a different format

Third in the Sky View series is "Sky View Wildflowers." Working in a series is interesting. The artist has a chance to fully explore the elements of the scene by painting them many times. The constants from painting to painting then become somewhat intuitive.

best of america pastel artists, vol. II

I almost forgot this good news. Two of my paintings are included in the new book, Best of America Pastel Artists, Vol. II, due out this month. Just ordered my copy. Click on the image to enlarge.

fall color

The second painting I was working on earlier in the week escaped the hose...at least for now. This is "Fall Color," one of those beautiful rock walls along the highway to Eastern Washington. Pastel on paper, 19 x 14.5 inches.

sky view afternoon

The second pastel in the sky view series is Sky View Afternoon, 14 x 14 inches. I started this painting yesterday and by bedtime wasn't sure of its future. Began again this morning, outside it was dark and pouring down rain. Now it is a sunny fall afternoon and I'm calling this painting done

the OK parts

Worked on two paintings all day today. Forgot to make a dental appointment, call about a flu shot, mail a check out and schedule car service. These strips show the OK parts of each painting (I won't show you the not OK parts). These parts will stay unless I have a "hose-'em-off" attack tomorrow.

Good News

Good News! Judge Lyle Silver selected my painting for the Bellevue Art & Frame Award. The public can attend the Artists’ Reception (1-4 PM) and Awards Ceremony (2:30 PM) Saturday October 24. Musical entertainment will be provided by the Redmond High School Chamber Orchestra. Admission is free and refreshments will be provided.Click on the card image to enlarge for address.

sky view meadow

Last Saturday I was in the hills above Cle Elum, Washington. It was 36 degrees with a few flakes of snow. The far hills were a brilliant blue; the faded grasses and wildflowers were dry and windswept. All that neutral foliage just begging to be painted with a push of color - "Sky View Meadow" is the result of that trip.

waiting game

Living in the present is sometimes difficult. I know the events of life have to play out in their own time.  What I choose to do while waiting is of utmost importance. I don't want to look back at a period of time and realize that I was so preoccupied with what I hoped would happen (or not happen) that I missed the blessings of the present.

At 24.5 x 18.5 inches, this is my largest abstracted work in pastel to date. It was fun to have more space to explore relationships but the larger format also presented additional challenges. At one point I thought I might cut the painting into several smaller paintings. I had too many precious areas. I finally relinquished some to bring "Waiting Game" together.

high key sunday

Another old painting wiped off and repainted. The small images show how the painting, "Sunday," looked after I wiped the pastel off with a sponge brush. On the left, you can see the ghost of a river scene. The image on the right is how it looked upside down before I began painting on it again. The paper is Arches 140 lb hot press watercolor with a pumice ground. Midway, I applied spray-fix to get more tooth but all it did was make an interesting speckled texture in the pastel. I left this painting in a relatively high-key value range; no more tooth to punch the darks. I'm calling it "Sunday Again."