Dandy Little Dandelion

Dandy Little Dandelion

6x8, soft pastel 

The final day of my Pastel Society of the West Coast 21n21 day challenge is the “lowly” little dandelion. Cursed by some...loved by some...and a delicacy to others. This little dandy dandelion is a true sign that summer is on its way! 

Forsythia

 Forsythia

9x6, soft pastel

 I had a great time painting these Forsythia branches. I painted outside in a warm spot on the patio away from the springtime breeze. This flowering bush hold a special place in my heart. When I was quite small my mom told me the name of this plant “forsythia”....I thought she said “For Cynthia”...and for a couple years I was thrilled to know that a flower was actually named after me.  Oh, the naive mind of a four year old! 

Orchids

 Orchids

6x6, soft pastel

I don’t always indulge myself and purchase the flowers I want to paint...sometimes, a quick snapshot of flowers at the grocery store is all I need for inspiration. 

Feeling Daffy

Feeling Daffy

6x6 soft pastel

I didn’t especially like this piece...until the next morning.  Then I decided it was ok.  Sometimes you have to step back and look at it with fresh eyes.

Spring Is Here

Spring Is Here

6x6, soft pastel

There is a 21n21 challenge this month sponsored by the Pastel Society of the West Coast...so, my main theme will be spring flowers...although knowing me I will most likely deviate as I make my way through the next 3 weeks.  One bit of good news....I won 3rd place for my teapot scene “4am, Comforts of Home” in the PSWC member show. And, along with that, I earned signature status!  Hurray!  

Shot of Lead

Shot of Lead

6x6, soft pastel

Day 5 of the #stradaeasel challenge - up at 3:30am ready to go and enthralled with my little shot glass theme. I’m sure I’ll tire of it by month end...but for now, it’s captured my attention.  This time I stayed “painterly and loose”. 

Study - The Three Amigos

Study - The Three Amigos

6x6, soft pastel

These guys were just hanging around in the studio...the last remnants of a bouquet of flowers.  I almost threw them out but together they were sorta cute...so, I painted them.  Why not right?

Vintage Ornament

Vintage Ornament Demo

9x9, soft pastel

I will be the first to admit it!!!  I'm not an art instructor and in fact haven't completed a "demo" in front of an audience...that is until now.  Recently I hosted a meeting of local pastelists (who many are members of the Pastel Society of the West Coast). Thankfully my "audience" was kind to me as I completed this little study of a vintage ornament.  Demo'ing may not be my expertise...but I have to admit it was more painless than I had imagined it would be.

Below is a practice piece I did before hand.  I'm glad I practiced a bit.  It sure helped with the jitters!

Vintage Ornament Study

6x6, soft pastel

English Roses

English Roses

8x6, oil on linen board

During October I took an online course from the ever talented Dennis Perin. Dennis is so very talented at capturing the light in oil and is an excellent instructor (check it out at www.theperrinmethod.com).  

One thing I really enjoy is to paint a piece in oil and then soft pastel or vice versa.  Above is my oil piece and below you'll find my soft pastel piece. Do you have a favorite?  I'm just not sure which one I like over the other. That's the funny thing about being the artist...it's tough to be objective. Also, we're typically super critical of our work. After three and a half years of painting, I'm getting better at quieting down that critical voice in my head and just letting things be. That said, I'm still very much in pursuit of my masterpiece.  Will it ever materialize?

English Roses

8x6, soft pastel

Fresh Bouquet

Fresh Bouquet

6x6, oil on board

Fresh Bouquet reminds me of springtime walks in the mountains.  There are an abundance and variety of wildflowers here...always a beautiful site.   I'm soooo looking forward to springtime!

Ok, I couldn't take it any longer...just one bite a day...that couldn't possible hurt could it?

Sunflower Bouquet

   

Sunflower Bouquet

6x6, soft pastel 

Sunflower Bouquet started out as a completely different bouquet of flowers...in fact, I scrubbed off two different attempts and had no expectations that anything would work.  This one worked well enough to call it finished and get on with what was left of my day.  Much of it came from imagination mixed with a bit of perseverance.

WIP: Untitled, 16x12
I remembered to take a picture of the sketch...so here it is.  This particular little boat has got to be a classic wooden boat.  I don't know the make or model or even year but I like the head-on view.

