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 Thursday, December 20, 2007
The Gifts We Give and the Ones Recevied
Posted by richard
“For it is in giving that we receive.” —St. Francis of Assisi  During this season we focus on giving. Days are spent shopping and trying to think of just the perfect gift that will tell those we love just how special they are to us. As artists, we give of ourselves every time we produce a painting. We give possibilities to those that view our paintings, opening windows to new ways of seeing and feeling. In return, we receive the gift of having connected with a fellow human being. There is little as rewarding as knowing someone really understands what our painting is about. The pastel community has grown over the years into a large diverse family. Every time one of you explains with a smile that it is “not chalk” but “pastel,” you open doors for others working in the medium. There is still considerable prejudice toward pastel within the gallery community, but due to the gifts of persistent explanation, we now find pastel being represented in most major art markets and getting the respect it so justly deserves. Every time one of you volunteers to help mount an exhibit or sponsor a workshop, you are giving exposure to the medium, and we all reap the benefits of that individual effort. Every time one of you asks a question during a workshop or demonstration seeking clarification, you are giving a gift to the audience of enhanced understanding and continued growth. Every time one of you teaches, you give the gift of your knowledge and experience. From this largesse, the pastel community thrives. Personally I have been blessed to receive many gifts from the pastel community. The ability to see others fashion a painting has pushed me to new creative expressions. The knowledge that's offered in many of the fine magazines and books published on pastel has allowed me to continue my education—even in the wilds of southern Oregon. The hard work of so many volunteers in managing national exhibits has afforded me the ability to exhibit in many wonderful venues all over the country. The dedication of my gallery owners in continuing to educate the public on the beauty of pastel has exposed my work to a wide market. And finally, the friendship and camaraderie of so many wonderful painters has given me the gift of a shared experience. For every little bit of extra effort given to an organization, gallery or fellow artist, we receive two-fold in return. By sharing our experiences, we add to the collective spirit of art. I wish everyone the happiest of holidays. May 2008 bring all your pastel aspirations to fruition. Thank you! Richard Winter all Aglow (above; pastel, 15x18)
12/20/2007 1:08:04 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) 
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Monday, December 17, 2007
Keeping Records of Your Paintings
Posted by richard
 Keeping track of our finished paintings and the "lives" they're having is something we shouldn't overlook. When they're fresh in our minds, we remember them, but let a few months or years pass by, and it becomes more difficult. Without good records, you'll struggle to confirm a title for a specific painting, the place where it was painted and when, its size and outer frame dimensions, the medium used, the exhibitions and galleries where it has been shown, and the purchase information. So, long ago I implemented a system (though not perfect) that has served me well. I devised a code to be placed on the back of every painting, and created a record in a logbook that references the code. Keeping track of paintings with just a title often leads to confusion
(“A Morning Walk” is hard to distinguish from “A Walk in Morning”). And
since
I work repeatedly with certain sizes and extensively with pastel and
oil, having that information doesn’t help either. On the other hand, the code leads me to the exact painting and its history. To keep a consistent chronological order, I place the code on the painting after fitting the pastel into the frame, and then enter its information in the logbook. That way I know the initial entry is made. The discipline arises in keeping the information updated. To help, I keep the logbook in my office where all my painting correspondence happens, making it easier to open the book in the moment and make the necessary addition. If I didn't, it would be too easily overlooked and eventually forgotten. On the back of each painting (as you can see in the photo), I place the code, title, medium, my name, copyright symbol, printed artist statement, and glass care information (when utilizing specialty glazing). The logbook entry contains: the title; medium; artwork dimensions; outside frame dimensions; location or inspiration for the painting (a brief description); a photograph of the painting; and a chronological record of exhibitions (both accepted and rejected); awards; gallery consignments (including asking price and sale price); and the purchaser when available. All this is referenced to the code number. Keeping track of our paintings history is a wonderful way of looking back at those incremental accomplishments and our individual growth. Instead of carrying all that information around in your head, rely on the logbook and free the mind for future paintings.   
