Ummm.... I don't know what to say about this one.

This reference photo was extremely flat. I prepared all the canvas boards in this series with an underpainting of reds and dark purple reds for the darks.

I added the shadow of the spruce as an afterthought and it looks that way. This was an exercise in colour. I need to stare at it for a while to figure out whether it is worth pursuing as an idea for a painting.

Here is the second.

I don't think I will try to take this work any further. I may try a new one instead.

Every now and then I refer to my photographs for inspiration and for composition ideas. I look at my images upside down and look for dark/light patterns.

I was also challenged in that my photos were taken at the height of the day when the sun was blindingly bouncing off the snow and washing out the surroundings and darkening all the darks. There was not much in the way of shadow patterns.

I want to create a sense of depth to my studies and to add colour to make them more interesting and less flat than the photos.

This is the first of four...

This very dark study served me perfectly in the development of Stand Alone II. I also painted this in oil and it sold very soon after being displayed at the Major Art Gallery and Studio in Parksville, BC.

I spent many long days and hours at these beaches, exploring, collecting visual data and sketching. Although I have been away from there for more than two years, the memories are vivid and working on the demo brought back fond memories of my sojourn there.

I have many other pastel studies from this same area, and with my new inspiration, I think I will develop some more paintings. (I might have to find a public place in which to work - this kept me from thinking too much about what I was doing....)

Subconscious painting is the best way. Sometimes I never find this mind space and overwork the painting beyond recognition.

This is the first demo I did at the Kirkland Artists in Action Northwest Pastel Society Booth. It is also the very first time I have ever painted in front of anybody except a fellow painter. I found it quite relaxing and didn't notice until I felt warm air on my neck...
I added a few colour touches upon my return to the studio. I think it is a fine demo painting and have learned much from working with my new pastel friends from the society.

I discovered Terry Ludwig pastels and a new way to work with sanded, primed surfaces and Wallis paper. Thanks Janis Graves and Sandy Burke.
(I will link their sites as soon as I get the URL).

I proceeded to order the dark set of Ludwig and a pad of Wallis Belgian Gray which I intend to use on my week long trip to North Vancouver Island next week.

This plein air study was done at the end of day during the Fall. I sat and sketched all day. The tide was far out and I was able to walk for miles before finding the perfect location from which to sketch. I waited for the late afternoon light as it created the most interesting patterns and colours.

I painted a small oil version of this which sold immediately after the paint dried.

This painting was done at the Kirkland Art Festival's Artists in Action Pastel Society Booth. We had three beautiful sunny days, wonderful painter participation and a huge audience. It was a lot of fun. The North West Pastel Society took first prize for Best Booth and Best Demonstrations.

I can attach only one painting at a time, I will display the study on the next post.

For Birders and bird lovers, a three day birding event has been organized in Puget Sound at Edmonds, WA

May 17 - 19
Edmonds, WA

This original pastel, "Heron Waiting" has been juried in to the "On Wing" bird exhibition

This original pastel painting, "Cut Flowers"
Has been juried into the Women Painters of Washington
Statewide open Exhibition
Held at the Washington Convention Center
Seattle, WA
From July to September