(Photo courtesy of Lori and Lisa Lubbesmeyer)
After 17 years working from their Old Mill District studio, twin sisters Lori and Lisa Lubbesmeyer have come to know the area from countless angles.
The owners of Lubbesmeyer Art Studio & Gallery have walked and biked along the Deschutes River on their way to work, watched the light change across the buildings and smokestacks, and experienced the district through every Central Oregon season.
They’ve also watched the district evolve as it continues to embrace the timber history that powered Bend for decades.
So when the Lubbesmeyers were selected as the Old Mill District’s 2026 Winter Art Series artists, they drew from these years of observations to create what they call a “love letter” to the district they’ve called home for nearly two decades.
“The opportunity to think about the history here was kind of a gift,” said Lori Lubbesmeyer. “And what’s resounding about that history is the goodwill and the visionary element that’s guided the Old Mill’s growth [around]what would be good for a community and what would bring people together.”
This sentiment was heavily reflected in their final art submission, titled “Then and Now.”
The piece is a mixed-media painting that blends elements of the past and the present to celebrate the Old Mill District’s 25th anniversary. It combines recognizable landmarks with more subtle references to the Old Mill District’s history, restoration, and connection to the Bend community.
“There’s so much to discover in this piece,” said Beau Eastes, marketing director for the Old Mill District. “You recognize some things immediately, and then you look again and find another piece of the story. Lori and Lisa managed to capture 25 years of the district while creating something that’s still completely their own.”
This is the 10th year the Old Mill District has commissioned an original art piece as part of its Winter Art Series. Each year, the artwork is featured as the backbone of the district’s winter marketing campaign.
This year’s selection was a full-circle moment for the Lubbesmeyers. Lori and Lisa were the first artists chosen when the Old Mill District began its annual Winter Art Series in 2017. That original piece featured the brilliant colors for which the sisters are well known.
They took a considerably different approach this year, however. “Then and Now” uses a muted winter palette that the sisters felt also suited a silver anniversary.
Within the piece are several familiar Old Mill District landmarks such as the iconic smokestacks and red powerhouse building, the Hayden Homes Amphitheater, the Mill A building, and Bend’s historic train depot that was saved and moved to the district in 1999.
Other details require a closer look.
A small mound references the massive amounts of sawdust removed as the former mill site was being redeveloped. And the flow of the river into the sky represents the restoration and renewal of a stretch of the Deschutes River once choked with logs and industrial debris.
In addition, historic images of Old Mill District founder Bill Smith and his wife, Trish, are also incorporated into the piece.
Ultimately determining what to include in the piece and how to represent the history of the land was difficult at times, said Lisa Lubbesmeyer.
“How do you encompass what we see and feel, along with what we know about their 25 years and the affinity that we genuinely have for the Smith family and everyone here that we’ve known and become friends with?” she said. “It was a real struggle, actually, to think, ‘How do we capture all of that?’”
The answer took the Lubbesmeyers weeks to develop.
Lori and Lisa have worked collaboratively since combining their studios in 1998, developing a process in which each contributes to a piece as it evolves. For this piece, the pair frequently worked on it simultaneously, regrouping each morning to evaluate their next moves.
Perspective emerged as a key tool in developing the piece. The sisters used multiple focal points to move viewers through the artwork and make room for the places and ideas they wanted to represent.
The restrained use of color serves a similar purpose.
Several buildings appear primarily in black and white, a reference to historic photographs of the property. In addition, this allows the eye to move through the piece rather than settle immediately on one element.
The result rewards viewers who spend some time with the painting.
“I’m hoping that when they see it, there’s something in the painting somewhere that causes them to pause and wonder, ‘What is that?’ or ‘Why is that there?’” Lori said. “Maybe they’ll think to look into it or take notice of it the next time they pass it and enjoy it.”
According to Eastes, this thoughtful understanding of the Old Mill District is why they ultimately chose the Lubbesmeyers to create this historically significant piece.
“We wanted artists who have a genuine connection to the Old Mill District and could bring a perspective to this anniversary that comes from knowing this place well,” said he said. “Lori and Lisa understand our history and the character that make this place special. We couldn’t have asked for a better piece to represent our 25th anniversary.”
