new method

10x10 pastel on UArt

 Exciting times and a new method! As always I am painting in layers, but this time the layers are different. All my time spent painting in the studio(with oil) is changing my ways. Originally it was Richard McKinley who peaked my interest in this new method. I still use my favorite paper, Uart, but I now start with NuPastels (a very hard pastel normally not my favorite because of it fugitive nature.) A light pastel layer in place, I next use Spectra-Fix as if it was water. It makes the pastel move, but also gives it a shiny, thicker surface. Next comes another liquid layer- a transparent layer of watercolor. The watercolor moves in and out with the spectra-fix layer, creating a similar vibration as the marble dust did....sort of like glazing with oils. After that dries I finish with soft pastel. It takes less pastel since so much of the underpainting does the work. The method allows me to focus on the edges in a different way.

Great quote of the week:
"In order to use color effectively, it is necessary to realize that color deceives continually." Josef Albers

 Think simultaneous contrast.

Bull-less Field or Melon Moment

10x10 pastel and watercolor on Uart
It's really hard to make the feeling of softness in the grasses. Layers and layers of color with a very warm underpainting was my plan. hmmmmmm.

This field is down at the end of a road that ends at the river. Lowell sent me out there to go to his sister Kay's farm. I met them on Thursday. When I went to the farm I was instructed to walk through the fields to the river. Her husband said not to worry about the bull in the fields. He will just look. Then when I asked, "What if he gets curious?" He replied, "Good, you have running shoes on. Go to the river, bulls don't swim." Now, knowing my recent luck with wild animal sightings I decided I might do better in a Bull-less field.
Everyone here is so nice and helpful. It really is a great place to paint; nice people, beautiful fields and rivers!

Rays of Summer

12 x 12 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper
Ah...summer, the nats are out, the humidity strong. The light was streaming through the trees in streaks and dabbles. I really do love summer in DC. This morning at Riverbend was soooooo quiet; I could even stand right in the path and not one person came by me. With this one I chose my focal point and then played light/ dark, warm /cool all around it. Darks are transparent..lights thick. It felt good.

The Hill beside the Church

4x7 pastel and watercolor on Uart
Today was sort of odd, mostly overcast, but yet I swear the light was gold.
I did this one yesterday because I am leaving now to visit relatives in Pennsylvania. We are celebrating my nephew's first birthday. I hate missing a day of painting...it makes me feel so unbalanced! Habit is a very good thing.

Chattering Winds

about 8 x 11 pastel and frozen watercolor on Uart paper
Ahhhhh the reservoir...my muse.
It felt so good to be back to the reservoir....finally. The thirty mile an hour winds still couldn't stop me. Prepared, I took the two cloth grocery bags stored in the car and filled them with everything, and I mean EVERYTHING loose in the car. Next, I attached them to my easel and voilah! a stable easel. I decided that I really wanted the water to feel choppy, the kind of chop you get on a small body of water.
And how do you make the feeling of wind?
This will be my Saturday post. I hope to go see a Hudson River School exhibit in New York this weekend.

Luminosity Squared

about 11 x 11 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $100. plus tax and ship
The Potomac River right below the Chain Bridge has a wonderful open space view. I chose to use a square format, as I have done frequently as of late. Squares fascinate me. Being neither vertical or horizontal they begin with a tension not present in the other formats. Verticals are dynamic and make a thrust while horizontals are calming.......that leaves the wonderful square. It allows YOU to determine. Cool, eh?

Tempting Colors

10 x10 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $100. plus tax and shipping
Back to another place I love....the reservoir. I have been asked many times recently; "why do you underpaint in watercolor?"
After this morning's work I made a list:
1. Watercolor can be massed quickly. I really like to play off a mass of color rather than white paper.
2. Watercolor has a beautiful translucent vibrancy. It is Richard McKinley (pastel god) who has challenged me to leave more of the watercolor visible in the final painting.
3. I like to underpaint with more intense colors than the finished product (again, something to play off of). With watercolor underneath I have more room to build color if necessary.

