Good Bye 2010

It's the last day of the year, Good Bye 2010! This year has presented many new changes for me, sharing my art with all my friends and family through my website and this blog; actively pursuing entering shows;  furthering my art education by venturing out attending workshops; joining art associations and groups; and finally just getting out and painting the wonderful Wyoming landscape and environment.  With each new challenge I have found rewarding experiences and an awakening in new possibilities and directions to  take my artistic journey.    This past year, traveling the road to improve my art, has been a journey in joy and expression I had forgotten for a quite a few years.  There is something about the extremes of the Wyoming landscape and the people around me  that captures the wonder and excitement to motive my artistic mind. At this minute, looking out my window the snows and winds of a New Year's Eve blizzard has me anxious to grab a new sheet of paper and begin capturing this wonderland Wyoming!

To end the year, I'm posting 2 small 5x7 pastel paintings done before the storm.  Both paintings are part of a Weekly Artist Challenge group I belong.  Photos are submitted each week and each participating artist turns in their interpretation of the photo. A show will be held in January at the Cheyenne Artist Guild  exhibiting the groups most recent work.  I will have two of my pastel painting from earlier in the year hanging in the show.

This painting was from a WAC photo submitted on Dec 12th.  I'm a little behind  on the challenges but hope to catch up soon! 

This painting, also from a WAC submission, is revisiting  a photo and  painting done in October of a "A Dance in  the Garden". Knowing the snow was coming I couldn't resist one last look at the beauty of our Wyoming summers.

RSVP ArtFest Award!

It's been an exciting weekend.  I was thrilled to receive the 1st place award in pastels for Wind River Reflections and an honorable mention for my pastel Picnic at Haden Valley. Chris Schranck, artist from Denver and judge for the RSVP show,  presented a inspiring workshop.  Those that attended were energized to get out and explore the possibilities of trying new media and using it in new ways!  It is going to be fun  to explore the new ideas the past couple of days has sparked. 

RSVP ArtFest at the Laramie County Public Library in Cheyenne, WY

Three of my paintings will be showing during the RSVP ArtFest  November 16-December 21st.  They are located in the main hall as you enter the library by the coffee shop.

 "WIND RIVER REFLECTIONS"
Pastel painting of the Wind River
at Duboise, Wyoming.

This was a beautiful site where we camped in our RV at the Long Horn Ranch.  The water was so clear and blue.  As I was working I saw a storm coming, but before the storm reached us the water had turned a blood red color. It was quite a dramatic sight.  Fortunately, I had taken a photo to begin with so I was able to finish this painting at home with no threat of rain!

"A DANCE IN THE GARDEN"
An impressionist view of a flower garden done in pastels.

Getting Ready For Shows

It's been busy and I have not had the time to paint as I have wanted to the last couple of weeks.  Getting ready for Christmas shows I have spent all my painting time framing.  It's not as fun, but necessary, especially to display pastel work. 

If you're not familiar with pastels think of chalk on the teachers chalk board then think of all the colors of the rain bow smudged into a muddy mess.  One wrong touch can absolutely destroy hours of work so there is really no such thing as only matting.  Pastel  work must be covered to protect it! But accidents do happen, recently while working in my studio, my cat, Sasha, sat right in the middle of a painting as I was preparing it to be matted, adding her own special signature!  Fortunately she has  lots of artistic ability and I was able to finish framing my work! 


 

Sasha resting after a hard day of helping me paint!



This painting of Sasha will go to an upcoming exhibit at Works of Wyoming "Aah..Affordable Art" from 11/19/2010 through 12/31/2010. To find out more about the exhibit check out http://worksofwyoming.org/

RVs, Lunch and Paint!

Recently my husband and I traveled to Yellowstone, the colors of the land were some of the most beautiful we had ever seen in that part of the world.   Our stop for lunch from the side of the road in Haden Valley was the inspiration for this pastel painting.   I was amazed by the streak of light that cut across the landscape by the little stream below.  It's contrast was almost like lightning streaking through the grassland!