Artist Statement:
Jim Whaley
From the Daily Record on November 5th 2009 Written by Daily Record Staff
Local artist Jim Whaley paints on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Pearl Street in Ellensburg on Tuesday. Whaley, 77, moved to Ellensburg in June, but says he has been painting outdoors since he was 14 years old.
The air was chilled Tuesday with a late fall wind, but the sun was high and bright, which was good enough for Jim Whaley.
That's why Whaley, 77, could be found on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Pearl Street in downtown Ellensburg working on three separate paintings.
"As long as that sun stays out it's real nice;" he said."But after that, it can get too cold."
Whaley, who moved to Ellensburg from Tumwater in June to care for his ailing mother-in-law, said he has sold at least 10 paintings since moving here and hopes his stint outdoors will help even more.
"It pays to be out here." he said."Over there (in Tumwater) I sold more paintings just from being outside and meeting with people."
Whaley said he has lived in many parts of the country and was quick to shop off photographs and newspaper clippings detailing some of his public works -- including murals in downtown Tumwater and at the zoo in Houston.
Tuesday, Whaley, who currently is the featured artist at My Jungle Studios in Ellensburg, was working on a painting of Mount rainier, one of a country road and barn and a third of a riverbed surrounded by trees.