The Rose of Sheer Perfection...

“But whether I’m the rose of sheer perfection
A freckle on the nose of life’s complexion
The cinder or the shiny apple of it's eye
I gotta fly once, I gotta try once, Only can die once, right, sir?”
- Don’t Rain on My Parade

Compassion Roses, From My Garden and From Janet Inada’s Garden

I have always loved roses.

From my earliest memory, I grew up across from a wonderful, massively large field with lots of horses and they ate the grass around large mounds of wild roses with small pink petals. The field was irrigated, so it was always green, and the horses ate the grass down low, so it looked like it was tidily mown. The mounds of roses bloomed with gracefully curving canes, and it was just beautiful. Sometimes the horses would run with each other across the field, adding fluid motion to the beautiful scene. 

At the time, this vista seemed like a normal part of life, but I have yet to experience such stunning scenery in any other place I’ve lived. What would I give to live across the street from horses and wild roses now? 

At the same time, my mom had a Peace Rose growing by the driveway out of an old tractor tire. She enjoyed this large, classic rose with spectacular peachy pink blooms, and I was proud of it. Today I grow a similar rose called Compassion. 

My paternal grandmother, Ollie Dean, lived just up the road, and she had a few Harry and David's style roses, which my mom did not value as highly because they were grafted and not on their own root stock. Ollie Dean had a special silver rose which I was very impressed with, though. She wasn’t a big rose person, but, along with my grandfather, was an incredible, lifelong farmer and gardener. They grew much of their own food, so the roses were kind of a sidenote as they grew food and canned, dried and preserved the harvest. 

As a young adult, roses were not usually top of mind, even though I love them. I was living my life, trying to keep my house and yard clean, trying just to function really. I had a child very young, so I was fully occupied with that. At some point in the overwhelming tangle of trying to get a handle on life, I ran into my fourth and fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Janet Inada, at our local Farmer’s Market. She had a stall and was just starting to sell roses on their own root stock. This pricked at my brain, because my mom taught me about the difference between grafted and own root roses. I introduced myself, and Janet remembered me – said she remembered I was smart, so I course I swooned. She told me about her business, which she had just recently started in retirement. She had the opportunity to buy someone’s entire stock of roses and jumped in with both feet. I was awestruck by her dedication, passion and knowledge.

At the time, I lived in a rental in Ashland, Oregon with ugly chain link fences, so I bought a couple roses to cover the back fence. I bought Darlow’s Enigma, and one other that I can’t recall the name of. I still drive down that alley occasionally to see the huge bush it grew into. It’s fully 15 to 20 feet high and a mess of thorns. And it does cover the fence. I’ve noticed that whoever lives there now doesn’t water it enough, so it’s not looking it’s best. But it is hard to kill a rose, so it will be fine. 

When my husband and I were able to buy our own home, I quickly called Janet and was immensely privileged to have a special tour of her property with truly so many roses you would not believe it. I collected a number – Moje Hammarberg, Fantin LaTour, Compassion, E. B. LeGrice, Jeri Jennings and Unconditional Love. I am happy to say I have painted all of them, except E.B. LeGrice. (Note to self: Paint E. B. LeGrice in 2025.)

Now, our property has very little room for more plants, but I still spend quite a bit of time on Janet’s website considering which rose I might like to squeeze in. I recently brought home Stelzer Noisette which I am going to train up the side of a pine tree. My friend Jennifer has a large yard and a bunch of space for roses, so I'm happy to say I've got her started on habit of planting roses with their own root stock, and to spread my joy in growing roses.

Over the years I’ve been privileged to visit Janet at her delightful property, and she kindly invites me to paint there. I am always charmed by this wonderful, enthusiastic, kind and intelligent woman and the gift she gives the world by cultivating such a special garden and business.

Janet has not had a stall at the Farmer’s Market for many years. She started there in the early 2000’s and quickly realized online sales was the way to go. Since then, she has sold roses through her website, Rogue Valley Roses. She needs and deserves her privacy, so she doesn't invite the general public to see the rose garden, but her extensive website offers an education into the world of roses, and you can research to find which roses are right for your space and when to plant them.

If you like roses, I insist you hop on over to the site and start making lists. Spring will be here before you know it!

Shop available paintings of roses and other flowers HERE.

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Open Studio Tour - October 19, 20 2024

It’s that time of year again! Southern Oregon Open Studio Tour is October 19 and 20, 2024, from 12-5.

Click HERE to download a map of all participating studios.

Join me at Project Space - 106 Talent Ave #5.

