Close to Sunset
24 in x 30 in
Pastel on Board.
This is a painting based on Sedona, AZ. Sedona is an extremely beautiful place. I am especially attracted to and inspired by the late afternoon light in Sedona. I also love the sunsets there. Last time I was there I did a lot of studies, took lots of photos, and tried to memorize as much as I could. This studio painting is a result of those experiences. I have been making a body of work primarily focusing on Sedona lately.
I have also been experimenting with making different pastel surfaces. I enjoy the different varieties of sanded pastel papers but they have limitations in size. Also papers like Sennelier, UART cannot handle washes. So I started making my own boards. One technique that I have employed is using Art Spectrum ColourFix Primer the Super Fine Version and applying 2-3 coats of it on hardboard panel. I like the surface plus it works really well with doing pastel washes with turpentine or Gamsol (Gamblin's OMS). I do washes for the under painting of my pastel paintings. This technique doesn't work well while working outside because it takes time to dry. It works great for studio work, having washes and values laid in early helps with color relations throughout the painting process.
I am also experimenting with adding marble dust to gesso and applying that to hardboard for another kind of pastel surface. The added bonus for artists is that it saves money, you can customize your surfaces to your liking, and you can create any size you want. An added bonus is that the work is more sturdy, archival, personally involved by the artist and that is a bonus for collectors. I generally mount my pastel papers to hardboard too. The reason I do that is because paper has a higher chance of being damaged. When paper is mounted to a board it is less likely to be torn or be damaged.
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