spring cleaning

My pastels have gotten out of control which makes me crazy. I don't pre plan the colors for each painting but I do like to find a color I have in mind when I want it so I took the time (and it does take time!) this week to reorganize. Pulled the pastels out of each section of my boxes and cleaned them in cornmeal. Then they went to paper plates to be resorted by color, value and temperature before they go back into the box. I'm almost done! This post will also be a test to see if my posts are being delivered to email subscribers. I haven't received the last two posts. I had a similar problem a year ago (same time of year too) with my previous journal blog which I finally gave up on and created this new one. I haven't done anything to my settings, the posts just quit coming. Testing...testing...

good news

I'm very pleased that my painting, The Tender Hour, was accepted into the IAPS 18th Juried Exhibition to be held in Albuquerque New Mexico in conjunction with the International Association of Pastel Societies Ninth Biennial Convention June 2-5, 2011.

poster honor

I am honored to be featured on the poster for Escapade, at the WPW Gallery, 701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 310, Columbia Center Building, Seattle. Open weekdays 11 AM - 4 PM. The show will run May, June and July and features the art of 23 members of the 80 year old organization, Women Painters of Washington.

making the cut...or not

In February, I posted an image of completed paintings hanging all in row in my studio. They were waiting framing and the decision about which show they would be entered into before they went to a gallery. To date, four of those paintings have been framed entered into shows. Now it is time to make decisions about the rest and order frames.

It just occurred to me that I am doing my own American Idol competition here. Not all paintings will go on...some will NOT make the cut. The paintings were hanging in no particular order but today, the painting that will go "home" is Hometown Heartstrings.

I tried to use my save on it by making a few adjustments but in the end, 98% got reworked. Now it is Hometown Heartstrings II.

east and west

I am honored to have received two awards within the past week. One from the Northeast National Pastel Exhibition, Old Forge, NY (Ampersand Art Supply Award for "Dream Catcher") and the other from the Northwest Pastel Society Member Show, Seattle, WA (Presidents' Award for "Ruby's Canada"). 

flowering cherries

The flowering cherry trees along our driveway are in bloom. They seem oblivious to the hail and coldest temperatures for this time of year since 1935. pastel, 15.5 x 20 inches.

a simple act of kindness

I have been painting on this surface since yesterday morning at 10 AM when it began as a demo for a couple artist friends. When they left my studio two hours later, it looked nothing like this. In the time since then it has been washed off several times and has been poked and prodded. I even "painted" in wet pastel for a awhile with a bristle paintbrush.

Finally, in a simple act of kindness to both myself and the pastel surface, I quit working on it. I don't know why it was so hard. I think I need Spring!

rainy day vacuuming

It's a rainy, rainy day this April 1st in Washington. I vacuumed off another old 2006 painting to use the Colourfix paper for a new painting.

When I began making marks and relating shapes and colors,  I didn't intend to paint about rain or water, it just turned out that way. It is enjoyable as well as a leap of faith to begin a painting without any plans and to watch it grow into something that strikes a cord with the artist. This is the basis for the one day workshop I'll teach May 23rd at the Pastel Society of the West Coast show in Stockton, CA. Join me!