White Pitcher...Still on the Easel

"White Pitcher and Apple" 9 x 12" hard pastels on Colorfix sanded paper (Work in Progress)

This is a painting I have done outside of class with a still life set-up at home. As I mentioned in my earlier post, this is lit with warm light therefore the shadows will be warm (relative to the lights). I had to stop this afternoon as I needed to stop and think about it logically.

I have worked on the foreground, darkened the background, worked on the apple light side, and pecking away at the drawing of the pitcher.

I love to study the work of my pastel instructor, Deb Bays, to see how she uses color and edges in her work.

Cool Light, Warm Shadows..White Pitcher

Work in Progress "White Pitcher, Red Apple" 9 x 12 Nupastels on Colorfix sanded paper

I started this today, set up the still life in my black box with all the shades drawn. I'm using an Ott light to cast shadows which is a much cooler light than the incandescent bulb I most often use for still life.

Since I've been studying Light and Shadow painting with Deb Bays, I've used the incandescent lighting which makes the highlights and lights very warm and the shadows cooler. With this set-up the lights and highlights will be cool with the shadows being relatively warmer.

I always begin with establishing the structure of my darks, most times in cool dark values plus black. With this setup I am laid in my dark structure with the warm dark browns, and black. There is alot of green bouncing around in this set-up so I will probably add some Hunter Green to the shadow mix.

This is just the beginning layers, and I have already noticed that I need to get darker on my background a bit. It's still in the light but it needs a bit more value. With values, as most of you know, change one value you most likely have to change most of them. It's like a giant puzzle.

While I'm a very creative person, my art...colored pencil and pastel...is all very methodical for me. Figuring out the dark shapes, attempting to have it be a pleasing abstract form even though its realism. It's a mental process for me almost which makes me very happy!

I will keep you posted on the progress!

Two New Fiber Art ACEOs

"Daughter of the Moon" ACEO Fiber Art

Broadcloth, hand painted batting, beads, metallic embroider thread, and yarn provide the backdrop for the "face". I just imagine that you might see this face, the daughter, on the far side of the moon!


"Offerings..On a Good Day" ACEO Fiber Art

This ACEO was started this morning, and with the hands I felt like the were upstretched in thanks to God. On a good day, I am full of thanks, on a bad day...well, let's just say I'm not full of thanks.

Batik fabric, wool felt, beads, metallic embroidery thread, silver charms in the shape of hands and two repurposed opal stud earrings express my offering on day when I feel blessed to be alive.

Rest in peace Farah and Michael. My prayers are with the children, family and friends left behind.

Lemons and Blue Glass...A little progress

"Lemons and Blue Glass", 12 x 18", pastel on Wallis (not finished yet!)

My camera has been without a charged battery for the last week. Finally got myself to Walgreens for a new one.

I worked on this piece in class on Saturday, refining the drawing, constantly seeing new colors, reflections and specifics.

I work with NuPastels on sanded paper, not blending with my fingers, but rather letting the sticks of pastels blend colors and soften edges. My stroke is more like a scribble stroke. There is a fine balance between just plain scribbling and adding texture without destroying the structure of the painting. Even the impressionists, as loose and free as their work may appear, were very deliberate with the color selection, the shape of the brush stroke and the application of the paint to the canvas. This painting should be finished in the next couple of classes.

Painting at home with pastel is always so dusty and finding a space to paint tricky. However, I need to get some of these things solved so I can start painting (rather than working in colored pencil) and be more productive.

Thanks for following!

Blue Glass and Lemons Work in Progress

Happy Monday! Took my class piece to my Monday paint group as I had a drawing problem and wasn't sure how to go about fixing it. Turns out I had the blue vase, the clear cruet and the lemon all occupying the same table space. Not enough room for them all to exist on my two dimensional plane.

The solution was simple. Draw the complete blue vase shape, then the complete cruet, and then the lemon. That allowed me to see the drawing problem. I still have a few to correct, the perspective on the tops of the two class pieces for one. But I will need to see the real life set-up to make any more changes.

So in addition to making space for the 3 items, I have also been working of softening edges. I don't blend with my fingers so it takes alot of blending strokes varying the values.

It's coming together but lots more work to do.

Blue Glass and Lemons, 12 x 18" hard pastel on Wallis paper

Close up of right bottom

Close up of left bottom.

I'll be working on it again on Thursday night in class with the still life set up and lit.

Movie Queen Series - Ava Gardner

This weekend I posted about my Movie Queen series of ACEO's. This fiber art piece is my offering for the most glamorous wife of Mickey Rooney, then Artie Shaw and finally Ol' Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra.

I found a lovely piece of vintage gold jewelry and once I put it together with the other components Ava popped into my mind's eye. I can especially picture her living with Sinatra in their ultra modern home of the 50's. The house has been featured a couple of times on reality television, most recently "The Bachelor".

"Glamour" Fiber Art ACEO 2.5" x 3.5" - broadcloth, felt, rayon thread, yarn, beads, and jewelry



Ava Gardner Click here to read more about Ava and her sometimes hard-knock life. But, mercy, she was glamourous.

Movie Queens Fiber Art ACEO...

I love vintage jewelry and have recently repurposed some of the unwearable pieces into fiber art ACEO's that seem to be speaking to me of the 40's, 50's and early 60's movie stars.

The "movie queen" usually is not revealed until I have chosen the colors and the jewelry bit, as well as the embellishments.

"Red Hot Rosalind" was named by my husband, and the red glass beads even look like red hots. I always think of Rosalind Russell in red, white and black, gorgeous and seductive.



"Royally Gold" has that hint of Grace Kelly, regal, subdued, a princess. The piece of jewelry had been in my jewelry box for at least 30 years. There are a few stones missing and the clasp of the bracelet was broken.



"Make Mine Purple" is very Audrey Hepburn-ish, fluffy, retro, yet elegant. Fluffy feathers, mod color combination. I loved "Breakfast at Tiffany's".




I am calling this my "Movie Queen" series. My favorite movie queen was Deborah Kerr in "An Affair to Remember".

Who is your favorite movie queen? Let's see if I can capture yours in an ACEO...I always love a challenge.

Vintage Teapot Update

"Vintage Teapot" 9 x 12" Colored Pencil on Wallis Sanded Paper

I've been trying to finish this one, not there just yet but a couple more hours and I should be there.

I still have work to do on the bulbous part of the teapot and the painted flowers. Then checking all my edges...softening some, strengthening others. And lastly making any adjustments including signing it.