Oregon's landscapes come alive in James Lavadour's 'Land of Origin' at Boise Art Museum
- The Boise Art Museum is displaying Land of Origin, a traveling exhibition featuring more than 40 years of work by Oregon artist James Lavadour.
- Lavadour draws inspiration from daily walks through the Oregon landscape, especially mountains, rivers, and the land around the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
- His paintings reflect natural processes, personal experiences, and emotions, with paint treated as an elemental connection between people and the land.
- Lavadour works on multiple canvases over long periods, eventually arranging the finished paintings like poetry.
- The exhibition is open to the public and aims to connect viewers with shared experiences of nature.
The Boise Art Museum presents James Lavadour’s Land of Origin, a traveling exhibition that brings together more than 40 years of his paintings. Lavadour says his work develops through an emotional reaction to painting and is shaped by daily walks through the Oregon landscape, where he finds inspiration in mountains, rivers, and the land surrounding his home on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Curator Danielle Knapp explains that Lavadour’s studio process reflects natural processes: pigment mixed with water becomes a way to express the connection between the artist, the land, and the paint. Lavadour often works on multiple panels for years before arranging the completed pieces like poetry. Seeing the collection together allows him to reflect on his artistic journey, while Knapp believes the exhibition resonates with viewers because it reflects common experiences of being in and connected to nature.