The path to the beach was well worn in l971 when Byron Pickering made his home on the Oregon Coast.   It seemed ordained that he would meet with this rugged coastline and its ever-changing surf.

     As a child growing up among the lakes of Wisconsin, he found it was the water and the rocky shores of Lake Superior that enticed his childhood artistry - along with portraits of local friends.

     It was only after completing study at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology and Design and a stint in this fast-paced industry, that he made his way to Oregon as a ministerial student. A short move to the coast came naturally.

     The combination of being near the ocean and in an artists' community renewed the urge to paint. Byron watched the surf daily, trying to capture its force and fluidity.   His easel became a permanent fixture in the corner of the living room.   His understanding of surf action is the product of this time of observation, and is the mental resource from which he paints.

     After a year of intense practice, Byron was given his first one-person showing in a coastal gallery.   Many sold-out shows followed.   The acceptance of his work by an enthusiastic public has been the most rewarding part of his art journey.

     In 1981, he and his family opened "Pickering Studio," a gallery of art and antiques. Painting for the gallery and an annual series of workshops occupied the following thirteen years.

Among Byron's credits:

• His work was displayed at the 1976 "Americans in Paris Bicentennial Exhibition."
• The Oregon Coast Association commissioned a 4' x 6' oil to hang in Oregon's Pavilion at the 1986 World's Fair in Vancouver, B.C.
• A feature article appeared in a 1977 Southwest Art Magazine.
• The Center for Marine Conservation used "Eternal Spirit" as the cover of its 1990 annual report.
• In September 2000, Byron was honored as a recipient of one of the ten prestigious awards given at the Salon d'Automne International Art competition in Montreal, Canada.
• In 2001, he was commissioned by the Lower Flathead Valley Foundation to create an image of the Mission Valley as it might have appeared 15,000 years ago when Glacial Lake Missoula covered the western area of Montana.   A reproduction of this painting is on a permanent outdoor display at the Glacial Overlook at the National Bison Range as well as in Montana University's "Visions" magazine and other publications.
• "Glacial Lake Missoula" is a featured image on the Nova megafloods website.