Pastel 100 Winner!

For those of you who don't know, the Pastel 100 is the Pastel Magazine's annual competition where judges choose the best 100 paintings out of thousands of entries (almost 3200 this year!).  There are 30 top prize and place winners and 70 honorable mentions in five categories.  The winners are published in the April issue of the Pastel Journal Magazine.

I'm very happy to announce my painting "Banana Bread" won Fifth Place in the Still Life & Floral category:

"Banana Bread"

9x12"

Soft Pastel

(SOLD)

And my painting "Daily Habit" won an Honorable Mention in the Animal & Wildlife category:

"Daily Habit"

10x25"

Here are the pictures of the magazine pages for those of you who aren't likely to buy the magazine.  As you can see, I'm in excellent company!

Click here for information about the competition.

"The Still Life" Opening Reception

The opening reception for The Still Life show at the Elliott Fouts Gallery is Saturday, October 13, 2012, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The Still Life also features Elizabeth Barlow, Leigh-Anne Eagerton, Teresa N. Fischer, Thane Gorek, Michael E. Hockenbury, Sangita Phadke, Alvin Richard, Christopher Stott, Joanne Tepper, and Kathrine Lemke Waste.

If you can't go in person, here is a link to the show online:  The Still Life

Elliott Fouts Gallery
1831 P Street
Sacramento, CA  95811
(916) 736-1429

Elliott Fouts Gallery Web Site

Follow Elliott Fouts Gallery on Facebook

Color My World 2

Here is the second painting of my "Color My World" series in The Still Life show at the Elliott Fouts Gallery.  The show opens October 6, 2012.  Along with my work, there will be excellent paintings by Alvin Richard, Teresa Fischer, Christopher Stott, and more.  If you're within driving distance to Sacramento, you won't want to miss it!  If you can't get there in person, check Elliott Fouts Gallery's web site for pics of the show.

"Color My World 2"

9x12"

Soft Pastel

For information regarding this painting, please contact Elliott Fouts Gallery, (916) 736-1429.

"The Still Life"

October 6 - November 1, 2012

Elliott Fouts Gallery

1831 P Street

Sacramento, CA  95811

Elliott Fouts Gallery Web Site

Follow Elliott Fouts Gallery on Facebook

American Art Collector Magazine, October 2012

My painting "Color My World" appears in the October issue of American Art Collector magazine in an article about an upcoming still life show at the Elliott Fouts Gallery.  The show runs from October 6 to November 1, 2012.

I'll have four new paintings in the show.  They are a series of paintings depicting the progression of a crayon drawing from start to finish.  If you'll be in the Sacramento area next month, be sure to stop by the gallery and see the show!

 

Photo courtesy Elliott Fouts Gallery

American Art Collector magazine

October issue (#84)

Page 150/151

"Color My World"

9x12"

Soft Pastel

"The Still Life"

October 6 - November 1, 2012

Elliott Fouts Gallery

1831 P Street

Sacramento, CA  95811

Elliott Fouts Gallery Web Site

Follow Elliott Fouts Gallery on Facebook

Pastel Still Life - Banana Bread

This isn't the easiest thing I've ever painted, but it might be the most fun.

"Banana Bread"

9" x 12"

Sof Pastel

For purchase information, please contact Elliott Fouts Gallery (916) 736-1429.

(SOLD)

New Painting, New Gallery

I am very happy to announce that I am now being represented by the Elliott Fouts Gallery! I've been a fan of this gallery for a few years now, and I'm thrilled for the opportunity for my work to hang alongside the work of artists I've admired for so long:  Christopher Stott, Alvin Richard, Theresa Fisher, Todd Ford, Bryan Mark Taylor, Vic Vicini, and other great artists.

This is one of a few smaller works I'm sending down to the gallery for their Grand Opening celebration on June 9, 2012.  They are moving to a larger space, and the building looks amazing!  If you're within driving distance to Sacramento, CA, it will definitely be worth attending.  For more information, visit Elliott Fouts Gallery's web site.

"Game Over"

9" x 12"

Soft Pastel

For information regarding this painting, please contact Elliott Fouts Gallery, (916) 736-1429.

Follow Elliott Fouts Gallery on Facebook.

(SOLD)

Kirsten Gallery's 40th Anniversary Exhibition

I've been invited to participate in the Kirsten Gallery's 40th Anniversary Exhibition.  The show opens Sunday, May 20, with an artist reception from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., and ends July 1, 2012.  I plan to be at the reception, so if you're in the Seattle area, I hope you'll come!  For those of you not in the area, you'll be able to see the show online at the Kirsten Gallery's web site.  This is a small works show, so there will be lots of excellent, affordable art!  I'll have several pieces in the show.  Here is one of them:

"Game On"

8" x 10"

Soft Pastel

For information about this painting, please contact the Kirsten Gallery (206) 522-2011.

(SOLD)

Kirsten Gallery's web site.

Follow Kirsten Gallery on Facebook.

Still Life in Soft Pastel - Cars

I've never considered myself a still life painter, but this new series I've started could make me turn into one.  They're super fun.   

"Traffic Jam"

18" x 24"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

These are my son's old cars which he had saved in a box in his closet.  Funny thing I've learned about men and their toy cars, they remember all of them.  From what I've seen so far, men seem to turn into little boys when they look at this painting.  I couldn't have hoped for a better response.

Looking Ahead to Christmas

For years I've wanted to paint a Christmas themed painting that I could use for a Christmas card.  Unfortunately, by the time I'm thinking about Christmas it has always been too late.  I'm quite proud of myself for remembering early enough this year to make it happen.

This painting was a bit of a challenge, but great fun to paint.  I love the idea of arranging things into a pile and painting them.  I'm going to do it again with my next painting.  In fact, I might have many more like this in the future - my head is spinning with ideas!

