Indholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2022 i The Pastel Journal

Even the most accomplished artists will tell you that they never stop learning new things about their craft. An openness to new ideas and techniques is one of the best ways to keep the creative fire burning bright. This continuing education can be pursued in many ways—through art books and videos, workshops and residencies, and in the real-life encounters we have with art in galleries and museums, where some of the greatest artists of all time can be our teachers. Featured artist Susanna Griswold (page 48), for instance, credits much of her artistic growth to her exposure to the work of Rembrandt. “The psychological depth that portraits can convey is fascinating to me,” she says, “and I adore Rembrandt, who brought this genre to fantastic heights.” “Learning never exhausts the…

“Reiss’ portrait of Charles Spurgeon Johnson represents the meeting of two of the era’s most energetic proponents of American cultural progress.” Winold Reiss (1886–1953) was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, the son of an artist. In 1911, Reiss went to Munich to study art, and in 1913, he moved to the United States. He became a graphic designer and illustrator, designed interiors for major commercial projects and created murals in paint and mosaics. Reiss maintained a studio in New York City, where he also founded an art school. In short, he was something of a Renaissance man. He may be best known for his pastel portraits, ethnographic studies of Native Americans and African Americans. In 1920, Reiss traveled to Montana to draw and paint members of the Blackfeet Nation, then to…

• On a value scale of 1 to 10, in which 1 is black and 10 is white, the value of sunlit snow can range from 7 to 9. • The value of shadowed snow can range from 3 to 5. • White (value 10) should never be used. • Most winter palettes contain muted colors. Save the brightest, most chromatic colors for interesting touches where the sunlit snow glistens and sparkles in the light. • If you have a strong yellow sun with a blue sky, the sunlit portion of snow will show some yellow, pink and purple, all in values that are close together but in the upper range. • Shadowed areas often reflect the color of the sky and the color of the objects around them. For…

Despite her passion for people, when a well-loved place, intriguing shadows and detailed lines converge, Ashby does depart from portraiture to explore unique landscapes. One such conjunction is at the lookout at Aldeburgh Beach near her home, in Suffolk, England, where an intricate iron railing on a spiral staircase casts shadows that the artist finds irresistible.…

Go your own way. “The best advice I’ve been given is to be true to myself and do what I love. I have a passion for realism and detail, and I continue on that path. I’ve come to realize that, as individuals, we each have a unique way of creating that makes us happy and fulfilled. There are no rules in terms of style. No genre is better than another. You’ll have a much healthier relationship with your art if you do what you love.” —JULIE FREEMAN Think first. “One of my drawing teachers once said, ‘First the head, then the hands,’ meaning we need to think first and analyze what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it—and not scratch it out, just like that. When…

The IAPS exhibition took place at Zhou B Art Center, a venue located in Chicago’s historic Bridgeport neighborhood, just south of downtown, that provides 10,000 square feet of gallery space as well as studios for 50 resident artists. The center’s curatorial staff worked with the IAPS exhibition team and members of Chicago Pastel Painters (CPP) to organize and hang a show that allowed visitors to experience up close the full power and brilliance of the pastel medium. “Pastels make magic. Space allows us to see it,” says Tatijana Jacenkiw, the CPP president. “This exhibition was the perfect example of where the vastness of the Zhou B Art Center gallery reinforced the breadth of artistry among the contemporary pastelists whose paintings filled all of its walls. If one could imagine a…

Juries can feel a bit like a minefield, and submitting your artwork to one is always a gamble. If you’re happy to paint for your own enjoyment, then there’s no need to venture into this arena, but if you want to see how your work stacks up against other artists, then it’s a good idea to throw your hat into the ring—but buckle up! The experience can be a bumpy ride. Still, the potential rewards of competition can be career-building for those who are determined to learn along the way and who don’t take the inevitable setbacks too personally. STANDING OUT IN A CROWD Keep in mind that typically, only 50 to 100 paintings may be selected for any given show for the simple fact that exhibition venues only have…

