Golden

 

"Golden"  (pastel, 12x9 inches) $1350

Painted in 2017, this is the fourth or fifth portrait I've done using the toned underpainting technique with the gold and terra cotta primers, and it's sill the most successful with my ultimate goal of  letting much of the underpainting "speak" along with the pastel. I think my favorite part is the reflected light under her chin. That's all underpainting and no pastel!

This was one of the merchants at the Texas Renaissance Festival during the daily parade. I love the parade for catching all kinds of excellent pics!

"Golden" is just now beyond her competition age (most competitions require works less than 4 years old) so it's time to bring her out to the art festivals! She'll be with me this weekend at the Naples Downtown Art Show. If you're in the area, find me in booth 222 on 5th ave between 4th and 5th streets.

See progress pics and read more about my process here!

X O Award of Excellence in Chicago

"X O" (pastel, 12x6 inches) $1250

I haven't had time to post much in December, but now that my local craft show (where I've done portrait sketches for the last several years) is over for the Holidays, I'll be back to posting more frequently again I hope!

I noticed that I had bragged about this award on Facebook but didn't blog it, so here it is! I'm thrilled to say that "X O", an offshoot of my Renaissance Portrait series, won the Award of Excellence (equivalent of Second in Show!) at the Chicago Pastel Painters 7th Biennial National Juried Exhibition, Pastels Chicago 2019.

Since my own personal subtitle for this one is "Biker Santa", I thought it made an appropriate post for this time of year... Santa's headed toward his leisure days after all his hard work last week. ;)

See some progress pics of X O on an earlier blog post here: http://ritakirkman.blogspot.com/2017/10/x-o-wins-award.html

The Ruby Princess - Best of Show at PSST

"The Ruby Princess" (pastel, 8x6 inches) $1150

One of my new Renaissance portraits is in the Pastel Society of Southeast Texas National Juried Exhibition, Art of the Pastel, ​October 19 - November 16, 2019 at The Gallery at Round Top, 203 E. Austin, Round Top, TX.

I wasn't able to attend the reception on Saturday, but I was so excited to receive a text that my Ruby Princess won Best of Show!! Wow! A huge thank you to show judge Jeannette Cuevas, and congratulations to all the other winners!

See all of this year's winners here:

Some progress pics:

 I started off too light in the highlights so I wiped off that side and went more slowly in the lights.

 The background was too "cotton candy" and the blue wasn't working... so I wiped it off, added more thinned terra cotta primer, and went with some warm greens.

 I used some of my precious Roche iridescent gold pastel here and there..

Young Diana

"Young Diana" (pastel, 10x8 inches) $1200

One of my most recent themed portraits, Young Diana is currently in the Connecticut Pastel Society Renaissance in Pastel 26th Annual National Juried Exhibition, at the Slater Memorial Museum in Norwich, CT. The show will run from October 11 – December 6, 2019.

Many thanks to Jurors of Selection Judith Leeds, Jeanne Tangney and Kurt Weiser for selecting my painting to be included!

Artists Reception: Sunday, October 27, 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Persephone in NYC

"Persephone" (pastel, 8x6 inches) $1150

I'm grateful to have my latest Renaissance portrait "Persephone" (pastel, 8x6 inches) accepted to the prestigious exhibition, the Pastel Society of America's 47th Annual Exhibition Enduring Brilliance! The show hangs at the Grand Gallery of the National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, NYC, September 3-28, 2019.

Gallery Tour & Reception, Sept. 20, 6pm
Materials Fair, Sept. 21, 10am – 4pm
Awards Ceremony, Sept. 22, 4pm

Wish me luck! I'm just one award away from PSA Master Pastelist!

Check this PSA page soon for the show to be posted.

See some progress pics of Persephone on her original blog post here.

.

Golden - New Award!

