Victoria Ryan » Images of Water http://www.victoriaryan.com Pastels, Oils, and My Life as an Artist Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:13:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 en hourly 1 Substrates Part II http://www.victoriaryan.com/2009/02/09/substrates-part-ii/ http://www.victoriaryan.com/2009/02/09/substrates-part-ii/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:12:39 +0000 victoriaryan http://victoriaryan.wordpress.com/?p=37 lithia-park-lg.jpg One of my favorite new surfaces to work on is UART sanded pastel paper. Similar to Ersta, which was not ph neutral and therefore not a suitable choice, the UART has a great sanded surface that holds pastel well.  Unlike Sennelier LaCarte, which is great for slowly building glazes of color, the UART creates a painterly surface.  Many layers can be developed with thick applications.  It is a completely different way of working than with the LaCarte and I love the abillity to chance course.  Especially since I have started working in oils again since last year, working with the UARt really opens up a new experience in painting in pastel.  These paintings are from a series I am developing from a trip to Ashland Oregon in November.  The light on the river running through Lithia park made for a plethora of great views to explore.

lithia-park-lg.jpg Arbor at the Inn Across From the Big Trees Arbor at the Inn Across From the Big Trees
]]> http://www.victoriaryan.com/2009/02/09/substrates-part-ii/feed/ 1 Images of Water on Different Substrates, Part I http://www.victoriaryan.com/2009/02/03/images-of-water-on-different-substrates/ http://www.victoriaryan.com/2009/02/03/images-of-water-on-different-substrates/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:29:18 +0000 victoriaryan http://victoriaryan.wordpress.com/?p=28 Fog on Humboldt Water I’ve been focusing much of my energy, in spite of the occasional detour, into exploring images of water in various settings.  Water as a theme opens up the opportunity for creative exploration as well as its metaphorical and contextual meaning.  Last week I was back in love with my LaCarte pastel card as a working surface, especially when I executed this painting of an irrigation ditch here in Eureka.  The fog was rolling in in the distance but there was still some waning sun at my back that was opening up the color.  It made for quite a beautiful spectacle.

Choosing the substrate to work on is not always a straightforward proposition.  In this case I knew I wanted to build soft layers of color incorporating a soft yet controlled touch as the composition drifted into the distance.  I could not have been happier with the outcome.

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