Posts by rsamiljan
Gesso and Pastels
Recently I became aware that soft pastel and encaustic aren’t that different! A few characteristic qualities I love about the encaustic medium are the ability to create textures and depth, being able to layer three-dimensional color, and experiencing tactile art making. I feel like using gesso to prepare the pastel surface gives me the same…
Read MoreFlowers in the Air…
… and Art Festival Season is only a few months away! The light at the end of the COVID tunnel, winter’s end and brighter days have inspired me to paint warmer landscapes. I have spent most of the year better learning soft pastels and it finally feels like my paintings are maturing. I continue to…
Read MoreSunrise & Sunset
I have always been drawn toward the colors in the sky, the glow just as the sun is rising or about to set. The yellow- orange- pink- purple- blue- combinations are breathtaking and limitless. I try to re-create a feeling in my paintings rather than what I actually see. There is room for individual interpretation…
Read MoreFinding A Way
A world-wide virus that just doesn’t want to go away, making a resurgence right now, has changed the world forever. I have trouble watching the news, although there are no surprises, it’s just hard to hear about the never ending death and sadness. One of my coping mechanisms is to have a creative outlet and…
Read MoreHeading into Fall
The year of COVID… what happened to Summer? or Spring for that matter?! Next week is the official start of the Fall season and time is just passing. Because I participated in an online workshop with pastelist Karen Margulis end of August I plan to now put into practice some of the underpainting techniques she…
Read MoreMountain Escape
Longer than I ever expected, COVID 19 continues to change the way we are living. Summertime is when I would normally be busy exhibiting in outdoor art festivals, welcoming thousands of patrons and visitors during festival weekends, but we are in some kind of new normal. Large public gatherings have been put on hold indefinitely,…
Read MoreArt Therapy
These are difficult times, and right now it can be a challenge to find understanding, peace, and a better way of life. Surrounding myself with the arts has always been the best way for me to live a full life. I continue to paint, be creative, learn from others, share knowledge, and hope by offering…
Read MoreA New Normal
Because of COVID 19, artists have had to find ways to adjust to the way we exhibit, teach, and even reconnect with the creative process. It’s been a challenge, to say the least. For me, after a few weeks of disbelief and confusion about what was happening in the world, I was able to tap…
Read MoreKnowing 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…
Read MoreStill Life & Pastel
I love when I learn about working with art mediums in new ways! Although I had a formal art history education, my exposure to making studio art was minimal. As an adult, I have been able to seek out and attend classes and workshops hosted by various respected professionals. I am currently attending weekly pastel…
Read More