In discussing the trajectory of her journey into art-making, Griswold says, “I started out in watercolor, then moved to oil, and I’m now working both in oil and soft pastels. I love the pastel medium, and I work with both pastel pencils and pastel sticks from a variety of manufacturers. I love Bruynzeel pencils for their beautiful, coordinated colors, their rich hues and their softness, but I also love Derwent, Cretacolor and CarbOthello pencils. I have pastel sticks from most of the well-known manufacturers—Terry Ludwig, Richeson, Unison, Sennelier, Rembrandt, Blue Earth and Diane Townsend. Each brand is different in its degree of softness, shape and available colors. Some of my stick choices are based on recommendations from other artists—such as Sennelier’s stick No. 179, which is a very dark, rich…

Let’s face it. Working from photo reference in a home studio is often a necessity, especially during harsh-weather months. For artists like me, who focus on subjects that move—like water and birds—photo reference is indispensable. Whether you’re working in the studio or in the field, however, both practices benefit greatly from what I call “plein air observation.” This entails hours of looking, analyzing and studying a subject in person. Then, your photos can serve as a tool to jog your memories—and record details that you may have missed on site. As I experienced Lake Michigan’s shoreline one day, I was struck by nature’s noisy rhythms all around me. Later, at my easel, when referring to the photos I took on location, I opted to punch up the colors, create some…

Recently, Wasson bought a print-making press for making monotypes and what she calls “pastel prints.” For these works, Wasson takes a pastel painting that didn’t work out, places moistened print paper over it and then runs it through the press. She ends up with two products: the monotype, which has a reversed image of the original painting, and the original with only a ghostly image remaining. She can continue to work with either or both of these works. Creating these pastel prints helps Wasson break out of her regular routine, which stimulates creativity. “I tend to get too comfortable with the way I’m painting,” she says, “and that makes for boredom and boring work.”…

English artist Michele Ashby loves depicting faces. As she exclaims in her distinctly British cadence, “I love drawing all people—end of!” But during the months of separation from her adult children due to the pandemic, their faces became her favorite ones to depict. “What can be more inspiring than drawing those I love?” she asks. “My children, Imogen and Alfie, and my husband are a constant source of inspiration. These portraits make me feel more connected to my children. I guess by drawing them, I can ‘magic’ them here with me, talk to them almost. Relying on FaceTime or WhatsApp wasn’t perfect, but in my opinion, I still managed to produce some of my best portraits of Alfie during this difficult time.” The Human Condition One of those pieces, 47B…

Step 1: I start by creating a notan so that I have a plan in place. Notans help identify big value shapes. I’m aware, however, that the more I break a design into smaller pieces, the less it holds together. I sketched this four-value notan on tracing paper using dark, medium and light Tombow markers. Step 2: I brushed gesso over a previous painting I’d done on multimedia board, creating both texture and a neutralized ground color. Next, I blocked in areas in pastel, loosely describing the forms while making sure to allow the ground color and texture to show through. Step 3: As soon as an area began veering toward too much description, I applied Spectrafix and used my fingers to blur the area a bit. Previously, the flowers…

Award winners in the 6th Master Circle Exhibition included: Prix de Pastel—Julie Freeman, The Art of Zen Gold—Jeanne Rosier Smith, Intimate Ocean Silver (in honor of Elizabeth Mowry)— Barbara Jaenicke, Winter’s Coat Bronze—Mary Lynn Sullivan, His Favorite Flannel Award of Excellence— Michael Freeman, Lockdownunder Award of Excellence— Nancie King Mertz, The Provider Award of Excellence— Tara Will, Canyon Lace Award of Excellence— Tony Allain, Nelson Yacht Club Award winners in the 38th Open Juried Exhibition included: Best of Show—Elena Degenhardt, Inheritance, Pandemic Kids series First Place (in honor of Urania Christy Tarbet)—Silja Salmistu, Sunflowers 2 Second Place (in honor of Maggie Price)— Michele Ashby, How Much Longer ... ? Third Place—Laura Mocnik, Refreshing Award of Merit—Cory Goulet, Retreat of the Mangroves Award of Merit—Beth Williams, Winter Thaw Award of Merit—…