Passionate about Abstract Pastels

Looming

11 x 14

Pastel on Pastelbord

I've been on an abstract painting binge lately. I can't keep my hands off the pastels. I'm loving every minute of it. Here is my latest one.

$375  Free Shipping

Summer in Winter

Sun Washed

18 x 24

Pastel on Pastelbord

Why do I like to paint summer scenes in winter? Is it that I want color during these bleak grey days. Do I want miss the beautiful colors of spring and summer? Do I want to play around with vivid colors because of the excitement they create within me?

Cast your vote and tell me what do you think?

Pastels Sublime Gallery Pond Paintings

Gossamer Pond

15 x26

Pastel on Suede Mat Board

I love ponds and lakes and the interplay of light and reflections on the water. If anyone knows of some beautiful ponds natural or man made in the area of Coarsegold , CA, please let me know. Here are more pond paintings.

                   Pond Currents..........  Sold

16 x 20

Pastel on Suede Mat Board

Shrimp Lillies

16 x 20

Pastel on Suede Mat Board

               Lilly Pond........Sold

12 x 29

Pastel on Suede Mat Board

Lauren's Lillies

15 x 16

Pastel on Suede Mat Board

Moody Day

Moody Heron

12 x 16

Pastel on Canson Paper

It's so nice to be a studio artist especially on these rainy days. Rain puts me in a moody painting mood. Today in class we created atmospheric paintings. Here are a couple from two of my students, Judy Andes and Jean Daly.

Winter Paintings

Winter's Cool,  8 x 6,  Pastel on La Carte Board

 $70 Free Shipping

Winter Showoff, 12 x 16,  Pastel on Linen Mat Board

  $375 Free Shipping

I've got a number of paintings in progress  right now so no new ones to show you at this time. Here is a couple of winter scenes I bougth back. The first one is a scene around the Mono Lake area east of the Sierra Nevadas. The second is from a scene in Yosemite Valley.

Here is a another winter painting also inspired by the area just east of the Sierras. As the original was sold, I'm offering this for sale as prints on Fine Art America.

Winter's Glow 

Seductive Waters

  

Original Pastel Painting $340 - Free Shipping
For prints please click on Fine Art America logo 

Seductive Waters

11 x 14

Pastel on Pastelbord

This work started out as water reflections in a nearby lake. It morphed into a high county lake. I loved the journey it took me on.

Exciting news ...My works are now available for purchase. You can buy original works direct from my blog or you can purchase prints at Fine Art America  http://www.fineartamerica.com/.  I've selected this one as the first original work for sale. 

Third Do Over

In Tu It

9 x 12

Pastel on Canson Paper

Those of you who follow my blog may remember last year I did an experimental series of works I called Mud Pies (use search bar to look up). Well I pulled what I had left out of inventory to do further experiments on. I got the idea from pastel artist Barbara Benedetti Newton ( http://barbaranewton.blogspot.com/ ) and after reading the wonderful article in The October issue of The Pastel Journal called " Infinite Possibilities". I pulled a mud pie at random and wiped it clean as best I could with a blackboard eraser. From the ghost image of the first painting I created a second painting. Not pleased with it, I erased that one and started another. This time I applied an acrylic wash of white on the lower right of the painting. Then I applied pastels. My goal was to paint an abstract painting of balarina tu tus interacting with each other ala Degas minus the figures. It wasn't working because I was thinking subjectively rather than non objectively so I changed my attitude about it and let it be what it wanted to be not knowing where it would end up. I fixed the painting at many intervals with Aqua Net clear hair spray and used an exacto knife to scraped iridescent pastels on it throughout the painting. This is the second one I have used this method on and so far I am pleased. I am enjoying the excitement of experimenting. The journey rules.

So What Is It ?

Mystery Insect about 1-1/2" long (missing a wing)

I was painting in the studio last night when it began to rain. Something was hitting the french door windows. Sounded like hail so I put on the outdoor light. I couldn't believe what I saw. Hugh fly like insects that had a reddish underbelly or wing. They seemed to glow when they flew. They had a loud buzzing sound. I've not seen these before. I woke up this morning with it on my mind. Have to know what they are. Can anyone out there tell me? Please.

Anyway back back to my studio I went and finished this painting. What do you think?

After The Rain

11 x 15

Pastel on Sanded Paper



Tailings

Les Petites Fluers II

11 x 14

Pastel on Pastelbord

I did not paint this piece on my easel but rather I laid it flat on my work table so I was looking down on it. Because of this the pastel dust instead of falling down was brushed to the sides forming tailings. I then used fixative ( actually it was Aqua Net hair spray which I have used for close to 20 years now without a problem) to keep these tailings in place.  Just thought you might be interested. What do you think?