What a fabulous day! The jurors for the annual Pastel Society of America exhibition have chosen to include my painting in the show. I am a big sky western plains loving artist, but I've been singing “New York New York”this morning! The masters who donate their time and talent to sifting through over 1500 entries are , as the commercial says, priceless. Thank you so much Jurors of Selection; Oregonian Richard McKinley PSA-MP, New Orleans artist Sandra Burshell PSA-MP, and New York State native Susan Story PSA-MP. The show opens in September and I will post a photo of the accepted painting. Three previously selected paintings follow:

 

After getting off to a terrifying start (unbalanced load caused massive trailer sway and near death?) Percy and I have made our way West.

 

My Moto for this trip is: "DO THE THING YOU THINK YOU CANNOT DO"

 

Colorado yielded a lovely visit with one of my daughters and future son-in-law, culminating in a (too short) visit to Rocky Mountain National Park.

 

I Painted a little, drove a lot, and was fascinated with Chip and Dale (and their whole tribe)  as they pilfered through my backpack in search of sustinance! (Next time I'm definitely packing peanuts in between the pastels)

 

We arrived in Wyoming yesterday, and are amazed at the big sky beauty of the Wind River range.  Apparently these mountains are higher than the Grand Tetons - but tucked away like nature's secret.

      

I found an interesting hike and took off for "Bonneville Pass" this morning.  I had no idea I would need 4-wheel drive, and then low gear 4-wheel drive! Found myself saying "Well now Kahne, this is the coolest thing you've ever done, the craziest thing you've ever done, and quite possibly the LAST thing you'll ever do!"  

 

At any rate I made it to the top and got out to hike.  IMMEDIATELY I was besieged by insects!  I leaped back into the truck and sprayed DEET all over everything including my hat.  Tried again but every time I slowed down to take a photo the pack of mosquito-hyenas descended and tried to pull me down.  The DEET was about as effective as salad oil, and I wondered whether the bear spray might work instead?  The sign at the trail-head provided instructions on how I should deal with the bear who I was destined to meet, so I thought I might save the spray for the vermin with larger teeth.

 

There was no way to paint without a Pith helmet and a net, so I settled for hiking alone in this back-country beauty, playing and singing to AC/DC on my iPhone very loud (scares away the bears?)

I came home with reference photos (and a few less pints of blood) but here's what I got on the easel before I eased into my first glass of wine!

Refinement will happen later.. such fun surviving the day!

   

 

Tomorrow I have arranged to paint the Absaroka Mountains at the private Absaroka Ranch!  I'm so excited about painting without bear spray at my hip!  Stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

This trip starts with thanks to the poet Georgie Abel.  

 

 

 

Go West, Young Woman

Go west, young woman, and grow up with the country.

What we need now is for you to manifest your own destiny.

Go west young woman, if only in heart. You are the salt of this earth. You are the love of this life. T

his land uses your lungs to breathe. Young woman, you must go west. Grow the country.

Go west, young woman. Turn towards the sunset and start walking. You know what to bring. You know what you need. Anything you’ve forgotten, you’ll find. Just pack your bag. You’ll lose everything anyway, someday.

This losing won’t be scary once you get yourself out west. Because your journey will remind you that you’re good at losing. You’ve done it since you were a little girl.

Go alone, go quietly. Go west, young woman. Grow the country.

As you go west, you will be tugged and pulled in all directions. You will be tricked into cutting off your hands. You will blindfold yourself, arms outstretched to those more injured than you. They’ll smell you from a mile away. You will think it’s love, it will feel like love, but deep down you will always know. They are bad for you. You’ll guzzle gasoline, anything, to mask that knowing. But young woman, you’re on your way out west. Nothing can stop you for too long. It’s just a matter of time.

Save yourself now to save yourself some time.

You will learn that “unconditional love” is a phrase made up by someone who wanted to act badly without consequence.

It applies only to your babies and yourself.

That’s just biology, survival of the fittest.

 

So go west young woman, go west.

Make your love conditional as hell.

Go west, but rest for a while after you’ve been captured. You’re injured now, but not for long.

You are hardwired for healing. Resilience is your middle name. Now you know that there is no prince coming to save you. You are your own medicine. You always have been. It’s all coming for you.

Young woman, sometimes you will go downwards, on your way out west.

In your own darkest seasons, you will be pulled underground. Don’t fight this. You’ve always known how to breathe underwater. You know how to dream in the dark. You don’t need light to see. Don’t prevent the stillness. Rest often. Exhale. Go west.

 

Just a few miles left to go until you’re out west, they will try to pull you back into your state of needing.

Because they don’t like women like you.

They will call you dangerous.

They will try to convince you that you’ve gone mad

There will be please-babe-i-love-yous.They will sink their teeth back into your arm and release their metallic poison.

You’ll fall for it again and again. Be gentle here. Forgive yourself always, but don’t stop. You’re so close. Take yourself all the way west, go west, and the lies will hurt your teeth. Go west, tune your ears for truth. Go west young woman. Grow the country.

Out west, that ruby you have in your belly is polished and beaming. There are diamonds dripping down your spine. You are a woman of spirit. You go to cafes alone. You see poetry in the mountains. They look at you like you’re the most human thing they’ve ever seen.

Go west young woman, grow the country between your ribs, in the palm of your hand.

You’re not a maiden anymore. You don’t need attention, you have you. This will burn anything toxic, watch it all fall away.

Good people will come to you. Joy will rise in your eyes from small wonders, the indigo morning. Your sadness will be seeped in spirit. You’re a mother now, older than the redwoods. Welcome home.

Young woman, I know you’re tired, but we need you to go west. Go west, grow our country.

