Keeping it simple

 Keeping it simple...in a complicated world 

No doubt we are living in very challenging times.  Global warming, cultural division, instant communication, space flights, war, and Covid...and that's just the tip of the iceberg!  Iceberg? Ack!  

Coming from the 60's generation, it would seem we had it tough.  It was rare to have a private phone line, a color television, and fast-food meals. It was not convenient, yes, but it was simple.  While I was raised in poverty for a short time with my unstable Mother, I saw and experienced a LOT of things that have informed my perceptions of the world around me. We got along with very little and struggled. Yet the distractions were few.  Looking back, it really wasn't bad, but that's hindsight.  Having had success and failure in many forms changes our perceptions of life.  The struggle is good, but not fun. We learn from it all and hope for better each time around.

Recently, I recorded a few instructional videos and an online appearance on repurposing pastels The experiences were very challenging and tested my will.  My personal expectations were high and I felt confident.  I am still wondering what the final result will be from it all.  Will it have been worth my time?  Will it inform and inspire others?  Most likely. But who knows.  I allow my hopes to not be crushed if all fails, and I understand that I have no control over much if anything in this world. What works best is living simply and being responsible with choices.  It's like that even more so in the year 2022.  

 If you could change one thing in our world today, what would that be?

Seeing through your hopes and dreams

"Delight of the Dreamer"  12x12" Pastel on sanded paper, $1,650
Available through The Mission Gallery

Enter into any room that is flooded with filtered light, and you might sense your mood shifting, and perhaps your eyes might even begin to moisten. For me, I am always in touch with my senses, especially my sight, and perception of how people relate to one another. It's almost funny to say this, but to me, I am on the observation deck of life.  A few years back, I came upon this scene inside the Swan House at the Atlanta Historical Museum after a thunderous Spring downpour. Upon entering into this one particular room at that very moment, I felt a compelling sense of elevation by the light that was wrapping around this young girl. It evoked feelings of hope fueled by anticipation, curiosity, and dreams. And now, now more than ever, this piece seems more poignant. One might question if she is isolated in an empty room along with an empty chair to sit, be still and think, or she is waiting for good news that will bring brighter days ahead?.  Whether we look at life through either a kaleidoscope lens or a magnifying glass, we still take light in.  So what do you see in this piece? I'd love to know!

Moving along...    

Morning Birches 10x8

 

Morning Birches 10x8" o/l  

Overlooked, average, and often undiscovered spaces close to home can be the most inspiring places to paint.  Once you slow down and really look around you, you will find all sorts of unsung beauty.  Here is a spot just around the corner from my house that I drive past nearly every day.  It was a chilly Fall morning with the sun rising just behind the rooftops, and there it was...this stand of small birches highlighted by a glowing, rainbow-like mist. I gotta STOP! And so I made a swift U-turn back to my house, picked up my painting gear and returned a few minutes later to paint it.  Now every time I drive past this unnoticed spot of beauty, I will always remember what I saw and what was painted. Art does that. It takes us somewhere else, calms us, and settles our busy lives down.  Take in a moment and look around you while running your next errand. What do you see? 

This piece is headed to the New Visions show at The Mission Gallery in St. George, UT. March 21-22, 2019

Lloyd via Pearl 16x20"

"Lloyd via Pearl" 16x20" Pastel

Hadn't shared this one yet cuz I've been so busy with family stuff... graduation, and my folks visiting. It's been a fun week of celebrating and more, and now back to work today. Weather is looking too good to be inside, yet much to do that has piled up in the studio. So I'm finally getting this one out there. Worked on it during the rainy months here in Portland. I came upon this scene when I made a wrong turn and ended up with the perfect moment to shoot a pic from my car dashboard as the trolley was stopping. Loved the lights and the atmosphere of the scene. 

Laguna Recap Day 2

(Sorry for the centered formatting, for some reason blogger won't let me fix it.)

Second day into the LPAPA event, me and Jennifer head out to the shoreline just below Heisler park in Laguna Beach. It was an overcast day with a hint of mist in the air. Unfortunately, I was not feeling very well and definitely not interested in painting an overcast day. I get enough of that in Portland. 

Looking south at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach.

So we decided to paint something on Balboa Island, an area just outside of Newport Bay where it appeared to be sunnier and more promising on the eye. I heard it was a very colorful, unique place and it sure did have plenty of subject matter for an artist to consume.  Even though there were a lot of beautiful boats and sparkly water, for some reason I wanted to paint an alley. I think just the sight of one took me back to when I lived in San Diego as a teen running up and down those long sunny alleys to pluck avocados and pomegranates from the neighbors trees.  Mostly, I was interested in the warm and cool temperature of the high key scene.  I chose a method of underpainting that I learned back in 2009 from Master pastelist Maggie Price. The technique requires 3 blue pastels and 3 yellow pastels, ranging in values from dark to light, and they should be intense hues.  

