Pam Ohnemus

The natural landscape has always been a powerful focus of my work. Currently I am conducting on-site research at local prairies, depicting the landscape in paint and portraying the transition of prairie vegetation to plowed fields. Prairies have been reduced to isolated fragments that require conservation and preservation. Less than 1% of the presettlement tall grass prairie remains.

Macro and microenvironments fill my paintings, engaging the viewer in their detail. Even while painting tranquil scenes, I achieve active color sensations by layering color over complementary underpaintings. My paintings express delicate sensations through subtle texture and natural pattern.

The tall grass prairie is an irreplaceable tapestry of plant and animal life. I paint dynamic compositions of Midwest prairie remnants so that the viewer can appreciate and see the need of their maintenance before they are lost forever.