still have a stubborn foot or so of crusty snow on all unplowed surfaces, but there is a regular dripping sound of thaw and I’ve been watching the cedar waxwings have a riot in our ash trees, eating the red, weather-worn berries, and swooping about in a mini-murmuration. The flowing, rhythmic motion is utterly fascinating. If you’d like an extraordinary example of murmuration, google- starling flock murmuration. It is incredible. I saw a huge flock doing this over the streets over Rome well over a decade ago (it was my first time seeing this phenomenon) and I’ve never forgotten it.

Speaking of birds-here’s another beloved favorite-the noble (and adorable) quail! Male quail will perch up high to keep watch over the ladies and babies. What gentlemen!

More birds! This is a painting from my Mythology/Geology series that I spoke about at the Hive. Thank you to everyone who came to the talk-it was a great success and I loved talking with you all.

This painting in particular is inspired by the rock outcroppings you find in sparse ponderosa pine forests (Seen most often by me in the Dishman Hills, but also in the Bowl and Pitcher Area) and the Sunburst Light at the Fox Theater, whose large Art Deco panels reminded me of basalt columns. I’m pleased to say that this piece already has a new home on the walls of a dedicated nature and Fox Theater lover!

Here’s some studies of turkeys from my sketchbook. Turkeys may look mostly black/grey (especially females) but there’s actually quite a bit of color there if you look.

Doing a small study of the whole scene to figure out placement of the figures.

Another sketchbook study from the large train painting I had on display during my talk at the Hive. This painting was inspired by seeing a train racing along on the tracks as I was driving home around sunset. To me, it seemed like the train was pulling evening along behind it.

As for this, I was cleaning my flat files to accommodate a newly acquired set (a lucky find that my husband spotted for me), when I found this painting I did years ago tucked in a drawer in a pile of collages! It seemed to fit well with the series I am working on now and I was delighted to rediscover it and wanted to share it with you.

Spring classes have all been submitted and I’m waiting for the catalog to go online for the Corbin Art Center and Parks and Rec. I’ve listed all of my classes under the event tab on my website and my next email to you all will be my whole spring selection of classes. There’s been a lot of requests for urban sketching/plein air painting so that is on the docket for late spring/summer and I hope you’ll be able to come paint with me!

January Happenings

Hello Everyone! I’ve been taking it slow going into the new year, helped along by a persistent head cold. It must be going around as almost everyone I know seems to have been or is sick. Tis the season for it I suppose, but I hope that you are healthy and well!

In other news, I recently learned that Boot’s Bakery has to relocate due to difficulties with their landlord. Luckily they’ve found a new place to land and are even staying in the same neighborhood! They are moving into the Saranac Commons just across the street. I’m so happy that we won’t be losing them, but I am sad that my painting of their iconic blue storefront will no longer be accurate. Alison, the owner, bought the original painting and for many years, it hung at Boot’s. Wherever it hangs now, I hope it brings her many happy memories.

I’ve been painting Spokane landmarks since 2017 and it has been interesting to see stalwart businesses change location, close or remodel. The city is in a constant state of flux! I wonder what the next 10 years will bring? Who will be the new beloved icons? How many of the old will hold on, close or change? I’ll be there with my paintbrush in hand!

Bye old Boot’s!

My presentation at the Hive about my latest series focusing on the mythology, geology, history and tall tales of the Inland Northwest is coming up on the 28th. The painting above is part of the series-a black tailed jackrabbit in front of the Sam Hill Stonehenge on the Gorge. I'm excited to show you my inspiration for the new series, some of the paintings I've finished for it, and to record any family stories, regional myths or tall tales that you might have to share. Click here to see the Facebook event page with all the details.

The Spokane Journal of Business got in touch and licensed my painting “Huntington Park Spring” to be the cover for their Book of Lists for this year. Friends have been sending me photos of it in the wild. This was sent to me by the lovely Karol! Thank you for that! It is always fun to get photos and messages from people saying they’ve seen my art as they go about their business around town.

And if you are feeling a bit disorganized or would like to own 12 mini-prints of my paintings to decorate your office with, there are still a few calendars looking for a home at the From Here store in the downtown mall!

