WAITING FOR HER CUE

LITTLE DANCERS WAITING, sold

A Christmas recital here in Douglasville, Georgia.

PURPLE SPOONS, sold

Another image from Lander Stoddard's beautiful photographs.

PROCESSION, sold

Thank you to Lander Stoddard, from whose beautiful photograph these dancers were taken.

BLACK FAN, sold

5"x7" pastel on PastelBord. Bidding starts at $100.

RECEIVING INSTRUCTIONS, sold

DANCE OF THE FANS 3, sold

More of these charming little dancers. I'm so inspired by these beautiful photographs, I'm off to a recital today, hoping to catch something even a fraction as stunning.

LITTLE DANCERS WITH WREATHES, sold

DANCE OF THE FANS 2, sold

HAT DANCE, sold

SYMPHONY IN RED, sold

Dance of the Trumpet, sold

This beautiful little trumpeter is also from a the same recital in Atlanta, shot by a proud parent. The photos were so gorgeous, I had to find the photographer and beg permission to work from them. In exchange for my use of his beautiful photos, he's agreed to accept one of my pastels of his daughter.

DANCE OF THE FANS, sold

These beautiful little dancers are from photos from a recital in Atlanta, shot by one of the proud parents. The photos were so gorgeous, I had to find the photographer and beg permission to work from them. In exchange, I'm hoping he'll accept one of my pastels of his daughter.

This is a signed, original 7"x5" pastel on PastelBord. Bidding starts at $100.00

ANNA IN THE GARDEN

This is a little larger than my usual 5x7's. Still cleaning out my studio. This is my oldest daughter, Anna, posing for me in early spring years ago. She just about froze posing in that flimsy dress. Another piece that has just not found the right home. Anna In the Garden is 9x13, unframed.

TRACEY, sold

This is a 5x7 signed pastel on Sennelier LaCarte paper. Bidding starts at $100.00

BLUE, GREEN, PURPLE, sold

This is a 5x7 signed pastel on Pastelbord. Bidding starts at $100.00

demo-ANNA'S RED ROBE

Another piece from my studio purge. This is a signed, original, unframed pastel on Sennelier LaCarte paper. Demo means this was a demonstration piece I did for one of my classes. A demonstration usually takes me about an hour to complete, as I explain to the class what my method is. Bidding on "demo-Ana's Red Robe" begins higher than my other little pastels because it is 19x25, rather than the little 5x7's I usually auction. This may also look similar to a small piece I sold a while back--it is from the same photo reference. Often, I will do a quick 5x7 piece to determine if I want to create a larger piece. If framed, this piece would be big enough to hang over your mantel.

AUDREY DRESSING, sold

"Audrey Dressing" is a signed, original, unframed pastel on Sennelier LaCarte paper. Bidding on "Audrey" begins higher than my other little pastels because it is 10x14, rather than the little 5x7's I usually auction. I usually frame this size in a 16x20 frame. It is another very old piece, which I have always loved, that's hung around way too long. I have no idea why some pieces don't sell at the galleries. Sometimes the piece just hasn't found the right owner.

ROSES, sold

I'm still cleaning out the studio. I'll do that occasionally through the year. Most likely it'll be around December, when Christmas looms, and I'm getting anxious to clear out the studio and begin anew. Bidding begins at $300.00. "Roses" is a signed, original, unframed pastel on Sennelier LaCarte paper. Bidding on "Roses" begins higher than my other little pastels because it is 19"x25", rather than the little 5x7's I usually auction. If framed, it would be big enough to hang over your mantel. It is another very old piece that's hung around way too long. I have no idea why some pieces don't sell at the galleries. Sometimes the piece just hasn't found the right owner. Pastel will be shipped Priority Mail, insured. Good luck with your bidding.

MODEL IN A WHITE CHAIR, sold

Another older piece from my studio. Unframed, signed, original 8"x12" pastel on LaCarte Pastel Paper. She's another model from one of my classes, this one in Asheville, NC, at the Willow Wisp Farm Studio, which sadly is not there anymore. It was a great place outside of Asheville in the beautiful hilly countryside. Peggy, the owner, brought in instructors from all over the country, usually for plein air painting--so much to paint there.

