Pastel Stream Series

Stream Race

9 x 12 soft pastels on Art Spectrum Coloufix

Miki Willa

Hello again. I am back from my trip to Washington state. We had a great time visiting family and house hunting. It was very cold. We were even entertained by a few snow flurries. Not good painting weather. It is still very beautiful there, however, and I am looking forward to moving back in June.

The painting is the newest in the Kalihi Stream series. I am so amazed that I can get so many different views and moods from a short stretch of a stream. I realized today that I have no reference photos of the bridge over the stream at the entrance to the retreat center. I may have to drive up there this weekend and check it out.

Kalihi Stream Series No. 3

Tropical Stream WIP

12 x 9 soft pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix

Miki Willa

I know I have shown you my portable studio before, but I just really like it so I decided to show this WIP on the easel. I have a closer photo of the painting below. I have a painting hanging in one bedroom that keeps reminding me of how I want my paintings to look. I looked at it over the weekend so I had it fresh in my mind this morning. This painting is very different, but I used many of the same techniques in stroke and approach. I was also very happy to be working with my own palette on this one. The rocks are going to be so much better.
I was hoping to finish this one this morning, but ran out of time. I started out thinking that the palm leaves would be the focal area, but realized I wanted the area where the branch comes out into the stream to stand out more. I think the branch really makes a statement. It is forked on the bank with one side staying in the shadow and the other coming out into the middle of the stream. I need to work both sides of the branch to make that stronger. I did this on a strange brownish ground that Art Spectrum creates. I don't really like the color, but it makes a fantastic ground for these tropical paintings.

I have decided to join in Katherine Tyrrell's study of Japanese art from the period that influenced the art world in the mid-1800's in Europe. Look for posts from time to time. I grew up surrounded by this art, Japanese wood bock prints and paintings on silk. It will be fun to really study the masters and share what I learn.

Streams and pastels

Crossing

8 x 12 soft pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix

Miki Willa

It was strange painting at home today. I was using my husband's palette because I left mine at work. He doesn't have all the warm grays I am used to using. It was also strange to not have a short time limit to work. We also have a new studio space because we are getting ready to sell our house and had to move the studio out of the middle of the living area. The light in here is definitely much better than my space at work.

This is another from the photo references I took when I was on retreat. The back wall was so bright, I really had to tone it down. Because it has some yellow in it, and my camera loves yellow, it appears brighter in the photo. I also cropped it poorly. The stream does not go off the page at the corner. I intentionally let the rocks fade into the distance by reducing the details. I rather like the effect. I also like the softness of this painting. I guess this is number 2 in my Kalihi Stream series.

Downstream

Down Stream

7 x 10 soft pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix

Miki Willa

I really enjoyed working on this painting. I think I was able to show the areas where the sun was showing through the clouds on the trunk and the rocks on the far side of the stream. I learned quite a bit by working from a different perspective on the water. Most of the time, paintings are done with the water coming toward the viewer. Creating a sense of the water moving away from the viewer was quite a challenge. The only thing I am really not happy with is the dark "gash" on the lower root area of the tree trunk. I will have to work on that.

I have photo references looking upstream from the same bridge where I took this. Perhaps I will do a few more of this section of the stream. I smell a series in the works!