Tree Shadows

Shadows around this gorgeous tree in Rochester, New York caught my attention.  There was a peace to this tree, so sturdy, so much width to shelter people from the sun, a bit mystical in it's color.  I don't know what kind of tree this is, but still love the beauty in it. 

10x10 Canson Touch pastel paper mounted to board

The Marsh

We have so many marshes here in the north country of New York that on every hike I find another place to paint!  This pastel is of a march in Tupper Lake, on the way to Lake Placid.  Pastel on a 6x18 board gives this piece a long format in which to view the distant hills.  It seems a peaceful place.

6x18 pastel on pastelbord

Under brush

Fall's such a beautiful place in the Adirondacks and this fall we took lots of walks to our lake.  As the weather turned colder, the underbrush became filled with dead leaves and dried sticks.  They had a color all their own and I took lots of reference photos for a pastel painting. 

11x14 pastel on board

Twilight

My reference photo for this pastel was taken one evening on our way home from Lake Placid, New York.  We were crossing Tupper Lake and I stopped to take many photos.  The sunset was magnificent, going from pink, violet, red to yellow.  In painting this landscape, I scumbled the pastel all over, then dripped alcohol down it, deciding to leave the drips on the surface as I put the final pastel on the paper.  It was not a totally planned painting, I just went where the drips went and had fun.  I enjoyed the long format - 10x20.

10x20

L. A. Cool

I've been painting my grandson for many years.  First as a five year old at the zoo, then as a 10 year old in a pumpkin patch.   When he was a teen, I painted him with his fist in the air, full of himself and now, as a 23 year old, I'm still interested in painting his portrait.  My reference photo for this pastel was taken at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.  I think he looks pretty cool in his sunglasses. 

16x16 on pastel board

August Afternoon on the Hudson

Last year the state of New York opened up a tract of land called the Essex Chain of Lakes. The state bought the land from a corporation and an organization called the Gooley Club.  The club consisted of  a group of people who built camps and a clubhouse on the property years ago and were avid fishermen and campers.  Now that the land is open to the public, my husband, grandson and I walked back to the end of the Indian Lake section, about four miles.  This section of the Hudson is about a mile in, near the Gooley Clubhouse.  It's so serene and peaceful back there, although, as we walked down to the river, my grandson and I heard dogs barking.  Knowing that no one else was around, we acknowledged that the "dogs" were probably coyotes, who were not happy with us invading their territory.  Once at the river, they disappeared and Matt and I enjoyed the gorgeous setting and beautiful day.  I took the reference photo before leaving and started this painting before setting out for California in late April  I have just now finished it.  A lovely afternoon on the Hudson.

16x0 pastel on board

Surf and Rocks at Laguna Beach

I didn't have much of a chance to paint those glorious rocks at Laguna while I was out in California last month, but as soon as I got home and the house was cleaned, the 12 loads of laundry was done and the lawn was back into shape, I had an urge to paint the California surf.  I also wanted to paint another scene for a charity event a friend is organizing in California for July 19th. 

I've framed it and it will go out tomorrow.  I hope it goes to a good home!

14x11 pastel

Resting Place

As artists, not every piece is worthy of being framed and shown.  This was one that I thought was good, but needed something.  I put it away.   Lately, I've been taking out the pastels that need to be reworked and trying for a new direction with them.  This one had potential!  The Hedges is a resort on Blue Mountain Lake and these boats are always resting there, waiting for visitors to use them to enjoy this spectacular lake.  I will mat and frame this now.

Pastel - 18x24  on Canson Mi-Tientes pastel paper

Lucy

My cousin Ann Marie has always been a creative, unique person.  Her daughter, Lucy, seems to have the same attributes as her mom - plus a flair for drama and art!  This pastel was done for Ann, based on a photo she allowed me to use.  I hadn't done a portrait in quite awhile and I hope I captured Lucy's unique, sweet character.

16x20 on Wallis pastel paper

Ice Dreams

Before going to Florida for the holidays to visit family, I started this pastel.  We were getting ice and cold, but nothing like is depicted in this pastel.  The photo came from a friend who does get this kind of ice and snow in Syracuse, NY.  The original photo has a large tree branch filled with snow in the leff hand corner.  In order to show the shadows I wanted to show, I eliminated that tree and the branches.  It is a beautiful photo, but I think, as a painting, I needed to put that large block of shadow in, falling off the page.  I hope it shows the movement I felt in those tree shadows.

pastel 11x14 on board

Snow Train

Finally finished the pastel of the train that comes to North Creek NY.  Every winter the train makes trips from New York City and Saratoga Springs, to North Creek, where the skiing is great at Gore Mountain.  The train specializes in a great breakfast before skiers disembark at the North Creek station for a day, or a week, of skiing.  I always love to see these trains stopped in the snow.  I took this photo last year - it was snowing, cold and quiet at the station.  Getting the snow on the pastel board was a challenge.  I tried Liz Haywood Sullivan's method of alcohol on a toothbrush with pastel and it worked up to a point, but I also manually added the flakes.  Between the two techniques, I think it worked!

