Saturday, December 23, 2017

Sandi Graham Pastels: Have A Merry Christmas

Sandi Graham Pastels: Have A Merry Christmas: Finished my Christmas painting for this year. I am using for my Christmas Card . I admit that I rushed to get finished! Used Vista Print fo...

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Have A Merry Christmas

Finished my Christmas painting for this year. I am using for my Christmas Card . I admit that I rushed to get finished! Used Vista Print for the cards , created it on line and Vista will send reliably to me shortly.  I’ll be starting a new series on UART paper after the first of the year!                                                    ‘The Back Yard In Snow’   Pastel
Here’s the front of my card ! Have a wonderful Holiday Season! All My Best.

Sunday, November 12, 2017

How Many Times Can An Artist Paint The Same Scene?

Just as many times as you want! That’s my answer at least.
This has been done before as it’s my favorite spot
On old cape cod to paint!


This was done on an 9x12 piece of Uart paper
Using various pastels over a coral underpainting.
The Uart was a 400 grit . This seems to be my go to
Paper and grit . I get many layers with this.
Starting with a hard pastel like nupastel and then 
Layering in some unison,mt. Vision and Terry Ludwigs.
I also use nupastel as a blending pastel by layering 
Ever so slightly over a few layers of soft pastel.
All my grass and weed colors come out of that box 
Too. Hope you like this one. 
The peaches are going back on the Easel for 
Another try.I️ found them way too light.
Right now I’m working on my Christmas card for
This year! Stay tuned!

Sunday, November 5, 2017

Just Off The Easel

Summer Peaches Pastel 9x12 

I probably will frame with a new frame without mat
In a wide Plein Air Black frame.
This would look great any where in the home.
Send email if interested. Unframed $125 + shipping

Friday, October 27, 2017

Recipe For Success In Painting



This is the Photo I’m working from for the Peaches For Crostata painting!

What’s On The Easel

A few weeks ago when I bought some beautiful chubby ripe peaches at the Farmers Market I could not resist arranging them for a future painting.
I lined them up in an artfull way  and photographed them . They disappeared quickly because I decided to make a freeform crostata! Yum
Here is the painting of those peaches in progress

This little pastel is unfinished so it’s still on the Easel and I’ll post the finished framed piece soon!

Friday, September 29, 2017

What’s Off The Easel!


                                          Boats On The Cape 5 x 7 pastel

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Unblocking The Painter's Block

I have been working from the photo and after blocking in over an underpainting of coral watercolor I then got to town! Lots more to do but now I feel Im on my way! A while back I mentioned that not every painting will be a great one as often as we hope but there is so much to learn along the way. Just as a great golfer or tennis player has to practice to stay good at their game so must we painters. Here's what I have done so far:

Monday, September 18, 2017

Painter's Block

I have had a busy summer and haven't been that dedicated to painting. I hope all my photos will give me some inspiration to get back to the Easel ! Here's what I have been working on.


Boats At The Cape

Sunday, August 6, 2017

The Making Of A Pastel

Since im still working on a few paintings I thought i would show you my steps to create a pastel painting after deciding composition layout .
 

Monday, July 24, 2017

Notans Or Thumbnail Sketches

After looking at cropped photos, I've started the sketches of composition possibilities.


Sunday, June 25, 2017

To Crop Or Not To Crop

This has been cropped and im still looking for a better composition so i will do two more crops and then try a few thumbnails . Crop #1
Crop2
Crop 3
So i really love th overturned boat and the grasses. Ill try the thumbnail sketches next and they will be in my next post!

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

What's Off The Easel

Here are two newly framed mini pastels 5x5 matted in 12x12 frames. The pastel minis Warm Dune and Cool Dune are for sale at $125 each plus shipping. If interested contact me through pastelpaintercooks@gmail.com

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Oops! Another redo

Geyser Island Spouter redo! Ok so i took it out of the frame and back on the easel and reframed !! I'm done ! Forever!

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Geyser Island Spouter

Recently Framed this painting for a great benefit. The subject was not as easy as i thought it might be. How to make that mineral blob look interesting was the part that was a challenge because of its shape and color. We often see a ton of colors in white objects but this blob just looked blobish. It took several attempts to achieve this object as I viewed it. The painting came together and I think I captured the Geyser Island Spouter!

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Sorry ,My Blogger App is giving me trouble!

I'm having some problems with publishing this blog so im going to be posting some random stuff for next few posts, please bear with me. Going to enter some paintings in some shows so getting them ready to frame. These paintings will be framed with mats in a 10x10 black frames. The actual paintings will be 5x5. I really like painting small its fun to see what you can do on your small cut sanded board, like painting with a big brush.
This will be one that will when finished in the 5x5 size in a 10x10 frame ! Still hoping my blog will publish this post properly! Please stay posted. Thanks.

What's On The Easel

Expeimenting with warm and cool underpaintings for a favorite beach scene, I'll keep you posted!

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Beach Paintings

    When I paint beaches,they are always from my own photos and as I place my marks on the paper I start to experience a memory from the      Beach. I can feel the warm sun and sand under my feet and that wonderful ocean aroma wafting past my nose. I am grateful for that time     I'm at the easel. My return to my favorite places again!  

Thursday, March 23, 2017

What's On The Easel

Sometimes when the winter seems endless I like to paint a summer scene. After the last snowstorm piled up in the back yard and the backyard was covered with blanket hopefully for the last time,I decided to embrace the beauty of the colors and lights reflected. I started this painting with a watercolor wash on Uart 400. Then began to block in the shapes of trees snow and shadows. The beginning is shown here
I will post the next stages as I do them. The reference photo below.  
Stay tuned!  

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

What's On The Easel

This little painting was started as a plein air piece and finished in my studio. It's heading to a new home and I'm donating this to a wonderful local charity for their gala event the end of this month. The sweet little gem of a park is located in the heart of Saratoga Springs NY

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

What's On The Stove?

Haven't posted a recipe in a while. So here is my favorite Risotto recipe:      •
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   Creamy risotto, sweet corn, and meaty shrimp will make for one dreamy date night. TOTAL TIME: 0:32PREP: 0:10LEVEL: EASYSERVES: 4   INGREDIENTS •3 c. chicken stock •3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided •1 small white onion, minced (about 1 cup) •1 c. arborio rice •3/4 c. dry white wine, divided •2 ears corn, kernels removed (about1 1/4 cup) •2 tbsp. unsalted butter •1/4 c. Parmesan cheese •2 tbsp. chopped parsley •2 cloves garlic, minced (3 tbsp.) •1 small shallot, minced (3 tbsp.) •1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes •1 1/2 lb. medium shrimp •2 tbsp. finely chopped basil, plus more for serving DIRECTIONS 0.In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock to a simmer. 0.In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until beginning to soften, 4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add ½ cup white wine and simmer until evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. 0.Reduce heat to medium. Add about ½ cup more stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, until absorbed. Continue adding stock by the ½ cup, stirring and letting it absorb, until stock is gone, 15 to 20 minutes. 0.Remove from heat and stir in corn, butter, Parmesan, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large bowl. 0.Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic, shallot, and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until pink and beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining ¼ cup wine and let simmer until evaporated, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and stir in basil. Add risotto back to skillet, stirring to combine with shrimp. Garnish with basil and serve.
 

Sunday, February 5, 2017

What's On The Easel ?

I'm working on this painting from a photo I took while walking in my favorite area in Cape Cod. I was attracted by the shadows made by the fencing protecting the dune grasses and of course the view just peeking through the shadowed path. I'll post the finished painting soon.