Ava with Hibiscus

 9x13 pastel

My daughter sent me this picture of Ava, my granddaughter, holding a hibiscus.  I just loved it and decided to try a pastel on the velour paper again.  I'm beginning to like this paper for portraits, as it seems to blend very nicely using girualt portrait and landscape pastels.  Looks like I may just try one of my husband next! (and, yes, she does have those very light blue eyes!)

Girl in a Turban

In Albuquerque at the IAPS convention this past June, a beautiful girl was sitting in the grass at the Hotel as we returned from Old Town.  It was such a hot day, almost 90 degrees and she looked so spotless and cool, underneath that gorgeous turban.  I asked if she would mind if I took her picture and a few of us artists started photographing her.  I planned to paint her asap, but, of course, that didn't happen.

 14x11 - Pastel

Was going through my stash of pastel papers and found some velour.  I think I used it once and wasn't happy with the results.  Asked an artist friend how she applies pastel to velour, and then got that photo out and started this painting.  I've been working on it for a few days.  It takes applying hard and medium pastels and I tried building up some layers so that I wouldn't loose the pastel on the surface, which happened to me the only time I tried this paper.  I think this worked and I'm very satisfied with the results.

Country Road to Blue Mountain

With all the rain we're getting this week, the leaves are finally falling, so the peak is over.  I hate to see it end - I love fall the best.  it's an artist's dream season, I think.  I took a photo of Blue Mountain from the road a couple of weeks ago, when the leaves were still glorious with color.  It's amazing how great my camera is, it got the shot at 50 mph!

 11x14 - $175.00

This weekend I spent it at a quilter's retreat in Lake Pleasant.  I finished a crib quilt for my soon-to-be grand baby and then did this painting from the photo.  I love it when the road seems to reach up and has a life of it's own. 

At the Butterfly Garden

 14x11 - $225.00

Since getting to New York, I haven't had too much opportunity to paint for myself.  I was painting for the Old Forge Paint-Out, then for the Moose Festival in our town and now I'm actually working on a baby quilt for my soon-to-be new grandbaby. You could say, I've been busy......Anyway, this week I got the pastels out once again and did this of the butterfly garden at my mom's place - in Mission Viejo.  Some of the residents there took it upon themselves to create a beautiful oasis near their community center at Casta del Sol.   We visited it a few times this summer, each time I took photos and this painting is from one of my photos.  I'm not sure if I'm going to paint someone sitting on that chair, or not.  Have to give it some thought, but, for now, I like it the way it is.  I just wish I knew the names of all the flowers surrounding that walk!