My most recent post comes after the opening of the FCPS Member Exhibit, where I was honored by Carrie Raeburn with a Merit Award for Autumn Study!  I was surprised and almost speechless, as this was my first show.  It is a tremendous honor and validation that I should continue along this path!  Both pieces are done on paper, Autumn Study on Canson Mi-tientes and Evening Watch over a monoprint on Rives BFK.

Can you tell by this ear to ear grin how absolutely delighted I am?

These two paintings were accepted into the First Coast Pastel Society Member Exhibit which runs from May 23rd to June 26th, 2014. 

Autumn Study

and Evening Watch, which is pastel over a watercolor monotype on Rives BFK.

This painting is 8x10 and is also a study in value contrasts...called Bright Path.

I have been painting, but not posting lately, so let me work up to the newest....
This is a painting I did on LaCarte pastel paper.  I was playing with values vs. color  and I'm  very happy at the finished result!

Here is yet another marsh view...this one is next to the building where I work.  I used a new process for developing this painting.  I took several photographs which I first edited in Photoshop elements to improve the composition.  I then converted the altered photo into grayscale.  From there I posterized it using 4 levels to highlight the different values and to develop the larger abstract shapes.  I printed out several of these grayscale photos on regular paper to hang next to me easel.  I test each pastel color against the value on the photo to make sure that my choices are in the proper value range.  I think it helped tremendously when creating a sense of atmospheric perspective in this piece..

The underpainting was done with nupastels and senneliers and the highlights and finishing strokes were Terry Ludwigs from the Plein Air  and Warm Green Collections.

Painting on brown paper

I have read so much about how early pastelists and the impressionists painted on plain brown paper...basically the same paper you use for wrapping packages, so I went to the office supply store and bought myself a roll for about $5.00.

Below is painted on brown paper with Rembrandt and a few Senneliers...I like it.  The paper took the pastel well and making strokes and layering was almost effortless.

My Pastel Paintings

I started this blog to chart my progress as I learn to paint.  I drew and painted quite a bit as a teenager, but put it aside for a long, long time.  The paintings directly below are done in soft pastel on canson mi-tientes paper. 


This is from the Cradle Creek Preserve in Jacksonville, on the intracoastal waterway.

This is the beginning of Hurricane Sandy over Jacksonville Beach!

I hope to post new works at least several times a month. 

The  painting below is 8 x 10 on sanded mat board.  It was done around the holidays and I put it aside for a bit.  I do that sometimes, then go back and take another look to see what needs to be fixed or changed.  In this case, I think I will leave it be.