 

--------------------------

THANK YOU GEORGIE ABEL!!!

 

I have decided to go West, where my heart lies..and of course the mosquitoes the size of helicopters ?  

Steinbeck (inspiration) wrote "Travels With Charlie" after he traveled the country with his poodle...at 58.

So I'm planning to travel with my cat...at 58... and am so excited to see where art  brings me!

 

Life jumps in front of art so often - and I've been told the best way to learn a language is total immersion .  Therefore, my general plan is to start with 6 weeks and if it goes on, the only deadline I have is my baby's wedding in Portugal this Fall.  

Who knows? I may resume this treck when I return..

 

Please join me for these adventures!  I promise not to bore, and will provide numerous photos of Percy (and if you do not love cats) the spectacular lands North of Texas!

 

 

My life as an artist has been rolling towards a cliff for a long time.. and it's time to take the leap!  

Beartooth mountains and plein air painting for 6 weeks.... with luck I will learn many things (and survive!)

 

Percy and I are leaving next week!

I was painting outside of Ghost Ranch in October of this year with a group of artists, under the guidance of Richard McKinley.

 

 The far distance appeals to me, and I took home many reference photos of the mountains with "chamisa" bushes in the foreground.

In this reference photo, Mount Pedernal was fast being covered by storm clouds, and the wet wind promised the rain would come soon.

I settled for photos, and the reference of all of my senses to remember in my studio, and try to portray in my work.

 

Cerro Pedernal is my first painting from this amazing trip.

 

 

Circle Of Life

 

 

It had been a 100 degrees and a miserable afternoon. An outdoor funeral had left my daughter and I sad and exhausted. 

 

The chocolate bourbon balls I brought to the visitation had melted, and now lay in a sad, wet pile I could see through the Tupperware. 

 

I pulled the truck over.  As we got out in a mutual silence to watch the sun set, my daughter slipped her arm over my shoulders.  The blistering air was heavy in our lungs, and the Texas countryside rang with the music of heat bugs. 

 

The dead grass cracking underneath my feet, I took a photo of this dead but glorious old tree; with greenery rapidly clothing her in vines and flowers.

 

Thank God for daughters, and sunsets, and the promise of another day.

 

 

(Wallis Museum Grade/ Watercolor Underpainting /Painted in studio)

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a recent business trip to Germany, I had a spare evening in Old Town (Dusseldorf).  Having visited twice before, I knew the spot to paint.

 

A canal right next to a little bistro where George could sample `some of the "alt" beer Dusseldorf is famous for.

 

The sun was setting across the town casting lovely shadows on the canal.

  

 

I turned around when I felt someone staring at me.  It was a small Japanese child, about 5 or 6.  She was patiently watching me with a shy smile playing across her little face.  I returned the smile and went back to my easel.

A moment later I felt another gaze.  A Japanese woman was standing behind he little child, who explained that her daughter loved art.

I congratulated her on the little girl's patience and manners, and went back to my easel.

Still another gaze joined the crowd, and this time I wish I had used my camera.  Standing behind the little girl and her mother, was the Japanese grandmother.  Her hair was wound up in a traditional Japanese style, secured with the sticks they use.  She had a full kimono in glorious aquamarine, and a face like a stone. Completely without emotion, she watched my every stroke on the paper.

 

Slightly unnerved I carried on... and soon the little troop melted away behind me.

 

I'm planning to finish this piece in my studio - such good memories!

I have a solution to Pastels on the Beach!  George found a perfectly sized waterproof bag that doubles as a backpack.  

Very lightweight, and holds everything except my paper and support board.

 

  

 

We packed it up and headed to the Exuma water park, where we set up opposite Johnny Depps' island.  What a view!

 

 I had my easel up and was just blocking in the underpainting.

 

 

Suddenly a huge body guard came flying up in his boat and ordered us off the island! (I'm not even in a tv series and I'm kicked off the island?)  

 

I'm working on the painting in my studio now... maybe I'll just send it to Mr. Depp?

 

 

Ocean Reef is a private club and a paradise just north of Key Largo.  On a beautiful evening in April, my husband and I took our Tiara out to see the sunset in the mangroves.  

 

We love this area,  where the water runs quiet and sweet through mangroves filled with sea birds.  We were enjoying the view when that inevitable moment struck.  Suddenly the air filled with mosquitoes and no-see-ums out for their evening hunt and we hit the engines hard, heading for home.  The water pushed away from our stern in a gorgeous rush, and fortunately I caught the moment on camera.

 

In "Leaving The Mangroves"  I sought to capture this memory of evening light streaming through the water, and the rushing wake we left behind.

 

 

 

 

My easel this morning prior to work.  

An explanation of the board:

I have printed my photo in various tonal, value and color versions.

The faint, foggy version gives me the lost and found edges, and highlights the primary focal point or "star" of this potential painting.

The accurate colors are represented in a photograph which is placed to the right of this.

An ethereal painting by Richard Schmidt is also on the board as a stylistic reference point.

My value sketch and the toned paper are at eye level, with my monitor placed to the right showing a black and white value photo of the scene.

I start to block in some shapes with some light and dark values.  I try to give the whole composition my attention rather than just focusing on a single area.

Next, I have put a field sketch by Richard McKinley up on the board next to my painting.  I was fortunate to obtain this from Richard at a workshop with the Arkansas Pastel Society in Hot Springs last fall.  I have used this painting as a stylistic reference  many times.

It helps me remember to stay light in my application of pastel, and to keep the light moving through the forest.

  

Roughing the composition in - trying to stay light - building the focal point.

Nearly finished, so will stop for the day.

I'm finding this support difficult to work with.