ANTOINETTE, sold

This is a 5x7 on board. Bidding starts at $100.00.

Antoinette was a model for a class I taught in the Seattle area this past summer. This is one of my smaller, new pastels, not from the 'cleaning out the studio' set. More of those to come...

A CORNER TABLE, sold

Corner table at Cafe Intermezzo in Atlanta. This is another older, larger piece from my studio. It is an unframed, signed, original 10"x14" pastel on LaCarte Pastel Paper.

DEBORAH, sold

I'm cleaning out my studio again. The next few pieces will be unframed, older, and larger pastels. You can see more in my ebay store.

THE FLOWERED ROBE, sold

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

MORNING, sold

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

CHAPTER ONE, sold

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

Another from our session at the High Museum last week. 8 artists formed a semi-circle around two models dressed in 19th century clothing, tucked away in the corner of the Weiland Pavillion at the High Museum. I think most of us were a little anxious about working while 100-200 people from the Bank of America event looked on. But just like when you're in any other sketch group, the model sits, and the artists get to work. The world seems to disappear for a few hours, and we saw nothing but the models and our paper. For the most part, the people behind us socialized, and occasionally came to our corner and watched as our pieces progressed.

Boy, it felt wonderful to be drawing that way. It's been a few years since I've gone to sketch groups. I'd forgotten how much I love it. And how much of a raport there is among the artists who do this sort of thing. I'm going to have to find another weekly group somewhere.

Got some great pictures, so there will be a few up here in the coming days.

RED TOWEL, sold

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

ANA IN THE RED CHAIR, sold

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

This and the previous 3 pastels are from that evening at the High Museum last week. More to come.

FIX THE COLLAR, sold

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

LITTLE BLACK PURSE

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

A BOOK BY THE WINDOW

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

Here is the first of images I promised in my last post. This is Ana, who posed for 8 artists at the High Museum last night. She did a wonderful job--I (and most of the other artists) went nuts with our cameras. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. More to come!

GETTING DRESSED, sold

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

Tomorrow I go to paint at the High Museum, as entertainment for a corporate event. Bank of America has secured the High for an evening. I'll be one of about 8 artists who have been invited to participate--we will be standing at our easels in the atrium, painting (or pastelling) models, dressed in authentic 1800 attire, while the guests mingle and schmooze. The event is in keeping with the current exhibition at the High, "Inspiring Impressionism". I'm hoping the museum will give us lowly artists an opportunity to see the show. Maybe if we show up early...

Another thing I'm hoping...I hope to get plenty of reference photos to do a whole series of 5x7 pastels for my blog. It's rare to get a chance to paint the authentic costume. Keep your eye out, maybe you'll see a few in the next few weeks.

A clip from the High Museum web site:

"Inspiring Impressionism"
Through January 13, 2008
Special Exhibitions Galleries, Wieland Pavilion
"Inspiring Impressionism", featuring over 80 works, including paintings and works on paper drawn from more than 40 museums, is the first comprehensive survey to explore the influence of Old Master painters on Impressionist artists. This exhibition juxtaposes works by such artists as Monet, Cézanne and Degas with those by Titian, Rubens and Fragonard.

For more information on the exhibit: http://www.high.org/experience/exhibitions/exhib_content.aspx?id1=2475

BLACK STOCKINGS, sold

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

SLIPPERY BOY, sold

5x7 signed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

This is my daughter and her little boy, slippery because he was slathered with sunscreen. It made things very scary for her in the water--a wiggly, slippery two year old and the crashing waves.

WHITE ROBE, sold

This is a signed, original 5"x7" pastel on board. Framing is optional. Bidding starts at $100.00.