Classes

Finally, if you’re looking for classes, they will start popping up in March with a Paint and Sip at the Northwest Museum of Art and Culture. I’m planning my classes with the Spokane Art School and Corbin Art Center as I write this- so if you have a request for a subject (Skies, Flowers, Water, Architecture, Urban Sketching, Plein Air, Sketchbook habit or whatever!), give me a shout and I can get that on the schedule. I hope to be painting with you in the upcoming months!

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you all the best, now and in the new year! Thank you so much for all your support!

2022 has been a wild ride here filled with many firsts: my first full year in my newly built studio (thank you to everyone who celebrated with me at my Open Studio in August!), first artist residency (at the Hive), first time getting a painting in a Northwest Watercolor Society Show, first time having my paintings turned into public art (Four utility box wraps-one in Spokane and three in SeaTac) as well as a return to more familiar things such as a busy art festival season. It’s been wonderful to get to see your faces and talk in person again. I have missed that! New ventures such as teaching a flower painting class at Barn & Blossom, a local nursery on the South Hill and doing a sketchcrawl with the Center for Children’s Book Arts from their location to Riverfront Park kept me fresh. It is always a delight to initiate people into the joy that is making art. I also tried to take some time off from work and spent a bit of time on the shores of various lakes with family and friends culminating in an epic road trip with a childhood friend to Glacier National Park. All those lakes are frozen over now or at least on their way to it and my breath hangs in the air like mist as I walk to my studio. Ice gilds the frozen ground and tan, dried grass pokes out from beneath crusty snow piles. The days are getting shorter and shorter as the night lengths. When I step out of my studio at the end of the day, I see the moon rising through the branches of the trees, a silver disk, shining in the deep, indigo sky, lighting my path. The night is hushed, snow glittering like the stars above. All is calm, all is bright, somehow even in the darkness, as I head homeward. Wishing you peace and joy in both dark and day to light your way.

Event Changes & Updates!

Hello everyone!

This is just a quick note to say that I will not be at the Urban Art Co-op Show this weekend as planned because I am snowed in! But if you can, please do stop by and visit the other artists-they are all great!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

I will still be at Brrrzaar on the 17th and would love to see you then! You can also buy my artwork any time from my website shop and at the From Here Store in the downtown mall (the Christmas Tree Elegance Trees are in the hall right outside them!

My calendars were featured in the Spokesman Review Gift Guide on Black Friday so if you are interested in getting one (or two or three), I would recommend doing that sooner rather than later, because I tend to sell out.

If you are out and about shopping this month, feel free to stop by and check out my paintings hanging at Helix Wines (just across from the Davenport). Their chocolate truffles are to DIE FOR.

My talk on the series of paintings I’ve been working at the Hive has been moved to January 28th, 1-3. It seems like everyone is crazy busy lately and January will be a quieter time, which increases that odds that people will be able to come by and tell me stories to help add to the series.

Wishing you all the best-stay save out there in the snow and good luck with all your holiday prepartions!

Holy Jolly Everywhere!

Happy Almost Thanksgiving, Friends!

I am thankful for pumpkin bread, good books, handknit socks and you-my newsletter friends! May your homes be full of love and plenty in these coming weeks.

Speaking of plenty, I have plenty on my schedule for the next two months and I wanted to get that information out to you all in case you wanted to join me for a class, talk or holiday art show! If you don’t care about any of that, scroll all the way to the end and you can see three recent paintings from the Oregon Coast that I’m working on! Two of which will be hanging at Helix Winery for the month of December.

First off my last class of the year: “Memory and Landscape” at the Hive where I am an artist in residence! Info below!

“Memory and Landscape” Class at the Hive

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

5:00 PM 7:00 PM

Place has such a huge impact on our memories, especially places that we return to again and again over the years. Join Megan for this drawing/painting class where you will learn how to create a piece of art that reflects your feelings about a beloved place.

Next a Holiday show!

Urban Art Co-op Show

Holiday Market held at Five Mile Prairie Grange, Saturday and Sunday December 10 & 11. My work will be at this show, but it is run by the Co-op members so I will not be there in person.

