Vintage

Vintage

12x12, soft pastel

I’m always drawn to color and shiny reflective objects...and I suppose I’m quite sentimental as well.  So these vintage Christmas ornaments were just the right subject matter for me.  It’s hard to keep things loosely interpreted and not go full board hyper-realistic...but for me, keeping things loose helps portray the texture (and age)  of each object.  Do you agree?  One of the things I love about art is that there’s something for everyone and everyone’s individual taste.  Love that! 

Out Of The Depths

Out Of The Depths

9x12, soft pastel

This persistent late summer waterlily was intent on blooming one more time before the chill of fall set in.  The sun was low in the sky, peeking through the trees and highlighting the gorgeous bloom.  I suppose it was its final farewell to summer.

Summer Bouquet

Summer Bouquet

6x8, soft pastel

Wow!   It’s time to get caught up on this blog.  The reason I’m behind on posting is that my Blogger app on IOS devices stopped working (months ago) and I’m just now finding a solution that seems to work for posting to Blogspot.com.  So, I’m back.  I also didn’t participate in the 30in30 Challenge in September taking that time to travel to see family and enjoy what was left of summertime.  Now that fall is in full swing...It’s time to get back to business.

I participated in the Eagle Plein Air Festival in June and had a great time...even though I was outside my comfort zone.  I was delighted to win a best dry media ribbon for the little plein air piece above.  I also painted the piece below at the Quick Draw competition (which was sold during the auction that followed).  The Plein Air festival was a blast and I met several new friends along the way.  

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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!

Wild Phlox

Wild Phlox

5x7, soft pastel

Finally...a little landscape.  I wanted to play with a yellow sky.  As I've said in many a post before, I'm not too great at landscapes...but maybe someday I'll be satisfied with one.  Practice, practice!

Copper John - Yellow Belly

Copper John - Yellow Belly

5x7, soft pastel

To me, this little Copper John variation looks a bit like a Yellow Sally Nymph..so I named it Yellow Belly.  Tomorrow,  maybe a landscape is in order.

Jan. 30in30 Collage

Well, there they are....all 31 of the paintings of flies for the 30in30 Challenge.  The hardest part...was getting this crazy collage to save on my computer!   Eh...GADS!   Hope you are having an outstanding weekend!!