Wild Spaces, a collection of paintings by Linda Robertson and Kimberly Kent, will be on display in the lobby of Antoinette Hatfield Hall (1111 SW Broadway Ave) September 6 through October 31, 2023. Viewing is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 6pm, and available to view for those attending events in Hatfield Hall prior to their event.

Join us for an artists reception and viewing of "Wild Spaces" on Thursday, September 14, 2023 from 5pm to 7pm in the Hatfield Hall lobby. Food and drinks will be available from the ArtBar & Bistro.

About Wild Spaces

Linda and Kimberly began their artistic experiences separately in Hawai'i, and have been part of the Portland art scene together for more than 20 years. They have very different approaches to painting, but their love of the light and the palette of the islands remains constant.

Kimberly’s paintings are created en Plein air and/or in the studio from her on-site sketches. The majority are done in the fields of her small farm on the Willamette River, and from walks in Mt. Tabor Park.

Linda is interested in places where land and water meet, so she is (almost) as interested in raging storms as she is in peaceful beaches. She prefers to thoroughly experience nature in the moment, so she may create photographs or quick sketches while on site, but then rushes back to her studio for furious painting sessions.

Linda and Kimberly have found that as artists they have more in common than differences. They are interested in finding their common threads which will help them amplify their unique voices. Both artists' paintings reflect their intimate relationship with spaces that inspire them. They are places where they linger in the sun, walk with their friends, and make memories with families. They see this exhibit as an opportunity to explore conversations between their own works, and within each painter's response to the natural world.

ABOUT Linda Robertson

Linda is an artist, an art instructor, and the author of the Embracing Encaustic book series. Her paintings emerge as imagined landscapes with lush botanical forms and vibrant colors reminiscent of places she loves, like her childhood home in Hawai’i and her current residence in the Pacific Northwest. Linda approaches her paintings as portraits of places instead of portraits of people, often using the plants from special occasions or memorable spaces as her muse. 

Her rich, multi-layered paintings celebrate how color and light interplay with nature. Linda's work elicits a sense of movement, as nature is never completely still. As breezes blow and weather changes, there is an effervescent sense of beauty that reminds us that there is always light.  

Linda is dedicated not only to teaching and creating her own work, but to sharing the healing properties of art and her reverence for the environment. 

For almost two decades Linda has exhibited her paintings and taught art workshops throughout the United States. She spent several years traveling and teaching at schools and art conferences in the US and Canada, including Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee and Idyllwild Arts in California. More recently, Lindatraveled to Ireland to lead a week-long art retreat, and serve as an instructor and presenter at the annual retreat of the International Encaustic Artists (IEA)  at Mulranny Arts. Linda founded the Portland chapter of the IEA over 15 years ago. View more of her work at LindaRobertsonArts.com

About Kimberly Kent

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Kimberly's work reflects her love of the landscape in fresh and vibrant color. She paints en plein air and in her studio, capturing the changing light and beauty of places, trees, and river views she knows intimately. Her work has been seen in galleries and private collections in Japan, Europe and throughout the United States.

Kimberly Kent is an artist based in Portland, Oregon. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Painting/Drawing and Printmaking from Portland State University in 1999. She began her art career in Hawaii in 1983 studying with notable artists, selling her work in local galleries, and working with hotels and interior designers. In 1991 she returned to her native Portland to finish her art degree and open a gallery and teaching space of her own. Later she moved into plein air painting and began her career as an art broker providing her art and that of many other artists for hospitals, doctor’s offices, and multifamily housing developments. She travels extensively and splits her time between Portland and her farm on the Willamette River in Albany Oregon. For a more complete CV and to see more work please visit kimberlykent.net