9-5 Saturday

11-4 Sunday!

Followed by a talk at the Hive!

Inland Northwest Landscape and Legends

December 14th

Time: 5-7

Place: The Hive (map)

Artist-In-Residence, Megan Perkins is spending her residency working on a project exploring the history, mythology, geology and majesty of the Inland Northwest landscape via her paintings. The region is full of such incredible drama in the form of the Missoula Flood landscape, the scablands and Palouse as well as the stories of the people who inhabited this place. She is soliciting family legends, “tall tales”, and stories of beloved places from the public in the hopes of finding inspiration to incorporate in her work.

And then, my final show of the year!

Brrrzaar Holiday Art Show

Saturday, December 17, 2022

10:00 AM 8:00 PM

Location River Park Square (the downtown mall) in Spokane! I’ll be on the third floor!

This painting and the following Haystack Rock painting are both little minis-right around 4.25” x 4.25” that I made as part of my show at Helix Winery for December.

This is a snippet of a recently finished painting that is 12” x 18” of Arch Cape on the Oregon Coast.

Awards, Sales, Shows, oh my!

Hi there guys! Hang on to your hats, I’ve got a whirlwind of fun things to share with you! First up: 33 Artist’s Market at the Hive on November 5th! This is going to be a great art market-I’m going to have to do some shopping myself!

I’ve moved into the Hive and I’m excited to really get dug in on my special project about Spokane mythology, geology and history! I’m collecting stories about people’s experiences with the landscape and family “tall tales” so if you have any or know anyone who does, please get in touch!

Location: The Hive®, 2904 E Sprague Ave Spokane, WA

Saturday November 5th, 10-6

The best kind of holiday gift is a local one! Check out this one-of-a-kind local art market featuring a variety of items including jewelry, original paintings, prints, clothing, book arts, & more. Artists will demo techniques at their tables.

This art market will feature 33 different local artists with affordable works that'd make the perfect gift for someone you know this holiday season.

The inspiration behind this event was sparked by one of our Artists-In-Residence at The Hive®, Gwyn Pevonka, who wanted to bring artists together to show and sell their work. This show is a perfect time to check out The Hive®, meet and learn from artists, and purchase artwork in a setting where 100% of the purchase price goes to the artist! The participating artists benefit much more this way since no showing commission or fee is required.

Find out which artists will be participating: https://events.spokanelibrary.org/event/723026

Next up! Awards and fun sales!

Very honored that this painting, “Haystack Sparkle,” has been accepted into the Northwest Watercolor Society’s 2022 82nd Annual International Open Show. It was chosen by Juror Andy Evansen as one of 75 paintings shown in this exhibition. It’s really incredible to be picked because over 330 artists submitted over 650 paintings, from all around the world!

“You Gonna Eat That” was shown in Terrain 13, which was a WILD one day show put by Terrain during October’s First Friday and I’m so pleased that it SOLD!

Had a ton of fun at the NW Museum of Art and Culture, showing people how to make this painting for a Paint & Sip last week. It was a great group with a few familiar faces-I’m always honored when someone wants to take a class with me more than once. It’s a big compliment! I enjoy doing this demos-they are a reminder to loosen up and have fun as I’m painting on a vertical board (watercolor is usually painted flat or at a slight angle, unlike oils or acrylics) and I go for it directly in pen, no pencil lines underneath so however things turn out, I just have to roll with it, which I hope is a good example for my students!

Recent Work!

I’m continuing working on paintings inspired by my two trips to the coast last year and I’ll have these pieces with me at the 33 Artists Market at the Hive.

I love the light in this painting. it was a struggle to get here. This is my third try!

The way stormy weather moves in and out at the Oregon Coast is endlessly inspiring!

Paint Watercolor Flowers Class!

Last Minute Class Alert! This is the last class I’ll be doing in 2022 (except for a 2 hour class with the Hive in December TBA). It is my class on painting Watercolor Flowers with the Corbin Art Center. It starts November 1st and runs till the 22nd and runs 1-3 pm. Check out it out and sign up here.

Hope you are all doing well! Happy Fall!

