A Tangle of Lines

A Tangle of Lines 1, pastel on paper, 2015

A Tangle of Lines 2,  2015

A Tangle of Lines 3,  2015

A Change of Pace

I like this drawing. It feels like the direction I hope they are going in, simple shapes with interesting lines. Actually it's the line at the bottom of the V that has me excited, where the pastel pools at the edge of the tape. I try to be careful how I lay the tape on top of the previous color but I really like that the under color shows through and I want to play with it more. 

I am also finding that time seems to be escaping me, the garden needs a lot of work and with all the rain we are looking green and lush and perhaps more jungle like that I am willing to put up with. Plus, when it remembers, it is almost summer and that means family and friends and holidays and generally taking more time to smell the roses. J. and I are planning to drive out to Calgary for the Art of the Book 2013 exhibition, a dream come true drive for us as we both want the experience of the prairie landscape. All this to say my blogging will be sporadic for the next couple of months.

Pushing down, 10 x 11.5 in, pastel, 2013

Sandpaper

Well I ran out of that lovely paper [ the one that I can't remember the name of] and having some sandpaper in the studio decided to try it out with the soft pastels.  Although it feels very similar I didn't like working on it, the sheets feel so small and the pastels so big. Now I really can't wait to go down to The Studio Store and get more more.

the edge of dusk, 11 x 9 in, pastel on sandpaper, 2013

A Delicate Balance

I found a wonderful new paper; it feels like sandpaper and is great for soft pastels. It's a fairly neutral gray and quite wonderful to work on. Actually the paper is just so gorgeous with out a mark on it. The only down side to the paper is that it eats the pastels, so I am trying to do a lot of planning before I put pastel to paper. Not the way I usually work but I am enjoying this more methodical approach. And because I need to use fixative, I can work on several at a time, leaving the others pinned up on the wall as they dry. And of course they speak to each other so that another and another emerges. The bottom photo is a digital composite of 2 works from the wall. I am going to need more paper.

A Delicate Balance,  24 x 18, soft pastel, 2013

Between, 2013

Time For Some Color

Working away last week I decided it was time for some color, so I dug out my soft pastels. I soon realized they aren't quite soft enough for these papers. I tried grinding them up and then applying the powder which was better....but. So the drawing stared at me all week until I started to play with it on the computer. I am loving working with these wavy lines and this drawing made me realize how I am longing for spring; for green, for young tender growth, for the smell of the earth. Soon.

Walking lines 3, 2013