Sunday 1 August 2010

PASTELS

Sorry, not visited your blogs of late - have been so so busy with art and family. Now have my brother and wife staying with us for a week and today after visiting our village pub by the river for a carvery lunch, the men watched the (recorded) grand prix and Gaynor and I sat in the sun room. Ha, Ha - wherever is the sun nowadays.
Gaynor was knitting for friends new baby so I got out my pastel set and began to sketch the flower arrangement that includes some of our pink hydrangeas from the garden. Gaynor says it took hour and a half from start to finish. Quite gentle and a most enjoyable time, especially as I have not painted for ages.
As I have posted this floral pastel, thought I would add the early stages (as far as I got) of another pastel sketch. This time of a section of my garden when my ladies came for our summer garden sketch day together. Nowhere near finished of course.
Ron and Gaynor are going home on Thursday and then I go off to Sandra's cottage by the sea for a sketching weekend together. Hopefully will have something worthwile to post when I get back.

8 comments:

Christiane Kingsley said...

Joan,
You seem to be spending a nice, serene summer and your pastels reflect this. They are both delicately beautiful.
Have a nice time at the seaside cottage.

Vicki Greene said...

It is wonderful that you are able to enjoy your family this summer. Your pastels are lovely and delicate.

DJ said...

Joan, I clicked to enlarge and found that the pastel floral looks like a botanical illustration...
Even when you're simply sketching, your subjects flourish in your hands!
Glad you're enjoying your summer ~

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Thank you for your kind comments everyone. I have taken this opportunity with brother and Gaynor staying to simply switch off and relax with them. Sun's come out today so will probably go off visiting somewhere fairly local.

Margaret Ann said...

AAAAAAh! Such a beautiful and delightful summer palette..so breezy and light. To sit out in a garden and actually enjoy it? Heavenly! No such thing here in the summer desert heat. And, a trip to the sea atop it all is a dream come true! :)

Gretchen Bjornson ART said...

Joan, this makes me want to pull out my pastels and take a break from watercolor! Love it!

Joan Y said...

I love the delicacy of pastels and florals! Both are so beautiful!

Claudia said...

Oh, I l o v e that flower pastel! v e r y nice!