Another Mini Pastel

P2019-1-28 Violet Evening, pastel, 3.5x5.5 inches

Still playing with my Terry Ludwig 14 Violets.

Mini Pastel available at Mini Price on DailyPaintworks

Mini-painting, Mini-price

P2019-1-27 Violet Road, pastel 3.5 x 5.5 inches

Available at mini-painting price on DailyPaintworks

Reference photo for P2019-1027 Violet Road

Matted and ready for a 5x7 standard frame. 

Post gone astray

I started today's post with the intention of showing you my beautiful new set of Terry Ludwig 14 favorite violets and talk about a new series of paintings. But, I got side-tracked when photographing the pastels.

I am a stickler for accurate color representation of my art online. I photograph every piece of art with a Kodak color bar/gray scale and I spent a lot of time adjusting the color, value and saturation until it looks correct to me. I know it always photographs too blue but today I think I figured something out...

The top photo is me comparing the pastel set to my iMac display. As you can see, the display is way too blue. The bottom photo is much closer and actually looked even better in person than this photo does. Here's the Photoshop adjustment I made to get so much closer. Now, in theory, this should work on any photo I take, right? Note: this is the adjustment for my display, yours will be different.

LATER NOTE: THIS SOUNDED GOOD IN THEORY BUT I'M NOT SURE...

One artist needed

Lovely work today by the artists in my first Mentoring Session of 2019.  

My next session is Friday, February 22nd. One artist had to cancel so I have a work-station open. $55, four hours, four students. Contact me if you're interested. Any medium. Bring your work-in-progress or start a new project. Bring your completed work for one-on-one feedback. Your choice.

End of week check-In

Four painting stations set up for my first Mentoring Session of 2019. Friday, four hours, four students. Looking forward to it!

It's that time of year when I hose off old pastel paintings to begin again. The smaller painting is pumice/gesso on hardboard panel. The larger painting is Wallis paper mounted on Gatorbord.

Glory Days Revisited, pastel, 5x7

Meadow, pastel, 5x7

Painted a couple and shipped a couple. 

Sunrise, pastel, 5x7

Summer Morning, pastel 7x5

The steps of Sunrise 1

The lightest spots

This is the time in the painting that I forget to take more photos. Sorry.

Sunrise 1, pastel, 5x7 inches

Sold Thank you J.G. for adding Sunrise to your collection.

The steps of Sentience

I have a collection of scraps of sanded pastel paper. Some is gessoed with vermilion or black.  This month I'm trying to paint a 7x5 inch pastel each morning to use up these scraps. This morning I chose a black ground. I had forgotten how quickly it progresses.

This is the point where I become involved in the process and I forget that I'm supposed to be photographing each step. Sorry.

Sentinence, pastel, 7x5 inches

At Auction for 7 days at DailyPaintworks $75

First Painting of 2019

Riverbank at Dawn, pastel, 7x5 inches

This little painting sat on my easel all through the holidays. I finally got back to it today and changed it from big body of water scene to a more intimate river bank scene.  I added the indication of a path that goes back to the glow of the sunrise. Sold

Art Goals for 2019, back at the easel

Not sure where this one will end up but it's good to be back at the easel after weeks of distraction. I also wrote my art goals today. Happy New Year!  Art Goals for 2019

First pastel for 2019 - in progress

Last Day of 2018

December 31, 2018

At the end of 2017 I wrote that in 2018 I would be more discerning about my art commitments both in showing my work and in teaching/mentoring. I felt ready to paint less, knit and garden more. Retirement was looking good but then some things happened that got me fired up again. 

I was honored to do the walk-through comments on the Award Winners at the 32nd International Association of Pastel Societies Juried Exhibition at American Art Company, Tacoma and I judged the Maple Valley Creative Arts Council Art Festival. 

Another motivator to paint came in the Fall as I hauled empty frames, mats and glass out of hiding places in the studio and began "painting to the frame" - I painted and framed about a dozen pastels in a relatively short amount of time. I also installed a new Walker hanging system in my Studio to accommodate the paintings. I still have a few empty frames (with mat and glass) to go before I change from pastel to oil to fill the frames without glass. 

Walker Display Art System

Another thing that makes me want to paint is the rearrangement (yes, again!) of my Studio. I have finally bonded with this space and it was because I set up a large table for both my Fletcher and Logan mat cutters. Yay!

Big table in my studio

Throughout 2018 I participated in online and gallery shows with some of the art organizations I belong to  - Women Painters of Washington, Pastel Society of the West Coast, Plein Air Washington Artists, Black Diamond Arts Alliance, Oil Painters of America and International Association of Pastel Societies. I was reminded how it feels to be an award winner. 

I was also happy to have six paintings in the  "Natural Instincts" exhibit at Ajoya, Mercer Island and I continue to be represented by Attic Gallery, Camas, American Art Company, Tacoma and  Scott Milo Gallery in Anacortes.

In 2018 I held mentoring sessions in my Black Diamond Studio. Similar to Private Sessions, these mentoring sessions are for 3-4 artists each time. I enjoy sharing what I have learned and will continue Mentoring Sessions in 2019.

Today I was looking at the Editorials I wrote for the Northwest Pastel Society November 2009 through August 2012. I still find them informative and I thought you might too, especially if you are relatively new to pastel. Wishing you a happy and healthy 2019.

Newton Editorial NWPS November 2009

Newton Editorial NWPS February 2010

Newton Editorial NWPS May 2010

Newton Editorial NWPS August 2010

Newton Editorial NWPS November 2010

Newton Editorial NWPS February 2011

Newton Editorial NWPS May 2011

Newton Editorial NWPS August 2011

Newton Editorial NWPS November 2011

Newton Editorial NWPS February 2012

Newton Editorial NWPS May 2012

Newton Editorial NWPS August 2012