The pleasures of Pastel

Currently I have been working on pieces using pastels. This has to be one my favorite mediums to work with. I like to use the chalk pastels both on traditional paper materials as well as on the ground. I recently just got back from participating in at Street painting festival where artist use chalk pastels to create paintings on the asphalt. Using the pastel medium on paper verse the ground are very different in some ways and they each pose there own set of challenges. I've included images of the work I've done on pastel board as well as a couple of  images of street paintings I've done. The postive about using pastel on a paper or a pastel board is that it last where as creating pieces on the ground  deteriate and are no more with in a few days. The other challenge with doing chalk on the ground is the wear and tear your hands take. The postives are the pleasure others get from seeing you work as well as seeing your work when you are done which they don't get the pleasure of doing when you are working in a studio at home. The other great thing about street painting  is the community it creates among artist who never knew each other prier to the event.

"Motherly Love"  $350











Easton Chalk Festival 2013

Easton Chalk Festival 2012













Illusion street painting

Sarasota Chalk Festival 2013

First Love

As an artist it's fun to try different mediums. I have always been one for stretching myself and trying new things when it comes to art. I've played with paper piecing, chalk pastel, acrylic paint, murals, glass, etc., yet I always come back to my first love.... drawing. It doesn't have to just be in pencil/ graphite drawings I also enjoy using pen too. While working on the acrylic paintings I have also been doing some drawing and sketches on the side as well as working on an illustrated character. Below you will find images mostly of animals as that has been my current focus and interest.

This is the beginnings of a portrait of my pet

This is a sketch in prep for the tiger painting you saw in the previous post.

This piece is an abstract Native American face

Simple abstract drawing