The Pastel Extravaganza is a unique show in that it involves 4 different galleries in wonderful downtown Loveland, Colorado. It is put on by the Pastel Society of the Northern Rockies running from June 13 thru July 10, 2008. The Juror of Awards is Margaret Dyer, Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America. I will have 2 works in the show, although I don't know which gallery they will be in yet. The reception is Friday, June 13 and I am tentatively planning on being there. Just wondering if I will see any fellow artist bloggers there?

I love all the different colors of horses and love exploring how each color absorbs and reflects the light. Bays are one of my favorites because their coats contain deep cool blue-blacks as well as underlying warm earthtones of ochres and siennas. The best part is adding the reflections with notes of blues, lavenders and a pinch of pink!

I 've always been a cloud watcher, (I wonder if most artists are?) and in this vast landscape of eastern Montana we have the opportunity to watch a lot of clouds. I also love watching horses so here I have combined two favorite subjects, a big sky above the rolling prairie and a horse, of course. It's a small painting but you still get the effect of the immense sky.  

Watching horses graze or watching clouds float by, both seem to have a calming effect on a person. What do you think?

Sometimes in the painting process, your painting will tell you what to do (if you are listening). This piece started out very similar to "A Watchful Eye", horses gazing at the viewer, fairly detailed. Somewhere along the way, I was starting to finish the third horse, just layering in colors softly when I starting liking what was happening and decided not to pursue the details. The background was already a gray day so I suggested a little foggy, misty weather with some grayed colors and soft, vague edges on the third horse. I then needed to go back to the first two horses and soften things up a bit to tie it all together. Then I stopped - sometimes that is the hardest thing to do.

Perhaps after I let the painting"stew" for a few days, it will tell me that it needs something else, but for now, I considered it finished.

Although it is April 1, we can definitely still get more snow. This pastel portrays the same area as the previous painting, "Snow White Blues". This area runs along Bennie Pier Creek Road, crossing the border between Montana and North Dakota. Enjoy your April Fool's Day!

I am missing the snow-covered hills this dry winter. Everything outside looks dry, windblown and downright ugly. I felt quite motivated to paint this snowy scene yesterday and when it was finished, my thirsty soul was quenched. Amazing what art can do for a person!

I'm sure that part of this parched feeling is that the business side of art had to take over my life most of March, preparing for a show. Now that it is over, I can rebalance and start creating again. 

I just returned from Western Art Week in Great Falls, Montana. What a wonderful time for art enthusiasts! This city is transformed into a western art mecca every March with hundreds of artists exhibiting in different shows all over town. This year, the activities ran the week of March 10th, including several art auctions, quick draws, demonstrations and entertainment. It is quite an exciting experience for artists and patrons alike.

I exhibited in the Western Heritage Artist Show and enjoyed, meeting many artists, seeing old friends and talking with lots of art lovers. The artwork displayed was incredible. It is so invigorating to get out of your studio and experience the comraderie of fellow creative types, knowing their passion, their dreams and their struggles are very similar to your own and to experience all the wonderful artwork being created today.

The biggest show, The C.M. Russell Auction, broke it's record of last year, selling almost $3 million worth of artwork. If you like Charlie Russell's work you would probably like the oil painting  that took Best of Show by Andy Thomas, called "Charlie and His Characters".

Anyway it was a great week for an artist and I am looking forward to next year.

I just have to say that I had a good time with this one. I like trying to capture the individual personality as well as the general character of horses. Although these horses are taking it easy, soaking up the sun, you can still see their alert systems at work, twitching nostrils, ears perked in different directions, and here and there, a watchful eye. 

This is a practice piece I did before a recent quick draw auction.There are several things I like about quick draw auctions. First, they are normally held to raise money for a worthy cause. Second, they are really good practice for hand and eye coordination, much like 30 second gestural drawings. I usually do a couple of practice drawings prior the day of the event, to loosen up and get to know my subject.  And third, it is so amazing and fun to see what all the artists have created in the allotted time, (usually 45 minutes - one hour).  

I made a deliberate decision to use charcoal on sanded paper for the Rodeo Series, because it doesn't lend itself well to fine detail. That way I have been able to focus on the gesture and action of each event. This is the final drawing for this particular series.

When I am at a rodeo, I not only watch the main events, but I love watching the pickup men and rodeo clowns work, too. By the amount of time they spend in the arena, facing wild livestock, they are probably just as much at risk as the main competitors. They are swift, agile athletes and they have to know the animals and their moves.