Paintings by Betsy Nelson, an advanced student of Terry Johnson, are on display this month in the Lundeen Room at Orcas Senior Center.

Nelson drew and painted sporadically most of her life until 12 years ago, when “the need to paint became overwhelming.” She studied watercolor with Caroline Buchanan for several years.

Five years ago, Nelson began studying pastel and oil with Johnson, which she still does, saying she is “appreciative of his discerning eye and gaining from the interaction of classmates.”

Said Nelson, “People are my favorite subject; not portraits of specific individuals but rather paintings that evolve as I go and speak to an emotion. For me, painting is a wonderful, sometimes frustrating, open-ended experience. Each work, successful or not, is an adventure.”

Nelson and her husband, Jim, have lived on Orcas since 1975. They own and manage Orcas Island Bayside Cottages.