Waiting for Spring

On an afternoon walk through a local park near Lake Tahoe, we passed by this meadow. The shrubbery had not yet leafed out and was a purple haze of tiny branches and the grasses were still yellowed from recently melted snows. Here is my interpretation of what the camera recorded. It comes pretty close to the feeling of being there.

Waiting for Spring, 8x10 pastel on beige Canson

Desert Views

We were in the mountains above Palm Springs, 8600 feet high, and sat down aside the trail to paint this picture. Many thanks to my sweet companion for cheerfully carrying my pastels up with us! If you walk up to this little ridge and look over you can see Palm Springs way, way below!

8600 Feet High, 8x10 pastel on Canson

Also out of Palm Springs are many canyons with ancient palm trees. This is a gathering of old trees in Indian Canyon, fully "skirted" all the way to the ground.

Skirted Palms in Indian Canyon, 8x10 pastel on Canson

California Adventures Pastels

This is the view just before turning up the long drive to the WorldMark resort.

WorldMark Resort, 8x10 pastel on blue Canson

Along the trail in Indian Canyons, Palm Springs

Trail through the palm forest, 8x10 on blue Canson

Hiway Trees!

We awoke to snow in LaPine on Saturday and headed south towards California. Near Chemult the snow on the trees was thick and beautiful! I took a few photos from the car window as we drove along, and this first painting is based on those pictures.

Snowy Hiway trees, 8x8 pastel on blue Canson

Several hours later, in an area near Red Bluff, California, the trees out of the car window looked much different! These look like distant oak trees, and along the hiway were poppies in bloom. Such an amazing contrast from the morning pictures!

Hiway trees near Red Bluff, 8x8 pastel on grey Canson

This pastel is from the same photo, changed around somewhat, and rendered with different strokes. I kind of like it. Ken likes the first one best.

Hiway Trees near Red Bluff #2, 8x8 pastel on grey Canson

Through the Ferns #3

The third time is the charm as they say!

I couldn't get this little scene out of my mind, and attempts #1 and #2 weren't satisfying, so there was nothing else I could do but work out the difficulties on paper. This time I lightened things up quite a bit, changed the arrangement somewhat (I love artistic license!), and softened some of the edges. I'm actually happy with this one and feel like it's time to move on.

Path Through the Ferns #3, 8x10 pastel on Grey Canson

Path Through the Ferns #2

Not being totally happy with yesterday's work, I decided to try another version of the same scene with different colors. Since it is raining today, I simply worked from memory in my "studio" (aka my sewing room) and yesterday's references. Here it is again, the second time around....and I'm still not sure it's what I want.

Path Through the Ferns #2, 8x10 pastel on yellow Canson

Path Through the Ferns

I must learn to bring a sweater outside with me...April sunshine is not dependable!

I went out to the edge of my yard this afternoon and gazed into the woods. This path through the ferns interested me, with the light on the ferns and the deep woods behind them, so I went back inside to collect my art supplies. Then while the box elder bugs crawled through my pasel box, and I shivered under a newly cloudy sky, I did a quick painting on the wrong side of the pastel paper.

Path Through the Ferns, 8x10 pastel on orange Canson

Meadow Gold

Since the sun was shining this morning and I decided to take my easel outside to paint! The bright yellow new leaves on the trees in the meadow behind and below the maple trees were practically glowing and that was my initial subject. While I painted, I lost the sun entirely and actually started getting cold. I think it even shows in the finished work...it feels cool and cloudy just looking at it. Weather sure changes quick around here!

Meadow Gold, 8x10 pastel on grey Canson

This Little Pig Cried Whee!

This little pig was having a great time and he cried Whee! Whee! Whee! all the way home. :)

This Little Pig Cried Whee!, 6x6 pastel on orange Canson

This Little Pig Had None

Only one more to go in the series...

This Little Pig Had None, 6x6 pastel on orange Canson

This Little Pig had Roast Beef

This little pig with his friend and a tea set was waaaay too much detail to try and render in a six inch square with big fat pastels. Phew. I'll be glad to move on to the next one. :)

This Little Pig Had Roast Beef, 6x6 pastel on grey Canson