Pastel Class with Enid

Last Friday I went to the Lost Pines Art Center for a Pan Pastel Class with Enid Wood
https://www.enidwood.com/

Enid is a super pastelist and is energetic and encouraging in her classes.  Of course I did not remember to take photos.  I have a one track mind in my dotage.

I have a set of twelve Pan Pastels.  Basic colors for a palette.  It was enough for my practice.  We did a color swatch on a piece of black paper.  I preferred that to my finished piece.  I used Pastel Card for my practice.  It holds lots of pastel and has to have many layers before you can blend.  It took a bit to figure out.  One applies the colors with sponges, much like applying makeup.  You double load to mix colors.  Usually 3 swipes on the pastel and then do a stroke.  Wipe off the sponge and go again.

Summer Showers, Pan Pastels with a touch of other pastel sticks.  About 6.5 x 8 inches.

The class was informative and I enjoyed being out and about.  As I have said repeatedly, painting with others is a good way to be inspired.

Enid will be teaching another class in January about abstract painting.  Check the class schedule at the Lost Pines Art Center.  http://www.lostpinesartcenter.org/classes/ and also on Enid's page for other classes she does.

I also used this for the Scavenger Hunt 610 as Number 8 - makes you smile.

Pastel Sketch and Art Conference Reminder, Photos

I sketched out on the porch yesterday.  I took out my Pan Pastels to sketch them.  The list has "new art supply" on it.  Instead I decided to sketch with them!  I didn't seem to have the right little tools for detail so added a bit with pastel sticks at the end.  It was fun and kept me occupied for about an hour.  I sketched on MiTientes paper so that I wouldn't feel bad about tossing it as practice.  It is about 8 x 10 inches.

For Scavenger Hunt 417, http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1386204 

Number 10, three things from a drawer

 

It was nice out but windy again.  Gene put up a tarp so we could have shade and be out of the sun.  It worked pretty well.  Maybe we will use it again.

 

A cottontail rabbit  that Gene kept seeing.  We waited for him to get closer but I had to get this from about 30 feet away through the window.

 

A reminder, too, that there is a regional arts conference happening in Bastrop in a few weeks.  If you sign up by Tuesday you get a big discount.  You should plan on going.  There are many, many classes, demos, vendors and more in a wide variety of media.  Some of the talks and demos are free with the pass.  Very good teachers and speakers.  Bastrop is a nice place to visit.  There are bed and breakfasts that are unique, live music, local restaurants and much to see and do besides the conference.  Take your family!

http://www.lostpinesregionalartsconference.com

Fall on Your Face and Pastel Painting

Years ago, I think we were in Bolivia at the time, Joanna was going to be in a play at school.  I was going to send her off with the old saying to "Break a leg!"  Well, I mixed up my thoughts and it came out, "Fall on your face!"  That has stuck with me.

I took the advice myself last Tuesday evening and fell on my face.  That is one of the reasons for my absence here.  My sister had surgery in New Mexico and we went to see her.  When she got better and went home from the hospital, we decided to go to the dentist for a teeth cleaning on our way home.  Gene needed a cavity fixed, too.

We arrived in Deming, New Mexico, on Tuesday afternoon.  I went outside to make a call to check on my sister and decided to bring our little cooler back in the hotel room.  I started to the door and stumbled and fell across the sidewalk with no time to put out my hands.  I am pretty sure it was luck not to hit the sidewalk.  My face hit the gravel instead which I think saved breaking my teeth.

Emergency room time and stitches in my upper and lower lips with plastic glue stuff on the outside of my lower lip.  I did not get my teeth cleaned on Wednesday.  Ha.  They had a rough time with Gene's tooth and ended up pulling it, the root had grown into the bone and the cavity was too deep to save the tooth.

On the road we both were having liquid diets instead of getting to try new restaurants and nice dinners with wine.  Ah well.

Our Texas kids came out for Mother's day.  We had breakfast instead of lunch which for me was scrambled eggs!  That is one of the last foods I would ask for on Mother's Day, but it was my first "solid" food and it was pretty darn good.  We had planned to have brisket, corn on the cobb, etc.  It was a nice day and fun to see the kiddos.

We should be in A-1 shape again in a couple of days, health wise.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

Today was Enid Wood's pastel class at the Bastrop Fine Arts Guild. We were trying underpainting with Pan Pastels.  I had never used Pan Pastels.  In anticipation of this class, Gene got me a set of 20 for Mother's Day. 

I forgot to take the little sponges and tools to work with them so used a soft Viva paper towel over my finger and worked like I do on my iPad. 

The PanPastels come in a box, stacked.  I put them in the plastic palette box for easier access when painting.

The pastels in the palette.

My little 5 x 7 painting done with the PanPastels and a bit of soft pastel sticks for the highlights on Pastelbord.  It was fun and different to paint with my fingers.  I will try something a bit different here at home with the regular spongy tools.  The geraniums were from memory and from painting some real ones at Art Connections during Yesterfest.

This is the last class at the Guild until fall.  Enid will have some plein air paint togethers on Mondays in Bastrop and the area.  Check her page, http://enidwood.com/classes/