Tag Archive | 9.5″ x 12.5″

Fog

Oct27

I got into the studio over the weekend, feeling really inspired by fog and foggy mornings on hiking trails and walks through parks.

“Foggy Autumn Morning”, 5″ x 7″ pastels on pastelbord, 2026

“Foggy Autumn Morning” attempts to capture the muted hues of autumn leaves in the fog, and the sight of a stranger on the trail ahead.

“Strangers in the Fog”, 9.5″ x 12.5″ pastels on pastel card, 2026

“Strangers in the Fog” revisits the theme, from the perspective of a different season, and with more emphasis on the strangers in the distance, ahead. These were both inspired, at least in part, by an earlier piece, and my fondness for foggy mornings generally.

I enjoy the soft mysterious quality of fog.

These two new pieces were both painted using Schmincke soft pastels, and are available for sale.

Siletz Bay October Morning

Oct17
“Siletz Bay, October Morning” 9.5″ x 12.5″, Schmincke soft pastels on Sennelier 170lb pastel card, 2026

This piece was inspired by the changing landscape of Siletz Bay on an October morning of plein air painting on the fourth floor balcony of my hotel room. I delight at the sight of faint clouds of pastel dust floating away on the breeze. It was moody and misty as the day began. The lighting shifted quickly towards sunshine, sparkling off the surface of the water. I did my best to keep up.

The pastel card is wonderful as a pastel surface, but the coarser grit (compared to Ampersand Pastelbord) really tears through the pastels themselves.

The Drain

Oct14
“The Drain” 9.5″ x 12.5″, Schmincke soft pastels on Sennelier 170lb pastel card, 2026

Something seemed to pull me into the studio tonight, like a powerful current near a sinkhole or enormous drain.

This was painted using Schmincke soft pastels, and Henri Roche (the “Feu d’artifice” were used in the sky). This combination of pastels and paper is lovely to work with, and the specific coarseness of the page gives a peculiar smoothness to the sensation of each stroke.

Autumn Afternoon

Oct11
“Autumn Afternoon” 11″ x 14″”, Schmincke soft pastels on Ampersand Pastelbord, 2026

A walk on a crisp autumn afternoon inspired this piece. The breeze was chilly, the leaves rustled, showing off their fall colors. It was a beautiful sparkling moment.

Photographed in full sunlight. (Not recommended for long-term placement.)

This piece takes advantage of the vibrant hues of fall in my selection of Schmincke pastels. It is available for sale.

A Pond in the Slough

Oct10
“A Pond in the Slough” 9.5″ x 12.5″, Sennelier soft pastels on Sennelier 170lb pastel card, 2026

Inspired by treks across various savannahs and sloughs in Oregon, and particularly a recent visit to Basket Slough, looking down from the hillside towards a number of ponds and small lakes.

This piece was done using a selection of Schmincke pastels which recently entered my rotation. I’m very pleased with them.

This piece is available for sale.

September Sunrise

Sep27
“September Sunrise”, 9.5″ x 12.5″, Sennelier soft pastels on Sennelier 170lb pastel card, 2026

Inspired by a recent sunrise, seen in McMinnville, Oregon. I find sunrises give me a sense of hope. I’ve been needing them a lot more lately. This is available for sale.

This piece is my largest pastel to-date, and is also on a different surface; Sennelier pastel card. I did my very first pastel on a small sample and I was very pleased with the results. I like the coarseness of the grit on this card stock. It holds pigment well. More delightfully than the texture and tooth of the card stock, I really like how well it stays flat (unlike the Claire Fontaine Pastelmat, which reliably curls).