Here is my underpainting using  the 3 blues for everything cast in shadow, and 3 yellows for everything touched by light. It gave the piece a sence of bright light and cool shadow.  I haven't used this technique very much, but I think I just may.

The Backway, 14x11" Pastel ©Brenda Boylan

After I completed "The Backway", I picked up a lunch and then returned to Laguna Beach to continue work on my ambitious urban scene.

Still much to do...

I'm 2/3rds of the way through this piece on Pacific Coast Hwy 1, near a busy intersection. As I was painting this piece, my adventure gets a bit coincidental.  My aunt Linda drove by with her dear friend Mary. You see, she lives 85 miles from this spot, so it was truly a coincidence that she passed by that very spot, at that very moment I am painting. I hear and see a lot of things while painting on the streets, like people singing to the radio in their car, cigarette butts thrown by my side, homeless trying to survive, sometimes a loud roar of a Harley engine, but the joyful yell "BRENDA?"  "Hey that's Brenda!" was welcomed. I recognized those voices and so they stopped to visit.  Good times.

Swift Crossing, 20x16"

"Swift Crossing" with detail, 20x16" Pastel

Back when I went on my adventure to New York City last September, I walked what felt like 20 miles on the streets with my camera at the ready. There was activity and color that would last me a lifetime of painting inspiration, but the deciding factor must offer a decent composition. Here, "Swift Crossing" has that typical "U" shaped composition so characteristic of any street scene lined with buildings. I like to think some compositions are much like the alphabet, offering up the "S" curve, "L", "V" or "T" to name a few. It was the people crossing the street in what reminded me of the "Beatles" album cover "Abbey Road" that attracted me the most of this scene. I worked with the color a lot, having first used filters on Instagram to see where I could push the colors and mood. I ended up with a more intense and darker look than the original image, I think it works. Thoughts?

Mark Making

"Just for Jelly" crop

Been teaching a 7-week pastel series at Oregon Society of Artists and it sure has been a LOT of fun! I'm mid-way through the second series of classes and have one more that begins in late January. This one demo, above, was on mark-making to demonstrate that all sorts of marks can be employed to get interesting broken color as well as providing emotion like no paint brush could. I used a dizzy-like swirly mark on Wallis Belgian Mist sanded paper with Ludwig pastels.

"Swirly Jars" 12x9" sold

The last class on pastels begins Jan 27 and runs through March 10, 2015.  Classes held at Oregon Society of Artists on Tuesdays at 9:00am - 12:00.  Only room for 9 students. Interested?  Get your answers HERE.

Pending Pastel workshop schedule

Coffee Break, 10x8" Pastel  SOLD

Simple step by step on the basics and more with pastel.

Tomorrow I will be announcing the details and registration for a pastel workshop in the merry month of May in Portland, OR. Many of you who visit me on Facebook, here on my blog, or through email have expressed for more workshop opportunities. So, with that, I'll be confirming a date here soon.

While I'm on the subject of teaching pastel, there is still room in my Pastel Punch! Workshop at the Emerald Arts Center in Springfield, OR. in March. For details, click HERE.

Also, if you have plans to attend the Plein Air Convention and Expo in beautiful Monterey, CA., I will again be presenting on the Demo Stage at 12:45-1:45.  As a matter of fact, they will have an entire track on pastels and more pastels from some of the nation's best pastelists to teach, demonstrate and meet at this event. Hope you can come!

Hope you can join me!

The Blue Line, 24x24

"The Blue Line" 24x24"  Pastel  ©Brenda Boylan

I have been wanting to paint this scene for some time now. It took many detours along the way, (no pun intended), as some paintings take on a direction of their own.  I started out with an image that I took a few months ago on my iPhone and I uploaded it to Instagram where I had the liberty to try different filters for different effects. I really loved one filter in particular, Mayfair, with the contrast boost. Once on the easel, I saturated the colors a tad to add to the drama to this gray city scene. My interest was to use a warm/cool palette of blues and oranges complimented with neutral grays.  At one point the painting had stalled for two weeks as I was distracted, so it sat..and sat. Then one morning I woke up to a fallen easel, face-planted down on the studio floor!

Oh my!