12/17/2007 2:34:31 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Monday, December 10, 2007
Pastels and Planes
Posted by richard
 Traveling by air with precious pastels can be a problem. Even the strongest pastel case in the hands of someone unfamiliar with their fragile nature can lead to a disaster. Well before 9/11, I gave up checking my pastel case. Even when buried inside a large suitcase, surrounded with clothing as padding, the pastel case could still not always hold up to rough handling. So I carry it on the plane now, keeping it in my possession at all times. And, having frequently traveled by air with pastels, I have a few tips that might make your experience less stressful: Most airlines allow a carry-on bag and one personal item (similar to a woman’s purse). Consider the size and weight when choosing these. Remember, you will be carrying them at all times. What seems a manageable weight to carry from your studio to the car can become unbearable when you're racing from one end of the airport to the other. Your carry-ons will also have to fit in the overhead bin or under your seat and, depending on the airplane, this can be a problem. The largest pastel case I use fits into a 17-inch laptop computer bag. The smallest case fits a 12-inch laptop bag. (My backpack-size Heilman pastel box is shown in the photo, along with my laptop shoulder bag.) We often believe we need more pastels than we really do, so try to downsize: If you have a short flight, opt for the larger bag. If the flight is long, with connections, utilize the smaller bag. An added benefit of the computer shoulder bag is the ability to pack additional items in it, such as a few sheets of pastel paper. That way, if your checked luggage is lost or delayed, you'll still have the bare essentials needed to paint for a few days. The laptop bag also protects the pastel case and makes it easier to handle. Be prepared to have your pastel case inspected when going through security. This is a good reason to arrive early to the airport. When X-rayed, the contents of the case look very suspicious. The more we travel with our pastels, the more they become recognizable. It's always a pleasant surprise when the officer just smiles and says, “must be an artist,” and waves me through. Even though this is happening more frequently, it's still best to be prepared for inspection. Since we're not allowed to open the “suspicious” case, make it as accessible as possible. Inform them that it is “art supplies” and use the word “chalk” along with “pastel” when describing the contents. We all hate to refer to our pigment pastels as chalks but the general public knows what a “chalk” stick is, and is not always familiar with the term “pastel." Make sure to mention that they're very fragile, quite messy, and that the case must be opened flat. Since I expect them to open the case, I make sure it is clean; there's nothing more irritating to the official than a mess of pastel fragments and dust contaminating the inspection area. Traveling with a lightweight portable pastel case and being prepared to have it inspected will make for a far more pleasant experience when next you venture out, pastels in hand. Richard McKinley is an artist, workshop instructor and regular columnist for The Pastel Journal. To send him your pastel questions, email the magazine at pjedit@fwpubs.com with "Pastel Pointers" in the subject line of your email.
12/10/2007 9:50:21 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Monday, December 03, 2007
The Color of the Light
Posted by richard
 The most important element to remember when making individual color choices while painting is the temperature (color bias) of the light. The light that illuminates our scene is the uniting force. Everything shares one common thread—light! By learning to analyze the bias or influence it's making on the base colors, we can unite our painting and end up with a finished painting that has harmony. Our mind will associate individual colors to the things it sees: a tree is a certain green; a building a specific red and so on. What is overlooked is the color of the light and how that influences everything it illuminates. Tie the individual colors together with the light and you’ll end up with a harmonious painting. A great exercise to help us see the color bias of the light is to place a white board outside your home in an area where it will receive a moderate amount of light throughout the day. Observe it at different times during the day and make note of the color shift of the white. You may wish to study this in open shade as well, as a way of comparing those differences. This study can even become a seasonal exercise in analyzing how light changes over the course of the year. By doing this, you'll better perceive color shifts within the light and how it affects the objects it illuminates. Applying what you observe to your pastel work is a matter of choosing colors that lean toward the color of the light. Late in the day, for example, the color of the light may have an orange bias. This would make a warmer, slightly olive green a better choice for the tree foliage, and accordingly warmer choices for the other elements within the painting. A method I often use to tie the color of the light into every area of the painting is to pre-select a range of values around the color I feel the light is emitting. If it's a soft amber, then I will select five or six pastels in values from dark to light to represent the light, adding a little of the appropriate value to each area of the painting. By staying true to the value of the individual areas, the form is retained and just the color is being shifted towards the temperature of the light. In Last Light on the Water-lands (pastel 12x16), for example, an early
evening light created a warm cast to the scene; a little bit of
"amber-colored pastel" was added throughout the painting. By spending time educating ourselves to see the color of the light and employing methods like a range of values in the color of the light, you'll develop a keen ability to analyze the light and intuitively select the appropriate pastels, thus creating a harmonious painting where everything appears to belong together.
12/3/2007 1:34:54 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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