"Passing By" Pastel Painting

We were on one of our road trips, driving East and the lighting in the sky prompted me to take a photo.  This painting is inspired from the photo.  Amazing what you can still see at 60 mph!  Pastel on paper; complete with mat and in a gold frame. Framed size is 16" x 22".  Available for sale.  $115.00.

Sports Paintings Make Great Gifts for Fathers' Day

 Don't think that all paintings are of flowers and still lifes.  There are many subjects that the men in your life would enjoy displaying in their office, study or "man cave."  The painting above is one example, it is titled "Conference on the Mound".  It was painted from a photo I took at a Chicago Cubs/Atlanta Braves game.  It is a pastel on Canson paper and measures 20.5 " x  25.5" framed.   Contact me for other sports-related paintings or to create a painting of your favorite sports memory. Available for sale. 

What is Pastel?

According to Wikipedia: "In order to create hard and soft pastels, pigments are ground into a paste with water and a gum binder and then rolled or pressed into sticks. The name "pastel" comes from ML pastellum (neut.) woad (orig. woad paste), for LL pastellus (masc.), dim. of pasta: paste. The French word pastel first appeared in 1662.

Most brands produce gradations of a color, the original pigment of which tends to be dark, from pure pigment to near-white by mixing in differing quantities of chalk.  This mixing of pigments with chalks is the origin of the word "pastel" in reference to "pale color" as it is commonly used in cosmetic and fashion venues.

A pastel is made by letting the sticks move over an abrasive ground, leaving color on the grain of the paper, sandboard, canvas etc. When fully covered with pastel, the work is called a pastel painting; when not, a pastel sketch or drawing.

The pastel medium was first mentioned by Leonardo da Vinci in 1495." 

Other famous painters to use pastel are Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt and James Mc Neill Whistler.

Pet Portrait Testimonial

"Dona not only captures the look of the animal, but also its personality, making for an extra special painting.  We have Dona's portraits of three of our dogs.  When one of those dogs tragically died, Dona's painting became a source of comfort and a way to keep the dog's memory alive."

Whether it is a dog, cat, horse or other pet, contact Dona to create a painting of your special animal friend.

Rooster Painting

Perfect for decorating your kitchen!  Mixed media of watercolor and pastel.  9" x 11" oak frame with mat. Available for sale.

Chicago River Scene

One of Chicago’s great assets is its varied architecture, which can be viewed from a boat on the river.  Painted in medium of pastel.  19” x 23” framed size; with mat.   Available for sale.

Dona's art on display at Hough Street School

The Hough Street School in Barrington, IL is studying all about the continent of Africa as its 2011 school-wide project.  Dona lent five of her paintings of African people and animals inspired by her visit to Tanzania.  Recently, Dona stopped by the school and saw how her paintings were integrated with the students’ projects displayed on the walls of the school corridors.  “There is no doubt that the students have learned a lot this year about Africa and I am happy to have played a small part.”