Katy Grant Hanson signs copies of 'A Painter's View: Lewis and Clark in Western Oregon and Washington' Saturday, July 23 at RiverSea Gallery.

Oregon artist and author Katy Grant Hanson will greet the public and autograph copies of her new book, “A Painter’s View: Lewis and Clark in Western Oregon and Washington,” at a book signing from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 23 at RiverSea Gallery.

As the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition approached, Hanson spent more than a year retracing their path through western Oregon and Washington, exploring the sites and painting on location the views they would have seen. Her book follows Lewis and Clark’s journey down the Columbia River from Highway 97 at Maryhill Museum to the Pacific Ocean, north to Cape Disappointment and south to Cannon Beach. The book presents 70 of Hanson’s plein-air oil paintings of sites in their present-day condition that were seen by the Corps of Discovery or were significant to the journey in some way. Quotes from their journals give insight to what Lewis and Clark were seeing, doing and feeling in the areas of these sites, and commentary ties together the present day views and the historical quotes. Through the paintings and text, the book becomes a guide to the entire western Oregon and Washington region touched by the Lewis and Clark expedition, and readers can get a sense of how the area has changed from historic times to the present day. At the end of the book, Hanson includes driving directions to each of the painted sites.

The last half of the book showcases paintings from the North Coast region. One chapter is devoted to the Washington side of the Columbia River, and another presents views on the Oregon side. Some of the sites include Station Camp, Ilwaco, Cape Disappointment, Beard’s Hollow, the Eagle Sanctuary, Clatsop Spit, six views from the Astoria Column, Youngs River Falls, Fort Clatsop, Tillamook Head, Ecola Park and Haystack Rock.

Hanson is a fifth-generation Oregonian and former resident of Cannon Beach, now living in Albany. She has dedicated her book to her Oregon pioneer ancestors. Her great-great-grandfather, William Groomes, arrived by sailing ship in 1849 at Cape Disappointment, Oregon Territory. Agnes Lawther-Groomes, Hanson’s great-great-grandmother, came to The Dalles, Oregon Territory, in 1851. They married in Portland in 1851, and became part of the story of these lands touched by Lewis and Clark.

“A Painter’s View: Lewis and Clark in Western Oregon and Washington” is available at RiverSea Gallery, 1160 Commercial St. An exhibition of most of the original oil paintings from the book will be held at the gallery beginning Nov. 12. Hanson has exhibited her artwork in Oregon galleries for many years. For more information, call gallery staff at (503) 325-1270.