Silent Giants

I call this painting "Silent Giants" because that's what they seem to me.  As one makes the turn  towards Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Route 40, these giant mountains loom nearby.  I'm always fascinated by the shadows on them, depending on the time of day we happen to be passing through.  On this trip, it was mid-afternoon, and the shadows are clearly on the mountains in the background.  A freight train was heading off to the West as I took the photo.  The color is so amazing!  I love the Adirondacks, for all our green and forests, but there is something so mystical about these silent giants.

19x25 $1,500.00

Plein Air pastels done during IAPS/workshop with Christine Debrosky

IAPS was such a great experience.  This is the third time at this pastel conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico and I'm looking forward to going two years from now.  It's made me want to work harder at my painting, and really dedicate myself to doing more shows and growing as an artist.  The first day there I attended a plein air workshop with Christine Debrosky, who specializes in landscape and florals.  I felt this would be a good experience for me, as I don't often paint flowers outdoors.  We had gorgeous weather, warm but not too warm, sunny and the flowers in the hotel courtyard made it a very special place to set up and paint.  Christine did the start of a very nice demo - an archway with a vine of flowers growing up it.  I decided to concentrate on one corner of the courtyard, doing two paintings of the same scene, from different angles.  I hadn't painted since we'd been traveling and I was hesitant at first, but once those pastels were in my hands, I seem to get into a zone and, good or bad, I feel at home with them.

9x12 - $150.00- Albuquerque Flowers 1

9x12 - $150.00-Albuquerque Flowers 2

IAPS - Thursday - Sunday, a very Creative 5 days!

What a great five days I have just experienced!  The International Association of Pastel Societies held their convention in Albuquerque this  week and I have learned so much, been able to talk art with some of my favorite nationally known artists, and join artist friends who I haven't seen for awhile.  A great experience.  On Thursday I took a plein air floral workshop with Christine Debrosky.  I plan on posting my two paintings at a later date.  On Friday, Richard McKinley filled my head with new ideas and a very planned way to paint outdoors, also on Friday Christine Debrosky had a demo on painting the landscape.  I was surprised that she finished a very large 18x24 in three hours.  It was filled with light and incredibly vibrant.  Saturday I watched Lorenzo Chavez paint snow and streams in Colorado.  He's very personable and, since I live in an area where it snows A LOT, this was a must see for me.  I also sat through a demo Saturday afternoon with Liz Haywood Sullivan.  She uses alcohol to bring her underpainting to life.  She also painted big - an amazing cloud and sea pastel.  I will post some of these at another time.  Below is Frank Federico's demo.  He was so amazing, as he started the initial painting upside down!  He assures us that it will free us to paint a stronger painting, more creative.   He inspired me to try this method, and as soon as I hit my studio at home, I will try this method.  My head is filled with ideas and I have some wonderful photos to paint - now to get home and start!

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

Two Falls/Yosemite

The second of my Yosemite series.  I remember standing in a meadow, a glorious meadow that I intend to paint later, and looking up at these two falls.  The eye takes in the sights, but it's impossible to gage the enormity of the scene.  The distances between mountains and meadows, the breadth and fierce energy of those falls........it's inspiring, to say the least!

18x12 - $475.00

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......