The Grandaddy of Distance

11x14, pastel and watercolor on Uart paper, $300.
Wow, what a view! I almost drove off the road. I found this year last year and it took me the last 4 days to find it again. This vision sat in my mind all year.
Distance and big space with the rose colored light overlapped with the wowza feeling of seeing this view was my concept.
Merry Christmas everyone!

Golden Wind

10 x10 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $200.
The golden light from the east winds matched the whipping winds from the west. Still, the painting time was mighty fine!
I love the square.

Early November at Riverbend

about 7x11 pastel and watercolor on uart paper $100. Sold
This is another try at the same Riverbend/Potomac river scene I painted on Sunday. I changed to format and realized that I think I prefer the square.
Remember to vote... it's important!

Gold Takes Over

6.5x6.5 pastel on Uart paper $100.
Next painting, this time the field began to open up into warm light. A group of teenage bucks leaped through as I painted. Wow!
Challenge for this- paint the light key without getting persnickety on detail.

September 1, 2008 Streamin'

7x7, pastel on board
The light was just beautiful as it streamed through the canopy and bounced off the stream. Beautiful and elusive. So much remains unfinished as I struggled to get that wonderful feeling. I guess I will have to go back to this location and try again.

August 12, 2008 Beckoning

9x12 pastel on board
The glory of Riverbend Park (in my opinion); this time I decided to compose it on a more dynamic vertical. This particular view always beckons me towards that veiled light deep inside the trees.

August 6, 2008 Verdant Gorge

about 11x14, pastel and watercolor on board
Green is the color that dominates the landscape at this time of year and the Washington
area is VERY green. Therefore it was a challenge to take on this view. As Richard says, orange is the secret to green and violet is its friend. Underneath the green is a burnt sienna wash and the pinkish violet rocks easily spoke to the violet part of the shadow green.
This is the view of the gorge from Chain Bridge. Thank you to all the cyclists that tolerated me in the walkway of the bridge this morning.

August 5, 2008 Violet Bend

about 12x13, pastel and watercolor on wallis board
Quiet morning before the rain and I decided to enjoy one of my favorite spots on the canal. I call it Big Bend.

Welcome to all my new subscribers! Thanks for joining my blog! Back to the studio.

August 1, 2008 Shadow Play

about 7.5x7.5, pastel and watercolor on board
My goal today was to paint the shadow pattern, put down the big shapes in watercolor and then stick with it- no changes. The gorge on the Potomac river, a place where shadow patterns are strong in the morning, was perfect for this exploration.

July 31, 2008 Silver Queen

7x14 Approx. pastel on board
You never know what the river will bring. This morning I was greeted by about 25 huge turkey vultures sitting on the bridge and even more on the branches in the river (note the distant branch on the left.) The river's color was silver, therefore, silver queen. I believe the river is a she; strong, changeable, lovely, and irresistible.

July 30, 2008 River Glass

approximately 17x12, pastel and watercolor on board
This morning was a real hot one by the river. It was only 8:30am and 95 degrees. That kind of heat and stillness brings a special kind of calm and beauty to the river. It's only me and the birds and butterflies. It's worth all the sweat.
Can you feel the very still heat in the painting?

July 26, 2008 Smooth Operator

6x10 approx. pastel and watercolor on board
The river...so what else is new?

I began a new studio piece this afternoon. It has really been in the works since sometime two weeks ago. A field piece, based on "Longing" and "Dreams Are Made of This," it will be dedicated to my Mom whose birthday is this week (had she lived.) Mom died of cancer 9 years ago and I still miss her terribly. I hope to auction off the piece and donate the money to cancer research. More on this piece as it develops.

July 15, 2008, Dreams are Made of This

about 10x14, pastel and watercolor on marble dust board
This one is my favorite. Ever since seeing this field 4 days ago I have thought about it repeatedly and planned many paintings. It was my complete luck that this morning would be foggy too! I love fog!!!!
The field is filled with daisies, can you believe it? I did 3 paintings here today, stayed from 9am -8pm. I wanted so much to be part of this place that I took an afternoon nap in the field and took an afternoon nap. I think I will do a bigger painting from this one when I return home.
(sorry about the bad photo..it's the best I can do car-side)