Stay in touch: Consider subscribing to my monthly newsletter, or joining me as I struggle with Facebook and Instagram.

Words aren't that great (for me at least). But paint or pencil -- the crook of a branch, the expanse of a field, the arrangement of planes, shadows, and colors -- perhaps creates a moment to contemplate, express, and share something authentic. A moment of connection that is rare with conversation.

My art is just one human response to a brief moment in the fragile natural world.

I have always been at home in nature, growing up in California before migrating north, and ultimately settling in Eugene, Oregon. My work as an artist and a scientist requires observation, inspiration, and a fair share of obsessiveness.

There is no shortage of amazing landscapes in Oregon. I often paint landscapes in oil en plein air (outdoors) or sometimes "in van air" from my camper van. I work quickly and expressively to capture my impression of a scene. Generally, this means I work alla prima (direct wet-on-wet) but if it's a very hot dry day, those underlayers might dry a bit and I enjoy responding to the weather with dry-brush techniques as well.

I also paint and draw on paper with watercolor or ink-wash, often adding acrylic accents or textures, and pen and ink -- inviting a quainter expression of detail, line, and structure in scenes. Working with varied media keeps my eye fresh and helps me see what attracts me across varied modes of expression. Angles, Contrast. Texture, Atmosphere.

There is a parallel between my landscapes and my figures and nudes. The contrast between round and angled, form and line, soft and hard, is expressed in landscape and the human form, but the human element of vulnerability makes expression in the figure less abstract. While we project ourselves into the landscape, we project ourselves onto the figure.

C Kairns

Thank you for your interest in my work. Please feel free to reach out to me any time.  kairnsc@gmail.com