SUSAN'S . . . PLAYING AGAIN!

GLOW 11" x 14" soft pastel SOLD - private collector So nice this pastel went to a wonderful home! Now I'll live in my memories of the Petrified Forest  National Park, where I did a residency and was  the inspiration for this painting. Thank you!

  VIEW ATOP  6"h x 9"w pastel  11"h x 14"w black frame, white mat, glass Sold - Private Collector Chilly yet a sunny day . . . so reminiscent of my time spent at the Petrified Forest National Park during a past residency. Views were breathe taking. And the colors were as crisp as the air!

A POCKET OF CORAL 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel 8" square archival white matte, glass + gold leaf frame The day came to an end. Down the sun dropped below the Forest's horizon. Away went the blue skies while the clouds were heavy. And nestled amongst all was a patch of coral.

A DREAM   4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel white mat, glass + black frame $150 - tax and shipping inclusive Some days are hazy . . . with pastel colors floating,  amidst my daydreams. So lost in thought . . . and cocooned within the  subtle hues. It's a day of soft travels . . . so comforting!

AT THE BLUE MESA 11" x 14" pastel on a cradled wooden panel PRIVATE COLLECTOR Joy!  . . . when a favorite painting goes to a special home. Not only do I love the texture that seeps through the image  from the wood grain, but also this painting was created during my Artist-In-Residence at the Petrified Forest National Park. Was such an inspirational time of my life.  Thank you Jori!

CLOUDS AT THE TEPEES 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel 8" square archival white matt, glass + black frame $150 + $15 insured priority shipping Still daydreaming over my Artist-in-Residence  at the Petrified Forest  National Park in Arizona  four years ago.  Upon arriving I caught the tail-end of their monsoon  season  and let me tell you, boy did it rain!  But what was so glorious,  was that there would be a downpour  off in the distance  yet dry  where I was standing. And I could feel the wind  whipping  away  with vibrant and colorful colors flashing! Above is a petite painting of the Tepees, that are colorful  rock  formations located  dead center between the Painted Desert  and the Petrified Forest. 

Pastel Sketch / Sketching at the Painted Desert / Painted Desert Pastel Remember that old saying "Time flies"? It definitely does! I was just reminiscing today about my travels to the Petrified Forest  National Park in Arizona and amazed that it has been exactly four years. I was  juried in as one of the Park's 2009 Artist-in-Residents,  where I lived for two weeks within a three-room historical adobe  at the Park. Across the road from my front door was a panoramic view of the Painted Desert. Breathe-taking! 

CLOUDS AT THE TEPEES 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel 8" square archival white matt, glass + gold frame $150 + $15 insured priority shipping Here everyone is thinking of turkey and I still  have my head in the clouds. What can I say? . . . I'm a blonde. To me, the rain on Sunday was so luxurious, that I'm still daydreaming and right back at the Petrified  Forest National Park. Yesterdays post was of a downpour over the Puerco River, where this image is a few miles  past above the Tepees .  The Tepees were created from erosion with each colorful  band indicative of a different era in time. More can be read by clicking here . By the way, I LOVE turkey and am looking forward to the day!

RAIN AT PUERCO RIVER 6" x 6" pastel 6" glass + gold leaf frame $295 + $15 insured priority shipping * *tax inclusive I got caught in a rain storm as I stepped out last night and then it rained throughout the night.  And the evening brought back a sweet memory during  my residency two years ago at the Petrified Forest  National Park.  Standing afar, I watched the downpour as the  rain pelted the Puerco River. Love the sound, fresh  smell and the ripping wind!  Beauty of Nature!

BADLANDS SKETCH 12" x 9" pastel on board The heat enveloping the nation brings back memories of my stay at the  Petrified Forest National Park   of Arizona . As mentioned in earlier postings, I was awarded an Artist-in-Residence at the Forest in 2009. The two-week life experience was exhilarating and challenging. My previous post,   A PAINTED SUMMER ,  is a view of the  Petrified Forest National Park's Badlands   as I hiked down onto the desert floor. Above,   BADLANDS SKETCH   was  created at the highest point as seen from the Visitors  Center,   Painted Desert Inn . And below is a picture of me working  on my Badlands sketch.  

A PAINTED SUMMER 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel 8" square archival white matt, glass + gold frame SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR The rain had ceased . . . the sun rose . . .  the white clouds graced the sky. . .   and the colors shone as jewels.

