Through Her Eyes

Portland, Oregon artist, Betty Chilstrom, "Painted the Town" during the second half of the 20th century. The character of a city is made up of many things, including its history and neighborhood vitality. Living through the great depression, homeless throughout her childhood, Betty had a keen appreciation for the value of a Home Place, and Portland became her permanent home during World War II. Living in the same Buckman neighborhood home for seventy years, she spent 40 of those years chronicling Portland's historic homes, architecture, and cityscapes, before urban renewal swept them away. Told by her youngest daughter, artist Robin Chilstrom, this is the story of Betty's life, her evolution as a self-taught artist, and how she came to create a stunning and prolific archive of over 1,000 paintings and countless drawings - of which more than 250 are featured in this book - through her Love Affair with the City.