Luckily, the painting avoided any potential smudging or dents. Thankfully it dodged that bullet. With pastels, it is always a good idea to tilt your standing easel forward a bit. This tilt helps the pastel dust to drop away from the painting, keeping it from contaminating the painted areas below. Unfortunately, not a lot of easels are designed to lean forward. (perhaps a Christmas gift idea?) Lesson learned:  weigh down the back of an easel if it is tilted forward. Anyway, I am happy to share "The Blue Line". It will be available in late December at Attic Gallery, located at 206 SW 1st, Portland, OR.

Here is a cropped view of the more "busier" part of the piece

Starting off with a sketch in blue pastel pencil

I tried a bright blue underpainting with water-based createx paint

to give it that "cold, fall day" feeling.

Twilight on 33rd, 24x24 (process)

"Twilight on 33rd" 24x24" Pastel

Getting back to my favorite medium, pastel, I have decided to work on furthering my urban series for a Portland gallery that has been wanting to represent my pastels. I currently have only two pieces available and must create more for a nice presentation for this gallery if I wish to show with them. As I was contemplating what to paint, I stumbled upon a photo I had taken last year from the passenger's seat of our car as my husband was driving me out to a special dinner. He had planned a surprise birthday party for me, and I had no clue! But I digress. As we were arriving in the Belmont district of SE Portland, the sun was low and the neon signs and traffic lights were in dire competition for my attention.  The atmosphere was dense for an October evening. It was the perfect photo for my next urban painting.

First things first, I sketch out the idea to check value patterns

Laying out the sketch onto the mounted Wallis sanded paper. 

I do not use any grid system to map out the idea. 

The beginning of a painting is where drawing skills are most important, as the keen sense of dimension, depth, angles and such can be taken off course, making the finished piece impossible to read well.  When that happens, we end up re-rendering and fixing (fighting the work) throughout the piece instead of using our intellect in the beginning process of the work. Once the rendering is set, and all questions of illusion are solved, I can leave the intellect behind and enter into the intuitive part of the painting process. Mapping by grid is a great way to solve complex illustrations and I will use them from time to time, but I haven't mapped since I began painting plein air. (perhaps another blog topic)

I start out with a value driven, monochromatic warm underpainting. 

I chose a warm underpainting because the atmosphere of the day was very warm and muggy. Had I used a cooler, perhaps a blue underpainting, the mood of the work would have been more sombre. 

I blocked in the main colors of most of the structures, asphalt street and sky. 

I then began to layer veils of similar values over one another. Not sure if you can see in this photo, but the sky has about 8 different colors, all pretty close in value and temperature to each other.

 Developing the details and playing with more punches of color here and there.

As I am looking at my resource photo, I notice the play of warmth from the surrounding car lights on the asphalt and so I added some more color to the asphalt. The reflections on the sides of the cars, and slightly suggesting figures and signage are some of the final details to be added.

All lines are drawn in while holding my breath!

Finished!

UPDATE!  This piece was entered into the IAPS (International Association of Pastel Societies) 23rd Juried Online Show. This honor has earned me a total of 2 points towards the 5 needed for "Master Circle" designation. Looks like I am well on my way!

Favell Museum recap

This past weekend I zipped on down to The Favell Museum with fellow artist Michael Orwick for the opening at the Favell Art Museum's Invitational Art show. The museum's intention was to help promote the museum and it's reach to the region and beyond, broadening it's scope of art and art awareness in the area. They had invited about 30 artists from the Oregon and Northern California region to show and share their talents with the patrons of Klamath County. Some very interesting lectures were given throughout the weekend as well as a few demonstrations of the artists work.

From Which the River Flows West, 14x11" Oil

Here is my demo at the museum. Funny, I should have demonstrated pastels because that was what I had on display at the museum. Ooops! Anyway, I was prepared to paint plein air but the weather turned wet, so we moved the demonstration inside. Because of the switch, I ended up working from a black and white photo that Michael Orwick lent me.

My demonstration in the lower level to a crowd of onlookers, including a cameraman with a mic.

The museum was packed with visitors throughout the opening weekend.

My display wall. Lf to Rt: Passing Point, Rio on Soquel, Crossing the Perch, and Lily Dance, 24x24" on Wallis sanded paper.

On the evening of the opening reception all of the artists were in attendance, well, all except one. That says a lot for the museum as it does the caliber of the artists. The event was festive with music, h'our'deuvres, and many, many patrons of the arts. The artwork was displayed on both the main floor and the lower floor with panache. 