This is a free event, a great time to shop for new work, find out about classes and get out having a great time with friends!
See you soon!

Bovine Beach, Vesper Meadow, July Series

Vesper Meadow Biocultural Restoration Preserve: Bovine Beach

Observations Through Art with Sarah F. Burns
by Jennifer Nitson

Sarah F. Burns is inspired to tell a story of this place through art. She first encountered Vesper Meadow when looking for a place to bring students to paint in early 2019 and immediately became immersed in its history and mission.

Spanning about 1,000 acres in the Southern Oregon Cascades, the preserve consists of two large meadows and some forestland, including 80 acres of clearcut forest where native shrubs and seeds have been planted to aid the restoration process.

The meadows and forests are home to a diverse array of wildlife, including an elk herd, sandhill crane, extremely rare tumbleweed lichen and much more - including imperiled species like the Vesper Sparrow, for which the preserve is named, as well as the Mardon Skipper butterfly. 

Before restoration work began, the main meadow had been significantly impacted by out-of-date ranching practices from the past century. Willows and shrubs were removed from the banks of creeks to allow cattle easy access. This caused water to move through creeks too quickly, eroding the soil and impacting the habitat of the entire meadow, exacerbating drought and problems for wildlife. 

“I was blown away with inspiration by what I was learning and seeing,” said Sarah. “The natural world and our interactions with it is a major source of inspiration for my work. This added knowledge of a place deepens my connection with it and makes my art more meaningful.”

Working in plein air using traditional European methods of oil painting, Sarah has returned to the same place in the Vesper Meadow Restoration Preserve each July for five years in a row, painting a curve along Latgawa Creek called Bovine Beach. Her annual paintings show the continued history and development of this place, illustrating natural and human-influenced changes in the landscape from year to year.

“I am surprised that they tell an interesting story already,” said Sarah. “I thought it would take 10 years or more to show variety,  and I was surprised to see how different amounts of rainfall and temperature from year to year are evident in how green the meadow is.”

In 2023, Vesper Meadow staff and volunteers installed a post-assisted log structure, known as PALS, at the bend in the river and Sarah’s painting that year is a testament to the improvement of the creek bed and banks. 

“With water being a crucial resource, restoration work is a priority, and it is important to keep water on the land,” she said. “PALS mimic the work of beavers by slowing down the water, causing sediment to gather which nourishes plants and causes the creek to flow more shallow and wider. This feeds the camas and other meadow plants and flowers.You can already see a difference.” 

During the past five years Sarah’s relationship with Vesper Meadow has deepened and grown. 

“I have made A LOT of paintings, hosted painting workshops, artist meet-ups, attended concerts and this year I joined their board of directors,” she said. “I look forward to painting, and being a part of this place for years to come.” 

Sarah F. Burns is an observation-based painter from Southern Oregon. She has exhibited in group exhibitions at the Schneider Museum of Art, The Maryhill Museum, The Arkell Museum, Grants Pass Art Museum, Coos Art Museum and other notable institutions. When she is not in her studio, she teaches online at classroom.sarahfburns.com and in-person at Project Space in Talent, OR. Her work has been featured in American Art Collector, Southern Oregon Magazine, among other publications. In 2016, she was awarded the Hudson River Fellowship by the Grand Central Atelier.

For information about the Vesper Meadow Preservation Reserve, visit vespermeadow.org.

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Cumulus Clouds with Pilot Rock

It’s wonderful when clouds have lovely flat-bottoms. What you’re seeing is the exact spot where the temperature has cooled enough to cause water vapor to condense and become a cloud. Sometimes is very pronounced - which is so cool to see and fun to paint.

Pilot Rock, Viewed From Mount Ashland, Oil on Panel, 7.5” x 10”

I made this painting on Mount Ashland, from the back side of the bunny-hill, looking east toward Pilot Rock.

Artist's Guide to Clouds - Posters Available for Limited Time

Artist’s Guide to Clouds posters - sized 17” x 22” matte, archival.
PRE-ORDER ONLY - until April 24, 2024 - I will not have these in stock - purchase for a limited time only!
Posters will ship out in tubes on or before April 30.

Inside/Outside

It’s getting close to spring here in Southern Oregon, bulbs are emerging, but we could get a hard freeze anytime. There’s still time to enjoy the last coziness of winter. Do those puzzles. Schedule a Scrabble and soup date. It won’t be long before it’s time to plant gardens and bring the cactus outside!

Amaryllis and Cactus Plants, Oil on Stretched Linen, 48” x 30”

Stay Cozy! Spring will be here soon!