Here is a pastel painting I am working on -- I have had the photograph sitting on the desk wanting to paint it, but have been putting it off. It is somewhat different from the type of subject I normally paint. I enjoy showing you the painting in color and also in greyscale. The size is 24" x 20".
The painting is done on a piece of gator foam that I toned orange with a fluid acrylic and then painted a pumice mixture on for the sanded surface. The paintbrush strokes are visible in many places. The surface is quite rough so that some of the underpainting of orange shows through. I loved the way the strokes make the trunks of some of the trees look just like bark!
All the verticals were so interesting to me with a minimum of foliage. I loved the little strip of water with some reflection and the mass of needles from the trees. Very little light gets through the thicket, but where it hit the ground and the trunks was spectacular. It was so very quite and I hoped to convey that when looking at the painting. I also know there were probably deer standing just past my sight, very still and waiting on me to leave. So quite! So beautiful!
The scene is from Creighton Island -- a privately owned island near Darien, GA. I have been three times for a week each and painted many plein air pieces from the island. It is a real treat to stay there in cabins built by hunters, cook on a camp stove, and only have electricity about 2 hours each evening from a generator.
The painting is now at that point where I like to take a break from it and have it sitting somewhere I can take sneak peeks at it and try to figure out if there is anything I want to change or if it is finished. I won't get to work on it for a week -- or look at it for a week.
We are attending a reception in New Hope, PA at the Bucks County Gallery for the Facebook Autumn Challenge held this past October. I shipped them one painting -- I was the judge for the pastel and drawing entries for the competition. I'm sure it will be loads of fun.
Tell me what you think of the painting!
5 comments:
Just beautiful Marsha, I can feel the atmosphere of this forest area. The colors are wonderful and I love all the vertical movements in the trees combined with the horizontal of the water reflections.
great feeling of solitude and I think you did put a deer in there. Hope to see you in Blue Ridge for the paint out april 10 and 11th. you make pastel from start to finish sound so interesting!!!
I love your trees, the vertical lines and feeling like I am in another land. It reminds me of being a kid and the view you have of the forest. Beautiful.
Wonderful landscapes, Marsha! You do excellent trees!
Thanks everyone -- I appreciate your comments. I did have much fun painting this one -- and I did a little more to it to finish it for a show. I hope to post it soon.
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