Being a pastelist, I have always wanted to attend the IAPS Convention and had often wanted to meet other pastel artists who are well known for their masterful work. Here is Dawn Emerson, PSA, and Ilene Gienger-Stanfield PSA, who were in attendance at the Favell.

Me with fellow pastel artists Dawn Emerson, and Ilene Gienger-Stanfield

Morning Crocus, 8x8

Morning Crocus, 8x8" Pastel  ©Brenda Boylan

Spring is pretty much here in the Great Northwest even though it's not official until March 21. Just yesterday, I saw some crocus peeking up from our garden and thought, "YEAH, plein air season is almost here!" Spring means it's time for the Plein Air Convention which has been designed to inspire all those artists to go outdoors. It is also the highlight of my year. This time around I have been honored to mentor as a field artist.  That means I will be out in the field painting with 700 other plein air artists, demonstrating my technique and visiting with curious onlookers. Now the question is, should I bring oil or my ever faithful pastels?

The piece above was from deep within the vault, created some eleven years ago or so when I first began painting with pastels in earnest. Sorry it is a bit blurry, but I don't have a good photo of it and has since been purchase by a collector. Whenever I see crocus, it is a reminder that spring is just...around... the...corner!

Under-painting "sneak peek"

Crazy and bold under-painting 24x24"

Nobody ever really gets to see the first stages of my work and so I thought I'd share a sneak peek into my work process. When I start out a pastel piece, I gravitate to the extreme compliments of the intended final colors. I know, you are probably thinking it looks like a throwback to the 60's. Can you hear "Yellow Submarine" playing in the background? Yeah right... but I degress. 

It reminds me of a conversation I had while painting on location at the Plein Air Convention earlier this year with a very famous artist (no name to protect the innocent).  Just as I was finishing up my LOUD under-painting, he approached my easel and conferred that I "Should really consider a better color....something like Burnt Sienna or Earth Red."  Honestly, I think he was right in his own mind, but I LOVE color.  It's really crazy of me to put such harsh pigment under a piece, but for some reason I do and humbly, the painting seems to turn out. Now, as I was working on this one tonight, it was singing to me in perfect harmony. I could see the influences of my oil painting escapades coming through onto the pastel paper.  Bold strokes. Loose marks with confidence.  I'm having fun. I hear music on my panel and I am happy. Can you imagine this one done?

Reworking and evaluating, Interseeding Clover, 24x24

"Interseeding Clover",  24x24" Pastel

Life at my house is getting less hectic and more routine as we settle into the colder months. For the artist part of me, that means quiet studio time, the occasional show, as well as studying or experimenting on new techniques.  I have a lot of peices I wish to do over again, some of them works that I have stashed away for one reason or another.  My gallery in Tacoma, American Art Company, has requested more 24x24" pieces and I have a couple in stock as well as pieces that I want to paint that are stored in memory.  The piece below is from earlier this year that was created as a warm up for a quick draw event at the Allison.  I finally pulled it out to see if it was gallery ready, and I couldn't believe the difference in what I saw a year ago as compared to what I see now in my own work.  We are always growing with each painting, and with that, our eyes see differently.  Perhaps it's the daily experiences we encounter or from our own growth out in the field as we paint along. So, I reworked the piece below and here is it's facelift, above. (I can't believe I'm comparing painting to vanity, but perhaps it is all in vain, eh?)

 "Crossing Clover" 24x24" Pastel

So "Crossing Clover" is no longer available. "Interceeding Crimson"will be available at American Art Company in the coming months.

Pastel Punch! workshop listed in Oregon

In 2013 I will be offering a few pastel workshops for those who wish to improve their knowledge/skill set of this incredible medium. As of now I have secured February 8-10th at the beautiful Sequoia Gallery in Hillsboro, Oregon.  I am working on workshop dates with the Oregon Society of Artists and I am also looking for sponsors beyond the Oregon borders who would love to have me teach in their area.  Please contact me if you would like to make this a reality.  

Pastel Punch!

$300.00

Workshop Dates: 2/8/2013 - 2/10/2013

Location: Sequoia Gallery

136 SE 3rd

Hillsboro Oregon 97123

United States

http://www.sequoiagallerystudios.org/

Learn the secrets of this intensely expressive and colorful medium in an artistic environment. This 3 day workshop will be held in the beautiful Sequia Gallery & Studios in downtown Hillsboro.  Designed for all artistic levels who want to learn what it takes to make knock-out pastel paintings.  Drawing skills are strongly recommended and photo references as well as still lifes will be used for some of your work. Students can expect to work a variety of exercises stressing the unique qualities of pastel while concentrating on composition, value, and color theory, as well as pastel safety and framing. Students will stretch their creativity with the given exercizes and are not expected to complete a finished work in class.  If the weather allows, we may elect to paint outdoors for the final day.

