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Gaylen Hansen born in 1921 is a renowned American painter known for his vibrant, surrealistic depictions of nature, often featuring animals and landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. He was a professor of Art at Washington State University from 1957 to 1982 and later he and his wife and esteemed artist Heidi Oberheide (1943-2023) moved west to Whidbey Island, located in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, known for its scenic beauty and where he continues to draw creative inspiration from the surrounding environment.

His artwork often blended elements of abstraction with recognizable imagery, creating dreamlike and whimsical compositions. Often portraying himself as a cowboy or mythical figure in his paintings, adding a personal touch to his narratives. Overall, his creative process reflects a playful and imaginative exploration of nature and self-expression.

Hansen’s paintings have been exhibited in museums and galleries in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Berlin, Beijing, and Singapore, and are held in numerous public and private collections. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Flintridge Foundation Award for Visual Artists in 2002. Between 2007 and 2010, he was the subject of a traveling retrospective exhibition, titled “Gaylen Hansen: Three Decades of Paintings.”