Lee Bogle can't remember when he wasn't an artist. Painting, drawing and picturing life are among his earliest memories and have always been more then a pastime. For many years he has described his art as his passion. "Painting defines me," he says from his home in Kirkland, Washington, where he lives with his wife Sherri, and their two sons. "Its who I am, not just what I do."

Collectors know him for his images of Native Americans, often solitary figures of woman whose beauty far surpasses the superficial. Other works depict men and woman who appear as soul mates rather then mere romantic couples. While his paintings artistically speak for themselves, they also reflect his appreciation for the organic. Working with muted, atmospheric colors, he is a master at depicting the expressive quality of light.

He begins each piece with a background wash of watercolor. This background is a spontaneous application of color which forms the foundation for the painting's development. Nature itself may become part of the process, with weeds or thistles used to apply the watercolor. The forms and shapes which emerge guide Bogle toward the subject of his painting.

On top of this wash he builds imagery suggested by the background. Using charcoal, oil, pastel, airbrush and pencil, he develops an image from which the final theme and composition for the painting evolve. "These paintings are an outgrowth of my appreciation for the bold, painterly brush stroke and my love of precise detail. They are contemporary impressions in which detail is used in a very conscious and restrained manner to enhance the overall mood," he says.

Bogle's technical skills as a draftsman are especially evident in his renderings of the human figure. He combines vivid, realistic detail with the expressive qualities of abstraction in the Oriental tradition. One of Bogle's hallmarks is the serenity he instills in each of his images. Another is the intricacies he manages with his medium. Considering among the least forgiving media, watercolor presents a continuing challenge. But not only has Bogle mastered it, he has also added pastel to the mix, along with an occasional charcoal or graphite element. The resulting images are at once realistic yet visionary, ethereal yet detailing, exquisite dichotomies.

Bogle received his degree in art from Central Washington University and pursued graduate study at the University of Washington. His work is exhibited widely in galleries and museums throughout the country. With a growing number of avid collectors, his limited edition prints sell out soon after release.

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