About Me

For as long as I can remember, I have felt a profound connection to all the lives we share on this planet; our “kindred spirits” as I like to say. And while the mystery and beauty of the ocean speaks to me deeply and shows up often in my paintings, my love for all living beings, including those on land and in the sky, hold a special place in my heart that I can only describe with a paintbrush in hand.

Courtney

Marchesi

Using acrylic and oil paints, I work to bring these kindred spirits into our foreground and us into their world. My hope is that you, the viewer, will see my portraits of life and feel a deeper connection to that being, that life, and to all of nature.

ACRYLICS

Acrylics are versatile and buildable. I can add layer after layer on paper, canvas, wood, glass, or brick. Compared to watercolor or oil, I find acrylics much easier to work with and more forgiving. They dry fast, which can be challenging, but that plays into my personality. I am one of those people who appreciates instant gratification, so it’s fun to jump right in, paint brush swinging.

OILS

Oils, like acrylics, are quite buildable with what seems like an endless possibility to the layers I can add. I started to delve into this medium at the beginning of 2024 and instantly fell in love. Oils are an entirely different beast and behave quite differently from the acrylic counterparts. Learning to use oils has pushed me to embrace the pace and take deeper breaths as they are not a medium to be rushed. I satiate my need for instant gratification in other parts of the process.

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My Backstory

As a young girl growing up in Philomath, Oregon, I remember taking trips to the coast and spending hours watching the waves, taking in the salt air and combing the beach for treasures. I never missed an opportunity to put my bare toes in the sand.

My family went camping in the summers and I remember spending hours and hours exploring in the lush forest and in the high desert.

And the pets! We always had several growing up. From dogs and cats to ducks and rabbits, horses and geese and more. We even had a mean, old rooster named Malcolm who would chase my sister and I through the yard. I loved them all like family. Even Malcolm.

Alongside my passion for animals and nature, art has always been very dear to my heart. As a quiet and shy child, animals were my peers and art was my safety. The animals always listened, never judging or cruel, and art gave me the ability to shine in ways I never thought I could in other parts of my life. Both got me through the hard times growing up. They were my foundation. It only seemed natural to hold the two together in my path moving forward.

With the support of my loving family, I now have the privilege to be a full-time artist. And in painting the portraits of these kindred spirits of ours, I am so excited to share these beautiful lives with you!

Awards

Corvallis Arts Center – Spring 2020
Luca, 2nd place People’s Choice Award of 250 entries
Outstanding Public Art – 2021
Downtown Corvallis Association 2021 Design Award

Organizations

Corvallis Arts Walk
The Nest Corvallis

Inspiration

The iconic Bob Ross
Fellow lover of the ocean, Robert Wyland

Featured Work

Courtney Marchesi Art has been sold in Oregon coastal galleries of Newport and Florence. Works have also been featured in several businesses over the years during the Corvallis Arts Walk, as well as public mural art in and around the Corvallis area. Other featured artist showcases in the Willamette Valley have included Oakshire Brewing Company and Ninkasi Brewing, both in Eugene.