This paper (Wallis) is mounted on foam core.  I had a small tear in the sanded paper so I re-adhered the seam and covered it with Art Spectrum's Colourfix Primer.  I'll have to see if it's enough texture for the pastel to cover it. With the water reflections on that side of the boat, I think it's going to be fine (a little inside story on this one).

Once again, I'm drawn to the boat's strong colors and reflections in the water.

Toy Boat Regatta - Pastel

Toy Boat Regatta - Pastel

12x9, soft pastel

Painting 13 of 30:  The same painting as yesterday...only in pastel.

WIP: Now a bit more layering...a bit more detail.

Toy Boat Regatta - Oil

Toy Boat Regatta - Oil

10x8, oil on board

Painting 12 of 30:  I like this little scene because of the colors of the water that graduate from dark blue at the top, down to the sandy color at the bottom...and of course I like the cute little toy boats gliding about....and of course, the boat reflections.  Come to think of it, I just like the whole darn thing!  And best of all...painting with oils didn't drive me crazy today!

WIP:  This one below will be a larger version (12x16 unframed, probably 16x20 framed) of "Little Red" which was a small pastel painting I completed a couple years ago.  I've had a hard time selling some of the paintings I really like and this is one of them.  But, my walls are filled...so this one will be sold, eventually.  First, a quick sketch...

Then a little work on blocking in the masses and working a bit on the first couple layers.

Sunset Sail

Sunset Sail

16x12, soft pastel

Painting 11 of 30....Finished painting "Sunset Sail" finally has the mood I was after...colorful yet soothing!  I painted this scene a couple years ago in a much smaller version and am glad I tackled a larger version.

Peaceful Morning

Peaceful Morning

12x16, soft pastel

Day 5 of 30...this is the finished larger piece.  No oil painting today...just enjoying this one for a bit then on to the next larger piece!

Yellow Belly - Pastel

Yellow Belly - Pastel

6x6, soft pastel

Day 4 of the 30in30.  Yellow Belly in pastel (loosely again).  This time I did manage to get the yellow reflection to read more green-yellow as it should be compared to yesterday's oil version. I don't know if it's any better...but on to another boat!  Painting the same scene in a different medium (so far) has been an interesting process.  

WIP Update:  The little dingy "Peaceful Morning"....80% there.

Arizona Sky

Arizona Sky

6x6, soft pastel

On our way to Phoenix we were delighted to view this gorgeous sunset near Kingman, Az.   I especially loved seeing the stars twinkling in the deep dark blue of the early evening.  

Evening Sky

Evening Sky

6x6, soft pastel

I hope to dig through all my sunset and sunrise pictures to do a few more sky pieces.  I absolutely love this time of year when we seem to get the best sunrises and sunsets.  In the Boise area, we seldom have rain during the summer months so clouds are at a premium...but soon, we'll see more clouds and hopefully a few rain drops too.  Until then, I'll resort to digging up old photos.  

Maddie's Bowl of Lemons

Maddie's Bowl of Lemons

6x6, soft pastel

I've owned this bowl of lemons for years (yes, they are fake lemons).   Over the years, setting "fake fruit" out in a bowl as part of a savvy decor item became passé.   So of course, I eventually quarantined my beautiful fake fruit to the pantry where they've sat gathering dust for many years.  I've discarded or "donated" most of the fruit except the lemons.   

These three lemons are actually priceless to me.  Not because they are realistic (which they are).  But they're priceless because one day, when my adorable grand-daughter Maddie was quite small (probably 1 1/2 yrs. old), she climbed up onto the breakfast table when I wasn't looking and decided she'd help herself to a lemon...or two.  I imagine she was quite surprised when she tried to bite into a couple of them without success.  If you look closely you can actually see the teeth marks she left behind.  Oh, Maddie...you still make me smile!!!

Frontyard Bouquet

Front Yard Bouquet 

12x9, soft pastel

Day 3 of the Challenge.  I had to resort to picking the few flowers left in the front yard to get the variety of flowers. The red-orange flowers are from a Canna plant and because of the long stalks with flowers along the entire stalk I actually had blooms fully submerged in the water casting all kinds of delicious colorful reflections.  At first I wasn't sure I liked the finished painting but looking over some of Van Gogh's florals, I decided what the heck, the blue background could stay.