When life gives you lemons, draw them, 11 x 14 inches dry pastels, graphite on paper

"When life gives you lemons, draw them." (Nikki)

"Color! What a deep and mysterious language." (Paul Gauguin)

summer

« Previous Entries Next Entries »

Summer Leaves

Friday, November 27th, 2020


 

Summer Leaves, Trask River OR - 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Summer Leaves, Trask River, Oregon – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Matthiessen State Park, IL

Saturday, November 21st, 2020


 

Matthiessen State Park, IL - 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Matthiessen State Park, Illinois US – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper. Framed size 27H x 33W inches, white wood frame, crackle finish.

This park located near Oglesby epitomizes the word “anomaly”. The surrounding landscape is flat for miles and miles, with a lot of farm fields and no hint at all that such pockets of vastly different ecosystems occur side by side, merging so abruptly. In fact, we know a guy who grew up an hour from there and he didn’t even know it existed! There are a few other hiking trails and hidden canyons with waterfalls in the area too.

Cumulonimbus: Montana Sunset

Friday, October 23rd, 2020


 

Cumulonimbus, Montana Sunset, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Cumulonimbus: Montana Sunset, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper. For many years I’ve wanted to try painting night skies. In July 2007, I was driving through Montana to Alberta as the setting sun bounced golden-pink hues through the already fantastic storm clouds. I pulled over and took some photos, thinking that even if they didn’t turn out, something is better than nothing. Reference photos don’t have to be perfect to bring back the awe of a particular moment; they are just a starting point. I intend to paint this with acrylics when I’m through with my soft pastel kick.

Sunflowers

Monday, October 19th, 2020


 

Sunflowers, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Sunflowers and an abandoned homestead in Nebraska, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb cold pressed watercolor paper.

Summer Forest

Thursday, October 15th, 2020


 

Summer Forest, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Summer Forest, Tualatin Hills Nature Park, Beaverton OR – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper. Phases of work are in thumbnails below. It might have been ok if left alone after phase 02, but it seemed too ordinary, so I pushed it beyond.

  Summer Forest, Phase 01 work in progress, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper   Summer Forest, Phase 02 work in progress, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper   Summer Forest, Phase 03 work in progress, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
  phase 01   phase 02   phase03

Overgrown

Monday, October 5th, 2020


 

Overgrown, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper

Overgrown in Denton, TX, this old building is now torn down – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper.

Red Squirrel

Thursday, October 1st, 2020


 

Red Squirrel, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper

Red Squirrel in Ottawa, Ontario – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper

Mountain Goats

Tuesday, September 29th, 2020


 

Mountain Goats, Sandpoint ID, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper

Mountain Goats near Sandpoint, Idaho – early summer, so mama is molting. 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper

Milkweed

Thursday, September 24th, 2020


 

Milkweed along Hwy 69 Kentucky, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Milkweed along Hwy 69 Kentucky, a favorite subject of mine – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper

Longhorns, Scottsbluff, Nebraska

Monday, September 21st, 2020


 

Longhorns, Scottsbluff, Nebraska -18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Longhorns, Scottsbluff, Nebraska -18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper.

This is a compilation of scenery by the monument area and cows on a farm that were closer to town. On this hot summer day, the longhorn were bothered by the flies. I sat by the road and watched them for quite a while because the way they sport those horns is fascinating, and the horns-size on the bull seem kind of impossible. Another newborn calf, a white one, was nearby in the long grass.

Post-dated note: Accepted in the J. Mane Gallery’s Fins, Feathers and Fur 2020 exhibition.

« Previous Entries Next Entries »