Stev Harvey Ominski, 74, passed on Sunday, May 24, 2026, from stroke complications. Stev created illustrations rendering visual imaged to the Missoula Ice Age Floods that have been included in numerous publications from the Oregonian to the New York Times. A traveling collection of his Ice Age Floods work was exhibited at the U of O Museum of Natural and Cultural History (Eugene), the Columbia River Exhibition of History Science and Technology (Richland, WA) and The Discovery Center (The Dalles).
Painting to Stev was like breathing. Just something he did daily.
Primarily self-taught, Stev began his professional career in the fine arts in 1970 with emphasis on intimate landscapes and other subjects from the natural world. He worked in the mediums of pencil drawing, watercolor, acrylic, and oils. He showed in numerous exhibitions in galleries and museums and was included in group exhibits at the Portland Art Museum as well as OSU’s Art about Agriculture and Seeing the Forest. He was especially proud of his work at the Salem Public Library, Salem Pediatric Clinic, Salem Cardiology Clinic, Albany Hospital and Louisiana Pacific. Stev wrote and illustrated “Nature Notes” a weekly nature column for the Salem Statesman Journal. He taught watercolor at Chemeketa Community College.
Stev enjoyed exploring the outdoors, especially creeks and streams and casting one of his hand tied flies for trout in coastal streams. Cooking was another art to which Stev acquired the requisite skills to serve tasty and filling meals. One hand held a glass of wine while the other stirred the pot. Music was a big part of his life. Especially the Beatles, and specifically George Harrison for his introspective qualities. But his artistic generosity and ability to bring the immensity of the Ice Age Floods to life is something we’ll be ever indebted, grateful and appreciative of.
The IAFI Store has a large selection of Stev’s Ice Age Floods images available for purchase. And if you’d like, you can make donations in his memory to the Ice Age Floods Institute at IAFI, c/o Monte Nail, 1880 Fowler St., Richland, WA 99352