Raina Verhey: Contemporary Landscape Oil Painter and Impasto Artist

Raina Verhey is a self-taught landscape oil painter operating out of a private studio in Bend, Oregon. Since beginning her practice in 2019, Raina Verhey has developed a distinct style influenced by historical Impressionists such as Van Gogh and Hokusai, as well as American Western painters like Maynard Dixon and Ernest Blumenschein. Her work transitioned from bold impasto abstracts to deeply focused plein air studies of the American West, where she captures the lonesome outlooks and dramatic movements of arid landscapes. Working primarily in oil on birch, panel, and paper, Raina Verhey investigates the sacredness of the mundane through solitary views of stone and sky. Her professional path is defined by rigorous self-practice and a series of self-funded residencies throughout Oregon. Raina Verhey has gained recognition through representation with Space in Common in Sisters, Oregon, and participation in prestigious events like Coors Art: Young Guns 2024. Her paintings serve as vessels for the raw and genuine aspects of life, seeking to connect viewers with the Spirit that holds the land. In addition to original oil paintings, she offers fine art giclee prints on archival cotton rag paper. Based in Central Oregon, she continues to scour the wilderness for inspiration, wandering with a camera and paintbrush to translate the poignant spaciousness of the desert into visual poetry.