The Adirondack National Pastel Society has selected my pastel "Plein Air Sam Houston Monument" and also my pastel "Sam Houston Monument Studio" for the 6th Annual Adirondack National Pastel Exhibition. This year was close to a record number of entries for the show, with pieces submitted from around the world as well as nationally. The show goes live on July 8 on our website www.adirondackpastelsociety.com

Late May and early June bring the glory of the flower gardens at my house.  I tend to plant only perennials and leave the added color of the annuals to the more patient gardeners. Here my iris are making a big start on their almost three week performance.

Sometimes I'm lucky enough to not only be invited to paint on a farm site, but also invited to walk around and go inside the buildings.  Here the simplicity of the repeated patterns were of interest.

This artwork is created with Nupastel, Rembrandt, Sennelier and Great American pastel.

This artwork is created on UArt professional pastel paper.

As my scouting in Hillsdale County wrapped up, the morning was fast approaching noon.  Artists love the early light of morning for its long cast shadows creating wonderful patterns.  No long shadows here as I was heading for home. But part of scouting is finding sites to revisit and work en plein air. In the studio I had to accept the shadows as they appeared and work with what was given.

Still working from my spring scouting in Hillsdale County, this version of the previous painting shows a more pan0rama view of the farm. Funny how my first response to the composition feels stronger to me.

This artwork is created with: Nupastel, Rembrandt, Sennelier and Great American pastel.

This artwork is created on: UArt pastel paper.

Still scouting in Hillsdale County, I was reveling in the wonderful farms that grace the land.  The simplicity of the shapes of this particular farm appealed to me as design elements that were worth exploring.

This artwork is created on UArt pastel paper.

This artwork is created with Nupastel, Rembrandt, Sennelier and Great American pastel.

Scouting subject matter in Hillsdale county one weekend, I found this charming farm on the market.  In the narrative from the realtor, it noted that the farmhouse, barns and silo were built in 1848.  What a monument to the builders of that era! I couldn't resist the beauty of the enduring silo and chose that as the subject matter for my painting.

This artwork is created with: Nupastel, Rembrandt, Sennelier and Great American pastel.

This artwork is created onWallis professional pastel paper (mounted).