You know, there’s plenty of money in Eugene, and if I were advise someone on a great art investment that will only accrue value over time, I’d send you to the Karin Clarke Gallery to look at and fall in love with one of Margaret Coe’s oil paintings.
The fact is, oil paintings tend to appreciate in value more than works in other mediums, and the first reason is durability. Oil paintings are the marathon runners of the art world. Just think about the Mona Lisa – she's been captivating audiences for over 500 years!
A visit to look at, for example, Margaret Coe’s painting, “Deep Waters,” shows you how oil paintings offer something truly special: depth. The way light interacts with layers of oil paint creates an almost three-dimensional quality that's impossible to replicate in other mediums. Look closely, and you’ll see how Coe has built up dozens of translucent layers, each one adding richness and complexity to the final piece. This technique, called glazing, is part of what gives Coe’s paintings their mysterious, luminous quality.
And let's not forget the technical mastery required. Oil painting is notoriously difficult to master – it demands incredible patience, skill, and understanding of color theory. Each piece represents countless hours of expertise, which collectors recognize and value.
Finally, there's what I call the "time capsule effect." Every oil painting captures a moment in history – not just in its subject matter, but in the very materials used. The pigments, the canvas, the brushstrokes – they all tell a story about when and where the piece was created.
For rich and poor, Margaret Coe's new show at the Karin Clarke Gallery gives us all a chance to witness enduring masterworks in the making, where each painting is both a window into artistic excellence and an investment in Eugene's cultural heritage.
