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

Trying to get my Mojo Back!

This has been an interesting month, as we travel across the country in our small A-liner camper.  After a very harsh winter in the Adirondacks, we headed out to come to visit family in California on April 23.  We started out with the weather at 21 degrees and headed towards tornadoes in the mid-west, wind and sandstorms in Amarillo, Texas, 90 degree weather in Sedona, a swollen hand,  and fires near our campgrounds in California!  I'm finally getting to paint again, after spending a winter painting from my photos, I am now outdoors in this lovely campground in San Clemente, overlooking the cliffs and the ocean, trying to paint at least one pastel every day.  I was beginning to feel stale in my art, aimless and needing a new direction.  I've been fooling with underpaintings,  dry brushstrokes and watercolor washes.  It's been a struggle. 

I've been so blessed to have such great artist friends whom I've had the pleasure of seeing while I've been here.  It's wonderful to talk "art" again, to hear about their work and future.  It's been invigorating.  Today I met for lunch with a wonderful artist and when she came to visit the campsite she noticed a gnarled tree, growing on the cliff with the ocean below.  I had been eyeing that tree for two weeks, but just didn't think I had it in me to paint it.  She said that it was just the thing Albert Handel would paint. I had decided I was going to paint a beautiful pot with flowers at the Visitors Center this afternoon, but her words spurred me on to paint that tree.  Not up to Albert's standards, but I think I'm getting my mojo back.........

9x12, pastel on Art Spectrum tinted pastel paper