"Golden" (pastel, 12x9 inches) $1350

I'm very happy to be able to brag that "Golden" has won the Terry Ludwig Pastels Award at the Pastel Society of Colorado's 15th Annual Mile High National Pastel Exhibition. This makes her fourth award from five shows in 20 months. She's having a good run!

The Mile High Exhibition continues to June 29, 2019, at the Curtis Center for the Arts, 2349 E Orchard Rd, Greenwood Village, CO. Big thanks to Barbara Jaenicke for judging the show, and to Terry Ludwig for his generous donation!

An eloquent quote from Barbara:  
    "It's apparent from the title that the artist effectively stayed on track with a clear visual statement about her subject; a statement that could easily be overdone without the adept skill and experience evident in this painting. ...This artist very successfully balanced the color temperature, intensity and edge treatment so that the concept was subtle but still clear, making this piece a truly 'golden' winner."

Read more about Golden and her list of recognition here!

.

Persephone

"Persephone" (pastel, 8x6 inches)

"Persephone", my newest addition to my Renaissance Portrait Series, has been accepted into the Austin Pastel Society's Juried exhibit. (She will also be going to IAPS  - the International Pastel Master's Circle Exhibit at the Convention in June!) That was my plan, one painting for two shows...

Actually, my original plan was a much larger painting with three figures but I ran out of time to complete, so Persephone was my Plan B.

You can see her and the other amazing paintings of the members of the Austin Pastel Society at the Chase Bank Building Corridor of Art, 700 Lavaca Street, Austin, TX, now through April 28, 2019.

Or peek at the show here, online!

Join us at the reception: Thursday, March 21 from 2 – 4 p.m.

Click here for directions and more show info.

Just for you! Some progress shots of Persephone:

Thanks for watching! Please share!

.

Golden - Earning Her Keep!

"Golden" (pastel, 12x9 inches) $1350

I've been in the habit of using my extensive collection of images from Renaissance festivals to create new works in my Renaissance Portrait series and send them off to shows to try to win stuff. I've learned it's a lot more economical to compete with a small gem of a portrait than a larger figurative work. Saves a lot on shipping, for one thing!

My most recent Renaissance portrait, Golden, has been working hard this year and has come up "golden"! She has most recently won the HK Holbein Inc. Award from the Connecticut Pastel Society Renaissance in Pastel 25th Annual National Juried Exhibition. (Which, by the way, is my third award as a member of the CPS, and earns for me the right to apply for Signature Status! Whoo yay!)

At the same time, I received notification that she has been selected as one of the Fav15% in the September 2018 BoldBrush Painting competition hosted by FASO.

Her earlier awards have been First in Show at the Austin Pastel Society's 2018 Annual Juried Members Exhibition and the Terry Ludwig Pastel Award at the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod annual exhibition For Pastels Only on Cape Cod 2017.

To start off her exhibition career, her first exhibit was with The Cultural Association “PASIT Pastellisti Italiani” First International Exhibition of Pastel Painting in Tivoli, Italy (Province of Rome) in 2017.

What a great run! She's nearing the end of her show life, as most exhibitions want work that has been created in the last two years. No worries though, as I'll be enjoying this weekend with my daughter at the same Texas Renaissance Festival where I've gotten most of my reference pics -- and the weather is cooperating! Cool air and sunshine! Yay!

See Golden's original post HERE, with progress shots!

.

"Golden" won First In Show at APS

"Golden" (pastel, 12x9 inches) $1350

I've posted Golden before, but I wanted to brag about her latest achievement! She is currently showing in the Austin Pastel Society's 2018 Annual Juried Members Exhibition, and has won First in Show!

(And look what I got! :D )

The exhibit continues at the Chase Bank Building Corridor of Art, 700 Lavaca Street Lower Level, Austin TX, through April 30, 2018.

Golden has become quite the world traveler. She snagged her first award at the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod annual exhibition For Pastels Only on Cape Cod last year, then spent a couple months in Italy at  the PASIT Pastellisti Italiani First International Exhibition of Pastel Painting in Rome! She'll still have another year or so of competition life in her (most competitions require a work to be under 2-3 years old to compete) unless she sells first...