February 8~10th, 2013

Class tuition: $300.  Check or Credit accepted

Class Limited to 10 students only/6 minimum  

Class #31

Register by calling Claudia (503) 648-5785

or Sequoia Gallery

Sequoia Gallery  (503) 693-0401

(registration is conducted through the gallery)

There will also be two opportunities to see a 11/2 hour demonstration at the Sequoia Gallery as a preview to what you will learn in the workshop.  Consider it a mini lesson

Cost : $10. at the door.

Demo dates:  

Nov 14th, 7:00-8:30 pm

Jan 16th 7:00-8:30 pm

Edges and Rows, 24x24"

Edges and Rows, 24 x 24" Pastel on sanded paper ©Brenda Boylan

A while back I was working on a series of work on seasonal paintings of my family farm located in the Eugene area of Oregon. I had worked on this one with the intention of keeping it for my own home so I could enjoy the memories I have from a child. I hadn't finished it until this week, trimming the sides to fit the square format frame. But I have since changed my mind and it is headed up with the other pieces of the series to The American Art Co. in Tacoma, WA.

This is the view facing south just where the trees line the edge of the property. I've never much ventured over there, but the last time I was down at the farm I wandered over there with my dad and discussed all the arrowheads he used to find in the field, the frogs he'd catch from the neighbor's pond on the other side of the trees, and managing the pickers as they harvested the green beans. His life was spent working hard on a farm as a boy as he worked his way through college, but now he is back on the farm, retired and just leases it out to a farmer who keeps things interesting. It's nice to visit. My sense of place puts me at rest when I step onto the property...all worries melt away from my city life in Portland.

So. Cal Sentry, 6x6

"So. Cal Sentry, 6x6" Pastel on sanded paper ©Brenda Boylan

Have you ever tried Googling '6x6" paintings'? Well I did, and I found this popular size/format has 1,370,000 posts! Could it possibly be because the economy has artists painting the smaller size for a smaller price? Or is it because it's small enough that it only takes a few hours to complete? Maybe because the square format is just, well, different? Regardless, there are plenty out there and now I'm adding #1,370,001....'So. Cal Sentry'. I just love the funky 60's framework that is similar to the Lem on the moon missions. Makes me wish for those days when I'd go with my girlfriends to Santa Cruz for the entire day and just sun-bake, drink wine, eat potato chips...and wish for some good looking lifeguard to resuscitate us! HA! Memories!

Passage Point, 6x6 and Deadlines!

Passage Point, 6x6" Pastel on sanded paper. ©2011 Brenda Boylan

Working on the urban scenes for the upcoming "Cityscapes" show at Caswell Gallery has me really inspired to do more of this subject. After I finished this little guy, I scanned it into Photoshop and zoomed in to get an accurate crop. I found that the enlarged image, albeit messy and out of focus, has given me good reason to paint this larger (say...maybe 24x24"?) with all it's messy and wonderfully loose marks. So different than my tight artistic hand a few years ago.

Here it is cropped.

Passage Point, 'cropped'

If I move forward on this idea, I'll have to work fast because I have a few deadlines to make. That will make it all the more freeing and fun! Do you work better under pressure? I have always thrived on it because of my past days as a graphic designer and all those stiff deadlines. What do deadlines mean to you?

Curbsides, 12x9"

Curbsides, 12x9", Pastel on sanded paper

© 2011, Brenda Boylan

Don't you just hate it when artists title their work "Untitled" or #4? A title is everything if you are going to be serious, so why not give your work some credibility? I read a great post by fellow pastelist Marla Baggetta on titling her work...read it here. She made me think more about my naming. Sometimes a title will pop out in my head even before I put pastel to paper. Other times things just don't click. I might find them in a discussion, a walk in the neighborhood, or in a song or poetry. This one has not come to me yet, but will come soon once the egg has hatched. Until then, happy painting!

Update: I finally came up with a title this morning..."Curbsides". Seems fitting.

Time lapse movie: The Rio on Soquel, 20x16 and thoughts for the New Year

"The Rio on Soquel" 20x16"

As 2010 comes to an end, our common thoughts scan over the past 12 months as well as the anticipation for what is in store for each of us. It's been a wild year for many and my hopes go out to each and every one of you for a good year to come. I am grateful for friends and family, to all those who take the time to visit this blog, my galleries, painting buddies, and collectors over this past year. You rock my world! Raise a glass of bubbly for a new year to come!