Art Hound

Betsy Walton is a Portland, OR based artist whose works are dream-like and full of unusual, visual intricacies.  Her use of bright colors and mix of geometric and organic shapes form the foundation of her unique painting style.

As Betsy states on her website: “Many of my paintings and drawings explore the tension and balance between the mysterious nature of our existence and the objects and environments we find in everyday life. We can experience the sublime in the same room where we fold the laundry, and perhaps at the same time… My style is informed by a range of influences including Byzantine icon paintings, American folk art, geometric abstraction, and the work of many contemporary illustrators and painters.”

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Betsy’s painting, Turquoise Plants (below left) is reminiscent, in my mind, of Matisse (see Algue Blanche, below right) and the Fauve painters.  Her use of bold colors, plant shapes, and striking geometric patterns translates the Fauve vocabulary of the early part of the last century into a thoroughly modern vernacular.

Turquoise Plants

Algue Blanche

I’m particularly fond of her painting, We Can Hide in Here, which was a gift from my husband.

I decided to hang the painting above our dining table which is also the first thing you see when walking into the apartment. I like that it is colorful and playful and makes a lively focal point in that corner of the room.  It also helps define the “dining space” from the “living space” which are essentially the same room.  The three small paintings below and to the right are all by my husband, Cameron.