Go Take a Walk

 

"Heron Lake Loop Trail II", 12 x 15, pastel on Canson paper.

 

I feel sometimes that I'm boring you to death with Heron Lake but it's a big part of my life living here in the foothills of Yosemite. Wasn't it Monet who painted the same scenes in all kinds of weather, light and seasons? I'm not by any means comparing myself to him but I keep coming back to the lake because it's so intriguing, delightful and beautiful, always beckoning me to observe and explore its hidden secrets. It inspires me to paint what new things it reveals to me. While no one can predict the future, I'm feeling this will be a lifelong pursuit of mine as long as I live here. What I learn through this experience expands my creativity and for an artist that's priceless. It's like an open air art class I can attend anytime I want. You probably have one just outside your door. What action you must take is to go out and observe and things will be revealed . Now it's back to the studio for me. Oh, by the way, I already took my walk around the lake this morning.

I've Changed My Cover

 

"Sun Washed", 18 x 24, pastel on pastelbord.

 

 I've decided to change my cover image to a painting that was a featured in International Artist's magazine's landscape contest a while back.

My mood and energy level was on high intensity when I painted this because I was so inspired by the magical light in the scene at our local lake. Hubby and I usually walk in the morning but on this day it was around noon when I came upon this area of lake shore. I was struck by the brilliant, magical light. I started painting this in my studio soon after I took the photographs so my inspiration and memory was still fresh.

I decided it was a good time to bring it back and share it with you.

 

 

Whatever Works

"Heron Lake Loop Trail, 18 x 24, pastel on Mi-Tenets Touch board.

 

I posted this painting on face book the other day and someone asked "What kind of  pastels did I use? Sticks or pencils?" The answer to that question opened up a topic I would  like to talk about. A few years ago, I was inspired to break away from the traditional confined way of painting with pastels as I knew it. I started adding all kinds of mediums I hadn't used before such as Prismacolor pencils, vegetable oil right from my kitchen, hairspray, alcohol, water color and probably some other ingredients all applied with my fingers or a brush or whatever. My students at the time and I committed to paint this way experimenting as I was doing each in their own way experimenting as they saw fit. No limits and no restrictions. Here are a few of my works resulting from this experimentation.

 

"Sometime in Spring", 12 x 16, pastel on sanded mat board.

 

"It Started With Pink", 9 x 12, pastel on sanded paper.

 

"Into My Gourds", 8 x 11, pastel on pastelbord.

 

In reflection, I have to say that this was a turning point for me. It opened up boundaries and set me free and it changed my way of thinking and my painting process. I haven't looked back since.

By the way, in answer to the question asked me on face book about whether I used sticks or pencils. I answered in part with this photo I took of what I used on this painting.

 

 

 

 





 

 

 





 

 

 

 

 

Studio Intrepidation

 

"Heart Song", 16 x 20, pastel on Pastelboard

 

 

I know I'm repeating myself but I'll say it anyway. It's been a while since my last post. That's because since my heart attack I came down with the flu, followed by food poisoning and then pneumonia. The good news is I've recovered and feel great. I started back slowly when I felt I could go back to my studio. Frankly, I was wondering if I would ever paint again. Just the thought of pastel dust near me and standing on my feet for stretches gave me nightmares. Then sometime in April I began feeling better. The tables turned. Somewhere deep within I found my self inspired to paint again .I walked back into the studio and found it to be like a welcoming friend I hadn't seen for a while. I was so glad to be there! I started playing around in the studio for short periods of time. I did a little more work on a painting I thought was finished. I retitled it "Heart Song" because I felt my heart singing out after all my ordeals starting with the heart attack. Within a week or two I was ready to do a quick painting and then another not so quick..... I'll post these soon. It's great to be back!

A Blue Bird Flew By

 

"Winter Solitude", 8 x 11, pastel on Canson paper.

 

It's been a while since my last blog. I've been easing back life, into a somewhat changed work ethic since my heart attack. I've been looking at what changes have been taking place and what my attitude is toward these changes. Now I weigh myself and take my blood pressure on a daily basis and pay attention to it and do what's necessary to keep it good and consistent. I enjoy each day like never before. I tell my husband what he means to  me everyday and at times during the day. I don't only think them, I verbalize. I verbalize my appreciation of things and the beautiful qualities of my surroundings. I know it sounds hokey but each day is precious to me. Life is good. Now, about how I look at my art. I'm not as hard on myself to produce a masterpiece with each painting, rather enjoying the experience of creating. I enjoy my class more than ever. I'm letting go of extraneous things I use to do that really didn't mean anything except that I might do some day. I'm living in today pretty much, not in the future. Oh is that a mountain blue bird that just flow by my window . Have to go and look. Bye for now.