You can view progress shots of Golden on her original post here: https://ritakirkman.blogspot.com/2017/04/golden.html  

Thanks for reading! Please share!

.

Gypsy

"Gypsy"  (pastel, 8x6 inches)  $950

You are Invited to

The Gallery at Round Top

203 E. Austin - In the Heart of Bybee Square - Round Top, TX

Opening Reception: Saturday, October 21st from 3 PM to 6 PM

The Second Annual FUSION - Music for the Eyes 

Fusion - A mixture or blend formed by fusing two or more things. 

Enter the hearts and minds of the artists who, while creating, are stimulated by the words or strains of music.

The rhythms, the strokes, the colors flow as the artist disappears into the music.

From traditional works to non-objective paintings, you are invited to immerse

yourself in each piece. May the artists' creative pieces fuse with your

hearts and minds.

The show continues through November 16.

My painting "Gypsy" is included!

Preview the show at

http://www.thegalleryatroundtop.com

Golden - Awarded at PPSCC!

"Golden"  (pastel, 12x9 inches) $1350

I think I posted this one a while back when she was finished, but wanted to re-post now that she has her first award! "Golden" has won the Terry Ludwig Pastel Award at the the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod annual exhibition For Pastels Only on Cape Cod 2017. A big appreciative thank you to Jacob Aguiar, judge of awards, and to Robert Carsten, juror of selection.

The show continues through July 16, 2017 at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod, South Yarmouth, MA.

(If she returns unsold from Cape Cod, she might be on her way to Italy this fall! More on that later!)

You can view progress shots of Golden on her earlier post here: https://ritakirkman.blogspot.com/2017/04/golden.html 

Golden

"Golden"  (pastel, 12x9 inches) $1350

My latest Renaissance Portrait has been accepted into the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod annual exhibition For Pastels Only on Cape Cod 2017.  The show will take place at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod in South Yarmouth, MA, June 20 - July 16, 2017.
Opening Reception:  Saturday, June 24, 6:00 to 9:00 pm (Awards Presentation at 7:00) My schedule won't permit me to be there, but if you're in the area, please stop in and see the show!

For more information visit www.pastelpainterssocietyofcapecod.com 

This is the fourth or fifth portrait I've done using the toned underpainting technique with the gold and terra cotta primers, and I think it's the most successful with letting much of the underpainting "speak."

 IMO, she desperately needed an elf ear!

Thanks for watching! Please share!
And if you haven't yet, please like my Facebook Page!
.
 

Familiar - Finalist in Richeson75 Small Works Exhibit

"Familiar"  (pastel, 8x10 inches)  $1350

I'm happy to announce that my painting, Familiar, has been chosen as a Finalist in the Richeson75 Small Works Competition 2017, which will be exhibited at the Richeson School of Art and Gallery in Kimberly WI, February 22 - April 8, 2017.

Familiar is a two-time award winner from other national exhibits last year, and is in the prime of her eligible competition age. She will be thrilled to travel once again before finding her permanent home!

Below are some never-before-posted progress shots of Familiar! (just a few of many throughout her long process..)

Thanks for watching! Please share!

.

Awards: Two Thirds!

"Familiar" (pastel, 8x10 inches)  $1350

And

"The Fairy Rose" (pastel, 9x12 inches)  sold

Have, coincidentally, both won Third Place Awards at their respective exhibits on Saturday.

"Familiar" is showing at the Pastel Society of New Mexico's 25th Annual National Pastel Painting Exhibition in Albuquerque, at the Hispanic Arts Center through November 27.

"The Fairy Rose" is with the Pastel Society of Southeast Texas, Art of the Pastel 2016 through November 26, at The Gallery at Round Top in Round Top, TX 

If you're in the areas, hope you get a chance to see the show(s)!

.