Ila Larson
Uff da!
Marianne Graff
Upon hearing that exclamation, one may either be baffled at its usage or fully aware that Ila Larson is nearby. As a way of introducing our November Artist of the Month, it seemed appropriate to use her favorite interjection, Uff da, huffda, oofda, or uf daa! Anyway this Norwegian expression might be spelled, it means astonishment, exhaustion, surprise, “oh no!”, or “Okay!” It is all in the inflection.
Ila and her husband Larry claim Portland, Oregon as their hometown and summer home and have been snowbirds in PebbleCreek for the past nine years. Known by her friends as the “energizing bunny,” Ila participates in many activities offered by this community. Ila rarely turns down an invitation to an art show or gallery and enjoys a variety of lectures and plays. She belongs to a newly formed book club and participates in an art critique group. She is an active member of the Art Club serving on the tour committee. Ila is an accomplished watercolor artist as well as a talented pastel painter. She has taken advantage of the art instruction offered at the PebbleCreek Art club and credits many of the local instructors for encouraging her efforts and introducing her to new media. Open Studio in the Coyote Room each Friday afternoon is a favorite activity with Ila and offers the opportunity to socialize with other artists. She divides her time between the swimming pool and the Creative Arts Center. Being a devotee of bright and lively colors, Ila also quilts and displays her imaginative efforts among the paintings which adorn her home.
Mostly a landscape painter, Ila photographs scenery as she hikes through the terrain of the American west. These scenes are later included in compositions painted in her studio. And it is not just the mountains, deserts, forests or waterfalls which attract her. The changing moods of the weather and shapes of the clouds above fascinate and inspire her creations. The Larsons have traveled extensively in the U.S. and have enjoyed driving around European countryside at their leisure. They linger whenever they discover a surprising place to investigate and seek local lodging opportunities. From these inspirations, Ila shares her world with the rest of us. A stroll down her PebbleCreek hallway/gallery offers a rare insight into this talented lady’s adventuresome spirit.
On display in the hallway window outside the Coyote Art Studio, viewers can see an assortment of Ila’s pastel paintings. Also on display at the reception areas of Tuscany Falls and Eagles’ Nest club areas, one can find: At Day’s End and Old Man Cedar. Enjoy. Or Uff da! It is all in the inflection.