ABOUT AVI SHMUELI

I live on Orcas Island and spend some of my time walking my dog and some of it painting in oil.

My typical workflow starts with taking snapshots of subject matter, then processing them digitally using various filters for inspiration, sometimes editing them for composition, then moving to the canvas from the comfort of my studio. There is a lot of planning and preparation involved, but the plan mostly involves selecting and identifying the inspiring setting, not the final image. When all goes well, the final painting is always a surprise.

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I'm also a proud member of the Orcas Island Artworks, a cooperative of local artists of every shape: glass workers, painters like me, ceramicists, jewelers, sculptors, fiber artists, metal smiths, and wood workers. It's a great stop if you come to visit the island. You can see some of my work there, and sometimes I'm there behind the counter!