Pastel painting of a close-up view of ripe apples on a tree in autumn.

Pastel painting 25.5 inches x 12.5 inches

Spent a bit of time in the studio this week to finish up a pastel painting that has been languishing on my easel for months. This is part of my Orchard Series that I started early this year.  I’ve finished 4 of them so far and am really happy with the results.

As some of you may already know, I am obsessed with what I call “micro landscapes”– extreme closeup views of various scenes in nature. (See my RiverStones and TreeScape Series) I like painting recognizable subjects that are cropped so tightly, they almost become abstract in composition. I hope to add 4 or 5 more paintings to the series this year. The first two will be exhibited in an exhibit at Tvedten Fine Art beginning in late July.

Pastel painting of an extreme close up of ripe apples on a tree in the fall.

Pastel painting 25.5 inches x 12.5 inches  $850

Please contact me if you are interested in similar art work.

I’m continuing to work on my new series of orchard pastel paintings. Although I really enjoyed creating in a square format for the first two works, I felt that a horizontal composition might work better. I started with some photographs I had taken last fall. I cropped the image tightly in photoshop, added some apples, took out some leaves, and generally fussed with the elements till I felt that they made a pleasing composition. The color palette is very similar to the first paintings, but completely unlike the actual photo. I pushed the vibrancy in some areas and toned it down in others. I figure that photos are great for reference, but that I have no responsibility to copy them exactly…

Pastel painting of an extreme close-up view of ripe apples on a sunny autumn day

Pastel painting 20 inches x 20 inches

Pastel painting number two for the Tvedten Fine Art “20 x 20″ show this summer. The Opening Reception will be July 29th and I am assuming the show will run through August. I’m really excited about this new series and looking forward to exploring new compositions and color combinations within this bright harvest subject matter.

Pastel painting of close-up view of ripe apples on a tree in the fall

Pastel painting 20 inches x 20 inches

The gallery that represents me in Harbor Springs, Michigan, Tvedten Fine Art, is having an intriguing show this summer. Margaret Tvedten requested that all of her artists submit 2 paintings that are 20 x 20 inches. They can be of any subject matter and in any medium. I LOVE working in square formats so I was immediately enthralled. I have been collecting orchard reference photos for years so I decided this might be a good time to start the series.

This piece isn’t really a pastel landscape. I call it a “micro landscape” and continues my fascination with extreme close up views of everyday scenery that we take for granted. Very similar in concept to my RiverStone series. I will post the “partner” pastel painting in a few days.

I’d love to hear what you think…

Pastel landscape painting of a beautiful pond with autumn trees reflected in the water.

Pastel painting 11 inches x 17 inches     $650

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

One of my close friends, and a long time client at our Ann Arbor advertising agency, has created the most beautiful garden and pond on the land behind their home. They own an organic fertilizer company, Ocean Organics,  and use their chemical-free products to nurture nature and make it blossom in breathtaking ways. On a sunny day last fall, I took some reference photos to paint from later in my studio. This pastel landscape shows my favorite view of the pond and the small bench where you can sit and take in the gorgeous scenery.

Plein air pastel painting of a pond and reflections in the fall

Pastel painting 11 inches x 8 inches       $200

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

Today I braved the stores to get all the holiday gift purchases done and it was about 40 degrees when I finally got a chance to go out with my pastels in the afternoon. It was a little chilly but I thought I could handle it. Whoa. Within a half an hour my fingers were tingling and 30 minutes later, I could not feel them at all. But the sky was bright and the atmosphere crystal clear, so I kept on going. It took me a good hour to warm up. Who would have thought plein air pastel landscape painting could be such a dangerous sport?

Plein air pastel painting of a house and rolling lawn in late autumn.

Pastel painting 10 inches x 8 inches       $200

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

I was sure that my plein air days were over for this year but it looks like we will have another nice weekend. I’m planning to go out somewhere exotic for a long session tomorrow but this afternoon I found time to do a pastel landscape painting right from my own backyard.  Almost all the trees are bare but there are a few colorful leaves holding on.

I broke down and bought MORE pastels. Its like a sickness. I have to try all the brands and their different colors. This time I purchased a bunch of Great American pastels in shades that were not already in my collection. I had heard they had a wonderful creamy texture and they do! Its like painting with butter! I swear I am going to produce a cool tshirt that says, in huge letters: “Whoever dies with the most pastels wins.”!

Support a local artist in your community: Give original art for your holiday gifts this year!

Plein air pastel landscape painting of a golden autumn field and distant tree line.

Pastel painting 9 inches x 6 inches       $100

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

After the nice farmer man offered me his “back yard” to paint in, I drove way back in to his fields til I found this intriguing scene. I liked the strong diagonal of the grassy lane and the endless golden fields. The colorful little trees in the background made a perfect focal point. I painted quickly because now it was after five p.m. and REALLY cold. But I’m happy I stayed to add this pastel painting to my autumn landscape series. In a couple of months, when winter descends,  I’m sure I will be pining for this type of “mild” weather…

Pastel plein air painting of a dirt road framed in autum leaves.

Pastel painting 6 inches x 9 inches       $100

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

It was friggin cold on Sunday afternoon. But I persisted. The colors in southeast Michigan are starting to burst out and I refused to miss the explosion! The back roads were filled with orange and yellow and this little lane looked like a perfect place to set up for a pastel landscape painting. Within 20 minutes, my fingers were absolutely numb. I was packing up to go when a sweet man who owned a farm on this road stopped to chat. He told me how beautiful the fields behind his house were and invited me to paint there. I couldn’t refuse. I will post that painting in a couple of days.

SafeHouse Center, an organization that fights to stop domestic violence and sexual assault in Michigan is very close to my heart. I designed a calendar filled with the art of local women artists as a fundraiser to help offset the huge funding cuts they are experiencing. The art is really amazing and the cause is so important. For a donation of $15 for 1 or $40 for 3 you can make a difference for thousands of women and children.

Thank you to the many artists who donated, to my friend and wonderful copywriter, Linda Fitzgerald, and to Kelly Parkinson and the Allegra Print and Imaging gang for making this calendar happen!

The calendars wold make wonderful holiday gifts. Please contact me if you are interested!

Plein air pastel landscape painting of a distant barn seen from the fields

Pastel painting 9.5 inches x 6 inches       SOLD

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

This beautiful old farm on Judd Road in Saline caught my eye last weekend. On cloudy days, it would seem like the landscape should be dull and drab, but its really the exact opposite. All the colors become hyper saturated in relation to the dismal sky.  I love autumn in Michigan when all the crops turn rusty ochre. To me, a pastel painting of golden soy bean fields can be more exciting than the traditional landscapes filled with brightly colored fall trees. I painted this piece on white paper that I had underpainted with a bright red watercolor wash. I like to leave some of that red color peaking through the pastel to unify the painting.

Hope the weather holds so that I can get out again this weekend…