When Madison River Brewing Company released Owl Good Baltic Porter, I had the opportunity to create the artwork that would represent it — a project that blended two of my favorite things: art and Montana craft beer.

I’ve always been drawn to painting birds. There’s something endlessly captivating about the textures and patterns in their feathers — each one tells its own story through subtle shifts in color and light. For this piece, I wanted to capture that intricate detail while conveying the owl’s strength and quiet confidence.

The deep, swirling background was designed to mirror the rich character of the beer itself — dark, smooth, and layered with warmth. Just like the porter, the painting invites you to look closer and discover new details the longer you spend with it.

Creating this piece was both a challenge and a joy. It reminded me how much I love exploring texture and pattern in nature, and how art, like brewing, is all about patience, and balance.

New Work: Exploring the Movement of Water

I’m excited to share that my newest oil painting is complete. This piece has been a quiet exploration, on the gentle, repetition in the movement of water.

As I painted, I found peace in the natural rhythm to it, soft currents, and ripples. I wanted to capture that feeling: not just how it looks, but how it feels to sit beside a stream and watch it move, endlessly and effortlessly.

Using a muted, earthy palette and fine linear brushwork, I focused on layering textures that echo the flow of water gliding over a riverbed. Each line became a trace of motion, each color a reflection of stillness beneath the surface.

Painting this piece was as calming as the subject itself. It gave me a chance to slow down, to really observe and translate something subtle into form and color. It’s always fascinating to see where a painting leads, and this one led me deeper into a kind of quiet observation that I deeply appreciate.

You can view the finished work HERE, and I’d love to know what it evokes for you.

Thank you for following along on this creative journey.

🎨 Perch and Pause: The Quiet Between the Waves
Oil Painting on 4" x 6" Birch Wood Panel, By Janel Acheson

In the fast current of everyday life, it’s easy to forget the power of stillness. The stillness that doesn’t demand productivity or performance, but instead invites us to just be. My recent oil painting, Perch and Pause, was born from that quiet need.

Painted on a 4x6 birch wood panel, this piece captures two cormorants perched on a weathered branch above calm waters. One bird stretches its wings wide, drying, resting, readying. The other remains still, settled in solitude. Between them, there’s no rush. Just presence.

I was drawn to the simplicity of the scene: a moment that might pass unnoticed in nature, yet speaks so deeply to what it means to be human. There’s wisdom in the way these birds pause. Not to retreat, but to renew. In that pause, there is power.

Why Perch and Pause?
The title came to me not just from what the birds were doing, but from what they were being. They reminded me of those moments we all need. Moments to land, to breathe, to be in our own skin without pressure or expectation.

It’s in these pauses that we re-calibrate. We find honesty. We notice what we’ve been ignoring, and we reconnect to what’s real. Whether you're at a crossroads, in a season of burnout, or simply feeling disconnected, the invitation is the same: perch. pause. listen.

A Reminder in Paint
I chose to let the natural grain of the birch panel show through because I wanted the piece to feel raw and grounded; like the moment itself. No background noise. No clutter. Just enough space to reflect.

Perch and Pause is a small painting, but it holds a big message: Stillness isn't a luxury. It's a necessity. And from that stillness, we move forward with more clarity, more intention, and more of our true, honest selves.

Your Turn
What might happen if you gave yourself permission to pause today?

"Perch and Pause" is available on my website. 
https://www.fineartmontana.com/store/PerchPause.html

There’s something about fall in Montana that lights a fire in me as an artist.

Maybe it’s the golden light stretching low across the landscape, or the sudden crunch of leaves underfoot that seems to echo in the quiet morning air. The colors shift—brilliant reds, dusty oranges, and deep yellows—and the whole world feels painted. It’s a sensory spark. A creative invitation.

The crisp air wakes me up in more ways than one. It makes me want to paint longer, share more, and bring all the beauty I see this time of year into my work. Fall always feels like a turning point—both in the landscape and in my studio. And this year, that seasonal energy is hitting even harder.

I’m using this momentum to hustle—updating my website, organizing available original paintings, and releasing new fine art prints just in time for the upcoming holiday season. Whether you're looking for a meaningful gift or a way to bring Montana's beauty into your home, I’ll have new pieces ready to explore soon.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks—I’ll be sharing what’s available and giving a behind-the-scenes look at a few works in progress, too. Sign up for my newsletter or follow along on social media so you don’t miss a thing.
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Thanks, as always, for supporting artists. Here's to finding beauty in the season—and maybe even some art under the Christmas tree.
– Janel