Laura's Sunset

This is done on black wet/dry sandpaper and I can't get the fluffy blending of the clouds like I'd like. I will try it again on pastel paper and then maybe again in oil.

Blaye Park in September

9 x 12 Pastel on Wallace paper

When I stayed at No. 16 Bed and Breakfast in Blaye, France, I had a view of this pretty little park that was across the street from my bedroom window. This is one part of the "U" shaped path that curves through the park. This is a very lovely, peaceful park. I sometimes took a book and sat on a bench to read. The teenagers gathered there during what I think was a 2-hr lunch period every day. They would get off their school bus (that looked like our city bus), wander the town or hang out in the park, then get back on the bus and return to school. They were not a rowdy group of kids. The park was still peaceful with them there.

Orange Trees

9.5 x 11 Pastel on Wallis sanded paper

Inside the Citadel (Blaye, France)

9.5 x 11 Pastel on black wet/dry sandpaper.
Blaye, France - September 2006

Dayle's Mountain

Pastel
9x11 Sandpaper

Sail Boat Regatta - Blaye, France

9 x 11, Pastel on wet/dry sandpaper

This is my seventh pastel. I took the source photo while standing on the bank of the estuary on a cloudy day in Blaye, France.

Gabrielle

8.5 x 11 Pastel on Mi Tientes paper

This portrait is "almost" finished—just a few more tweeks. Gabby is my 7-year old granddaughter. She insisted on lipstick and painted nails for the picture, but I was going to paint 'normal' lips anyway. Then I realized that this is really an integral part of Gabby's personality. Every time she comes to my house she wants to put on my lipstick and have her nails painted. She is a such girly girl—and yet she likes to collect critters (roly-polys, worms, snakes!)

Danielle

8.5 x 11 Pastel on Mi-Tentes paper

What an exercise in frustration! This was my third attempt at this portrait. I first tried painting it on black wet/dry sandpaper, but the black showed through to the front whenever I blended (on the cheeks, that's not a good thing). Then I tried Wallis sanded paper and had pretty much the same problem even though the backgrournd was gray. I had just about given up in frustration, vowing to go back to oils, but decided to give it one more try. Finally, this one was on creme Mi-Tentes paper. It looks much better in person. For some reason, this one did not photograph well. The shadow under her chin is really not so brown. Well, she likes it anyway, so I guess it's done. Three grandchildren down, two more to go. :)

Seward, Alaska

Seward, Alaska
9x11 Pastel

Cafe Roussi

10x15 Canson Mi-Tientes Paper

Sometimes when you're working from a photo, you have to take a little artistic license and adjust it a bit. This photo had a fairly large tree right in the middle of the picture that I felt was a little distracting. There were also several more chairs, pretty much tossed into each other like you might find when people are finished eating and leave their chairs about. I thought it pretty much looked like a jumbled mess, so I took a few of them out as well. Anyway, this is the finished result. My third pastel--I'm liking pastel a lot, but have yet to attempt a portrait.

Purple and Blue

Pastel, 9x11 Sandpaper

This is the reworked piece. I've added a bit of detail. It's 9x10 on sanded paper. The florals are fun to do because no two flowers look alike, so it's not as critical as portraits. Three things I've learned from this project: 1) If you're using a picture as your subject, make sure it's large enough, 2) Patience, patience, patience, and 3) Sometimes I overblend; it's okay to leave a little chalk on top. :) Hopefully, these little projects are great learning experiences.

Stargazer Lily

Stargazer Lily

After a bit of reworking. 10x13 on Canson Mi-Teintes paper.

Hunter

This is my grandson. He just turned 9.

He wanted his portrait done wearing
his new cowboy hat.

Justin

9x12 Oil on canvas (02/06)

© Leaning Tree
This is a copy of a Leaning Tree greeting card
done as a personal exercise.
16x20 Oil

Norman Rockwell copy
16 x 20 Oil on Canvas


18 x 24 Oil on Canvas
Painted years ago from a calendar.

Trapper

9 x 12 Pastel on Mi Tientes paper.

This is my first pastel. It was copied from an art instruction book on pastel. I did only this one pastel, then went back to oil painting for a few years before I gave pastels another try. I'm so glad I rediscovered pastels.

Lazy Days of Summer

16 x 20 Oil on Canvas

Source was an old black & white photo.

Jeromey

This is my son at age 18.