First Impressions

 

"Lupine Blast", 9 x 11, pastel on Canson Mi-Tientes paper.

 

It's good to be back painting even for short periods. I am slowly finishing up paintings I started during my last class. Here's the first one. It's about my first impression when I came upon a scene while hiking at Hensley Lake in Raymond some fifteen or so miles from where I live. I love this area. The hiking is easy and the views are gorgeous.

First impressions are an important part of a painting. My first impression when I came upon this scene was the beautiful, massave and pervasive color of the lupines on the hillside.

Playing Around

"Morning Celebration", 12 x 16, pastel on Canson Mi-Tientes paper.

Rather then doing a specific dedicated painting, one that takes planning and focus, I have been taking an easy does it approach this summer. Creating on impulse you might say. Simply enjoying the feeling of a free for all with my pastels. If something happens while I'm doing this, something that catches hold and leads me down a specific path toward a complete painting, all the better. Many go into the burn folder but some new works are born out of this. Anyway does it matter? I'm enjoying the pure pleasure of creating.  I'm at my own summer art camp right in my own back yard.

Artist's Moods

"Moody Day", 9 x 11, pastel on Colorfix suade paper.

There are times when I get into an artist's funk. Days when I'm super critical of my work and and myself. Do you ever have these days? I'll share a secret with you sometimes these "down days" go on for a while. I was having such a day when I assembled a group of new works with newly purchased frames. It was then when I saw some of  my accomplishments of the last nine months placed in a frame, many for  the first time that I began to feel uplifted, even hopefull, maybe they weren't so bad after all. I felt a bit of recognition of my creative abilities creeping into my heart and soul. It was the nourishment I needed to restore my sense of self worth. Have you ever stopped short on a frustrating work and held a frame or mat over it? Something wonderful can happen. When I do that, I can often get a different perspective on it. I can be validated or I can see where the problem lies.  A frame or mat helps to tell me if a wip is a dw. If it is a dw then yippee, if not, then it's back to the drawing board.

Honored

Pastel painting collage of my work featured on  Soft Pastel News.

Thank you Mario Vulakic creater of Pastel News for featuring me on your website today.  This is a wonderful site to go to full of exquisite soft pastel paintings and information about pastel artists past and present. It's loaded with information such as pastel painting videos and history. Did you know that Edvard Munch created four versions of "The Scream". One of the versions is done was done in pastel? I could go on and on about how I get carried away when I visit the site. Better yet, you go there to see what discoveries you find.

Solo Show

Welcome To My Show

"Light Play"

There's something about the thrill of doing a solo show of your art. It's been a while since I've done one so when Timberline Art Gallery in Oakhurst  http://www.timberlineartgallery.com/ decided to change one of its rooms into a solo show gallery I jumped at the chance.  Here are some of my works in the show.

"Sun Washed", 18 x 24

"Elation", 8 x 10

"Morning Light Play", 12 x 16

"Morning Light Play II, 12 x 16

"Autumn Chic at Heron Lake", 8 x 10

"Seductive Waters", 11 x 14

"Chamisa on High", 16 x 20

The show runs through July 7th. If you're going to Yosemite National Park via the southern entrance, then please drop in and have a look.

Loose Does Not Mean Easy

"Meadow Dance", 11 x 14, pastel on Pastelbord

 My classes have ended until next fall and with no pressing events except a mini show I'm doing at Timberline Gallery in Oakhurst June 7th-July 6th, I have free time. I've decided it's time for me to get back to doing do-overs on some works I am not pleased with. First I wipe the pastel off with a chalk board eraser or Kleenex or wash off using my hose. Once done and all that remains is the ghost painting, I start a new journey usually with a fun, playful attitude painting until something grabs me. I see hints and suggestive images coming forth. Sounds easy but don't kid yourself, it's not. I experiment, go through twists and turns and dead alleys. I want to quit and give up in disgust but being optimistic that something good will happen, I keep on painting. I never know when it hits but eventually something happens and I like where its going.

I have turned a corner. Now I like what I'm painting and can't wait to see what I do next on my canvas. This is the scary part because it's becoming precious but ohhh sooo exciting. But I don't want to tighten up so I'm walking a tight rope. I'm pumped and the juices start flowing. It was work to get to this spot and the work goes on but with a new heightened excitement. Can't wait to see what I paint next.  I am addicted to the thrill of the ride!

There were No Trees

"There Were No Trees", 15 x 19, pastel on self sanded mat board.

I haven't posted anything since April. Why is that? Well, my classes ended in early April and hubby and I took to the road for an r and r holiday to Las Vegas but darn it, we just missed the plein air convention by a day not that I paint in plein air. I never took a liking to it. Don't like the standing still for too long when I'm outdoors. I love to hike and keep moving until I'm forced to stop for a beautiful site, one that really grabs me for a time. Camera handy, I snap away. And so it goes. It's not that I haven't tried to paint outdoors. I have and when I did, I found that the scene changes on me, shadows move, light changes, weather changes which not only frustrates me but makes me want to forget the whole thing and take a nap. I love my studio where I don't get bitten, or have a rattle snake slither by in the grasses near me or a bear for that matter. Also, I don't get sunburned in the studio. I could go on and on but I'm beginning to bore myself so I will end with saying that I don't have any insect DNA on this painting which, I am proud to say, was done completely and unabashedly in my studio.