About Alpine Art & Garden

My name is Jasmine and I’m a naturalist, photographer, homesteader, artist, and a mom. My skills in nature-scaping combined with photography allow me to capture special moments of wild animals and to create visually appealing pieces of art. I value using natural light and landscapes to capture unique moments of animals and plants. These pictures are special to us because these are characters in our own stories, neighbors right outside our doors. When we feel connected, we spend more time outside and we develop a healthy relationship with nature and will protect it.

I am an Oregon native from Scio located in the foothills of the Cascades. I grew up running barefoot, galavanting the countryside, swimming in rivers, catching critters, and developed a lifelong refuge in the woods where I was my happiest. After high school I began college and got my AA Art/ Photography degree. I then spent a summer at Yellowstone National Park. That wild and raw place lit a fire in me for preservation and I returned to Oregon to pursue and receive my BS from OSU in Fisheries and Wildlife with an emphasis on Wildlife conservation. After graduating I had many positions from many different agencies. A few standout ones were doing Burrowing owl and Badger surveys on a bombing range in Eastern Oregon and working for Oregon Department of Forestry hiking through the Oregon coast range old growth. After completing a position in Eugene for the Long Tom watershed council I took a job as a veterinary technician. Working with and touching animals instead of looking at them through binoculars was a big change!

I settled down in the small town of Alpine located in the Willamette Valley. Our 6 acres was an old Christmas tree farm and we knew it would be a lot of work; it is up to us, the land owners to make a difference on our own land and manage it environmentally as a part in the system as a whole. In doing this the land, air, soil, water, animals, everything will be healthier, more diverse and can give back. I dove head first into learning how to care for the land. We had to take out unhealthy and nonnative trees and plant native trees and bushes. As we learned to live in harmony with our environment and to live as self-sufficiently as possible we began began homesteading. We got a great big greenhouse, gardening beds, grapes, blueberries, and fruit trees. We farm organically, use renewable energy sources, preserve our own food, raise chickens, and make whatever we can through craftwork. We are made to work with our hands, forage our own food, cook the vegetables we grow, and find our place in the ecosystem we call home. That means understanding our surroundings and knowing when to do what.

The Willamette Valley is in the heart of Oregon and praised for being a gardener’s paradise. We have abundant rain, a temperate climate, and fertile soil. Through my 15 years of actively gardening and landscaping I have tested and researched through trial and error to bring you a guide for working with Mother Earth to reward your mind and body with nutrition, exercise, and vitamin D. We can all be a part of nature and your family will find it fun, rewarding, will build essential skills and memories, teach you self reliance and sustainability. I believe this is the highest act of self care because it touches our mental, emotional, and physical health. Getting the entire family involved to eating right, reducing stress, getting physical activity keeps us healthy, happy, and resilient.

Nature is my refuge, birds are an indicator of that nature. Everywhere we go we find different birds all with different feathers and different songs. Being able to identify them and to possibly share a special moment by getting a photo are my passion. We find beauty and new life in every season. This constant change and new breath of life is exciting and it’s when I connect. The photos I take are not from far off places or of exotic and endangered animals. These are local animals and stories to inspire you to connect with those right around you. I specialize in Oregon Willamette Valley flora and fauna.

I print my photography on on aluminum. HD metal prints are extremely durable, lightweight, water and weather resistant, and are suited for indoor or outdoor display. These unique art pieces are conversation starters and are beutifully calming. Alpine Art and Garden studio is my gallery, self serve garden stand, and creative space. It is open to the public during business hours and during group classes. We have a wide variety of rocks, candles, jewelry, new and refurbished clothes, honey, houseplants, dreamcatchers, soap, magnets, and various other products.

From my greenhouse I grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers which are available seasonally. I also offer potted plants, flower bulbs, and hanging baskets. Most potted plants are perennials and when planted naturalize, are easy to care for and come back year after year. Our outdoor self serve garden stand is a mix of seasonal plants and homesteading products. There is a self pay box outside.

Art and homesteading classes will be taught by me and guest teachers. Other guest speakers will include: writers, conservation speakers, researchers, etc. Check calendar for schedule of events. If you are interested in presenting a topic or teaching a class please email me.