Bowl With Lemons
12 x 16
Pastel on board
Welcome to my blog, something I've thought about for a long time and finally decided to act on. I took a workshop last week with the inspiring figurative pastelist, Margaret Dyer, and I credit her for getting me going.
I want this blog to be something that is fun for me and for my viewers. Several years ago, I went into a gallery in Aspen, CO and showed my website to the owner. He loved my landscapes, but told me "you're no still life painter." I believed him. Now, however, I want to end those foolish restrictions on what I paint. Last week, I realized that I can still draw a decent figure, and recently I have been exploring still life. Thus, my blog is a way of giving myself permission to paint whatever I want. My principal interest is in creating pictures with strong compositions, interesting shapes and great color.
It's also a way of celebrating the joys of everyday life and trying to hold on a little to the days and years that seem to be speeding by. I believe that we are all here to make the most of our lives, in whatever way we are most able. For me, it is painting, teaching, and playing the piano. And I do love to give the occasional dinner party. So, who knows what might end up in this blog as it develops over time.
To begin, I'm posting a still life I did recently of a favorite bowl with lemons. The bowl was created by Scottie Allen, a member of my Bethesda gallery and good friend.
For those interested in the technical details: my current methods involve using gatorfoam with two coats of Art Spectrum colourfix liquid primer. I begin with a charcoal drawing, which I make into a wash with an old brush. Then I apply washes of liquid acrylic to provide interesting tones of warms and cools, darks and lights. I work then with nothing but soft pastels, leaving some areas of the underpainting showing, as I wish.
I hope you enjoy.
I want this blog to be something that is fun for me and for my viewers. Several years ago, I went into a gallery in Aspen, CO and showed my website to the owner. He loved my landscapes, but told me "you're no still life painter." I believed him. Now, however, I want to end those foolish restrictions on what I paint. Last week, I realized that I can still draw a decent figure, and recently I have been exploring still life. Thus, my blog is a way of giving myself permission to paint whatever I want. My principal interest is in creating pictures with strong compositions, interesting shapes and great color.
It's also a way of celebrating the joys of everyday life and trying to hold on a little to the days and years that seem to be speeding by. I believe that we are all here to make the most of our lives, in whatever way we are most able. For me, it is painting, teaching, and playing the piano. And I do love to give the occasional dinner party. So, who knows what might end up in this blog as it develops over time.
To begin, I'm posting a still life I did recently of a favorite bowl with lemons. The bowl was created by Scottie Allen, a member of my Bethesda gallery and good friend.
For those interested in the technical details: my current methods involve using gatorfoam with two coats of Art Spectrum colourfix liquid primer. I begin with a charcoal drawing, which I make into a wash with an old brush. Then I apply washes of liquid acrylic to provide interesting tones of warms and cools, darks and lights. I work then with nothing but soft pastels, leaving some areas of the underpainting showing, as I wish.
I hope you enjoy.
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