Murdoch Collections is pleased to display a selection of paintings by significant Oregon and Washington artists who each exhibit our distinctive Northwest art style-created in the '30s and '40s and carried through today. Characteristic of early Northwest art is a heavy use of color, imagery and symbols drawn from our local dramatic geography. Mist, rain, mountains, water, fog, subdued light; all are examples of nature contributing
to art.

In this way the refined Asian influence of Zen and Taoism permeated the artists experiences resulting in new gestural and calligraphic effects. Likewise, the influence of Native American craft is still evident. With a shared reverence for nature and symbolism an absolute comfortable fit emerged. Join us in the gallery to view Lucinda Parker, Robert Colescott, Michele Russo, Carl Morris, Kenneth Callahan, Jack McLarty, and many other artists of the NW tradition.