Local artist and paint instructor, Elizabeth Megan Eaton, has been showcasing her skills and passion throughout the Mt. Hood community for the last several years. A watercolor and acrylic enthusiast, Eaton has been a passionate member of the art community since 2005. Eaton’s work has been showcased in several different galleries and restaurants throughout the area including Portland, where she participated in First and Last Thursday.

A true definition of an artist, Eaton has found her passions for all things creative in a variety of different forms. “It is definitely hard to pick a favorite. Art is so many things. Writing, painting, music, dance, the list goes on. I gravitate to visual arts mostly,” Eaton said. Realizing she had an interest in art at an early age, Eaton began creating her own illustrations for books she would write. “I knew I wanted to be an artist at the age of 4. I would write small books about penguins and illustrate them and give them to my family. We had a cabinet full of all the projects I had made over the years,” Eaton said.

Using self-taught methods through trial and error, Eaton’s talents have grown over the years through the use of her own imagination and drive. “All of my knowledge of art was self taught. By trial and error, purchasing supplies and just digging into the craft,” Eaton said. Finding other artists that she could relate to and identify with became a part of her growth, and some of her favorite artists have inspired Eaton along the way. “Will Vinton was a huge inspiration in my early childhood. Claymation had a huge impact on me. Another inspiration is Yoshitaka Amano, a Japanese visual artist. He has done concept art, paintings, anime, video game character design, books, you name it. He has a very unique style and it taught me you can be a very different artist and be successful,” Eaton said.

An artist living on the mountain has had many benefits for Eaton; not just for the showcase of her work at different locations, but also helping to inspire other local artists and those interested in the craft via the paint nights she hosts at various bars and restaurants in the Welches and Mt. Hood Villages area. Eaton’s paint nights have been a huge success throughout the community, and she has spread her knowledge and love of art to locals gathering at The Brightwood Tavern, The Zigzag Inn and Pub 26. “A friend of mine asked me one day if I would do paint nights at the Brightwood avern and that no artists were interested. I had never considered teaching or instructing a class before. I knew the community on the mountain needed something else to do that is positive and engaging, so I agreed to try it,” Eaton said.

Finding creativity in the beauty and people around her, Eaton acknowledges how living on the mountain has inspired and encouraged her work. “Living on this beautiful mountain has given me so much inspiration. The people that live here have been so welcoming and supportive. Without the people who live here, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Eaton said. A true believer in the power of community and fellowship, Eaton identifies with the Mt. Hood area and finds her paint nights and her students to be true inspirations. “I am so blessed to be a part of this community that makes you feel like you are part of a family. I feel so fortunate to get to share my art and time with them. So many people say they can’t paint and are intimidated in the beginning. It is so inspiring to teach and put myself out there, have people enjoy their time and thank me for holding paint nights, and be shocked that they can paint and they enjoyed their time and want to come back,” Eaton said.

An artist and an inspiration to the community with her ability to demonstrate and teach, Eaton says that art has been the driving force in her life and has shaped her into the person she is today. “Art means everything to me. It is an important part of everyone’s lives whether they realize it or not. For years I was hard on myself. People in my life were upset and frustrated at me that I wasn’t traditionally successful. That I didn’t have a good job. And art wasn’t supposed to be a career. But one day Mike Martini (another well known local artist) told me that I was an artist and to quit ignoring it. And that stuck with me. I realized Mike was right. Since that conversation I have had so many opportunities with my art and have made it a focal point in my life. It is who I am,” Eaton said.

Paint nights hosted by Eaton are currently twice a month. The first Wednesday of every month they are held at The Zigzag Inn and the third Wednesday of every month at Pub 26 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Eaton is also currently working on a third paint night event to be held at Mt. Hood Art Collective.