My Pastel Journey

Gazebo in Bluffton, SC

2010-04-29T22:02:00.001-04:00

Gazebo in Bluffton, SC
8 x 10 Pastel on Art Spectrum Sanded paper

This is one of my first pastels on sanded paper after taking a class here in South Carolina from Don and Joyce Nagel. They live and work on Hilton Head Island and are known for their team teaching and pastel landscapes. I really enjoyed the class and hope to post some other paintings I finished after the class. I really liked their technique of using an underpainting and dissolving the pastel with either alchohol or mineral spirits. Makes laying in the darks so much easier.
Also, the azaleas here this year are absolutely incredible, I don't think I have ever seen azaleas like these before, they seem to be everywhere and are all so full. So hope to do some more with these beautiful colors.

2008-06-12T09:34:00.000-04:00

Sally Christiansen and I went out painting yesterday morning,
as everyone is off on vacation and not enough for a class. So we decided to motivate each other and
meet at our regular class time and instead of her teaching we both did pastels. It is so much more
fun to be with another artist and discuss whatever at the end or during or before.

There is a new beach pavilion here in Venice. For those who know it is next to Sharky's. It is raised quite high with a nice ramp and tables once you are there. The parking lot is paved and it is very easy to get
all one's stuff up there. Lovely breeze off the water. I started this cloud painting, as the clouds were incredible over the Gulf. With beautiful colors. This is only an impression, as I think I only painted for about and hour plus.

I do want to go back in the evening as the sunsets must be wonderful from this locatin. I tend to forget about it as we are so used to going to the South Jetty for everything. But really this is better for now as not too many people have found it yet. Wait till next year.

Mansion at Bay Preserve

2008-06-12T09:28:00.000-04:00

I completed this small pastel on location at
our last class. It is the porch of the mansion at Bay Preserve in Osprey, Fl. looking
out at the Intracoastal Waterway. What a lovely time the people who owned and
built this lovely home must have had back in the 1920's when there was no air conditioning
The breeze comes off the water and is so lovely in the shade of the palms and oak trees.

The class all enjoyed the time that we spent there.

Some Changes to the Funny Boat

2008-05-23T21:39:00.003-04:00

I had taken several photos on the spot after and before I started the sketch. When I go back to the studio, I decided that there were definitely some changes that I had to make to sharpen up the painting and also to get some depth into the green in the background. The tree line had been one of the criticisms from Heidi in our final session. I think she was right and that it had to be cooled to make the trees recede. I also had to make the boat a little smaller. I have a tendency to go outside the lines when I paint quickly. The boat and the trees grew a little to much, so they had to be brought back into line, a diet so to speak.

All in all, I very pleased with this one also, and like pastel painting much more than I ever thought that I would. I like the ability to catch a scene very quickly, with out having to worry about paint quality or getting the colors contaminated. I find it very liberating.

Tuesday's Pastel Class at Blackburn Point Road, Osprey, Fl

2008-05-20T16:32:00.002-04:00

Our group critique at the end of the painting session. See next blog

This view was done by Heidi. She has been in group for the whole session and does a lot of plein air painting. She definitely has captured the mood of the day, particularly with the sky and the distant shore.
Great little picture.

Last but not least is mine. Some of the other ladies had been to this site with another class and had painted the strange shape boat. This was my first time here and I loved the light on the sides of the boat, so I decided to be different and paint the boat. I am very satisfied with the results. Framing the boat with the trees takes away from the strange shape and focuses on the color of the ship. I loved the reflection of all the different colors in the sunlight, and the warm against the cool shadows. Just an
interesting exercise. The more we practice and solve problems the better we should get. At least that is the presumption I am working on, but might run out of time before I get to where I would like to be.

Our Pastel Class at Blackburn Point Road, Osprey, Fl

2008-05-20T16:22:00.002-04:00

Karen is sitting with her wonderful sketch of Little Sarasota Bay from this cute park Sally Christensen our instructor found. Behind her is Sandy packing up after a hard morning at work in the wind.
These are the results of our morning of pastel painting. Everyone commented on how much better we have all gotten this year. After a session, we line our pictures up and one at a time we critique each other. We have to mentioned something good and then something that we would change if it were our painting. Everyone is so constructive and considerate in their comments. What a great group we have become.
This is the painting Sandy did, she was not with us last week, as she had a very bad cold, she is well on the way to recovery this week and did this wonderful painting. Please note the mangroove tress in the right foreground and the great feeling of the wind in the far distance. Good job.
Karen, as usual has developed this wonderful whimsel style. It holds together well and makes a pleasing presentation. No criticisms here.
Note the great sky with clouds.

Pastel Pictures by the other artists

2008-05-14T19:50:00.001-04:00

Heidi did this wonderful scene of the boats and Villas at the Jettys in Venice, from the North Jetty across the intracoastal waterway. She did a great job of catching the light and spirit of the afternoon.
This is our final critique of the day. After we finish painting, we get together and critique each others paintings. From this we hope to keep getting better and better. Surprisingly it is really working, as well as encouragement from our instructor Sally Christianson.
This is by Karen Williams. She also looked south to Venice and the boats, but chose a little different view than Heidi. Each artist has such a unique style. The most fun is seeing how one location can inspire so many different paintings and styles.

Picture of set up on site

2008-05-14T19:40:00.001-04:00

Here is my setup for location pastel painting. This is at the North Jetty, Nokomis, Fl at about 6:30pm facing the intracoastal waterway. My pastel set is on the seat of my chair with wheels. At this point, I was done for the day and went on for a lovely potluck dinner with the other artists.

Intercoastal Marker

2008-05-14T18:11:00.000-04:00

Just finished this pastel of the Intracoastal Waterway at the North Jetty in Nokomis, Florida. Four of us
went out around 4:00 pm to catch the twilight just before the sun went down. It was very interesting see
how much the light changed around 6:00 from when we got there. We then had a picnic dinner, a great
time was had by all

Bay Preserve Park, Osprey, Florida

2008-05-11T17:14:00.000-04:00

Boathouse at a new park in Sarasota County. A private conservacey has purchased and is opening up to the public this wonderful old home, built in the 1940's immediately on the intercoastal. It has many acres and the Sarasota scullers, have a new home that is just beautiful. More pictures to come later.

Pastels from Sleeping Turtle Park, Venice, Florida

2008-05-11T17:08:00.000-04:00

I did not have much luck painting at Sleeping Turtle last fall when we went there, but this year was a bit better. My friends said that last year the pictures were dark. I tried to catch the light better this try and succeeded somewhat

First attempt to incorporate people in a landscape

2008-05-11T16:57:00.001-04:00

Our group went to the North Jetty in Nokomis, Florida this past Tuesday and instead of meeting at 9:00 in the morning we decided to try something different and meet at 4:00 to get the twilight. There were many people there after work enjoying the view and the setting sun, as well as some libation to the gods. These were several that were still for a long time and enabled me to catch their essence. They did not know they were being painted at the time, but did come over after to compliment the work. A good ending to the day.

The Lake at Oscar Scherer State Park

2008-05-11T16:51:00.000-04:00

We did this view of the lake at Oscar Scherer State Park in Osprey. Florida also, sometime in April. I really like the way both of these turned out. They catch the colors of spring in Florida as well as the feel of the growth. Keep your eyes out for alligators, and birds.

April Pastels

2008-05-11T16:22:00.000-04:00

View of the Myakka River from Oscar Scherrer State Park in Osprey, Florida done in the first week of April. There are a few spring colors here in Florida.