"Christmas Memories"
14" x 18"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

Mangos

A couple of days ago, my daughter said, "Why don't you paint while you're on pain pills?  Maybe you wouldn't paint something boring."  Ouch (I'm looking forward to the time when the brutal honesty of teenagers is replaced by a modicum of tact).  I don't want to talk about the reason for the pain pills, because then I'll go into a rant about Mohs surgery, and this is an art blog after all.  Suffice it to say, I hope I like my new nose better than the original.

Anyway, I decided to take my daughter's advice, and try to paint something loose and colorful (but also easy).  Unfortunately, the pain pills were somewhat unimpressive.  Not wanting to disappoint, I decided to see if I could push the color a bit more than I normally would.  I also decided not to obsess, as I normally would (the pain pills actually did help with this aspect).  This is the result of my day on drugs.  I sincerely hope it's not too boring. ;)

"Mangos"

14" x 11"

Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard

Pastel Painting with WIP Pics

This is a painting based on a photograph I took in Venice, Italy.   I loved Venice - it was a visual feast!  I was fascinated by the very common scene of laundry hanging out on lines in Venice.  It's just not something I ever see where I live.  

It was sunny and beautiful when we were there, and I loved the shadow patterns the laundry made on the walls of the buildings.  I enjoyed this particular spot because of all the intersecting laundry lines connecting the colorful buildings, the light on the clothing and, of course, the shadows.  All of that against the bright blue sky made me want to paint it.

I'm posting some WIP pics in case you're interested in seeing the process.

And the finished painting again:

"Laundry Day, Venice"

19" x 25"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

M&M Addiction

I can't help it, I'm addicted.  These are so fun to paint, I just had to try them larger.  But this will be the last one.  Probably.  Maybe.  Well, for right now, anyway.

9.5" x 12.5"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

M&Ms II

M&Ms are just as addictive to paint as they are to eat. It's just too fun. I had to do it again.

5" x 5"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

M&Ms

I was in the mood for something fun and colorful, so I bought some M&Ms to paint a still life. I debated painting the candy dish in various crops, but finally decided it would be more fun to do a really close crop of just the candy.

When you aren’t used to eating a lot of sugar, M&Ms are unbelievably sweet! I was amazed at how quickly I went from being nauseous to addicted. I had so much fun painting this, but found it is difficult to paint candy without wanting to eat it. Now I need to paint something healthy to get over my sugar high.

M&Ms

5” x 5”

Soft Pastel on La Carte

Still Life in Soft Pastel

My friend Pat Meras (an extraordinarily talented pastel artist - check out her blog!) gave me a little white box lined with newspaper and filled with pears from her tree. I don't know whether Pat consciously tried to make this box of pears look so appealing, or if everything she touches turns out to be a work of art, but I knew I had to paint it. The pears were delicious, too. Thanks, Pat!

9.5" x 12.5"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

Cupcakes and More Cupcakes

I didn’t get a chance to participate in the Different Strokes From Different Folks challenge for week 46-48 when everyone painted cupcakes. It looked like it would be a fun subject to paint, so when I had the time I took a crack at it.

“Cupcakes”
8” x 10”
Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard

I had so much fun painting them, but I really wanted to try the same subject on a different support. I heard about a new cupcake shop in Tacoma, so I drove over there looking for good references. I got them!

The shop is called “Sweet Things Cupcakes,” and is full of the most beautiful cupcakes I’ve ever seen. I didn’t get to try any of them because they weren’t gluten free, although the owner said they were planning on serving a gluten free cupcake eventually. The staff was very friendly and very kindly let me take some photos for references.

“Sweet Things”
9.5” x 12.5”
Soft Pastel on La Carte

If I could have eaten one, I’d have picked the Lemon Meringue (which I haven't painted yet). It looked fabulous! If you’re in the Proctor area of Tacoma, please stop by and try one so you can tell me all about it. I want to hear every yummy detail!

Cherries

Here's one I just finished. It will be available this weekend, along with some of my other paintings, at the Peninsula Art League's sale during the Maritime Gig Festival, June 6 & 7. The sale will be set up in the old Ship to Shore building by the new museum. If you're close to Gig Harbor, make sure you stop by and see all the great original art!

3.25" x 5.25"

Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard

"Moored"

This painting is part of a small works show at the Peninsula Library in Gig Harbor. I wanted to paint something with a bit of local flavor for this show, and this little dinghy seemed just right. It will be on display until March 30.

"Moored"

5" x 7"

Soft Pastels on Suede Matboard

Buddha

This is a painting of my favorite statue at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the big island of Hawaii. I suppose because of the cold and snow I’ve been daydreaming about the summer vacation we’ve planned, which includes another visit to the Hilton Waikoloa. We had such a fabulous time there, and I am so looking forward to going back. This statue was by our hotel tower, so we saw it every day as we boated in from or out to another part of the resort. For some reason, just looking at it made me happy.

8" x 10"

Soft Pastels on Suede Matboard

Boots

I painted this for the current challenge on the Different Strokes From Different Folks blog. Since this was a simple subject, Karin suggested we push ourselves in a different direction. That was truly my intention when I started this painting. I blocked in the basic shapes with the side of a pastel, and everything was going fine. But then my brain took over and by the time I realized it was not going how I’d originally intended, I was having too much fun to stop.

10”x8”
Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard

Speaking of fun, I got a nice surprise when the results for last month's EBSQ shows were tallied. In the Portrait Swap show, my portrait of Frankie won Member’s Choice award, and Tracey & Poe won Patron’s Choice. My portrait of Obama won Member’s Choice in the Campaign Art Show. Thanks to all who voted for my work! It was definitely a fun surprise!