Little Spokane River Studio Tour 9/24/22 & Sketch Adventures!

Thank you to everyone who came out to my Open Studio last month. it was a fabulous day and it was so great to see you all and show you my studio! I am so grateful for all of you.!

I’ve been a busy bee and teaching a lot of classes. This painting was completed during my first class with the Children’s Center for Book Arts. A group of children and adults walked from the Center down to the park, sketching along the way.

We stopped to sketch on one of the bridges!

A marker, pen and colored pencil sketch on top of a pre-painted page made as a demo for the my Spokane Art School Sketchcrawl class.

And the big news! I’ll be at the Little Spokane River Artist Studio Tour this upcoming Saturday. I’ll be at Collista Kreb’s Studio-#1 on the list, which also happens to be the furthest north-so come visit me first and work your way back south!

Hope you are all doing well during this transition from summer into fall! May your homegrown tomatoes be many and the smoke stay light!

Open Studio THIS SATURDAY!

I’m so excited to see you all this Saturday! I’ve been cleaning up the studio and hanging unframed art on all the walls, some of which have never been displayed in public. The sunflowers are blooming and the yard is just about ready for you guys to come paint in it! I know its going to be a wee bit warm (82 degrees at the time of writing this!), so we’ll have a 24 ft by 24 ft tent for shade (plus two umbrellas in the garden) and a misting fan along with plenty of ice cold drinks to go with the nibbles. I can’t wait to see you guys and catch up on how summer has been!

Scroll down to get a little sneak peek of what I’ve been working on-both in the studio and in the yard! Finishing touches will be done this week.

In other news, I’ve managed a couple new paintings despite all the hubbub of getting ready AND I will have my 2023 calendars ready for you to check out, if all goes well with the printer!

The plastic sleeves over the paintings will be removed for the day of the party.

Things still in progress!

Sunny outside, nice and cool in the studio!

The umbrella will shade this spot starting around 9:30!

Lots of sunflowers in bloom all over.

Bees enjoying the Tithonia!

“Haystack Rock Reflection”, aka me pretending I’m at the beach during this heatwave.

“Festive Garbage Goat” will be the December image in my calendar!

Painting in Glacier National Park

I just returned from a fabulous trip to Glacier National Park. It was my first time visiting and I was totally blown away by the towering mountains, multitude of waterfalls, and the terrifying narrowness of the Going to the Sun Road, haha! I went with a dear friend who also happens to be an excellent photographer so you scroll down to see some photos of me in action, trying to capture the grandeur of the park in some small way!

Wild Goose Island Viewpoint

Avalanche Lake-reached after almost 7 miles of hiking (We had to park far from the trail head thanks to crowds). This high alpine lake was surrounded by mountains with waterfalls cascading down them. It was gorgeous and the water was incredibly refreshing after our hot, sweaty hike.

Me, painting at Avalanche Lake.

Ideal plein air painting conditions!

A close up painting of a waterfall on the much quieter eastern side of the park.

Action shot of me painting the waterfall above taken by my friend! Lots of chatting with other hikers about painting-it was fun!

On our last day in the park it was well over 90 degrees and very crowded so rather than hiking very long distances just to get to the trail heads, we did a little exploring and then spent the afternoon at McDonald Lake, swimming and painting.

The hills across from us were scarred with burned out trees from a fire. Many of the plants have grown back but the silvery dead trees are still standing.

I try to sketch whenever I get the opportunity-here’s the front of the little shop where we got our dinner. I’ll add paint later.

This was dinner on another night! I asked for a normal sized double scoop of ice cream and instead I got this delicious monstrosity! It took me a while to get through it, but I did it!

Now that I’m back from Montana, I’m doubling down on getting ready for my Open Studio! I can’t wait for you guys to come visit! Please share this invite with all your friends. I think its going to be a great time and guess what! I’ve rented a 24” x 24” tent so we’ll have shade! Very exciting!

Stay cool my friends and see you soon!

Open Studio Invite!

