Light 10X10 Mixed Media on Watercolor paper  $100

This painting is done on watercolor paper that was covered in gesso.  From there I added acrylic paint and then covered with Golden's pastel ground. which allowed me to put pastels on this surface.  I also scribbled some acrylic on top of the pastel which you can see on the detail below.

Travel Sketch 9X12 Watercolor and Pastel

This sketch was done on paper treated with pumice and acrylic.
One of the challenges when painting and travelling is not having the right color or material and then getting creative about how to achieve what you want.

I don't feel this one was successful and at the same time I know that my brain took in the info that I was seeking and it will help me down the road.

Bente

Travelling 12"X6" Watercolor on Paper

Victoria and I are at Whistler getting caught up.  Talking, comparing this and that, Victoria sleeping (jet lag) and I am sitting on the deck painting.  The light changes every 5 minutes.  The mountains have been fascinating.  Learned quite a few lessons.  One being that not all watercolor paper accepts pastels.  Maybe I will show that tomorrow.

Aside from the lake and mountains I have a view of the garden here.  There is a small area where there is one purple flower, a few daisies that look like there is pink in them and then a few other flowers that I couldn't tell you what they are.

My apologies for the quality of the photo.

Happy weekend everyone.

Bente

"Series 2" 10X10 Pastel on treated Panel  $100

This is really the start of a series I plan on doing in between other activities. I like this rendition in that it is warm and inviting.  The ground is gesso and pumice and makes for some interesting texture. I did draw on the panel first with charcoal and then painted over that with Golden acrylic ground for pastel which has pumice in it.  I think for the next one I should put twice as much pumice in it as there were areas that it was difficult to get the pastel to stick.

I am heading out to Whistler for a couple of days so we will see what happens with that.

CIAO

"Series 1" 10"x10" Pastel on board  $100

I am told there is a lot of value in working in a series.  This first one is fairly traditional. It is from a park not far from home.  When I first started plein air painting I was at this park early in the morning painting as the Canada Geese were waking up.  They actually move, en mass as the shade moves.  Almost like zombies.

I will work on the series in between whatever else I am working on.  My hope in doing this is to find a simplicity that leads to abstraction.  It will give me an opportunity to try many different techniques and color schemes.

Bente

 

Another Story to Tell

I have many stories to tell of painting outdoors.  They vary from being butted by a goat or having my whole easel knocked over by the wind.  This story is a new one.

There I am in Manning Park looking at the trees and stream as posted below.

 

I have my easel set up and watercolors and pastels all laid out on the picnic table.  What intrigued me about this scene was the small patch of dead trees shown middle left.  So I started with a very quick watercolor sketch in my sketchbook.  I just wanted to see if the general composition would work.  Everything is green, green, green. I was trying to figure out what to do about that.  The first sketch is below.

 

Then I thought I would start the pastel painting on treated pastel paper.  I started with a watercolor background and put in the dark pine trees in a Viridian type green.  I took a big brush and swept some of the dark green around.  I had also put in the patch of blue sky and white clouds which don't show in this photo.

 

Then there was a definite change in plans as shown below. There was at least 1/2 an inch of rain in about 5 minutes.

 

With the mad scramble to get out of the rain there was water all over the painting, sand all over me and the painting from the back splash.  Truly a mess all around.

The end result was the first photo.  I took some bright color representing the happenings of the day and called it another story to tell.

Oh the joys of being an artist!  Happy Painting, Bente

NO DP

Poppies 8x10 Pastel on treated pastel board $40