If At First You Don't Succeed...

As a young artist I would tend to get discouraged. As a matter of fact, I would become discouraged far too easily and give up. It took me decades to persevere after frustration set in. This is pastel on sanded paper. I have been doing pastels on watercolor paper or drawing paper. A sanded surface is a new and an ever so frustrating experience. I have brushed off the surface twice and then today something wonderful happened. I felt like Alice stepping through the looking glass! Welcome to Wonderland! I don't know yet if this piece is finished, but it is far closer to where I want to go than anything I have done before.

Spring

Spring is a long time coming this year. There have been a few hopeful days, but this morning we were visited by what is called a "Wintry mix". Sometimes you just have to make Spring. This is a 11" X 17" collage of my dreams for Spring. I incorporated an anonymous quote that I found, "Spring is a heart full of hope & a shoe full of rain." That sure beats a shoe full of Wintry mix.

At the Michigan Union

The Ann Arbor Area Pastelists show is at the Artists Lounge in the Michigan Union, 530 S State Street through March 28th. This is one of my plain air pieces that is included in the show.

'Tis the Season!

Yes it is the Christmas season and in the studio, too. Seasonal music plays on the sound system and bits of whimsy come out of the cupboard. Nothing seems more festive to me than glass, which is why I keep going back to the Marble series. Glass is defined as being neither solid nor liquid. In fact it is both. To me glass is something magical and mystical- what better to say, "Christmas"? I wish you, and yours, a blessed, beautiful and very magical Christmas!

Marble Moment

I went into the studio yesterday morning to put something away. I thought that since I was in there I would take out a pad of drawing paper. Three hours I was looking at this image. It was as if it had been fighting to get out. I do believe that are a lot more images like this one lined up and ready to come into being. Interesting things happen when you go into the studio ... for just a minute!

Anyway

While at a large and well respected local art fair, I came across the booth of clever potters, Greg and Mindy Rhoads. (Peaceful Prairie Pottery: peacepttry@yahoo.com) They have some of the most interesting mixed media pieces which incorporate inspirational quotes. When I saw this piece, I knew it was going home with me. You see there has been subtle but ever present cloud of despair that has followed me for too long now. As I read the words of Mother Teresa, it was everything that I needed to hear. Like the morning fog that once the sun comes out it disappears. The potter said, "Oh, yes, Mother Teresa, our most popular quotation. We can never keep it in stock." And that gave me renewed hope too. Others who are seeking are inspired by this great and gentle lady's Godly wisdom!

Hot Off The Easel

WELCOME VISITOR is a 16" X 20" pastel painting which I just completed. It was begun a couple years ago, but like many larger works they have to be turned to the wall. A work like this needs time to come into being, but when it does it is worth the wait.