Paul Havas, a remarkable and prolific painter of Northwest scenes, once said to his friend and gallerist, John Braseth, "I have the best job in the world." After decades of creating quiet and deeply evocative views of his beloved Northwest, Havas died of pancreatic cancer on Feb. 16 at the age of 71.

While the subject matter of his art would vary — from tidelands to fields tucked next to mountains, from the geometric farmland of Skagit valley to the hilly cityscapes of Seattle — Havas was always referring to perspective, relying on acute observation to immerse viewers in palpably serene paintings.

The sense that we are placed within known landscapes is key to the appeal of his work; his paintings are in numerous Northwest coll...