Pastel 53 - Sumo 53

I feel that somehow the number 53 is disassembled and hidden in this drawing...

Pastel 52 - Clouds and Wind over Fields

While drawing today (working on Pastel 60) I found for the umteenth time that what Hundertwasser said was true - nature uses almost no straight lines and almost no right angles.  They disrupt the natural order.  I like the juxtaposition of human angles and planes in a landscape under certain conditions, but more frequently it doesn't work.  The drawing for #60 has one vertical straight line in it, and it is the only thing on the page I find, after considerable time staring at the drawing and trying to engage in a right brain shift, that I want to erase, and that keeps me anchored on the left.

Pastel 51 - Cats

The deer were the last from vacation.  But I have managed to do about one per day (average) since then.  This was the first one I did back at home.

Pastel, ballpoint, Sharpie on 18x24 inch kraft paper.  Click the image for a closer look.

Pastels 49 and 50: The Stag and the Doe

These two happened quite by "chance" - appearing on consecutive pastels, quite plainly, over two days.  I begin these with a seemingly meaningless, often ferocious attack of the page with a ballpoint pen.  The energy in these pieces is often the result of the velocity of these initial marks.  Then I view the resulting skein of lines for clues about the piece, bring out the starting drawing and shapes for the piece with a Sharpie, and dive into pastels.  So I was quite stunned to have these two deer show up like this.

Pastels, ballpoint and Sharpie on 18x24 inch kraft paper.  I think he is very full of himself - I bet she takes him down a peg or two.

Pastels 46-48, Abstract, The Rooster, the Tomcat and the Crow, Dancing with the Big Ponytail

Three more from vacation.  I realized today, during a deep and difficult conversation with my dear, long-suffering wife, what these are doing to/for me.  They are reaching gradually into all sorts of places down inside me, beyond just my artistic side, and healing things.  I am gradually being made more whole.

Pastel 46

The Rooster, the Tomcat and the Crow

Dancing with the Big Ponytail

Pastel, ball point, and Sharpie on 18 x 24 inch kraft paper.

Click any image for a closer look.

Pastels 43-45, Renaissance Rooster, The Philosopher, and and Abstract

As usual - pastels, ball point, Sharpie on 18 x 24 inch kraft paper

Renaissance Rooster

The Philosopher

Pastel 45

Pastels 40-42, Abstract, Mardi Gras, Summer Breezes

This is an odd trio.  These felt completely different to do - they came from very different places within me.  42 was the most fun.

Pastel 40

Pastel 41 - Mardi Gras 

Pastel 42 - Summer Breezes

The usual pastel, ball point, Sharpie on 18 x 24 inch kraft paper.  Click any image for a closer look.

Pastels 37-39, Two Abstracts and The Raven and the Blue Bird

Three more from our October trip.  I believe these may all have been done on the same day.

The Raven and the Blue Bird

Pastels 34-36 - Casting the Bear's Shadow, Boat, Dancers

Next three pastels from the vacation.

Pastel 34 - Casting the Bear's Shadow

Pastel 35 - Boat

Pastel 36 - Dancers

All pastel, ball point and Sharpie on 18x24 inch kraft paper.

Pastels 31-33 - 2 Abstracts and "Sun after Cloudy Days"

We took a vacation and I did about 20 pastel paintings in 15 days.  I thoroughly enjoy the discovery of each piece.

Pastel 31 - first one of the trip - not warmed up.

Pastel 32 - better - closer to the heart of where I'm going.

Pastel 33 - I realized part way through this that it's what I feel when the sun comes out after several cloudy days.

All pastel, ball point, and Sharpie on 18 x 24 inch kraft paper.