Continued Inspirations

Cafe Three

After my experience with Cafe One and Two I decided to brush off another failed painting and work in the same vein as the prior paintings. Sometimes you have a work that just never makes it.....it is totally unresolvable. The good thing with pastel is....you can brush off the pigment particles and then wash down the Wallis sanded pastel paper with water. Let it dry thoroughly and you have a pretoned surface with the grit ready to take on new pastel. That's what I did with this new piece, "Cafe Three". Then I painted another abstract version of groups of people interacting in a cafe setting. I totally enjoy working abstractly like this. There is lots of freedom and color is inspiring of itself. Hope you enjoy these three paintings.

Cafe Love!

Cafe Two

Cafe One

These two pastels are a result of an earlier large pastel painting that I was not at all happy with. ....but there were parts of it I loved, it just didn't work as a whole. I was about to brush off the work and start anew....when I got the brainstorm to take it apart. I've seen other artists rework their paintings this way with success so decided it was worth a try. Cafe One and Cafe Two are smaller paintings cut down from the original piece and I absolutely love them. Yeah!!! Success. These are two great little works! Can't wait to frame them up.

Canoes for Rent

Canoes for Rent

pastel 12 x 16"

Last summer I went on vacation with all my children and grandchildren to the wonderful oceanside city of Seaside, OR. We had such a wonderful time all together. The weather was great and the city is delightful. There is a river that flows through the town on its way to the Pacific Ocean and vacationers can rent these canoes to paddle in the river and under the street bridges. I shot the reference photo for this painting while standing on a bridge looking down on the summer vacationers enjoying their time on the water. The painting is a reminder of special times at special places with special people! Ahhhhh, summer vacations....how we love you!

I wish each of you could know!

Cow and her Calf

pastel, 12 x 16"

Capitol and Fourth

pastel. 12 x 16"

I wish everyone could experience what it feels like to lose track of time and be absolutely wrapped up in each and every stroke....of being absolutely enthralled in making the choices of what color to lay here and what stroke is needed there. There is a rhythm that takes over that is so priceless that it is difficult to pull yourself away at the end of the day!

Being an artist just makes me happy! :-) And I wish each of you to have a similar joy in something you choose to do!