ABSTRACT FINE ARTIST

"There is always hope, for when nothing else is left we have that..."

I began my artistic journey roughly 35 years ago, turning to art as a way to unwind and relieve stress. I started with watercolors and later transitioned to acrylics. However, it wasn't until 2013, when I left my corporate job, that I truly embraced art as a career.
Over the years, I honed my artistic skills, dedicating at least six hours each day to my craft in my makeshift studio in Sammamish, Washington. In the beginning, my work leaned towards representational art with a somewhat whimsical and precise style. But then, I had a realization that abstract art, which captures the essence of emotions rather than obvious representations, held deeper meaning for me.
It took me a while to find my unique artistic voice, and that breakthrough occurred in 2018-2019 when I discovered the world of oil and cold wax medium. This medium, which eschews brushes in favor of larger tools, pushed me to embrace boldness and looseness.
Admittedly, I didn't immediately take to this medium, but I persisted and soon uncovered a realm of creative possibilities. It allowed me to convey the innermost stories of my thoughts and musings.
Every abstract piece I create begins with a profound reflection on life's chaos, marked by wild and unbridled strokes and efforts. These elements gradually transform into a carefully constructed narrative of inner peace and hope.
The end result emerges from layers of paint and dedicated effort, revealing a burst of vibrant colors and tranquility, balanced with just the right tensions to make each work of art engaging and thought-provoking.

The Technique

Admittedly, I didn't immediately take to this medium, but I persisted and soon uncovered a realm of creative possibilities. It allowed me to convey the innermost stories of my thoughts and musings.
Every abstract piece I create begins with a profound reflection on life's chaos, marked by wild and unbridled strokes and efforts. These elements gradually transform into a carefully constructed narrative of inner peace and hope.

Oil and Cold Wax Medium
I create my art using oil and cold wax on custom birchwood panels. I apply these mediums with silicone scrapers, squeegees, and soft brayers, resulting in a blend of opaque and transparent passages that offer intriguing color shifts, inviting viewers to explore depth and form. Many tools for marking are used for texture and removing areas of paint to reveal treasures underneath. Solvents may be used in a variety of ways to expose areas and create mysterious drips and spots as veils of mystery.


As I build up eight to ten layers of paint, the artwork gradually comes to life, revealing its purpose and meaning.


Encaustic Medium

I've recently ventured into encaustic art, a technique involving heated beeswax and pigments. It allows me to create unique textures and depth by applying molten wax onto wooden panels and fusing layers with heat. Inspired by my Montana surroundings, I'm using encaustic to evoke earthy, grounded
experiences in my work.

The end result emerges from layers of paint and dedicated effort, revealing a burst of vibrant colors and tranquility, balanced with just the right tensions to make each work of art engaging and thought-provoking.

Tools and Medium

Works are accomplished in oil and cold wax on custom made birchwood panels. The oil and cold wax are applied using silicone scrapers, squeegees, and soft brayers, revealing opaque passages alongside passages of transparency providing unique color shifts that allow the viewer to experience depth and shape. 

What others are saying

To say that she understands the need to focus on beauty and breath in moments that recharge ones spirit might be an understatement.

It has been said about Pam’s work “Pam’s artwork is uplifting, colorful and highly imaginative, always providing enjoyment and hope to patients and staff in our many hospitals and clinics. Her sense of joy and her commitment to her sense of color and design just add extra enjoyment to everything she does. Thank you, Pam for all the healing that your artwork gives to the world.” Kathy, Art Consultant

Others have gone on to write that: “I first encountered Pam’s artwork at an auction. It was love at first sight. Her paintings use layers of vibrant color to evoke emotion and thought from the viewer. I look at the painting every day and see something new. Pam creates art that you never get tired of looking at.” Jeannine-Jeannine-ArtistArtist and Client

And “With a flair for colors, Pamela brings you into her world. I own 3 of her original works and I find myself lost in contemplation every time. Pamela is a master in her field, her choices of colors, designs and details leave me in awe.“ Ray - Client

Pam now lives and works in Northern Montana, out in the wild in the quiet surrounded by nature, animals, and big thoughts.

She is living her dream in her brand new studio in Montana with her husband and Havanese pup. Her goal is to help other artist find their way, help non artist relax and enjoy learning more about art, and playing with her friends (with art of course).

RESUME if you want more...

Background

Memory updated

Pam’s abstract works, whether landscapes or nonobjective pieces, are a heartfelt reflection of her deep connection to the natural world and the artistic influences that have shaped her journey. Living and working amidst the beauty of Montana, her surroundings often emerge in both her abstract landscapes and purely nonrepresentational pieces, in organic and unexpected ways. Influenced by artists like Cy Twombly, Kandinsky, and Richard Diebenkorn, Pam blends texture, color, and emotion to create works that feel familiar yet abstract, grounded yet open to interpretation.

There’s a tactile, almost primal joy in her process, reminiscent of Twombly’s use of scratches and marks. These "studied but childlike" elements, as Pam describes them, infuse her pieces with a layered history, giving each work a distinct soul. In works like You Are Here, soft greens and blues evoke calm and serenity, while gentle scratches and textured layers guide the viewer through a misty, ethereal landscape. These marks tell a story of the creative journey, much like the paths we walk in life.

Pam’s use of color brings her immense joy. She feels connected to Kandinsky’s spirit of playfulness and excitement, particularly in her abstract works where color often dominates the emotional landscape. In pieces like Praise and Passion, vibrant blues and greens dance together, suggesting expansive, watery vistas. Her energetic use of color gives her pieces a sense of movement and life, as if nature itself is breathing onto the canvas. She often describes the feeling of working with color as "giddy," imagining Kandinsky felt a similar thrill.

