In this exhibition, Don Gray explores both sides of his nature as an artist, moving with ease between abstraction and representation in vibrant paintings soaked in the verdant colors of the Pacific Northwest forests and coastlines. Whichever style he is moved to work in, he is guided by a profound feeling of connection to the natural world as he creates paintings that express the colors, moods, and character of the landscape.

Gray grew up close to the land in rural eastern Oregon and formed a deep connection to the rugged hills and expansive skies that informs his art to this day. Nearly a decade ago he migrated west to Vancouver, Washington, his current home, and he now takes inspiration from hikes through lush forests and treks to Oregon beaches. As he paints in his studio, the call of the land is never far from his mind.

In a career stretching over 40 years, Gray has garnered numerous awards and become noted for his murals commissioned by communities throughout the American west. His artwork has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the nation and is held in many permanent collections, including those of the State of Oregon, Hallie Ford Art Museum, Frye Art Museum, Oregon State University, Whitman College, Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts, Microsoft Corporation, Georgia Pacific Corporation, and many others, public and private.