First Visit to the Gallery in Los Gatos

First meeting day of the CPSA National Governing Board is always a busy one. Meeting all day, trying to get through regular business and policies before we have to turn our attention to the "festivities" that begin tomorrow night for our general membership. Our final event is a Saturday night dessert reception at the hotel. I'll be exhausted by then and my attention span will be so short, not to mention my throat will be hoarse and dry.

Tonight was a private exhibit tour and dinner for the National Governing Board (12 of us) plus the District Chapter representatives who have flown in from all over the country. The exhibit is lovely with many wonderful pieces.

Off to bed to get ready for tomorrow!

The Art Museum of Los Gatos, California

One of my favorite pieces done on wood..large and lovely

Exhibit Pics

Number 16

"Number 16" 6 x 8", Pastel on sanded paper

Getting ready to fly to Santa Clara on Monday afternoon for the big Colored Pencil Society of America Annual Exhibit and Convention (check http://www.cpsa.org/ for details). Therefore, I haven't wanted to start a larger piece, but I want to continue to paint....Project 100 is great for this purpose.

This painting is 6 x 8 on Colorfix sanded paper, rust colored, using my favorite scribble stroke. I've included the start of this painting below so you can see how loose my strokes are when I begin. The get tighter as I progress but never quite obliterate the rust of the paper underneath...that's an effect that I really like. With white paper you get white flecks, with colored paper you get the color showing through in little flecks.

Number 16 work in progress

Project 100 #15

"Number 15" 6 x 8 Pastel on paper
I rephoto'd the painting on 7/23/10 in a better light

Cloudy cool day at the studio today and I wanted to paint a pastel to add to my Project 100.



This is 6 x 8 on sanded w/c paper. A couple of things I have learned about working on this type of paper.



- I've only been able to use the softest of pastels to keep from having an overworked look. The scribble stroke I like to use doesn't work for me on the sanded w/c paper.



- Depending on much you sand the paper, you will have little flecks of white. The less you sand, the more the flecks. The less you sand (or the thicker you pile on the pigment) the more white flecks you get. I think the flecks could work for you in a landscape, but a still life is more questionable as to how the flecks would add to the overall painting.



To produce this sanded paper, I use 140 cold press (not rough) w/c paper and a 300 grit sanding block. I sand by hand and I don't know if I would have the patience to sand anything larger than a 6 x 8", honestly. But it's been fun to use for the recent pieces.



On to number 16!

Great News!

"Brass Pitcher and Onions" 10 x 12 Pastel

I was notified yesterday that my pastel painting, "Brass Pitcher and Onions" was selected by juror/judge, John Lencicki, for inclusion in the Louisville Art Association's 25th Annual National Fine Art Show for 2010.

The Exhibit runs from Sept 4th - Sept 12 at the Louisville Center for the Arts, with the opening reception on Sat, Sept 4th from 7-9pm.

Smallsville

"Untitled" 5 x 7 Pastel on Paper

A fun little 5 x 7" piece I worked on today. The painting is done on rust colored ArtSpectrum sanded paper. I don't really have a name for it yet, but I have a great little frame that will fit it nicely. This is the smallest pastel I think I have done.


It was a lovely day in the studio today with our fan. We don't have air-conditioning but haven't really needed it until this week. So I brought my bedroom fan in and it did the trick, moving the air around. My digital car thermometer read 104 degrees when I got ready to leave today, but it was down to 99 degrees as I pulled in our driveway. We need some rain!

Back in the Saddle Again!!

"Wildflowers" 11 x 14" Pastel on Paper

I worked on this in the studio today. It was so good to be back painting, with June, kibitzing, critiquing, encouraging, laughing, planning.... I feel so blessed to have my studio and June as my painting partner. We will miss Tracy...she's leaving on a cruise!

This painting was done with my scribble stroke and mostly NuPastels with a few Rembrandts and Ludwigs, but I was sort of out of practice. I will put it up for a couple of days and see what it will take to finish it.

Are You Feeling Lucky?

I'm giving away a lovely "Colorado Gold" art note card at the end of July to one lucky person who signs up for my e-mail newletter. The note card is professionally printed and the image is perfect for the upcoming Fall season.

Please visit my website and click on the "Email Newsletter" link on the left side menu to sign up and be eligible. The winner will be contacted by e-mail for mailing information. The winner will be posted here and on my website by August 5th.

Good luck!!

"Colorado Gold" 9 x 12 Pastel

Home & Bold Brush Competition

Thanks to everyone for their prayers and good wishes for my Mom's surgery. The surgery went well, no residual cancer and she is back to her old self. Our prayers have been answered and then some.

I spent a week with her arriving back home late Friday. So good to be home....there's no place like home (I'm clicking my ruby red slippers!)

Will be back in my studio on Wednesday with a little shortcut on Monday working at the gallery, and my sweet granddaughter, Emma, on Tuesday.

There is a pastel painting on my studio easel that is about half done, and I can't wait to get back to it. Hopefully I will post it later this week.

In the meantime, July 1st, means a new start to the Bold Brush Painting Competition online. My entry this month, there may be one later in the month, is "With a Twist". If you like this painting, please click the "like" button at the Bold Brush webpage for my entry. Thanks, it would be much appreciated.

"With a Twist" pastel 9 x 12"