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to get this invite out to you sooner rather than later since I know summer is a busy time and days fill up fast. I’d love to get on your calendar so you can come visit me in my studio! I’ll have delicious nibbles, cold drinks, and art for sale. Peek in my flat files at unshown paintings and see my creative space. You know I love painting on location, so if you feel up to it, bring your paints and paint in my rambunctious garden. This is going to be a big creative party and a thank you to all who have supported me these first 5 years of my art career.

Please RSVP to meganperkinsartstudio@gmail.com if you can! It’ll help me plan how much food to have! Looking forward to seeing you all there!

In other news, I got to go up to my aunt’s place at Priest Lake for the 4th of July and it was fabulous. We had this very expressive visitor who talked with his hands, so I had to draw him!

This is the view from the dock. I was very pleased that despite the bouncing around I didn’t lose any brushes overboard!

Now for a nice cold breeze! I’ve been putting together my 2023 calendar and I needed a December image. Our beloved garbage goat is going to star on that page!

Hope you’re all enjoying these glorious sunny days and see you in August!

Summer is Here & the Painting is HOT

Hello Everyone!

Manito Art Festival and Bazaar both went amazingly well despite some turbulent spring weather. Thank you to everyone who came out, whether it was to chat or to buy. It was so great to see you all!

I’ve finally settled on a date and I would like to invite you all to my Open Studio, Saturday August 27th. You’ll be able to finally see in person the studio you watched get built via my updates here, all decorated and busting with creativity. We can deep dive in my flat files, explore my sketchbooks and unframed work and hopefully have plenty of time to chat! I’ll have my booth up so you can buy originals, prints, cards, books and, hopefully, calendars, if something strikes your fancy! There will be delicious nibbles (bruschetta made from homegrown tomatoes anyone?) and all of my students (and anyone else who wants to!) are invited to bring their painting supplies to sketch in my garden and surrounding yard (I live on 10 acres!). I’m hoping that this will be a big art party. I’ve felt very supported and loved by my community (you guys!) these past two or so years so this is my thank you to you all and an opportunity for my dear friends to meet! You’ll get a formal invite email toward the end of July and please do RSVP-it’ll let me know how much prosecco to buy, haha!

This is a recently completed house portrait commission was an absolute delight to make-the light in particular, is glorious and I’ve always had a soft spot for yellow houses. Someday, I will live in a yellow house.

This piece, inspired by the view from a patron’s office, is going to be on display with other work by From Here artists in the display classes near baggage claim at the Spokane Airport. If you’re doing some traveling this summer-take a peek! And tell me where you’re going so I can live vicariously through you!

This painting is hanging at the Liberty Gallery (2nd floor of Auntie’s by the elevators) for a show all about Riverfront Park. Stop by and check out the other artwork inspired by our magnificent park!

I’ll be showing artwork at Dry Fly Distillery for the whole month of July. It’s a really neat location. I especially like being able to see all the distilling equipment through their big windows.

Wishing you all the best and hope to see you at my Open Studio!

June Happenings!

Despite all the rain and cold weather, summer is definitely underway with two art festivals in June. I’ll be at the Manito Art Festival June 11th 10-8, followed by Bazaar in downtown Spokane which takes place across from River Park Square on Saturday June 18th, also 10-8. I’d love to see you, so come on by!

June 18th, 10-8 in downtown Spokane!

Last Tuesday we had our first Garland Sketchcrawl of the season and the sun finally came out for us! Want to sketch Garland with me? Your next chance is June 8th 5-7. To see what other classes I have planned for the summer, check out my Events Page.

I’ve been having fun in the studio revisiting my April trip to the Skagit Valley for the Tulip Festival.

The color and diversity of the tulips blew me away!

I’ve also been revisiting sketchbooks from various other summer trips and reveling in the memories, especially of trips to the coast. I bet most of you know where this is!

This magical moment actually happened. All that was needed was for me to click the shutter on my phone camera and then try to make a painting that lived up to it.

I spent some time at Ecola State Park which had gorgeous views. When I was there, I did some painting on location but had to retreat occasionally to the car to wait out the rain. Ah, the Oregon Coast.

