The Freedom to Create

First Flight "He posed with a stance of victory while the reporters took their photographs to record his successful hot air balloon flight.  He is a brave young lad." This is a pastel painting taken from the sketch below. Through the course of this painting their were many challenges. It was a "first" for me in many ways. Something kept telling me to keep going as I'm sure this young lad heard those same words as he soared in the air for days, maybe months who knows. As he poses in his stance of victory I also share in his victory in a small way. I feel we've both accomplished a great feat today. Share and Enjoy :)

First Flight This is my next painting challenge. The sketch came about when I was combing through a magazine in search of subjects to draw. I came upon this ad for boy's attire dressed in the style of vintage wear dating in the 1930's. He caught my eye with his endearing pose and such a serious look on his face. Wearing a shirt and tie with a cream colored cable knit sweater vest, tweed knickers with argyle socks and his "newsboy" cap. He looked as though he had just completed his first flight in a hot air balloon. The backdrop was just as intriguing as the boy himself with a slate blue sky and the contrasting shadows of the hot air balloon at rest as it lay on a field of yellow green grass. Striking. The sketch was created in 2008 (six years earlier). I had tried to do this painting as an oil painting. I love oils. At that time it just didn't seem to go well. I packed the sketch away in my box. In my opinion it is as important to select the right medium as...

    The boats are docked The doors are locked "Looks abandoned" some would say "No, they've simply gone On Holiday" I can't imagine ever wanting to leave a majestic place such as this. This is my perfect ideal dreamscape. An oasis away from the craggy confines of life. A sanctuary filled with warm breezes wafting the aroma of the azure seas with the lulling sounds of the waves softly caressing the rocky shore. I had come upon a photo of this painting some years ago.   This is the photo reference. I simply fell in love with it. Having every intention to paint it the reference photo kept being put aside. Not sure of the medium to use, not having the confidence level to do it justice. It kept it's place in my box of inspiration. I would take it out time and again and it still remained a future project. That is until now. I've been exploring and learning different techniques using pastels. Loving the pastels rather than abho...

The Gilded Path Whoa! I didn't expect to see that in my emails. This piece was accepted into the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series .

As summer is wrapping up I was sharing moments with my daughter of "my best summers were....", as I was retracing my younger days. We haven't any photographs from our grandparents so I began clicking and sorting through my memory bank. This picture came to mind of sharing moments with my grandmother sitting in the enclosed porch snapping green beans.  I'm not sure if my sister shares the same fondness of snapping beans and shucking peas but it was wonderful to me. Photographs fade over time but the memories are savored forever.