Sirens in the Night

 

"Awesome Morning", 18 x 24, pastel on Mi-Tientes Touch paper.

 

It's been a while since I've blogged. I've never gone this long without a post. It all began on Saturday, November 17th. I woke up excited with anticipation. I had a busy eventful day ahead doing a demonstration for Yosemite Western Artists, a local art association, in the afternoon and then a reception at Stellar Gallery for a Sierra Art Trails exhibition called "Pathways". I had a painting in the show. The demonstration was going very well when I felt a soreness in my chest. I thought "Oh yuck", I'm coming down with bronchitis. I finished the demonstration, then went home to rest before going back into town for the art reception. The chest pain left me and I was feeling pretty good. The exhibit was wonderful. I entered a painting called "Into The Light". I was delighted to learn that it took a 4th place.

 

 

"Into The Light", 19 x 25

 

 I enjoyed myself at the reception. I had a delightful time enjoying the show and mingling with other artists. We left to have a bite to eat and then go home. It was pouring out and I didn't relish the drive home. It's so dark in our mountains at night. During the ride home I started to feel a tightness and heaviness in my chest. Could this be it? I had no idea what it felt like to have a heart attach but I remembered and artist friend who shared with me that when she got a heart attack it was like an elephant sitting on her chest. I didn't think it was quite an elephant, but it was a heaviness none the less. I told my husband not to turn off the highway to our house but to head straight in to the big city which is Fresno to emergency to check it out. He panicked and turned into an open gas station near where we where and pressed the emergency button on the On Star which was the best thing he could have done.  They came on the line right away. He screamed "My wife's having a heart attach". I wanted to say no, no it's not a heart attack, but I remained silent. They told me to chew 4 baby aspirin which I did glad I had been carrying a small bottle in my purse for some years. It was no time before the paramedics and ambulance arrived. they put me on a stretcher into the ambulance and off we went. The ambulance attendant had me chew 4 more baby aspirin and worked on me with putting in Iv, monitoring me and taking an EKG. Off and on the sirens blasted. We arrived at St Francis Medical Center in Fresno where a crew was standing by waiting for my arrival. A friend of mine who works there was among the crew. She was not supposed to be on duty that night but was called in earlier. I was so glad to see her. I started crying. She took an EKG and comforted me. I was so grateful. In no time I was on my up to the cardiac room where there was a staff

waiting for me. The cardiologist on call was to arrive shortly. They told me he was attending a wedding. I said, "I hoped he wasn't getting drunk" We all had a good laugh. He arrived shortly and explained I was going to have an angiogram and a stent inserted in the main artery. I want to tell you, I didn't feel a thing. The drugs put me on a high and made me feel wonderful. On the way to my hospital room I asked if they could give me more of this wonderful whatever they gave me and they laughed again.  Four days later I got to go home. I was grateful for and got wonderful care at the hospital. I was going home not knowing what to expect next. As each day passed, I felt stronger and stronger. I have since seen my cardiologist who was wonderful and I'm going to and educational class on Monday. One of the wonderful things I experienced after coming home was to walk into my studio and take a look around. When I gazed around and saw my works in progress sitting on the easels, I smiled. I didn't know how I would react to seeing my studio again.  Besides being grateful to be alive and back home, I was so grateful that I was looking as if with a new pair of eyes and believe me, they lit up. I had a rekindled desire to paint. I was home.  

 



 

The Memory Lingers On

"Tahoe Basin Twilight III", 10 x 24, pastel on Canson Mi-Tientes paper

 

I older I get, the more I draw from my mind's memories. These old eyes have seen so much beauty in the outdoors especially since I took up backpacking at the age of 50 on through my late 60s. The photographs I took are but a mere suggestion of the beauty I saw. They are a triggering point from which I start the painting. As I paint, my memories, feelings and emotions set in. This is when I can see and feel the painting morphing into something creative as opposed to just copying the photo. Having just returned from a brief vacation in South Lake Tahoe, California, it was a lovely welcome home to see some of my paintings of the areas we revisited. I took over a hundred photos on this trip for reference for future paintings but to see the works I have already done was a special delight. Photos are still an important part of my painting but it's for what they trigger in my mind and heart that counts. For this I say "Thanks for the memories."