About - Willo Balfrey

Willo Balfrey PaintingEmail: willobalfrey@gmail.com

I grew up in Durango, Colorado, a town surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, meadows, red rim rocks, trees, streams, and the beautiful colors of fall. These impressions are with me today as an inspiration for my landscape paintings. Now living in Weed, California, the beauty still surrounds me with the many changing faces of the areas of Northern California and Southern Oregon. Working on location in many states as often as possible, I bring the viewer into my work by painting the dramatic sense of quiet solitude I find in nature.

I have worked in pastels and oils for a number of years. I am a Master Pastelist with the International Pastel Societies and a Distinguished Pastelist with the Pastel Society of the West Coast, Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America - New York, Pastel Artists of Oregon, and the Northwest Pastel Society.

I have had paintings accepted into numerous shows: The Northwest Pastels Society’s Annual International Open Exhibit, the Pastel Society of America, the Pastel Society of the West Coast, and the International Association of Pastels Societies in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I am represented by the Rimrock Gallery, Prineville, OR and The Gallery in Mt. Shasta, Mt. Shasta, CA. I have also juried many shows.

My work has been published in the book “Pure Pastels - Contemporary Works by Today’s Top Artists”, Pastel Journal as an honorable mention, and featured “Pastel Landscapes Coast to Coast” as well as included in the International Artists publication, “100 Ways to Paint Seascapes, River & Lakes, Volume 1”.

SIGNATURE STATUS

  • Pastel Society of America
  • Northwest Pastel Society
  • Pastels Society of Oregon

DISTINGUISHED PASTELIST

  • Pastel Society of the West Coast

MASTER CIRCLE

  • International Association of Pastel Societies

AWARDS AND EXHIBITS

  • Pastel Society of America
  • Northwest Pastel Society
  • International Association of Pastel Societies
  • Pastel Society of the West Coast

ART EDUCATION

  • Mentoring under Richard McKinley, Pastel and Oil
  • Roger Dale Brown, Oil
  • Dan Young, Oil
  • Matt Smith, Oil
  • Terry Ludwig, Pastel
  • Roberta Remy, Oil
  • Albert Handell, Pastel and Oil
  • Daniel Green, Pastel

DEMONSTRATION/TEACHING/JUDGING

  • Juror of Selection, International Association of Pastel Societies 2013, 2018
  • Pastel workshop – Medford, OR. Team taught with Richard McKinley
  • Pastel and Oil classes – private lessons
  • Workshop Instructor – A Sense of Place Gallery, Fresno, CA
  • Demonstrations with local art associations