Drawing from Diebenkorn’s ability to flatten and simplify, Pam’s work often transforms recognizable landscapes into abstract forms. In Break Through, the dramatic contrast between glowing oranges and deep blues evokes a powerful transformation—whether it's a sunset breaking through clouds or a personal breakthrough. There is a richness and warmth in her works, inviting viewers to experience both the landscape and their own emotional responses, or simply to connect with the raw feeling for a place.

Pam's love for the natural world, combined with her playful, expressive approach, permeates every piece, inviting others to explore landscapes—real or imagined—and their own emotional landscapes.

PAST AND CURRENT EXHIBITS

 shows and representation

GraySky Gallery , Seattle WA - current

Water's Edge Winery Jan 23

Bigfork Cultural Arts Center-current
Abstract August - BigFork Arts and Cultural Center current

Phillips Gallery and Studio - Kalispel, MTl current

Gray Sky Gallery - Seattle, WA - current
Explore the Arts -Hamilton MT current

Montana Modern Fine Art - (now closed)

Permanent Collections

Evergreen Hospital, Kirkland, WA Overtake Hospital, Bellevue, WA
Seattle Cancer Hospital, Seattle, WA Northwestern Nazarine College, Nampa ID

Awards 2019-2021

Red Sky Gallery 2021

Lynn Hanson – The Best of the Best October 2019
Blink Art Comes Alive Cincinnati OH, Oct-Dec 2019
Tacoma American Art Company – Elemental Rhapsody, Sept – Nov, 2019
Matzke Fine Art - September-October 2019
American Art Company- Tacoma WA Sept 21- Nov 18 2019
Sotheby’s Kirkland & Seattle through Dec 2019
Seattle Art Fair 2019
A Brush With Color - Scott Millo Gallery Anacortes May2-June 3 2019 (postcard cover)
Scott Milo – A brush with Color (upcoming May 2019)
Vetiver, Issaquah 2019 June-July
Blink/ADC Cincinnati OH
Women Painters Gallery- Columbia tower Seattle

Elemental Abstracts (solo show) Gallery Lynn Hansen-Seattle Feb- March 2019
Sotheby’s Kirkland & Seattle- Dec-February 2019
Small and Powerful show-Women Painters- Columbia Tower -Nov- Jan 2019

Play of Light – Matzke- Oct-Nov 2018
Edmonds Studio Tour – September 2018
Portraits With Without People- WPW-May 2018
Kirkland Studio Tour- May 2018
Visual Impressions- Ryan James, Kirkland WA April-May 2018
The Smell of Turquoise and Other Delicious Colors – Lynn Hanson, Seattle March 2018
1-3-5 Fine Art Show SLC, UT Nov 2017
Utah Art Oct 2017-December 2017
Columbia City Gallery 2016- fall 2017
Small and Powerful, Women Painters of Washington- Columbia Tower Winter 2017-18
Utah Art Market- Oct 2017
Ombu Edmonds – August 2017
Threads – Women Painters Of Washington-Columbia Tower Summer 2017
Workshop and Solo Show Lynn Hanson Gallery Seattle March 2017 Run of The River – Show and Workshop April 2017
EAFA Abstract Show- Jan-Feb 2017
White River Museum – Nov-Dec 2016
Blakely Hall-November-Jan 2016
Live Auction- Kirkland Arts Center 2016
Vetiver- Solo show October-November 2016
ICON show, Juror Award-“Sisters of My Soul” 2016
H20 –What’s it worth?-Columbia city Gallery 2016
July Fab 15-FASO
Juror Award - “Between Heartbeats”
EAFA Abstract show 2016
Utah Arts Market – SLC, UT
Black History Month – Alki Arts 2016

“Perpetrating Beauty” ‘artist-talk' at Pine Lake Covenant Church Feb 2016
“Anything Goes”: Art East, Blakely Hall Nov-Dec 2015
“Art in You” Carillon Point Nov 20-23, 2015

"Perpetrating Beauty": Pamela Beer – November, Northstone Auction: Art Beat Kirkland Arts Center Oct 2015
Fremont Art Walk-August 2015
Edmonds Art Walk -June 2015

Fremont Art Walk-April 2015
Edmonds Art Walk -February 2015
Pine Lake Covenant Church 9-2014-6-2015
Fremont Art Walk April, August 2015
Edmonds Art Walk February, June 2015
“Perpetrating Creativity,” June 2014, Northstone Realty.
East Side Fine Arts for the Abstract show at Seattle Design Center Mar 2014-May 2014.

FAV15, October 2013, BoldBrush contest.
Surface Treatment-Era Living, Sep-Mar 2013.
Pacific Regent Tower 1 in Bellevue, Washington- Dec 2013-Jan 2014. Daniel Smith favorite -2013.
Her works were used in slides and marketing publications for the October 2013 Creating Space for Joy. Additionally, she was the keynote speaker for this event and led a creative experience track. Welcome Room of PLCC from 2001 to 2011
Pickering Barn Award 2002
Second Place for Edmunds Art fair 2002

Teaching

Private Instruction
Mentor at mastrius.com (Canada) current Workshop at Bigfork Arts and Cultural Center Nov 2022
Instructor at Kirkland Arts Center, WA quarterly (2017-2020) Instructor at ArtEast Issaquah, WA(2018)

Education

Art and Success (Pamela Coughey)2022
Encaustic arts (R&F Instruction, Julie Snidle)2022
McLaughlin Oil and cold Wax Workshop- Berkely, CA2019
Art 2 Life Academy (Nicholas Wilton)2017-2018
Private art lessons and workshops
Undergraduate in Business 1992/Graduate in Psychology 2007 USAF 1979-1983