Archives For Southern

Hay Fields

marylizingramart —  March 18, 2011 — 1 Comment


Hay Fields, 12×16 Soft Pastel on Board

I love pastels, and I love teaching. Because of the nature of this dusty medium, it is hard to demonstrate to a large crowd since I cannot easily draw the picture upright, as on an easel, as the pastel dust cascades down the board with each stroke. To remedy this problem, in a recent pastel demonstration for the Birmingham Art Association, I inclined the board a bit to make it more visible and drew upside down, standing behind the table. My unorthodox method worked and here is the finished result: a colorful landscape that began upside down and was touched up a bit at home. I like the bright colors and think it is a pleasant, simple little scene.

In Alabama, Ampersand, Art, bale, Birmingham, Birmingham Art Association, Demonstration, farm, hay, Ingram, landscape, Liz, Mary, Pastelbord, pastels, Rural, Sennelier, sky, soft pastel, Southern
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Au Naturel

marylizingramart —  March 17, 2011 — 1 Comment


Au Naturel, 5×7 Pastel on Board

My favorite first sign of Spring is when the Daffodils appear; we have some that pop up around a tree in the front yard. I especially love the simple, small yellow version…the kind without the frills and elaborate coloring. Just a little yellow flower, with its six delicate petals, its fragile trumpet, and its softly colored green stem. Simple, basic, au naturel.

In this small piece, I tried to work quickly, getting down the basic shapes and colors without overworking, to capture the warm simplicity of the image…two little flowers in an old honey jar. I used a board painted with pastel ground in varying textures.

In Alabama, Ampersand, Birmingham, daffodil, flower, Ingram, Liz, Mary, Pastel Ground, pastels, Sennelier, soft pastel, Southern, still life, texture
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Energen Art Competition

marylizingramart —  February 28, 2011 — Leave a comment


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!

In Alabama, Ampersand, Art, bale, ballerina, ballet, barn, Birmingham, Energen, hay, Ingram, Liz, Mary, Pastelbord, pastels, soft pastel, Southern
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Passing Time

marylizingramart —  February 6, 2011 — 1 Comment


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.

In Alabama, Ampersand, Art, barn, Birmingham, cow, farm, Ingram, Liz, Mary, Pastelbord, pastels, Rural, Sennelier, soft pastel, Southern
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Train Whistle

marylizingramart —  January 20, 2011 — Leave a comment

Train Whistle, 14×18 Soft Pastel

I snapped a quick photo out the window of the car as my family and I were traveling through rural Alabama toward New Orleans. It wasn’t really a great shot; pretty boring as a photo. But through the vibrant softness of pastels, I could enhance the moment to show beauty in an average sight…train cars moving steadily beside the interstate, through the thick green trees of my home state, under a sky that evokes wonder and a bit of mystery. Swirling clouds, light and dark; a mixture of moods.

My home is situated near enough to hear train whistles in quiet moments. The sound permeates those moments when I am drifting off to sleep or reading quietly in my room. I hear it as I walk to my car on early winter mornings, its sound crisp and steady. The almost mournful tone speaks to me in almost-understood ways; it lingers and causes me to pause, to catch my breath and soak in the moment in which I find myself. I have heard it in some of my darkest moments…it draws out my sadness as a breath draws air, traveling languidly through the night. I hear it on hopeful mornings and I pause to see the beauty in my life, and the places I am going. It reminds me of journeys taken and journeys that lie ahead. It is a treasured sound I can recall from childhood; a sound that touches my soul.

In Alabama, Art, Birmingham, Ingram, Liz, Mary, pastels, Rural, Sennelier, soft pastel, Southern, train, train car
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A New Contrast

marylizingramart —  October 7, 2010 — 1 Comment



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.

In Alabama, Art, bale, barn, Birmingham, fence, hay, Ingram, Liz, Mary, pastels, Rural, Sennelier, sky, soft pastel, Southern
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