One of the artist’s whose work you’ll see at our AAE is K.R. Sanford, you can’t help but admire the detailed and colorful painting of birds. K.R. took the time to answer a few questions so that we may better understand his art, perspective, and the influence the Pacific North West has on his work.

In his own words:

I use my art as a means of self-expression. I paint for myself, to better understand my reality, and to express my interpretation of the world around me.  My approach is to use the camera as a tool to capture wildlife, interpret the environment and place it on canvas. The world of art allows me to ignore time in an unexplored world and get lost in the process. As President of Lake Area Artists, I have had the privilege of developing new relationships with other artists.

What is your favorite medium?
Acrylic. I use Golden, Liquidtex, and Windsor Newton for my paint. And Grumbacher brushes.

Why is it your favorite medium?
Acrylic dries fast, brilliant colors, and no smell.

Your paintings show a connection to nature, especially animals, birds seem to be the focus of your attention, what is your favorite subject?
Birds are my favorite as I paint them all the time. I’ve been painting birds since I won a contest in 2nd grade. In addition, I love to paint sci-fi artwork since I worked at Lockheed Space Program in the 80’s

How does being an artist in the Pacific NW influence your art?
I’ve lived in Oregon for more than 40 years and spend as much time outdoors as possible. I’ve spent loads of time traveling all parts of the state taking photos of animals to be used as a reference in my artwork. One of my favorite locations is the Hart Mountain area and Malheur County. I also spend a lot of time fishing the Deschutes River up at Warm Springs and near the mouth of the river above the Dalles.
Currently, I’m the acting President of the Lake Area Art Group here in Lake Oswego. The group consists of 40 very talented artists around the area. We have an annual show in the Spring and meet on a monthly basis. (of course the Covid thing has impacted us this year).

What is the most significant piece of artwork you produced in your career?
Probably the most famous is a cover art piece for OMNI international magazine in 1984.

K.R.’ s recent awards:

• 2019 Best of Show – Festival of the Arts The Artist Vision
• 2018 Artist’s Choice Award Lake Area Art
• 2017 Mayor’s Award for Lake Oswego – 2017 Honorable Mention
• 2014 Mayor’s Award Lake Area Art Show
• 2013 Best of Show – Lake Area Art Show
• Top 100 Artists Award in America for Arts for the Parks – 2009.

You can find more work from K.R. Sanford on his website.