High Grass Trail

This is what my allergies just love.  Even though my eyes start to water I  think it is wonderful to be out hiking in the tall grass every once in a while.  

I enjoyed the handling and laying in of color with pastels on this and feel a little abstract application coming on.  I found myself working in vertical and horizontal strokes, loving the balance of each mark. I think what I love most about pastel is the fun of the application.
High Grass Trail, 14x11, soft pastel on Pastelmat paper
$475

Peter

Painting days are always rewarding.  Today I spent the day working on the head.  The morning was working with my Asaro head.  It is a plastic head that shows all the planes. It makes it easier to see how the light is carried over the surface of the skull.  

In the afternoon I had a model who is my dear friend Mary's grandson, Peter.  He was a good sport and sat for a few hours.  I got out my pastels and started working.  I was happy to capture him.

12x9, pastel on Pastelmat

SOLD

A Road On The Edge Of Town, Santa Inez, California

My husband and I just took our trip with our son to return him to SJSU.  I have grown to love the drive and the central California landscape.  It is in many places a reflective view of life before modernization.  There is a quietness that is peaceful to the mind and spirit.  These drives make me dream about living in a quiet environment, one of daily contemplation.  My creative side has room to breath and stress is lifted.  I would love a big barn to paint in and maybe teach painting.  So often I am overwhelmed with the comings and goings of life in the O.C.  It is a dreamy thought.

This Painting was done on a new product, at least for me, called Pastelmat.  It has a suede feel to it and is a fabulous surface to apply pastel.  I worked directly on the surface with pastel and did not start with an under painting like I have been doing as of late.  I still used a nupastel (hard stick deep purple) to establish my value pattern by massing in areas with darks and lights before going to color.  Kinda like an under painting, but faster.  

This painting was done thinking of my boy who has once again left the nest.  I pray for a wonderful year of learning, enlightenment and adventure.  

"A Road On The Edge On Town", 16x20 unframed, pastel on Pastelmat
Chemers Gallery
17300 Seventeenth Street, Suite G, Tustin, CA 92780
714.731.5432     info@chemersgallery.com

Cowboy On The Trail

I cross paths with this Cowboy every now and then while hiking and I think he is just charming.  He is what I call a true modern day cowboy.  Had lots of fun doing this as horses are not in my repertory of things I paint.  So here's to my first horse painting...cheers!

"Cowboy On The Trail", 17x9, pastel on wallis sanded paper
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Irresistible

Every time I go to Trader Joe's to shop 

I can't resist the flower section right at the door as  I enter the store.  I always say there is a painting on the horizon, but most of the time I enjoy them and they die before my hand reaches for a paint brush or 

a pastel.  So I got on it today while listen to a book on tape and had a great time.

"Irresistible",  12x9 pastel on wallis paper,

Chemers Gallery
17300 Seventeenth Street, Suite G, Tustin, CA 92780
714.731.5432     info@chemersgallery.com

Setting Up

I found myself enjoying the feeling of nupastels.  They are on the hard end of soft pastels and come in long thin square sticks.  I like to use them because I love to draw above all and I get the chance to experiment with line and and shape.  I started this painting with a watercolor under painting in compliments.  I tend to cover up most of my original painting, so why do it?  It loosens me up.  It is rhythmic and relaxing and gets me on the map.  So when I place that first mark down with soft pastel it doesn't stand alone.  It is a mark that feels right or doesn't because of what is already down in the under painting.  Silly, maybe, but it is my process of warming up to the surface and feeling my way through.  It works for me.  Sometimes I just lay it down with strong strokes in a very alla prima style, but today I love tickling the paper and let line build slowly and securely.  It is a different style that is directly related to me and my personal feeling about the journey from start to finish.

"Setting Up", 12x12 soft pastels on wallis paper

Chemers Gallery
17300 Seventeenth Street, Suite G, Tustin, CA 92780
714.731.5432     info@chemersgallery.com