When life gives you lemons, draw them, 11 x 14 inches dry pastels, graphite on paper

"When life gives you lemons, draw them." (Nikki)

"Color! What a deep and mysterious language." (Paul Gauguin)

colored pencils

Exhibition

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2022


 

Salt Spring Island Fog, graphite on Paper
Salt Spring Island Fog, B.C. Canada (2008), 16H x 22W inches graphite, colored pencils on paper. Framed size 29H x 35W x 3D inches. Accepted in Las Lagunas Art Gallery online Landscapes or Seascapes exhibition, March 3rd – 31st, 2022.

Stars in the Sweetgum

Thursday, June 28th, 2012


 
Stars in the Sweetgum, 9 x 12 inches charcoal and colored pencils on paper
Stars in the Sweetgum, 12H x 9W inches charcoal and colored pencils on paper, preliminary study for a larger painting of the Sweetgum tree in our side yard.
Portraying darkness is an excellent way to study color. Inspired by travels on clear nights when speeding by tree silhouettes, there’s an illusion that horizon is absent, and the stars are in the trees. I often marvel how dark skies can still be so colorful, ranging from rich teals, purples, sometimes shades of red and orange.

 

Salt Spring Island Fog

Monday, July 14th, 2008


 

Salt Spring Island Fog, 18 x 24 inches pencil, eraser, dry pastels, colored pencils on paper, framed size 28.5 x 34.5 inches.

Salt Spring Island Fog, 18H x 24W inches graphite, eraser, dry pastels, colored pencils on paper, burnt umber frame size 29H x 35W x 3D inches, accepted for the Visual Arts Society of Texas 2009 Calendar. All accepted original works will be displayed. Meet the Artists and purchase a signed calendar (or more!) on November- December, 2008 at The Chestnut Tree in Denton, TX.

Post-dated Note: Article published in the Denton Record Chronicle, Entertainment section February 8th, 2009

New marketing strategies

Sunday, May 11th, 2008


 
Grackle Party, Dallas Texas, 11H x 9W inches graphite and colored pencils

Grackle Party, Dallas Texas, 11H x 9W inches graphite and colored pencils, white double mat, white frame with crackle finish

In her Wed. April 30th blog post, my friend Chris Bolmeier writes about an older painting she revitalized, and in this case it improved dramatically.  Surprise 2 supports what I wrote in yesterday’s post: many paintings need a period of rest before we know how to solve them. In any Artist’s home/studio there are at least ten or so paintings hanging around or put away in unfinished states. If it isn’t sold immediately, chances are 50/50 it will continue to change as we attempt to improve it until we know it’s truly finished.

Chris is trying new marketing strategies, and offering anyone who sells her work a 20% cut. A little out of the ordinary to show and offer another artist’s work for sale on my own website, but this is a brilliant idea she has, and I don’t mind trying to help promote her work. Good Luck with your sales, Chris!

Windswept Cypress, NC – phase 2

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008


 

Cypress, Kitty Hawk, NC - 24 x 18 inches graphite, oil pastel, watercolor pencils
Windswept Cypress, Kitty Hawk, Outer Banks, NC  – partial image of 24 x 18 inches graphite, oil pastel, watercolor pencils, mixed media experimental, work in progress. Low light conditions today, so the photo below left, is a little dark. Plans now are to erase some of the color, then see what happens when painting lightly over some of the watercolor-penciled areas; there will be some resist because of the oil pastel base.

Cypress, Kitty Hawk, NC - work in progress, phase 2   Cypress, Kitty Hawk, NC - scanned detail; accurate colors (work in progress)

Windswept Cypress, NC started

Sunday, January 20th, 2008


 
Windswept Cypress, Outer Banks, NC - work in progress

Windswept Cypress, Outer Banks, NC, USA, 24H x 18W inches on paper, work in progress: Sculptural, windswept cypress are common ornamentals in yards along the Outer Banks, North Carolina. This started as a graphite drawing, then added some energy with the use of oil pastels, which were mostly scraped away before continuing with watercolor pencils. Hoping to see the effects created by mixing oil and water mediums.

 

 

Salt Spring Island Fog

Friday, January 18th, 2008


 

Salt Spring Island Fog, B.C. Canada, 18H x 24W inches graphite, dry pastels, colored pencils on paper, framed size 29H x 35W x 3D inches
Salt Spring Island Fog, B.C. Canada, 16H x 22W inches graphite, dry pastels, colored pencils on paper, framed size 29H x 35W x 3D inches Details:
Salt Spring Island - lower left detail

Salt Spring Island Fog, detail    Salt Spring Island Fog, detail

Credit to my Dad, Jim Drury for the photo references.