Cowbernet

"Cowbernet"  (pastel, 7x5 inches ) click here to bid or buy

Another demo from the Lewisville, West Virginia workshop earlier this month. It was a fun and productive learning experience for all!

Lanugo

"Lanugo" (pastel, 7x5 inches) click here to bid or buy

Lanugo is a synonym for Fuzz. This fuzzy angora goat was a demo at my workshop in West Virginia earlier this month.

I don't have progress photos, but I have lots of raw video from the workshop, which will be picked apart by my video editor (my daughter) in the next few weeks and added to my YouTube channel. Stay tuned!

Una

"Una" (pastel, 6x6 inches)  click here to bid or buy

Another of my demos from the Ohio workshop earlier this month.

Moomime

"Moomime" (pastel, 6x6 inches)

Doesn't her face look just like mime makeup?

She was one of my triple-demo from my Ohio workshop earlier this month. Here are some progress shots from the demo:

 

 

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Mini Sunset 14

Mini Sunset 14 (pastel, 2x2 inches) $60 framed

This is it for a while... The cute little gold frames are all used up. I've enjoyed these sunsets though, and might do another slightly larger batch sometime. Maybe 6x6?

Meanwhile, these little ones that are left (numbers 6-14) have been moved to The Gallery at Round Top, which will be happy to offer you a deal on two or more...

Mini Sunsets 12 and 14

Transience of Innocence - sold!

"Transience of Innocence" (pastel, 26x19 inches) sold

Just wanted to brag a couple of things about this, one of my most successful competition pieces this year. I'm thrilled to say that she has found a buyer at The 45th PSA Annual Exhibition: Enduring Brilliance! which runs from September 5 – September 30, 2017 at the National Arts Club, New York, NY.

At the end of the PSA show she will be shipped to her permanent home in Alabama (Thanks, Carrie!)

Transience of Innocence has has a short but eventful exhibition career. Finished in January of this year, she was first accepted into the Hudson Valley Art Association' 84th Annual Juried Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in New York City in April, returning in time to drive with me in June to the International Association of Pastel Societies 4th Masters Circle Exhibition in Albuquerque, NM.

Her most thrilling recognition was being chosen for the cover of the IAPS Convention Program, and through the gossip grapevine, enjoyed tremendous popular appeal in that exhibit. (And by judge Albert Handell's own admission, was only three or four positions away from garnering an award, had the competing works been different, or had more awards been available.)

Well, the current PSA show will be her final stop on the competition circuit. But you can look back on more of this painting's history on her original blog post, where I show and tell about the thoughts behind the painting, and the progress of the painting's creation.

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Salisbury, and the West Virginia workshop

"Salisbury" (pastel, 10x8 inches) click here to bid or buy

This handsome bull was my opening demo for my workshop in Lewisburg, West Virginia, earlier this week. Another excellent workshop with a very talented and fun group!

I'm on the road home now and mapping out my route to see how many zoos I can see on my way... my favorite perk of traveling!

Meanwhile here are some progress shots of Salisbury:

(Thought this was done here, but when I saw the thumbnail on the computer, the stunted ear really jumped out at me! So... I didn't post him on Monday night so I could fix him on Tuesday, and then the rest of the week flew by in a blink! But finally here he is...)

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Fredrika

"Fredrika" (pastel, 7x5 inches) sold

This was one of my triple-demo today at my workshop withe the Ohio Pastel Artists League in Alexandria, OH. It was a great group of talented artists. We all had a lot of fun and learned a lot!

My triple demo is when I build up the primer layers of the underpaintings on three small drawings simultaneously in one demo, then later in another demo, I paint each one with pastel, one after another, with no accompanying lecture, just as if I was at home in my studio. The students get this chance to see how I "really" work when I have uninterrupted time at home.

Here are some progress shots of Fredrika:

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Locke at the Ohio Wildlife Center

"Locke" (pastel, 8x6 inches) sold

My demo yesterday for the Ohio Pastel Artists League was held at the Ohio Wildlife Center in Powell OH, on the north edge of Columbus. Elyse, the caretaker there, brought out their permanent resident screech owl, Locke, as a charming visual aid to her presentation about the Center, and by the way, as a subject for me to paint!

The lighting in the room wasn't ideal, so instead of working from life, I took some photos by the window earlier in the evening.

photo

I was thrilled to paint another screech owl, after keeping one of my own paintings from years ago, of another screech owl I fell in love with from a rescue place in north Texas.

"Portrait of a Screech Owl" (pastel and pastel pencil, 7x5 inches) 2007, collection of the artist..

I didn't quite get the demo done last night, but finished it this afternoon. Here's a shot during the underpainting process:

Thanks for reading! Check out the Ohio Wildlife Center and consider sending your support!

Mini Sunset 12

Mini Sunset 12 (pastel, 2x2 inches) $55 framed

These are the last of the bunch! #12 on the left, and #14 on the right. (Ok I've succumbed to superstition and skipped #13...) I'll share 14 in it's own post in a day or two!

Mini Sunset 10

"Mini Sunset 10"  (pastel, 2x2 inches) $55, framed

It's been a heartbreaking week with hurricane/tropical storm Harvey wreaking devastating loss and destruction to homes, businesses and entire communities throughout southeast Texas. Recovery has just begun and is likely to take many months.

I am fortunate that New Braunfels survived with mere heavy rainfall and high winds. I am now committed to supporting the recovery effort and will be donating a percentage of my September sales to the Harvey Disaster Relief and Recovery.

Please consider a purchase this month, if not from me, then from any artist or gallery or business that you know of in the Houston and surrounding areas. With your support, you can help speed the recovery of local artists and businesses affected by Harvey.

Thank you.

Mini Sunset 11

Mini Sunset 11 (pastel, 2x2 inches) $55 framed

The little gold frames are starting to run low, just a few more left! Here are mini sunset 10 and 11 in their frames. I'll show off #10 on my next blog post!

Firstborn

 "Firstborn" (pastel, 12x12 inches) sold

 A blast from the past!  I am working on a couple more commission pieces for  the client who purchased this painting years ago (which began her collection of my work!) and when I looked up this image to reference some color notes, I also came across the progress shots and realized that this was one of my very early warm toned under paintings (maybe even the first one!) - right before I started using the quinacridone nickel azo gold color.

 For this one I used Golden (brand) transparent red iron oxide Fluid Acrylic color mixed into the Golden fine pumice gel for the base layer, then the Art Spectrum terra cotta pastel primer for the shadow areas. Really just a two-toned under painting, but definitely catching the light and shadow patterns.

I'm tempted to use this same method for the new commission works I'm preparing for my client, and try to get the same look.

See progress shots below:

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