Finally back in the studio

Ben, Pastel on brown craft paper, 18” x 24”

I’m finally back to work. I’m a painter, but I’m also a mother, and although all of my children are grown, they still come home for the holidays. I managed to get into the studio twice around Thanksgiving, and once near Christmas. Today was the first day that I knew, when I went came down, that I’d be back tomorrow. The holidays were wonderful, but it’s a relief to be back to work!

I have tasked myself with making 10—12 new pastel paintings so that I can find a gallery. I also want more pieces to choose from as I enter shows. Unfortunately, I’m not a quick worker. As you can probably tell, I am a little obsessive, and that means hours on every piece. In fact, I’m keeping track of my hours, because I really don’t know how long it takes me to make a picture from the planning stages through completion.

So far, I have entered three shows with my new pastel landscapes. I have been accepted to one, the Degas Pastel Society 20th Biennial National Exhibition. Alas, I didn’t win a prize. After looking at the gorgeous entries, I can’t imagine how I’ll ever win one of these competitions. There is a lot of fabulous painting out there. It’s anybody’s guess how the judges choose their finalists.

By the way, the drawing above was the last i made in our group before the holidays. The model, Ben Lussier, is a fabulous painter, himself.