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Sunday, June 04, 2017

Pastel Demo at LPAC

Yesterday was my demo at the Lost Pines Art Center.  It is beautiful and an asset to the community.
http://www.lostpinesartcenter.org/

Painting in the big showroom was almost like painting outside.  Windows and raised roof skylighting.

This was my area.  You are looking at about 1/4 of the room.

I took my iPad with quite a few reference photos on it.  I planned on doing a landscape of our area and maybe add a longhorn or two.  I don't like painting from photos very much so decided to just look out the window.

I took this through the window as you can see.  There wasn't anyone around at the moment and if you go out that door you have to go to the front to get back in.  So, bad photo.  Using the photo is mainly for reference later.  The photo doesn't have to be perfect.  The big tree would be the focus of my painting.  You can see the farmers market in the back, Chestnut street and the new City Hall.  If the photo is too perfect, you can end up just making a copy.

I was working on a 14 x 11 Pastelbord.  This has a nice smooth sand grit.  I put on some pastel and wet it with water and spread with a brush.  It didn't want to adhere for some reason.  I'm thinking now that maybe my brush had oil on it from oil painting??  But you can use oil for under painting, too.

Pastel paintings do not require under paintings, but it saves time, pastels and can add a great deal to a painting.  You can cover it completely or let the color show through.  I put sort of a red and purple as a complement to the green that was to follow.  It adds to the continuity of the painting to keep the darks connected as one shape.

I began to develop the painting, adding some more darks and working on the sky and foreground.  I was trying to just give a feeling of background without any details.

This is about where I was before I packed up to leave.  Very incomplete but an hour and a half or so of work.

The rest of the time was talking with visitors and audience.  I was also checking out other artists.  Mark Bray was doing a drawing of a horse in black and white, charcoal and pencil.  There was a wood carver working on a display for the First National Bank and the museum.  Why did I not get a photo or two?

Just received this photo by e-mail.  Thanks, Pam Hickl.  Nice of her to take the time.  It was her birthday yesterday, but I didn't know, Happy Belated Birthday!  We met through Enid Wood's pastel classes.  Fun!

And a more friendly version without the serious contemplation.



Robin Lively http://www.robinlively.com/  was doing a pastel demo as well.  She was working/painting on an old pickup.  She was using some dark slate color, Colourfix sanded paper.  The paper itself was the underpainting and she left some of that to show through....

I love talking and had a great time visiting with the artists and gallery lookers. Oh, actually enjoyed painting, too.

There is a fine coffee shop in the Art Center that serves all the specialty style coffee and tea, snacks and wine.  They make their own meade and sell honey.  What more do you want?  Latte, wine and art!  Woohoo!

We will see how the painting "finishes" or not.  You will have to stay tuned to find out.

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Baseball note:  I stayed up until about 1:00 a.m. watching and listening to the Longhorns.  We went to dinner at the Roadhouse in Paige and started watching there.  We came home and finished listening on the internet.  The Horns defeated the Long Beach State Dirtbags, 5 - 3 in 12 innings as the visiting team.  We don't have a sports package for TV so don't get ESPN or ESPN2.  Anyway the game was very good and close.  You can read about it here.  (Thanks for the link, Joanna.)

The Longhorns carry on.  One more win at the Regional (double elimination tournament) and they play for the Championship.  Not expected but what fun.  Next up would be the Super Regionals which is next weekend with another Regional winner, best 2 of three games.  Then in 10 days or so after that, the NCAA College World Series in Omaha.  We have never been.  Maybe on our trip the Horns will be there and we could just drop by Omaha on our way home from Montana.  Just a few hundred miles more!

Hook 'em Horns!


11 comments:

hmuxo said...

What a great post Jo.....I wish I had been there to join you.....such a great space to work at. This coming Wed. I'm going to the preserves to do plein aire!!! I will do as you say...paint first then look at the photo ! Your painting looks wonderful...I wish I can see it closer! Thanks for all the tips!!!!

Jo Castillo said...

hmuxo, thank you so much. Wouldn't that be fun to get together? Have fun with the plein air. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes!

Bag Blog said...

The demos look great. You look like you were having fun, too.

Jo Castillo said...

Bag Blog, thanks. Always good to get out and about. Talking is good for me .... I think.

jmfletch said...

Love your pastels. ❤️ I tried enlarging the pic to see how you organize your pastels. I always find that interesting.

Jo Castillo said...

jmfletch, Hi there, Joe. I have several different arrangements, you know I am lazy and not organized. The plein air box is just separated by colors. At home I have some trays that have mixtures in them mostly by color, too. I try to keep some lights separately. I also have some sets that I have open and try to keep them in the order they were. Never works. I do separate the ones I am using on a painting and put them back in the jungle after I finish a painting. I will also start a new painting or sketch and use the pastels I already had out. Did I say I am lazy? I tried sorting by color and value, but can't keep it straight. Hope you have better luck.

judi said...

Jo, you are wonderful to provide a pastel demo at the Lost Pines Art Center. Your painting became amazing in short period of time. So inspiring!!!

Jennifer Rose said...

great big smile on your face :D

Jo Castillo said...

judi, thanks. Haven't seen you in ages. I think you travel more than we do. Hugs.

Jennifer Rose, I'm smiling because the tree almost looks like a tree. I haven't painted in ages as you know. :)

Jennifer Rose said...

but you have been sketching so still working those artistic muscles :)

Jo Castillo said...

Jennifer Rose, sometimes sketching is like homework, I need that boost. Thanks.


About Me

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Bastrop, Texas, United States
I Grew up in a small town , Magdalena, New Mexico. I enjoy art and the pleasure other people get from my work. I always donate some of my sales and art to charities, especially for children. That started in Bolivia with Para los Niños. "I cannot pretend to feel impartial about colors. I rejoice with the brilliant ones and am genuinely sorry for the poor browns." -- Winston Churchill

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