Plumas Arts announces it is partnering with the Plumas National Forest to present Artist in the Lookout, an exhibition inspired by Black Mountain Lookout. On view now through Nov. 29 at the Capital Arts Gallery, this show celebrates the artists who find inspiration in the sweeping perspectives and quiet solitude of the region’s fire lookouts.
This month’s exhibition features the work of two local artists — Austin Hagwood and Michael Rowden — each offering a distinct interpretation of the Sierra Nevada landscape through storytelling, painting and deep personal connection to a place.
Michael Rowden, raised in Janesville and Oroville, brings the landscape to life through expressive abstract oils and watercolors, say organizers. His work distills the movement, color and atmosphere of Northern California’s wild terrain into bold, intuitive compositions. Rowden’s paintings invite viewers to experience the region’s rugged beauty through rhythm, texture and imagination.
Austin Hagwood, a writer and anthropologist born in Quincy, has long been drawn to the culture and mythology of lookout towers, said organizers. Having staffed a fire lookout for several seasons in the Bitterroot Mountains, he brings an intimate understanding of these remote outposts, where reflection and observation merge. His writing captures the emotional and environmental resonance of the Sierra and the delicate interplay between nature, memory and meaning.
Artist in the Lookout honors the longstanding tradition of artists working from high vantage points across public lands. “Through language and visual art, Hagwood and Rowden illuminate the unique inspiration found in these remote Sierra spaces,” said Plumas Arts. “Their combined work speaks to the relationship between wilderness and creativity, offering a compelling exploration of place, perception and artistic voice.”
The Capital Arts Gallery is located at 525 Main St. in Quincy. More information is available at plumasarts.org.