View from Fiesole, 24×36 commissioned pastel
This is the newest addition to one of my most gracious client’s collection of pastels. “View from Fiesole” will hang with the “Trevi Fountain” and the “Spanish Steps.” And there is one more pastel of Italy to come, so stay tuned!
The Trevi Fountain, 24×36 Soft Pastel
The Spanish Steps, 30×30 Soft Pastel
The Coast of Maine, 16×20 Commissioned Pastel
I love the challenge of drawing the ocean, and especially the ocean spray as the waves crash upon the dark rocks. This piece is similar to my earlier pastels of the Scottish coast, with the wonderful contrast of darks and lights. I love using the many blues, greens, and whites intermixed with the unexpected hints of burgundy and ochre hidden in the water. The rocky coast in this particular piece was very interesting, with its striated texture glistening in the sun.
At an art show last spring I met a fellow pastel artist and, after some discussions about techniques, we did a paper swap. I gave him a piece of Sennelier La Carte pastel card, and he generously gave me a large sample of a pastel cloth. I like to call this one “paper from the past,” because a) he bought it a very long time ago and can’t remember the brand, b) after research, it is very hard to find information about pastel cloth, and c) it doesn’t seem to be made much anymore, if at all.
I discovered two possible sources for pastel cloth, which comes in a roll and is a synthetic, unwoven fabric, with a coating similar to sanded papers, that will hold layers of pastel. NY Central Art Supply and Sennelier both make/have made a pastel cloth.
The cloth can be cut to the desired size, but needs to be mounted or secured in some way to keep it from curling. It can also be stretched like a canvas. Since I was experimenting, I just taped all four sides down with masking tape.
I cut several pieces and taped them down to a board and decided to try a few things. First I layered some pastels, browns, oranges and ochres, and painted with a brush and water. Then I added details of a lily in my yard. The result pleased me well enough: the paper held the layers well, the water did not affect the paper adversely, all brands of pastels that I tried worked fine (Sennelier, Rembrandt, Gallery, Derwent pastel pencils).
5×7 Soft Pastel on Pastel Cloth
For the second “test” I tried a simple picture with my usual techniques. Again, the results were satisfactory, but I felt that the texture wasn’t as deep as I usually get by layering on Ampersand Pastelbord or Sennelier La Carte pastel card; the colors blended just a bit more.
While I enjoyed trying and learning about a different surface, the benefits of pastel cloth, mainly the texture, are overshadowed, in my opinion, by the downside of it being a cloth. My “verdict” is biased because of my preference for a hard board or card on which to work, and it seems like an unnecessary step to mount the pastel cloth on a hard surface when I could just buy another surface with a similar texture that is already sturdy.
With pastel cloth being hard to find, and made somewhat irrelevant by the numerous types of sanded papers that can also be used with wet or dry mediums (such as Wallis Paper), it may be more convenient and less frustrating to try another surface.
But to those who already have pastel cloth, or like the ability to stretch or mount it onto the size and surface you want, you can create some beautiful pieces of art!
Check out the art by my friend Daniel Curry, who has done several pieces on pastel cloth and so kindly shared some with me!
View his work at www.dcurrycreations.com
Pair of Horses
16×20 soft pastel on Pastelbord, $350 framed
My newest piece…
I’ve been wanting to draw horses lately. Drawing a horse’s body, with it’s distinct muscles, long legs and neck, is very different from drawing a cow or a sheep, with their stocky, thick bodies. The light glows off of the horses sleek curves; the gracefulness of the animal invites me to pause and reminisce, to think of the wonder in our world, the beauty in the family of things, of which we are a part. I think of the freedom of childhood, the rush of life. Through the beauty and being of a horse, I feel an echo of emotions, a connection to something unspoken.
This Saturday July 30 from 4:30-8:00 the Eclectic Art Social Club will hold it’s first art show, exhibiting a variety of unique art for sale by 7 Birmingham area artists! The show will be at Escape Day Spa in Crestline Village in Mountain Brook and will feature:
acrylic abstracts by Cecily Hill Lowe
oil paintings on metal by Erin Hardin
collage and jewelry by Dariana Dervis
unique mixed media paintings and other creative pieces by Sunny Carvalho
ceramics and paintings by Chi Roach,
jewelry by Marjorie Gilkey,
and pastel paintings by me, Mary Liz Ingram
There will definitely be art for every taste! We will have refreshments, door prizes, and spa giveaways! Spread the word and bring your friends!