This pastel is on Ampersand board and is 16x20.

Weeping Willow

As fall approaches, the parks in our area are especially beautiful.  In the Adirondacks, we can't grow weeping willows, but in Saratoga Springs, just one hour and fifteen minutes away, the parks are full of them.  This park is right near downtown Saratoga Springs, and very close to the carousel for the children.  A gorgeous park in a very vibrant and busy community.

14x11 pastel

Shaded Path to the Lake

I have been so busy this summer with grand kids visiting so painting has been put on the back burner for awhile.  I've missed it, though,  and now that everyone has gone home and the house is quiet, I have started painting again.  This was done a few weeks ago.  We walk down to our lake in the mornings with the dogs and it's always so peaceful.  The quality of the light through the trees just gets more pleasing to me every time we walk there.  And, of course, the lake itself, is the special gift at the end of this shaded path. 

12x9 pastel

Lake Snow

Finally!  A week ago we had a nice, sunny day!!  My neighbor and I drove down to our Lake Snow and painted for about an hour and a half.  It was so quiet and peaceful, AND very little bugs.  Anyone who knows the Adirondacks, knows that this time of year the black flies can surround you and drive you nuts - also the deer flies.....but not that day.  It's always a good day when I get out to paint!

9x12   $125.00

Golden Afternoon

A couple of years ago, we were bored and decided to driving to Lake Placid, from Indian Lake.  If anyone knows the area, it's a good one and a half hour drive along lakes, wilderness, and small towns.  We drove past Tupper Lake and this scene.  How could I not take lots of photos, with the intention of painting it?  Well, two years later, and in anticipation of giving a pastel workshop next week, I finally took the time and effort to paint it.  I did a basic value study, laid in the color, did a mineral spirit wash, and then the final pastel details.  I intend to use this method next week in my demo for the workshop.  Hopefully, it'll be fun for the students to try this method. 

9x12 -  $175.00

Yosemite Reflections

Have been traveling the past three weeks.  Actually, we're still on the road, now in Flagstaff, Arizona, on our way to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the pastel convention in a couple of days.  I wanted to post this pastel I did before we left our home in early May.  At the time, I was so into painting from photos I took of Yosemite National Park.  As we travel, I'm just so amazed at the beauty of this country.  I'm eager to start painting on Thursday, as I'm signed up for a plein air workshop -florals.

16x20-$425.00

River View/Yosemite

Since we've had one snow storm after another, I've decided to paint a series of Yosemite pastels.  I'm painting from photos I took a couple of years ago when we decided to take our grandson over a four day weekend.  We've traveled across this country and back many times, but the majesty of Yosemite National Park was beyond words.  This pastel was done on Mi-Tiente Touch paper and is 16x20.

16x20 - $475.00

Terry's Peonies

 12x16 pastel (unavailable)



It seems as if winter is never going away this year.  It has snowed for the past two days with an accumulation of 14 inches.  I went through some photos I took this past summer and found one of my neighbor's peonies, pink, full and beautiful!  Gave me a thrill to ward off the cold and snow and paint them as the snow fell and the wind blew the trees outside.  I labored over the petals on these peonies, not wanting to get too perfect in my execution, wanting a loose rendition.  I don't often get there, and I might alter the stems a bit, but right now, with five feet of snow outside, those peonies are looking pretty good to me......

Glistening Water

 9x12 pastel  $125.00

I'm eager to paint outdoors, but we still have so much snow, so I'm going back to photos I've taken on hikes this year.  We hiked up a mountain in North Creek in early Fall, following this creek until we come upon a reservour high on the mountain.  I remember how the water trickled down the rocks all along the route.  It was another amazing day with the Adirondack Mountain Club.   I wanted to show how slick those rocks seemed and the light as it changed on the water.    Painting from photos is the best I can do right now, but as soon as this snow is gone,  you'll see me along the paths and roads with my easel!

Hudson River Respite

 8x12 pastel - $140.00

Last fall we stopped at the Hudson River, where is weaves along Route 28 before North Creek.  There are rest stops along the river, where people can picnic and walk down to the river.  At one of the stops, I found a small tributary off the main part of the river.  Since I had my camera, I took many shots of this lovely little spot.  The sun was shining on the water and rocks, the colors of the leaves, bushes and water was incredibly vibrant.  A true respite from the swift flow of the Hudson and the cars driving by.