Knowing Place

I have been working with soft pastels lately, and revisiting a favorite subject… wildflowers in nature. This new series of paintings is inspired by summer visits to Baroda, Michigan.

I first created a small mixed media painting using photo transfer techniques, encaustic medium, and oil pastels. I focused on dimension and textures plus I became familiar with the composition. I worked on adding brilliant color along with a strong contrast between lights and darks.

Below, the smaller encaustic version of Wildflowers, and the first painting in the series. Above is the larger, soft pastel version of the same place.

I loved using impressionistic shapes to represent a deluge of color.

I also painted the wildflowers nestled next to the pond however this time I worked on the soft pastel version first, later painted the mixed media version and it just flowed out of me. Each time I paint a place, I become more intimate with the details which always makes it easier to re-create.

The smaller mixed media version below is the reverse perspective, if I don’t remember to flip the photo before I print it, the transfer is always opposite of the actual image.

As I continue to work with soft pastels, I plan on developing more in this series. I will be focusing on nature’s gifts of brilliant color, texture, and composition.