Fir Tree Chaos

I sat on my back porch with my pastels this evening and began a quiet, thoughtful kind of painting. The feelings I was going for in this picture were soft and delicate. Soon enough, though, I stopped being thoughtful and let the pastels take over and a kind of chaos erupted. I reached gleefully for random colors and ended with wild dark strokes. Certainly not the kind of painting I set out to create tonight. There's a fir tree, some foxglove, catmint and a rhododendron in the mix. Can you tell? Strangely....I like it. :)

Fir Tree Chaos, 8 x 10 pastel on paper

Oregon City Seminary Building

I have worked in this building for 19 years, and now it's time to say goodbye. My office will no longer be used by the Seminary program, and since I did not want to commute to another building to continue working, I am officially "retiring" this week. I have framed this pastel and will be presenting it to Gordon Henderson tomorrow, as he has shared this building with me all these years and is also retiring and moving to Arizona. So many good memories, but now we are both moving on. Here's to remembering the past and looking forward to the future!

Oregon City Seminary Building 1993-2012, 8 x 10 pastel on paper

Sprinkler Girls

Here's a little figurative pastel...and it was hard! Of course I see a hundred things wrong with it, but it was fun trying. Practice makes.....well, better, right?

Sprinkler Girls, 8x8 pastel on yellow paper

Evening Guest

Several nights ago this raccoon paid us a visit, and I managed to get a quick photo of him prowling around on my back porch, carefully climbing around the potted holiday cactus plants.

Evening Guest, 8x8 pastel on dark blue paper

Eileen's Geraniums

Geraniums, white Alyssum, and blue Lobelia are my subject today! I was the lucky recipient of this hanging basket from Eileen, which graces my back porch. I happily scribbled bold color to capture my impression of the plant in the afternoon sunshine.

Eileen's Geraniums, 8x8 pastel on paper

Sunny Windowsill Flower

I've been away from my easel for almost a month! Life got so busy with work and family, that I found it necessary to set aside the pastels for a little while. This week I have re-arranged my studio and am excited to return to almost daily art. Today's small offering is quick and loose, just to get the feel of things again. :) Directly above my easel is a window looking outside and there's a large artificial flower resting there, so I chose it to be my first back-to-the-easel subject.

Sunny Windowsill Flower, 6x6 on black paper