Victoria Ryan

Kennedy Publishing has posted the entire Vol. II of Best of America-Pastel online.   To view the portal page to the book

click HERE. To go directly to the section of the book where my pages are click HERE. I am on pages 73-74.    The actual book  can be ordered directly from the Publisher.

Thank you Kennedy Publishing for inviting me to showcase my work in this beautiful book!

For the last 6 weeks I have been working on a series of commissioned paintings for new collectors in San Francisco.  With the 3 paintings successfully completed, approved and now being framed I am now in the preparation stage for the next commission.   My San Francisco patrons have been wonderful to work with and the process has gone as smoothly as I could possibly hope for.    I promised them at the onset that working with me to have their fine art dreams realized would be a rewarding adventure and I did not want to disappoint.   When creating paintings for clients I try to zero in on just exactly what it was that drew them to my work in the first place.   Was it the sense of color, mood, the texture of pastel, a particular composition,  the dramatic use of light, a sense of stillness in a particular painting or was it simply all of it.   Understanding what  evokes and inspires an individual or a couple about my work is very important when I am given the opportunity to create something new for them.    My San Francisco collectors, as a couple had different points of view and likes about the direction to take with the series.   My job as an artist was to stick to my own vision while being conscious of my client’s wishes.   Many artists find this idea daunting.      I myself, love the challenge of delivering something beautiful and special to the people who entrust me to create for them.   Commissions are a specialty of mine and I have been doing them for my entire 2 and a half decade career.   Here are  two of the paintings for the San Francisco commission.   These garden paintings will be featured in their dining room .   I am also including a picture of one of the walls the paintings will appear on as well as the framing choice.   We are using a distressed silver moulding from Max Moulding with an umber wash (that warms it up.)    Linen wrapped mats with hand painted bevels will set off the paintings.   Custom framing will be completed at Art Brokers Inc. in Sausalito, CA.

"French Garden"

"Tangled Up in Blue"

Dining Room Wall

Max Moulding 923S

Famed  Humboldt County  author Terry McLaughlin is featuring my pastels on her  new website .   Terry is a celebrated romance novelist.  Visit her here!<http://www.terrymclaughlin.com.

Earlier this year I was invited by Kennedy Publishing Co. to be featured in one of their Best Of America books, specifically Volume II Pastels, which is in the final stages of completion.    I was honored and excited to be chosen to be included in this publication, which consists of both juried entries and invited artists.   The paintings chosen for the book are seen above.   Clearly my strong color contrasts are what impressed the publishers!   The book contents, as well as other offerings from Kennedy Publishing  can be viewed at www.bestofartists.com

My husband Bruce and I had a great time at the Sausalito Art Festival.   I had worked very hard in the weeks and months prior preparing for this final event of the summer season and my planning and execution paid off.   The Sausalito Art Festival is like no other, at least in my rather limited experience with the higher end art fairs in the western region.  In the years preceding the “great recession” painters and artists from other media would enjoy brisk sales and additions to their collector base from visitors who come to this event from all over the world to purchase art.   The economy has certainly put its stamp on the volume, but the throngs of enthusiastic patrons who appreciate and support the arts are still showing up in Sausalito over Labor Day Weekend.

Where else can you spend a day or weekend seeing the works of about 300 juried artists and dance to English Beat on one day and Jefferson Starship on another while drinking a margarita!   This event is truly a blast and for all the hard work, we artists manage to have an immensely good time as well.  The festival organizers brought in a huge crowd each day and for that I am thankful.

I am grateful to my new and established collectors who purchased from me this year and who commissioned paintings….I’ll be kept busy for months to come.    As one visitor put it,  in this economy,  many  with discretionary income would rather invest in individual artists rather than purchasing from large chain operations, thereby contributing to the health and sustenance of  the arts as a whole.   I highly condone that!

Here’s me at the Preview Party.   I’m showing off my new JayneMax handbag – a gift from  Designer Jayne Dearborn.   Check out her beautiful line at:

http://www.designsbyjayne.com/

Sausalito Preview Party

  It’s Sausalito Art Festival time!   Labor Day Weekend, September  5, 6 and 7   marks my favorite show of the year, and my 10th straight year participating in the #1 art festival in the country.  This year will be the first year I will be debuting a series of oil paintings in addition to my pastels.   Check the “Oils” category on the right side tab bar for a sampling of what I will be showing.  Additionally, I’ve been adding new pastels frequently so be sure to check the Pastels category as well!   For the past two years I’ve been fortunate enough to serve on the 2-D jury and this year there should be some great work by new artists  and of course excellent art from artists who have been exhibiting at Sausalito consistently over time.   I’ve been working hard doing extensive preparations for this show so I hope to see you all there…its a wonderfully fun event!

For more information visit www.sausalitoartfestival.org

Artists are always evolving and hopefully their work evolves as well.   Its interesting to reflect back on previous work and what was the impetus that inspired it and moved it forward.   When I look back on this past year (I tend to think in terms of years ending at Labor Day….something to do with the school schedule….)  I was clearly in an introspective time.   My landscape paintings were more intimate and focal, the color was rich yet not as saturated.   I am proud of the work I did but am ready to move on again, or should I say back a few yards to more vast views of the landscape.   Travelling in the Pacific Northwest this summer I was inspired again by our beautiful northern vistas, hills and valleys, our vineyards and farmlands, and the rich color palette that our eyes are lavished with.   I’ll be continuing with pastels and also with oils.   I’m ready for summer to simmer so to speak and to roam the valleys for places to paint.   August has already been fruitful so  check back.

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I’ve been busy preparing for one of the big events of summer, The Bellevue Art Museum Arts Fair which will be held July 24, 25 and 26 at Bellevue Square in Bellevue Washington. The fair juries in some of the best fine art and contemporary crafts seen in the Western Region. I always end up going home with a new piece of art from  the fair. Its one of our favorite shows to do even if the hours are long!

“Sunlit Bungalow” 12.5×7″  is one of the smaller pastels I will be premiering at the Bellevue fair. I hope to see my Pacific Northwest friends and collectors at the show!

 Its been an exciting month.    Open Studios was successful thanks to my loyal repeat and new collectors here in Humboldt County.    I spent the next few weeks working on commissions while attending my daughter’s softball Tournament of Champions in the evenings.   They won!   Now its on to All Stars for the summer.    I guess I know what we’ll be doing.

I also have been completing new pastels including the piece above which is from the Winter Wildflower series.   That subtle winter light drew me in once more….this painting had to be done but now I’m drawn to the light of early summer that is just now peeking out on the North Coast of California.  

I also was forced to update my whole computer system which is still a work in progress insofar as transferring files and data over to my new system goes.   I’m determined to figure this all out as much as I can on my own.   Even my pragmatism has a right brain slant so my technological skills are no different.   I will say though, that this new IMAC system is pretty much how I expected computers to work 12 years ago….but they didn’t.   At least this system has prompts!  

Lastly, Bruce and I had a wonderful weekend in the Bay Area that included completing an installation for new collectors S & D.   Thank you so much for acquiring 10 original pastels for your beautiful home!   I think we were all delirious by the time we left (it was after all over 100 degrees that day) but the entire collection is looking incredible!

I’ll post more new images soon!

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Its Open Studios Time.   This coming weekend, June 6 and 7 from 11am to 5pm at my studio.  

2286 Ralphs Ct., Eureka, CA.  This is an annual event held in Humboldt County and was started many years ago by a few of our esteemed local artists.   It has now turned into a big event from Garberville all the way to Trinidad and beyond.    Come by my studio to see new pastels and oils and to take advantage of special offerings from the studio wall!   See you here!