"Visions of the Northwest"
Featuring
Northwest Watercolors and Pastels
Limited Edition Giclees and Lithographs
Mt Hood 2006
Multnomah Falls 2006
Autumn Majesty
Mt Rainier 2006
Sailboats at Sunrise
Winter Trees
Cliffs of Deception Pass
Roche Harbor Sunrise
Puget Sound Passage
John Ebner's passion for serenity and tranquility is mirrored in his passion for the world he paints. Considered today the Northwest's most collected painter, Ebner has captured this unique place in myriad moods, shades and shadows. From his misty mountains to the vague figures of his signature Rain People strolling ocean beaches or waiting, huddled together under umbrellas, Ebner's artistry in watercolors reflects the Northwest in hundreds of guises.
Water, in its many forms and manifestations, is one of the most predominant elements in his paintings. Water in the Pacific Northwest, after all becomes waterfalls, mud flats, rivers, seascapes, beaches, mist. These recurring elements and the impressionistic colors that define the Northwest have endeared his paintings to collectors at all levels.
And color is what Ebner does best. His work has become a favorite for designers. Often paint color schemes are designed around an Ebner painting, using the art as a starting point to create a peaceful, restful, and calming environment.
The rhythm and movement of watercolor fascinates Ebner. "I love working with what happens when paint meets wet paper," he says. "Watercolor has a risk involved. Sometimes it takes you in a different direction than you planned. It is exciting and it's a constant challenge."
Ebner's watercolors reflect his own energy and instinctive ability to bring the outside world onto paper. Using contrasts of dark to light, soft to hard edges, warm to cool colors, his artistry allows people to keep their memories of favorite places.
A Northwest native, John Ebner born in 1943 was raised on the family farm in Sublimity, Oregon. He has lived in the Puget Sound area for over 30 years and travels the Northwest, capturing the countryside in memory and on camera. "I am an indoor painter," he admits. "I like a controlled environment." But when he picks up his brushes to begin the creative process, he's open to whatever comes. He allows the process to dictate to him. It is this sense of surrealism that infuses his paintings with a mystery that invites his audience into the scene. It is this sense of wonder that keeps John Ebner looking for another Northwest scene to paint.