You Want Me To Bring A Dish? click here to see more.

www.youwantmetobringadish.com

Forgive me for being self-serving. But this is a project my sisters and I have been working on for months. It's finally finished, and published, self-published-but it's published. My sister, Catherine, youngest of 5 girls, thought this up. I thought it was funny; we got together with the other sisters and tried desperately to come up with enough recipes to fill a book. It was pretty hopeless, and so a lot of our time was spent trying to find recipes easy enough for us to want to cook. We spent many evenings cooking each others' recipes to make sure they worked. We've compiled them into a book for anyone who prefers to be anywhere other than the kitchen, but who is charged with bringing a dish to some function.

That's my sister, Catherine, on the cover. I shot all the photos with my little digital camera, including the cover. And I did the layout and production on my mac, using lots of Photoshop. It's been an all-consuming effort. But fun. Our hope is that one day a real publisher will take over. I'll let you know how it goes.

On November 8, we're having debut of sorts, at my sister's place of business in Buckhead, Seraphim Skin Care Salon in Atlanta. Anybody interested is welcome to come. I'll post specific information as the time approaches. In the meantime, check out our book on Lulu.com! www.lulu.com/content/1284044

And now, back to my art...

BY THE WINDOW, sold

This is a signed, original 5"x7" pastel on board. Framing is optional. Bidding starts at $100.00.

NUDE STUDY, sold

This is a signed, original 5"x7" pastel on board. Framing is optional. Bidding starts at $100.00.

DOWN AT THE CREEK, sold

This is a 5x7 UNFRAMED pastel. Bidding starts at $100. There is an option to have it framed. Good luck to those of you who bid.

This is the first day I've been able to get back to this blog, in what seems like months. A trip to Armonk, New York, to do an outdoor festival--one of my favorites, great community of art lovers there, was part of the reason. the other is this all-consuming project, which has consumed my days. I'm not supposed to tell anybody about it until it's ready to be seen, but maybe a little hint wouldn't hurt...

I'm one of 6 kids, 5 girls, the last a boy. None of us cook. Maybe I should say almost none of us. Nevertheless, we've come up with an idea to help those of you who may dislike the kitchen as much as we do. I'll say no more. I'll be able to talk about it soon.

HERE COMES A BIG ONE, sold

5x7 signed and framed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

My two daughters and Victor. It took two to handle him.

FRIENDS, sold

5x7 signed and framed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

I sometimes will do a pastel and paint an oil of the same image. The difference between the pastel and the oil is distinct. I can't say I like one over the other. Every once in a while, it just doesn't make it in one medium, and is thrilling in the other. This is one of those that worked beautifully in both.

LITTLE BROTHER

5x7 signed and framed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00.

Just some young boys at the beach. Can't take my eyes off of kids when they're around. Remember when the most stressful thing of the day was getting sand in your hot dog at the beach? Oy.

GOOD-BYE, BEACH, sold

5x7 signed and framed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00.

This one may look a lot like "To The Water", and it is. These are my daughter, Anna, and her son, Victor, at the beach on Tybee Island, near Savannah. Anna, Victor, and Gerry, the Dad, were stationed down there--Gerry's an Army Ranger. "To The Beach", obviously, was the beginning of the day, and "Good-Bye, Beach", the end. It just kills me to see that little face looking back at the water.

TO THE WATER WITH AUNTIE, sold

5x7 signed and framed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00

BLUE MOOD, RED CHAIR, sold

5x7 signed and framed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00.

SAND ON THE TUMMY, sold

5x7 signed and framed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00.

STAINED GLASS WINDOWS, sold

5x7 signed and framed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00.

TO THE WATER, sold

5x7 signed and framed pastel on board. Bidding starts at $100.00.

TRAFFIC STOP

5x7 signed and framed pastel. Bidding starts at $100.00.

RACHEL

5x7 signed and framed pastel. Bidding starts at $100.00

A reminder to any of you in the Atlanta area...opening reception at Aliya/Linstrum Gallery tomorrow night, September 8, 6:00-9:00.

September 8 - 29
New works by Andrew Portwood and Margaret Dyer
ALIYA/LINSTRUM GALLERY
2833 Peachtree Road, NE
Atlanta, GA
404.869.2338
www.aliyagallery.com