A Green Hill Far Away

Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain has been home to creatures of the forest forever. It was home to the Tillamook tribe for hundreds of years. And now it's iconic silhouette lets me know when I'm almost home. Apparently the Tillamook people, and later the pioneers, would burn the trees on the mountain in order to draw the deer and elk down for good feeding. Now, however, the logging companies are the ones to take from it, often leaving barren squares of brown where the green once was. I do like that Oregon has a strong re-forestation program, but I still don't like seeing the bare spots on the mountain. For this painting, I am using my artistic license to keep the entire mountain green.