10×10 Soft Pastel on La Carte Pastel Card
Down some beautiful winding country roads outside of Columbus Georgia, and down a narrow road through a canopy of trees, we came to a sunlit clearing wide with spring green grass, surrounded by a just distant circle of thick trees and a vivid blue sky. Perched atop the grassy hill shone a gleaming white old chapel, relocated to the spot by the landowner. This dreamlike, private location was the setting of a perfect small wedding a few months ago…simple, elegant and gloriously bright. An artist’s dream come true!
Artists are always looking for new ways to share their art, and to merge the message of their art with the right location. Recently, I have taken some of my art to Escape Day Spa, a peaceful new spa located in a quiet house-turned-buisiness just off the main street in Crestline Village, Mountain Brook, Alabama. I like to convey a sense of peace and stillness in many of my pieces, so such a relaxing location seems a perfect fit. Below are a few of the paintings currently displayed (and for sale!) at the spa.
Waterlilies, 4×4 and 5×7 Soft Pastels
Joy, 8×10 Soft Pastel
Ocean Cliffs, 14×18 Soft Pastel
The Empty Tub, 18×24 Soft Pastel
9×12 Soft Pastel on Pastelbord, Commissioned
For this piece, I combined several elements from previous pictures to suit my clients wishes…the swirling turquoise sky, the rust colored trees, the gray barn, and a Southern field full of cotton.
Marion Farmhouse, 9×12 Soft Pastel on Pastelbord
Warm Spring days and June approaching… cue weddings, weddings and more weddings! This Spring, my daughter was flower girl twice, and we attended 3 weddings in a month! My cousin was married in April on a beautiful family farm in Perry County (Marion, Alabama to be precise) on the steps of the old farmhouse.
What better way to commemorate the day and make a unique gift than a portrait of the wedding location! If you are searching for the perfect wedding (or anniversary!) gift for your friends, your family, your spouse, or yourself, send me the photo of your wedding location and I will turn it into a lasting piece of art!
Visit www.MaryLizIngramArt.com for pricing and more information.
Smooth, sandy, rough, scratchy, thick, thin…and stippled! As I’ve said many times before, there is a plethora of pastel surfaces and textures upon which great art can be made. The newest paper sample I’ve tried is from Bee Paper Company and is called “Stipple Paper,” thanks to my friends at Forstall Art Center. The paper feels smooth and slick to the touch, with a finely pebbled surface. I decided to try a small portrait with several types of pastels to get a good feel for this new texture.
Here is my result:
5×51/2 Soft Pastel on Stipple Paper
I used five types of pastels: my usual favorite, the very soft Sennelier Pastels; the slightly harder soft pastels by Rembrandt; a variety of soft pastel pencils; a black Conte pastel; and an inexpensive set of square soft pastels.
To compare the application, on the image below I used all five: starting from the top left, the black is the square pastel, then the Sennelier in the top center, bottom right is Rembrandt, bottom left is the Conte. I sketched out the mage in a brown pastel pencil. All pastels adhered well with minimal excess dust.
I rubbed some blues in with my finger to begin the sidewalk, and filled in the black.
I finished up the piece by using Sennelier to finish the background, pastel pencils and Rembrandts for the face, Rembrandts with Sennelier highlights for the hair, and Sennelier for the shirt and clover. I was pleased with the result of the Stipple Paper and appreciate that all the types of pastel worked so well. I also enjoyed the sleek yet pebbled texture, and prefer it over the spotty texture you get from a traditional piece of pastel paper, such as Canson or Mi Tientes. From a sillier place in my mind, I like the paper because of its name…”Stipple Paper”…its just fun to say!
I'm a self-taught pastel & watercolor artist and instructor, raised and based in Birmingham, Alabama. I constantly collect stories and pieces of the world around me, turning them into works of art. Inspired by nature, I love to share what I've learned and build connections and community. I invite you to browse and join my site. I hope you find something that inspires you!
Voted one of Birmingham's Best Local Artists 2013, Birmingham News & al.com
Featured in Birmingham Magazine, March 2018
Visit the Commissions page on the top menu to find out more about my pastel & watercolor portraits. Portraits are drawn from photographs in a timely manner with the highest quality materials to ensure they will be enjoyed for generations!
Thanks for visiting my site! I am an awarded pastel artist and instructor based in Birmingham, Alabama. A self-taught artist, I have been working with pastels for over 6 years, selling in shops, galleries, shows and by commission. I teach pastel workshops for adults, and love to help emerging artists on their journey into the art community.
