Look Both Ways    9" x 12"   Pastel

I share a small studio in Golden, Colorado.  We are a short walk to the middle of town and I often take a break and head to a popular coffee shop on the main street.  Golden is an old western town that was established in the mid -19th century.  It is home to the Coors Brewery and there is always something going on in town.  I find that there is a lot of opportunity to photograph interesting people and places. This painting is of mother and child crossing the street in Golden's old historic district .  They were heading to the farmers' market.  

I am going to be showing my artwork at the Higher Grounds Cafe the month of November.  I will be exhibiting with Ginger Lecher.

                                                      Little Girl     6" x 8"   Pastel

I frequently enter the Daily Paint Works Challenges on line.  Each week they post a different challenge and when they posted this one, I couldn't resist trying it.  The challenge for me this week, was the size of the piece.  It is sometimes difficult to get the facial features in without overworking the painting, particularly when the piece is small.  

Little One   8" x 10"   Pastel

         It was a good day in the studio today.  Some days I have a hard time getting my motor going

         and I feel as though I never held a paint brush or a pastel before in my life.  This morning the

         music was playing and the oil paint was flying across the canvas.  Aah, the joy of  being an

         artist!!  

        I've had this photo of a child sitting on a blanket for sometime.  I felt it had the potential as a

        pastel painting.  It was a quick and simple study.                              

                                                                                                                            

Street Festival

Pastel  9" x 12"

                         

In recent weeks I have been working in oils, creating minature still lifes.  I decided it was time to get the pastels out again and see what I could come up with.  I chose to work from a photo I had taken at a street festival a while back.  The subject matter was appealing and the lighting was ideal for a painting.  The painting tells a story and I was able to get good shapes and shadows.