Thank You!

Thank you to all who have shared their stories publicly and privately with me about depression. They have all touched me more than you know.

I especially like what Jan posted on yesterday's post -

"I try to live by this mantra: Forward, always forward. This is the only way I can fight depression. The only way is to move forward; if you look back, you're not moving forward."

Here is one thing I have done to stay positive..limit my news intake. Sometimes I think it's not even news anymore but shameless selling of fear...along with a few other things ;-)

In the category of moving forward, I have posted my second entry in the Bold Brush online competition. They now have a category for "Popular Entries". Now I know this is in the category of self-promotion, but, hey, somebody's got to do it. This is a monthly online competition sponsored by Fine Art Views. Here is the link to my second entry for the month. I'm not in contention for an award (there's some pretty super art being entered), but the more people that vote for my piece the more hit's I get on my website..which is a very good thing.

"Brass Pitcher and Red Onions" 10 x 12" Pastel on Paper

Family Business

I haven't had much to post lately and won't for a couple more weeks, I think.

My Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer two weeks ago. She had surgery this last Thursday and is recovering in the hospital nicely. I will be going home to help her when she comes home from the hospital, and not sure how long that will take. We're hoping for good pathology reports this next week.

Maybe while I'm away I'll post about my withdrawal from painting in my studio, and not having my dear friend, June, to talk to daily. That all keeps me sane.

I don't think I have ever shared but I have battled depression for most of my adult life...and I fight hard to stay "up". As I have gotten older I've found ways to nuture myself and keep the demons at bay. I also have a great doctor who knows me and helps me by keeping my medications doing their job. It seems rather personal to share this, but there are so many of us out there and we think keeping it to ourselves is the right thing to do. I've found it's the wrong thing for me to do. It's part of who I am.

So step out into the sunlight, share your story with friends and family; get help from a wonderful doctor; and find activities that nurture you. For me it's painting - I feel transported to another place when I'm painting. I'm also blessed to have a loving husband who often knows me better than anyone else.

Brass Pitcher and Onions Take #2

I pulled this out of storage the other day and decided to rework most of the surface. The biggest changes were:

-cooling down the background light
-pulling the left onion ever so slightly into the light
-ditched the stem piece on the left onion and made a smaller shape
-lightened and warmed the table where the strongest light is hitting
-refined and rounded the form of the pitcher

Here is the wip for the older version...

I am much happier with it now and was happy I could see, 6 mos later, changes that needed to be made. I think that means I'm improving! Maybe in 6 more mos I'll see even more.

Reworked Painting
"Brass Pitcher and Onions"

10 x 12" Pastel on Paper



Old Version of Brass Pitcher

Pastureland Scribbles

"Pastureland" pastel 11 x 14"

I've had the "itch" to do scribbles for the last week. This painting is what resulted from my "scratching". It was soooo much fun. Still have to sign it and call it done.

It's 11 x 14" on Elephant colored ArtSpectrum sanded paper using NuPastels.

We had a really bad hailstorm in Golden last Friday, and it stripped almost the whole large pine outside our studio. Our roses which were just starting to bloom have nothing left but stalks (there is one rose on the backside that hung in there). So sad.....but I wiped all the leaf crud and dirt off of our front door today. Just have to wait for everything to grow back..

Evergreen Art Exhibit

My two pastel paintings, "Hay Bales" and "Red Rocks" have been selected for the Center for the Arts Evergreen's "Exploration of a Medium: Pastel Art".

The exhibit will be on display from July 2nd through July 31st, 2010. The Center for the Arts is located at 32003B Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen, CO. The website is www.evergreenarts.org and the phone is 303-674-0056.

The reception is scheduled for July 2 from 5-8pm. They have also scheduled a closing reception (something that is new to me) on July 30 from 5-8pm.

All I can say is "Woohoo!"

Project 100 - Number 14

This is number 14... This frame is the one I have selected for framing any of the Project 100 that turn out well. I've decided probably a good deal of the 100 will be put in an archive and taken out again when I'm in a nursing home.

The frame is a wide wood frame with a lovely copper brushed finish.

The Project 100 paintings that are chosen for framing can be purchased on my website for $100 which includes framing and shipping (to the US only).

Lucky Number 13?

Tree Line #13 for 100 Project

I'm having lots of frustration with my painting this week, so having these Project 100's to work on is keeping me sane.


The nice thing is these are not meant to be finished paintings, although I will frame a couple of them. They're meant to challenge you. However, I use them to just keep painting when I feel I'm sagging.

Number 1-11 of my 100 Project

I just realized I haven't posted any of the rest of my 100 project paintings on my blog.

For those of you who are just hearing about the 100 Project, I believe it originated in the Pastel Journal quite some time ago. A pastel artist decided to challenge herself by painted the same landscape 100 different ways. Out of the 100 there were several worth framing and some ideas for new paintings.

So I picked a landscape with simple shapes and have had a go at 12 so far. Sure enough, I've learned a ton, had several that were worth framing and it is....well....a challenge!

Number 1

Number 2

Number 3

Number 4

Number 5

Number 6

Number 7

Number 8

Number 9

Number 10

Number 11

Number 12 of the 100 Project

Tree Line #12
6 x 8 Pastel on Paper
SOLD

I've been feeling a little stuck with my big still life and Monday I painted a small landscape that was not good. So today I wiped off the yucky landscape and worked on #12 of my 100 Project. This version is #12. It's painted on sanded watercolor paper and when I brushed it off it left this lovely neutral toned paper.

"Sunset" 9 x 12 pastel on paper

I've just entered this painting in the Fine Art Views Competition. Stop by and say "hi" by clicking the "like" button.

Growing up in Nebraska, there is a special orange-red light that blankets the sky, the trees and ground at sunset. It's so hard to photograph, so I have to paint it to try to capture that special "sunset" moment.

http://canvoo.com/boldbrush/painting/10320

New Website

I spent the day getting my new website set up on Fine Art Views. The new url is www.CynthiaHaase.com . Now I have all my artwork in one place and paintings can be purchased via Paypal right on my new pages. Visit my new Pastels, Affordable Pastels, and Colored Pencil galleries.

My old website at www.chaase-art.com has become by fiber art website where I will showcase my quilts and fiber art pieces. Hopefully after our move to a different home I will have time and a space to work on more fiber.