Well I am Definitely Hooked!

I don't think I have ever been as passionate about anything in my life as pastel painting. Okay, well lets recast that, I haven't been as passionate since I began courting Cindy, and wouldn't quit hounding her until she said yes. Yes, I know, a different kind of passion, but we won't go into that! That kind of passion turns you inside out and upside down in a wonderful way. The great part is we have been married thrity years and this year makes thirty-one.

Thanks to my sweetie, who jump started me in this passion for pastels and continues to encourage me as I continue to find new subjects to paint. It is very relaxing to be able to sit down and sketch out a subject that will become another painting. It isn't work, and when the creative juices are charged and a painting begins to come to life with each new additional color or line, it provides the artist, moi, with a great deal of satisfaction. To date I have painted 21 paintings and am going strong thinking of new subjects and challenegs I want to try.

I started a new pastel last night that will be a recreation of a beautiful photograph that my brother sent me.  He took the photo on his recent trip to Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona, Arizona.  The buttes in the photo are an orange, red, and mauve color, with many other colors thrown in as well. There is a weathered barn in the photo and a lot of bright green trees, that look a lot like cottonwoods.  It should make a beautiful painting if I can get the colors just right. The only flat part was the sky, but a few days ago I was out taking pictures of the beautiful clouds that filled the air in every direction, and I found a much more intense sky to use with this painting. It is so much fun to play withy nature, and make eye pleasing adjustments in a painting that will bring everything together.  Often when we take pictures, or begin a sketch of something, not all the elements are quite perfect. The fun part is making them perfect by adjusting colors, removing detracting objects or adding a point of interest. Professional photographers use this techinque by using Photoshop to enhance colors or remove offending obects.

Since pastel painting has become such a passion I decided to join the Placer Arts Group here in Auburn. My goal is to be able to participate in the art walk this coming April. If you have never participated, tickets are $10.00 per person. Ticket holders can walk or drive to the various restaurant and coffee house venues to look at the paintings on display and also get a glass of wine at the various stops.

I already have sufficient paintings to be a participant in the artwalk, but I need to decide on the best ones and get them matted and framed for the show. That will be a costly endeavor and I am already thinking about ways to reduce the costs of both the matting and framing process. Stay tuned for my solutions to this dilema.