"Rising Tide"
9x12, pastel - SOLD
Years ago during a workshop critique with Albert Handell, Albert asked me: "Do you have any rocks where you live?" Yes, I answered. "Well, I want you to spend a year painting rocks." I believe he thought my rocks were too soft. I did as he suggested, and it was good practice. I think my rocks are up to snuff these days.
Today, I took my workshop out to the Head Harbour Lighthouse where I did a rock demonstration in pastel. I tell my students that, no matter how round a rock may look, you always want to start off by drawing it with angular lines. This is because the more you paint the rock, the rounder it's going to get. If you start round, you'll end up with something like a baked potato. But start off with sharp angles, and you'll be rewarded with a suitably dangerous-looking rock. (There's not much danger in a baked potato.)
