The Life of the Pastel Artist

The #1 question is “How Do You Do That?”... to which my answer is usually “Very carefully” with a smile on my face. I cannot stand in front of a big blank sheet of paper, with nothing on my radar and start throwing paint on the surface. That is not who I am! I produce fine art portraits and that includes thoughtful detail and a plan for the path I need to take. Every painting I create is a journey into the identity of another person or animal. Would you take a vacation without driving directions? I wouldn't! For me, that [...]

The last blog was about “What Inspires You.” Portraiture is my first choice of subject, however, sometimes I do like to stir my creative juices and paint other subjects. But I can't paint just anything! I need a plan, a purpose to what I am creating. I really like to paint memories of places that I have connected with and which will be a connection for others. Right now, aside from working on 2 pet commissions, I have decided to create a series of paintings of my hometown, Carlisle, Pa!Union Fire Co. No. 1 is the first painting in my Carlisle [...]

Someone said I should create a Blog! Yes, a Blog! So here we go! I'm going to start with my beginning. We are all created with some kind of a gift. If it is a gift, you will enjoy spending time there. Some like to write, do crafts, ride horses, restore cars, sing, etc. What is it that you are drawn to, that you enjoy so much that you can never get enough of it! What is it about this thing you do that makes it so irresistible? Where does the passion come from? I love art. I have always [...]