The Gardener 16 x 12 pastel on board

I'm posting this image of my stepfather, Everett Eldridge. I painted the picture yesterday and learned in the evening that he died during the day. We were expecting him to go, but it was meaningful to me to be painting him for the first time on the day that he died. The picture is of him in his beloved garden, after getting out of the hospital and nursing home in 2006. Before retiring, he was a boat builder. He was a life-time resident of Mattapoisett--a true Yankee! He and my mother were married in 1975 after both had lost their spouses several years prior. It was a wonderful marriage and we will all miss him.

The Turquoise Ball

The Turquoise Ball

8 x 6 pastel on board

$100 (unframed, incl. shipping)

And now for something completely different. My husband and I went to see cherry blossoms in Bethesda yesterday. I took all the obligatory pictures (which I almost never paint), but then saw this little boy with his bright orange shirt and large turquoise ball. I haven't tried to paint a child in a long time--almost never. So this was a challenge but also fun. It's all about color and light and value and shape, but it helps if you give him 5 fingers (which I didn't at first).

Terra Cotta Pot and Turquoise Vases

Terra cotta pot and turquoise vases

16 x 12 pastel on board

It's been a busy time with not enough time for painting. During the week that I began this blog I also bought a piano, which arrived last Friday. So I've had a pleasant diversion from painting. I finally got to do a still life on Sunday that I'm sharing. I wanted to contrast the opaqueness of the terra cotta and turquoise pots with the clear glass vase. When I put a spot light on it I got a beautiful stream of light from the vase. I used the counter top to produce bands of mid tone and darker color. I used a black backdrop, but quickly went away from black into other colors. I like the pureness of black, but find it to be a real challenge.

I took this photo in bright sunlight and it shows every little bump of the pastel and the texture of the board.