AT THE BLUE MESA 11" X 14" pastel on a cradled wood panel PRIVATE COLLECTOR At the Blue Mesa is one of my two painting included in the   Pastel Society  of New Mexico's  Signature Members Show , at the  Millicient Rogers Museum   of Taos, New Mexico. The Blue Mesa is one of many landscapes created during my  Artist-in-Residence stay at the Petrified Forest National Park. Today is the last day to the view the show  and the Museum is open till 5pm. 

RAIN AT THE BADLANDS 11"h x 14"w pastel $625 So excited! The two paintings pictured are included in the   Pastel Society  of New Mexico's  Signature Members Show , so in transit to the Millicient Rogers Museum  of Taos, New Mexico. The exhibit runs from May 27th to June 26th, with the Artists Reception on Saturday, May 28th from 2 to 4pm. The Museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm.  AT THE BLUE MESA 11"h x 14"w pastel on wood cradled board $625

PETRIFIED FOREST & THE PAINTED DESERT By request, I delivered last Saturday a presentation to the Colored  Pencil  Society of San Diego , regarding my 2009 Artist-in-Residence  at the  Petrified Forest National Park .  Above are two plein air sketches of the Painted Desert with the third of myself blocking in the right sketch during my residency.  The request of the presentation was not only a great honor, but a  wonderful opportunity to revisit the memories of a great event!

SUNRISE SHADOWS AT THE PAINTED DESERT INN  16"h x 20"w pastel Collection of the US Government National Parks District Saturday, October 9th I will be giving a presentation / demonstration  to the San Diego Chapter of the Colored Pencil Society  regarding  my 2009 Artist-In-Residence at the Petrified Forest National Park .   I will be covering the many aspects of a residency, as well as  on-the-spot-simplified perspective.   The entire experience was extremely incomparable, so am very  honored to have this opportunity to share. 

AT THE BLUE MESA 11"h x 14"w pastel on wood panel and gold leaf frame PRIVATE COLLECTOR Remember that old saying "Time flies"? It definitely does.  I was just reminiscing about my travels to the Petrified Forest  National Park and amazed that it has been one year, since I was  juried as one of the Park's 2009 Artist-in-Residents. I lived within a three-room historical adobe at the Park for  two weeks and painted non-stop from early morning to late  evening. True bliss! Above is a pastel on a primed wooden panel, which greatly enhanced  the texture of rough rocks. And the mountainous scene is one  of many located along the 3 1/2 mile loop leading from the Park's  main road to the Blue Mesa Trail. 

MORNING ASCENT 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel 8" square archival white matte, glass + gold leaf frame It was a winding, dusty and long journey. Questioning my travels,  I rolled into a deep slumber  with a fatigued body.   And then was rewarded with vibrant morning colors.  The world is beautiful!

TUMBLE OF CLOUDS 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel 8"square archival white matte, glass + gold leaf frame $150 + $15 insured priority shipping A beautiful day, but so very hot as the sun blasted at the Forest. And the clouds tumbled and rolled through the sky. Cotton balls. A smile to my lips.

CLOUDS ARE CRYING 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel 8" square archival white matte, glass + gold leaf frame $150 + $15 insured priority shipping Have you ever notice a rainfall where the sky is still a vibrant blue yet it's raining? When I was at the Petrified Forest National Park last September as an Artist-in-Residence, this happened frequently. I would be out painting furiously and suddenly a low layer of black clouds would roll in and the rain would pour. I would have loved to stay there and continue painting, but rain sure plays havoc with soft pastels. A scene that's a bit eerie, but a beautiful sight!

RAINDROPS COMING 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel white archival matte, glass + petite gold leaf frame SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR Even though it was a sunny day in San Diego, I begun to reminisce of my last September residency at the Petrified Forest National Park. And you guessed it - this was a day it rained! (similar to Catalina Island, huh?) Here I was looking up at the blue, blue sky of San Diego and my mind begun to travel. I was seated and working on a pastel on my featherlight easel on the Painted Desert Rim Trail that stretches between Tawa and Kachina Points. The trail is about one mile in length and had views of the Painted Desert and the woodland rim. That day there were fabulous, white clouds in a rich blue sky, so I decided to create a woodland rim painting. I was so absorbed with the scene and then out of nowhere, huge dark clouds erupted. But what was so strange, is that the blue of the sky didn't darken and in matter of 10 minutes raindrops begun to fall. I had to...