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| Pastels |
The word "pastel" is so often associated with a soft-color palette that one might not realize it can also refer to little chalky sticks that are used a bit like crayons. No brush is involved. (And so I've always had a bit of an argument with those who call such works "paintings" but that, indeed, is the term.) The artist, Wolf Kahn, once described pastels as being like "the dust on butterflies' wings."
I lived in Santa Fe some years ago turning my well-lit breakfast area into an art studio. I attempted a few oil paintings but didn't like having toxic fumes--from both the paints and the turpentine--around food. So I fished out a box of pastels that had belonged to my parents and used them instead. One of my favorite activities when living there was to browse through a splendid art store on Canyon Road and come away with anything at all--a new little sketch book, a sable watercolor brush, or more luscious, colorful pastels.
Wanting to get into the Santa Fe art scene, I decided to do a series of pieces and present them to various galleries. So, using pastels as my medium, I picked autumn as my subject. In the end, I did manage to exhibit two or three but as for finding representation, I'd get such comments as, "Oh, pastel. Well, we already have our pastel artist." (As if they were only allowed one.) Or "These are very nice. If they were in oils, I'd take them." Or (and this was from Elizabeth Taylor's son--he with her same violet eyes--in a gallery on Canyon Road), "Thanks but we already have a lot of work we don't even have space for." I ended up hanging some on my walls, selling a few, and storing the rest in my portfolio between sheets of protective glassine.
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| An Alameda Hallowe'en |
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| Aspen Autumn |
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| Blue Chairs |
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| Gathering Copper Light |
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| One Hallowe'en in Bandelier Garden |
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| October Orchard |
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| Indian Summer (I expected to rephotograph this but sold it before I could.) |
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| Tesuque Trail |
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| Arroyo (Not autumn, but I like it so thought I'd include it.) |
Next week's posting, the last in this October Splurge, will show photos of autumn in Santa Fe.
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