Five Queens

"Five Queens"
8 x 10" pastel on panel
Day 27 of 30 paintings in 30 days challenge
Abstracted Landscape

I worked in the studio later today as I wanted to stay down in Lakewood for an art reception tonight at the 40 West Art Gallery. There was a nice buzz of activity at the studios - a reporter from one of the lifestyle magazines in Denver taking a tour, a visitor in studio 8 next door, lights going up on the overhang out front.

After working fairly quickly on today's painting I headed down the block to the gallery and attended a reception for "Point of Departure" produced by the Athena Project whose mission is to empower women and strengthen the Denver community through developing and showcasing women's and girls' artistic contributions, while inviting new audiences into the creative process.

I love my art community!

The Nine

"The Nine"
9 x 12" pastel on panel
Day 26 of 30 in the painting challenge
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I read this morning that nine saguaro cacti were vandalized at the Saguaro National Park in AZ in the last couple of days. When I read it my thoughts were how sad that some would essentially kill living things just for the "fun" of it. Then the story and my thoughts slipped from my mind.

Later today when I faced my painting surface I started making marks and laying in a few colors. Fifteen minutes into it I thought these look like trees...no they look like cactus and the story about the vandalism popped forward in my thoughts. So it become an abstracted landscape with saguaro cactus.

If you look closely you will find nine cactus of varying sizes and shapes. I'm still sad someone would do this to the beautiful saguaro.

Spires and Spaces 25

"Spires and Spaces 25"
8 x 10" pastel on panel
Day 25 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge
(Yes, I missed 23 and 24..enjoyed the weekend off)
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I tried a different approach today thinking more landscape/cityscape as my inspiration. I also have been doing some research (with the help of my fellow artist JunieB) on how  to create some depth and atmosphere in the painting of an abstract. 

Rough Migration

"Migration"
4 x 6" pastel on sanded paper
Day 22 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge

Today was rough painting. Maybe it was a long week or any other number of external factors, but the finished painting was about the 5th iteration of applying pastel and brushing it out. I even applied pastel ground twice to the layers underneath. I was trying to paint a "thing" and the "thing" just didn't want to come into being. So in desperation I started laying in my favorite purples and reds, along with my favorite turquoise. At the end I felt like the relief of having a root canal be over and done with. I actually like the finish!

Hopefully, by tomorrow I will forget what a rough painting day it was and I will be ready to start again fresh.

My studio neighbor and friend, Richard, was taking pictures in the different studios today. As you can see one of the iterations of this painting actually was blue.

Red Violet 21

"Red Violet 21"
5 x 7" pastel on sanded paper coated with pastel ground
Day 21 of 30 paintings in 30 days challenge
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Ships matted to a 9 x 12" size

 I was inspired by the artist, Stanley Bielen, this morning (mostly by color and subject matter.) I believe this would be more of a cross between abstract and expressionism or impressionism. Doesn't really matter as it started abstractly as an "L" composition. L means exactly what you might think it means - the forms create an L. So mine is an upside down L.
I've always loved the idea of being able to paint flowers, but I would get so tied up in the literal interpretation that they weren't fun to tackle. Several artists whose work I admire paint the suggestion of flowers with large shapes of color. I enjoyed approaching these the same way...and may be a way for me to be able to paint flowers.

Why Abstract?

"Purple and Turquoise #20"
6 x 6" pastel on Gessobord painted pink and coated with pastel ground
Day 20 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge
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A few folks have asked me "what are you into now and what are these?"

I've painted mostly fruits and vegetables for the best part of 5 years. After that length of time you lose your sense of creativity and love of experimentation. It becomes more like manufacturing than a creative pursuit.

The concept of an abstract used to leave me cold. There are some fabulous abstract artists and there are some who just throw paint at a canvas with no thought to value, edges, line, color, texture. I wanted to learn what thought processes go into creating a good abstract.

For the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge I decided I would have a theme. (I think the first couple of days were more of my fruits, but they were pastels. It was about day 4 before I settled on abstracts.) 

As for what I am creating, they are not meant to BE anything more than a color study, but they more often than not begin to look like florals. It's a way to explore color, composition, marks and surfaces. 

I do plan on going back to my oil painting at some point and, yes, the fruits and vegetables. This has been a way to refill my well of creativity and create some excitement for myself. I never want to "paint myself into a corner" to the point I can't allow myself to grow as an artist.

So if these experiments aren't your taste, I totally understand. I didn't get it either, but I've learned so much they do have an importance to me.

Thanks for checking in!

More Red

"Red 19"
6 x 6" pastel on Gessobord panel
Day 19 of 30 paintings in 30 days challenge
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I love red...it makes me happy. This abstract seemed to take on more of a floral impression, most of them seem to. After the 30 day challenge is over I will try some of these paintings in a larger format.
This could be one of them.

Day 18 - January's Blues

"January's Blues"
8 x 8" pastel on orange-toned panel
Day 18 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge
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This was a fun painting to work on. I painted a Gessobord panel with Gamblin Fastmatte Alkyd paint which was a lovely orange color. Then I painted on Golden Ground for Pastels. A few gestural lines with black charcoal and then have fun applying the pastels. The ground gave such a great texture.

Red Moons Rising

"Red Moons Rising"
6 x 6" pastel on Gessobord panel
prepared with pastel ground

I should be watching the Bronco game. Nah, I'd rather paint. This is day 17 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

Working with abstracts is so energizing. Most days I can't wait to get to the studio to see what will happen.

Experiments with Pastel Ground

"Destiny IV"
6 x 6" pastel on Gessobord over
Golden Ground for Pastels
Created some very interesting textures,
and the pastel went on more smoothly.
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"Pale Rider"
8 x 8" pastel on canvas board over
Golden Ground for Pastels
Created a rough surface and ate up my soft pastels.
Still, a nice effect.