(Oh What A Day by Susan Luckey Higdon)
Makin’ It Local is honored to feature regionally acclaimed Central Oregon artist Susan Luckey Higdon. The exhibition and print sale run from September 1 through September 30, 2025. An artist in attendance reception is scheduled for the Sisters Fourth Friday art walk on September 26 from 4-7pm.
A lifelong Oregonian, Susan is well-known for capturing the essence of Oregon’s dramatic landscapes, from mountain peaks to wild rivers, especially the high Cascade lakes and streams. Her paintings depict the complex interactions of color and pattern in what she describes as natural abstractions. “Color, light, texture, shapes… I want to communicate what I see in a way that captures the spirit of the place, showing accurate mood and detail, but working toward simplicity.”
Over 30 years ago, Susan began painting with soft pastels in stolen moments while working full-time as a graphic designer in an advertising agency and raising two young children. Her motivation was to do something completely creative for herself, working intuitively and moving color around for sheer joy.
In the beginning, because she didn’t have a studio, Susan used soft pastels because of the pure, vivid colors, which gave immediate, gratifying results. They also fit her method of laying colors next to each other to play upon each other rather than blending. Later, moving to acrylics allowed her to work larger and removed the need for glass over the artwork. She developed a technique of using acrylic paints on cradled birch board, adding thick color and then rubbing it off. Scratching and working the medium quickly to achieve an impressionistic effect with rich depth, building up layers and adding detail, the final image emerges.
A founding member of Tumalo Art Co., an artist-run gallery in Bend’s Old Mill District in its 20th year, Susan was the signature artist for the Deschutes River Conservancy’s RiverFeast event for 11 years and has been featured in Italian flyfishing magazine H2O, Bend Magazine and a segment on OPB’s Oregon Art Beat, among others. She is an invited artist to the High Desert Museum’s prestigious juried, annual exhibit Art in the West. Her underwater fish series was displayed in McCormick & Schmick restaurants across the country, and a long list of images have been installed in corporate settings and medical centers. Susan’s paintings have been juried into prestigious shows like the Pastel 100 and by jurors such as Wolf Kahn and are collected widely. Her greeting card line, which began in 2000 and features panoramic views of iconic Central Oregon scenes, is still available throughout the area.
Artist Showcase
Moving Color features newly released fine art prints by Susan Luckey Higdon.
Exhibition and sale: September 1-30
Location: Makin’ It Local: 281 W Cascade Avenue, Sisters
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-5:30pm, Sunday 10am-4pm
Artist Reception
Friday, September 26, Fourth Friday Art Walk, 4-7pm
Artist in Attendance: Meet Susan Luckey Higdon
Live Music: Erion Cole Baker
Refreshments, light hors d’oeuvres and appetizers by Jackson Higdon of The Luckey’s Woodsman (Sisters, Oregon). Oregon wine curated by Friends and Vine (Sisters)
Location: Makin’ It Local: 281 W Cascade Avenue, Sisters
About Erin Cole-Baker:
A Sisters Folk Festival Breedlove artist and International Folk Alliance alum, Erin’s music is a journey: honest, heartfelt and deeply connected to the places and people she’s called home. Currently based in Bend, Erin continues to craft music that resonates with audiences across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Erin was raised in the rural, beachside Northland of New Zealand. Growing up in a family where music was a daily ritual, she found herself captivated by experimenting with various instruments and crafting her own songs from a young age. Her velvety voice, intimate lyrics and rich melodies have established her timeless sound, exploring the depth of human emotion through a mix of folk, indie and Americana influences.
About Makin’ It Local:
We are Makin’ It Local and Celebrating Oregon. Art, photography, fine crafts, jewelry, ceramics, gifts and more. Featuring artwork by Kathy Deggendorfer, Megan Marie Myers, Lindsay Gilmore, Rachel Dantona (Hikerbooty), James Parsons (Extreme Oregon), Letter Press by Quail Lane Press and Green Bird Press, Julie Hamilton, Sheila Dunn, Susan Luckey Higdon, Kara Frampton (KF Stoneware), Teri Axness (Muddy Ranch Studio), Charlotte Wallace, Jennifer O’Reilly, Erik Abel and many more! Stop by today – Seriously Great Art. Makin’ It Local is at 281 W Cascade Avenue in downtown Sisters.
Fall Hours (September 1-October 31, 2025) open Monday-Saturday 10am-5:30pm, Sunday 10am-4pm
makinitlocal.com • @makinitlocal • 541-904-4722