july in alaska

This scene from my husband's recent fishing trip to Alaska may be the last painting with my favorite yellowy-green pastel. I am down to a couple little pieces and I'm not sure if it is Unison or Ludwig. Very close to Terry Ludwig D1 but seems a little lighter. I may have to post for help if I can't figure it out.

wild wood

When I painted plein air recently at Kubota Garden, I applied a loose watercolor foundation on a 14.5 inch square of Wallis then worked in pastel on top of the watercolor when it was dry. After a week on the easel in my studio, I couldn't think of anything it needed and decided it was best left in it's lively, wild state. For me, a plein air painting becomes less alive if I begin work on it again in my studio, away from the scene of inspiration.

day time

Another little plein air painting from a couple weeks ago. 5 x 7 on Ampersand panel.

time for a change

This little painting was completed a couple weeks ago. A deliberate change of palette.

wild side

Today I joined members of the Colored Pencil Society of America, Washington Chapter, to paint plein air at Kubota Garden in Seattle. Most of the 20 acre garden is manicured and tidy. I managed to find a wild area with tall grass going to seed for this little 5 x 7 inch pastel.

suddenly summer

When I began working in pastel years ago, I used Canson Mi-Teintes paper instead of the sanded surfaces I use now. This week, out of curiosity, I tried Canson again. I found I couldn't get the subtleties of layered color that happens with sanded paper. Because of this, I didn't enjoy the painting process as much but in the end, Canson gave me a bold, saturated application of color that looks more like paint. This is our front yard, looking West.

view east

Here's the painting in the easel photo on that hot, sunny day of plein air painting. Last night it rained and was gray and cloudy today. This 5 x 8 inch painting is on a little scrap of Ersta I came across while cleaning the studio.  The scene is looking East from the back deck.

back to it

After a three week break from painting, I set up my easel on the deck in 90+ degree weather (note the glass of ice water). It was fun to paint plein air again -  especially with food, water and the bathroom just steps away. I hope to be back out painting again tomorrow, moving around our acre for new interpretations of well known views.

more great news!

"Tuesday's Child" received an Honorable Mention Award from judge and president of the International Association of Pastel Societies, Maggie Price. I was honored to be one of only 36 artists selected for this show by jurors Alan Flattmann, Liz Haywood-Sullivan, and Jimmy Wright and now am very HAPPY to have received an award! See the show online HERE.