The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

For Keith Rislove, who has been a working artist for more than 60 years, life seemed destined toward baseball, when, upon graduation from high school, he received two offers from major league teams.

But the Korean War intervened, and while overseas he found himself taking over the events coordinator job of his military mentor. After being discharged, he pursued commercial art, studying advertising and graphic design at the Los Angeles Art Center. After 37 years in the industry, he retired, only to pick up a second career in art – as an acrylic wildlife painter – that is still going strong after 23 years.

“My love for the outdoors started with my grandfather who introduced me to fishing and hunting at a very early age,” the Salem, Ore., artist says. “Living in the Northwest provides the many visual images of wildlife and landscapes that give me the inspiration.”

Rislove captures the wildlife world in its hidden landscapes – a wolf prowling around the edge of a pond; a bull elk bugling in the silent woods; a snowy white owl flying over the snow-laden land.

“My approach to wildlife is to be as realistic as possible, which gives me a great deal of satisfaction,” Rislove explains. “Nature and wildlife are in my heart.”

Through January 12, Rislove is showing a collection of his wildlife paintings at Wenaha Gallery, located at 219 East Main, Dayton. The gallery is open Monday – Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., except for Christmas and New Year’s Day, when it is closed. The gallery is open limited hours on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.