Now for some additional exciting news! I promised you all that once I was done with the studio, I’d have an Open Studio Day so you could all come and visit! I haven’t forgotten! We’re adding a little deck to the front of the studio to make the footing better and shoveling snow in the winter easier, but we should be done soon and I’m hoping to do a celebratory party in August-drinks, nibbles, art and fabulous company (aka YOU!). I’ll keep you posted as soon as we have a date!

See you soon!

Megan

April Showers bring May Adventures!

I’ve been luxuriating in my studio this past month and planning my summer adventures! Here’s a bit of what I’ve been up to!

A Riverfront Park painting based on a sketch made a year ago sitting on the grass. See below! It’s been too cold for painting outside lately still. I heard on the news that it was the coldest April since 2010!

This was made using watercolor and markers, whipped out between errands.

I’ve been diving into my giant archive of inspiration photos. I took a picture of this rose arbor down in Gearhart, OR two years ago. The shadow really caught my eye.

This is a Japanese Anemone that I photographed in the perennial garden at Manito last fall. I added some luscious colored pencils on top of the watercolors which was fun.

This painting was a demo for a Paint & Sip class at the Northwest Museum of Art and Culture last week. It was super fun to loosen up and paint big, bold, and expressively and my students were a delight!

I’ve been meaning to do stickers for ages and I’m finally getting around to it. Here’s my first design and my 2nd is below.

I showed this design to my mom and she didn’t know where it was from. She’s been coming to Spokane for almost 40 years to visit her sisters who live on the South Hill. Do you know where I got the inspiration for this sticker?

All of my May classes have sold out and my other classes are filling fast. I’ve added some new one-day sketching classes with Barn & Blossom in July and the Center for Children’s Book Arts (soon to open in mid-May) in August. If you’re hoping to take a class with me this summer, hop on over to my Events Page on my website and see what I’m up to. I’d love to paint with you!

Take a Class with Me!

Hi everyone! I’ve got a bunch of classes coming up this spring and I’d love to paint with you. I’ve got a whole range of subjects-skies to flowers to Spokane scenes so hopefully there’s something in here that will appeal to you.

Paint and Sip

Thursday, April 21, 2022, 5:45 - 7:45 pm

Location: Northwest Museum of Art and Culture

Cost: $18 members, $20 non-members

Class Limit: 20

Location: Museum Art Studio

Explore your inner artist in this watercolor painting workshop led by Spokane artist Megan Perkins best known for her whimsical painting of Spokane city landmarks. Megan will pick a landmark for you to paint which we will share with you by email before the workshop date. A complimentary glass of wine (21 and over) or bottle of water is included.

Sign up here!

Painting Big Skies

Saturday, April 30, 2022, 10 am - 4 pm

Location: Northwest Museum of Art and Culture

Cost: $40 members, $45 non-members

Class Limit: 20

Skies have a huge impact on a painting, sometimes taking up a large amount of the paper, and dramatically affecting the mood and atmosphere of the work. The sky should be considered carefully when planning a painting. In this class, led by Spokane artist Megan Perkins, students will tackle painting the sky - with clouds, mist, full of color, or as a more neutral backdrop with a focus on being expressive and allowing the medium of watercolor to do its magic.

There will be a break for lunch. Bring your own and grab lunch at one of the neighborhood spots!

Sign up here!

Learn to Paint Flowers in Watercolor

5/3/22-5/24/22, Tuesdays, 6-8 PM

Location: Corbin Art Center

Love flowers? Learn how to draw and paint them in watercolor. We’ll break down flowers into basic shapes, paint individual “portraits” of flowers and then zoom out to depict blooming plants as groups, such as a full flowerpot or garden bed. We’ll discuss painting buds, blooms and leaves as well. Please bring your own photos or pictures to paint from.

Sign up HERE!

Garland Sketchcrawl

Location: Spokane Art School

For adult students

$20 for each workshop

Wednesday, June 8 2022,

5 – 7 p.m.

Come sketch the fabulous landmarks of the Garland neighborhood with me. Learn to sketch on location and add color with watercolors, colored pencils or markers (your choice). Urban sketching is an art adventure!

Sign up HERE

Garland Sketchcrawl repeats on July 13th, 9-11 am and August 17th, 9-11 am. if you can’t make it to the session in June!