Willamette Valley Lavender Festival & Plein Art Show Kicks Off This Weekend

The hustle and bustle of summer can be overwhelming. Whether you’re scrambling to keep up with your garden, kids, schedules, or adventures, the sunny seasons in Oregon are generally described as “go-go-go.”

Early July brings the relaxing aroma of lavender, as local farms harvest this year’s crop. With several farms in the area, it’s time to celebrate the harvest at the 18th annual Willamette Valley Lavender Festival & Plein Air Art Show, running from July 8 to July 9, 2023 at the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg.

According to the Chehalem Cultural Center, the lavender festival is a “regional celebration of lavender, art, food, and exceptionally made crafts, bringing local lavender growers and the community together.”

Pam Baker, a local lavender farmer and owner of the Little Lavender Store, said the festival is more than just a celebration of a sweet-smelling herb—it’s a celebration of Oregon’s contribution to the worldwide lavender industry.

“Oregon is actually famous for its lavender,” Baker said. “Several varieties of lavender discovered around Oregon are now well-known across the country and the world.”

For example, one of these varieties — named Opal Rain — was discovered at Wild Rain Lavender Farm in Yamhill. Prized for its pink petals and culinary uses, Opal Rain is just one of several varieties that thrive in Oregon’s favorable climate.

“The great thing about lavender in Oregon is its diversity,” said Kristen Sandoz, General Manager of Wayward Winds Lavender Farm, as she pointed out different shades of purple lavender on the farm. “We don’t grow rows and rows of only French or English lavender. There are so many great varieties, and we try to grow as many as we can.”

Wayward Winds Lavender Farm, located on NE Courtney Rd. off of NE Mountain Top Rd., opened for the season in early July. They host everything from wreath-making classes to painting tutorials throughout the month to celebrate the lavender harvest season and the Willamette Valley Lavender Festival.

The festival, held at the Chehalem Cultural Center, is family-friendly and free to attend. Local makers will be on-site to sell lavender and lavender-themed products while visitors peruse the plein air art show.

What is Plein Air Art?

Examples of practice plein air art from lavender farms in the Newberg area by artist Angelina Octavia. See her final pieces at the Willamette Valley Lavender Festival on July 8 and 9.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “plein-air painting, in its strictest sense, is the practice of painting landscape pictures outdoors; more loosely, it is about capturing an intense impression of the open air (French: plein air) in a landscape painting.”

Simply put, in French, “plein air” means “in the open air.” Artists venture to a landscape area—in this case, a lavender farm—to capture their artwork.

“It’s so mind-bending,” said Newberg-local artist Angelina Octavia, who is participating in the plein air festival. “It forces artists to approach art differently than what they do in the studio. They rely on the light and conditions of one day, instead of spending days or even weeks perfecting the smallest details in a studio. It compels artists to be truly creative and carefree, embracing whatever the scene presents.”

From June 12 to July 5, artists of all levels, from amateurs to professionals, visited local lavender farms and painted en plein air, capturing various perspectives and blooms. The paintings will be on display during the Willamette Valley Lavender Festival and available for purchase.

“It’s a feeling, a complete experience,” Octavia said. “When I’m getting frustrated with other aspects of art, I go out and do plein air to help overcome that. It’s a wonderful feeling to go out, loosen up, and create a painting without overthinking it. I tend to be overly critical of myself, especially when art is my livelihood. Sometimes I need to let go—plein air helps me do that.”

Want to Try Painting a Lavender Field?

If the art show or lavender fields have inspired you, Octavia shared a few tips for painting lavender:

• Don’t overthink it. The idea of plein air is to capture what you see and translate it onto the canvas. It should be a fun and relaxing exercise.
• If possible, don’t try to paint each individual stem or bud. Instead, try to capture the texture of the plant from a distance. It will save you from a lot of frustration.
• If you’re working in the field, choose a paint that adapts well to changing conditions. I use water-miscible oil paint, which dries faster than traditional oil paints. However, oil paints and acrylics work as well. Watercolors are also great, but you’ll need to bring a flat easel.
• Pay attention to the surroundings too. Including a barn or fence in the background can add a lot to the scene, and purple contrasts beautifully with green and a broader landscape.
• To depict the stems, you can paint a green base layer, let it dry, and then paint purple over it, using a “scratching” technique to reveal the green. This method saves you from painstakingly painting each individual stem of the lavender, unless that’s what you’re aiming for.
• With plein air, you never really know what you’re going to create until you start. Don’t be afraid to apply some paint to your canvas and see where it takes you.

For more information about the Willamette Valley Lavender Festival & Plein Air Art Show, visit: https://www.chehalemculturalcenter.org/lavender