Artist of the Month: October, 2026 / Pat McAbery

By: Amber Ford, The Mountain Times

When it comes to local artist who can adequately and completely capture the beauty that is The Mt. Hood Villages and Mt. Hood National Forest, lifelong resident Pat McAbery not only does it well, but documents every unique characteristic of his backyard in every photograph and video he’s ever taken. 

Born and raised in The Mt. Hood Villages, he lives on the same piece of property his grandparents bought in the 1940s. Skilled in photography and videography, he has honed his talent over the thirty years he has been practicing his craft, learning new techniques as technology has changed. “One of the tools that I have used for years has been drones, to capture aerial video,” he said, adding “about a year ago I updated to a new model and found I was having a lot of fun taking landscape photos with it.” He went on to say “I've taken plenty of landscape photos from the ground, and still do, but getting that new angle has been really fun, and I believe my photos stand out as recognizable locations seen in a different way.”

Although amateur photography in today’s world begins with the purchase of a new iPhone, skilled photographers with decades of experience have a much different perspective. The learning curve associated with it was an actual camera with film, which required learning, patience, and, above all, the insight into what makes a still-shot move. “The first pictures I took were with my parent's early 1950s era Kodak Retina camera and when I was about 10, I got an "Instamatic" film camera for Christmas,” he said. He went on to explain that the camera he purchased in high school became his crutch for the art, and he used it for portrait sessions and weddings. 

While photography may have been his first love, his still work paused when he began to explore videography. “Most of my video work has been documentary and educational, often for government clients like the US Forest Service and OSU Extension service, among many others,” he said, adding “back in the day I'd shoot local news stories from time to time also, usually for the Portland stations, but I've had a couple of things make it on CBS, CNN and the other big networks.” His videography work continues to progress: he is currently working with a team on a feature length documentary about first responders and mental health.

Finding love behind the lens at an early age, his passion took flight, living so close to The Mt. Hood National Forest. “My parents took a lot of pictures – mostly my mom on her many hikes in the area, it just seemed natural to pick up a camera,” he said. Acknowledging other local artists and photographers, McAbery said “Gary Randall is quite inspiring to me. I met him when he was just getting started and we’ve gone out and shot together a few times; it’s really amazing to see how far he’s gone.”

The Mt. Hood Villages has provided inspiration in abundance. Having lived here all of his life, the seasons and the mountain itself have provided timeless inspiration. “When you see my work, you'll notice that the mountain is my primary subject: it’s so beautiful and has so many sides, views and moods,” he said, adding “it takes just minutes to get to any number of places where I can launch the drone and get an angle not usually seen.” 

McAbery’s work can be seen by visiting www.seatosky.art. You can order prints in different sizes and in different mediums such as canvas, metal, or even mugs, bags, and puzzles. He is also available for hire for drone or videography work, and can be contacted at patmcabery@gmail.com.