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.
Archives For barn
Rust, 8×10 soft pastel on card
In preparation for upcoming art shows, I am adding to my “Southern Exposure” pastel series with some new pictures from the rural south. Even though I live in “the city,” rural Alabama is very much a part of my life, from road trips and extended family, to our produce bought through the Eastlake Farmer’s Market and our dairy picked up from Wright Dairy in Alexandria. I love the beauty of our rural landscape, the thick trees, the rolling fields, the lazy cows, and the old barns in so many conditions, shapes and colors.
Wood, 4×6 soft pastel on card
Gray Barn, 8×10 Soft Pastel on Card
I was drawn to this scene by the curved, rutted tracks in front of the tall gray barn. I loved the colors in the grass and dirt, and put in some simply drawn cows to keep the piece company.
These two pastel pieces, “Change of Shoes” 16×20 and “Passing Time” 18×24, have been accepted into the Energen Art Competition…March 14-27 at the Energen Plaza in Birmingham, AL. I am happy to be a part of this prestigious show and looking forward to seeing all the wonderful art!
Passing Time, 18×24 Soft Pastel
When creating this piece, I wanted to convey a sense of stillness, waiting, and patience; the slowness of time. I chose colors of Fall turning to Winter, a time of rest, dormancy, waiting for renewal. The decay of the barn, the stillness of the cow, a calm golden day…all bringing to mind the slow and lazy passing of time.
Still experimenting with color, and the way unexpected hues can work together to create a more vibrant piece, I splashed in lots of blues, greens and reds in the hay to bring it to life…no drab browns here! The cow came together swiftly, layering the colors carefully…a feat in itself because I had a sick 3 year old boy in my lap and a dancing girl next to my chair! Moments like that make me smile, grateful that I can be an active mother and an active artist at the same time. The passing of time often seems slow, but when it comes to children, it sure seems to move quickly! This picture reminds me to take a breath, and enjoy the moments as they come, slowing down and taking it all in.
These pictures began to take shape on the way home from a family vacation to the Gulf Coast, when my sister sent me a photo via her phone, taken in transit, of hay in a field. I found great interest in the quality of the picture, with dark edges, blurred grass full of movement, a quick and simple snapshot of a familiar rural Alabama scene.
When I began creating the pieces, drawn outside in the newly-cool Fall air, I once again unconsciously intermingled my current state of being into the art. The brightened, more vibrant colors mixed with the darkening edges mirror my mood this week; happy, hopeful and full of rich life, with a bit of darkness lingering in the edges. The intermingling of Joy and Woe revisit my thoughts. I see a great contrast in life…the good and bad, the happy and sad, the rage and peace, the love and hatred, the energy and fatigue.
This new moment in my artistic journey of greater contrast, heavier color and darkened edges was a surprise to me…an unplanned development. The brightness darkening feels a bit ominous, like something is about to happen; like when you walk outside and know a storm is coming, when you can feel the pressure in the air. A heavy moment of stillness, a pause before the event begins.
