Get Your Vitamin C

Get Your Vitamin C

12x18, soft pastel

Sometimes I just have to remind myself to get my vitamin C...and D, and all the other things I need to do to stay heathy and strong. Fortunately I have a dog that needs a walk every day...so vitamin D is readily available from the sunshine we enjoy while walking each day. I like the dramatic backlighting In this piece and chose to include the spotlight I used in the still life setup (just for fun). 

Be safe out there!

 

Backyard Bouquet

Backyard Bouquet 

12x9, soft pastel

For the past couple years I focused on learning all I could about the use of soft pastels and (for the past twelve months) kept working at landscapes using a traditional realism style.  There are so many great artists (past and present) and I wanted to follow in their footsteps.  So, I tried like heck to temper my use of color over the past year...but I just couldn't achieve what was in my mind's eye.  

I often got bored painting trees, fields, mountains and lakes in realistic colors.  So for the next little while I'll try embracing my weakness for vibrant saturated color.  This style is reminiscent of Fauvism, the Colorists, and reminds me a bit of some of VanGogh's use of over simplification (as in his "Bedroom in Arles") and vibrant use of colors (such as "Starry Night" and "Cafe Terrace at Night"). 

Backyard Bouquet was a gorgeous vase of flowers from my yard sitting next to my favorite oval blue vase sometimes used to hold pens and pencils...all I had to do was add three oranges and I was all set with a colorful still life.  Yum!