Beauty is present in the simplest of things. Over the summer I was inspired by the humble beauty in a cluster of freshly-picked, juicy-red tomatoes. Resting atop a crisp white tablecloth with bright blue lines dancing across its folds, the tomatoes glowed in the warm afternoon light.
I have been painting with pastels for almost fifteen years. Growing up, I spent my summers training one-on-one with artist Rosalie Nadeau in Cape Cod. A talented and thoughtful mentor, Rose taught me to truly see light, shadow, and the complexities of color.
Pastels are pure pigment. Rich sticks of color that can be layered, blended, and manipulated to capture the splendor of the natural world. When painting, I utilize my color palette to express the presence of my subject, the general feel of the moment as I experience it, the fleeting luminosity of light as it colors the scene before me.
There is a beauty and a sadness in the painting process. The painter races to capture the impossible, a brief moment of time that passes instantly and immediately becomes something new. Light fades, flowers wilt, a breeze alters the arch of a branch.
Nothing is permanent. Every moment is important.
