(Artwork | by Van-Spores)

Bend artist Van-Spores, who chose to use this name for his art to honor his Dutch heritage, started his creative journey early. “At a young age I enjoyed arts and crafts — as I got older I branched out into wood burning and painting.” Born in Portland, the artist moved to Central Oregon in his teens, saying, “I started doing wood-burning and painting more seriously six years ago.

“I started it because it was a stress reliever. I don’t know how to explain what inspires me, most the time it just pops into my head. Sometimes my wife or son give me suggestions.”

Van-Spores says with his wood-burning he draws a picture onto the wood and then uses a special tool to burn it, and with his paintings he often starts to do one thing and something else emerges all together. “When I’m doing art, I feel peaceful and stress free.”

Two years in a row Van-Spores has won second and third place ribbons on the pieces he has exhibited at the Deschutes County Fair. “Winning the ribbons at the fair has taught me not to give up on my dream of being artistic. I would love to be able to sell some of my art, however whether I sell it or not — I’m going to continue creating.”