Speaking of Art Blog

At the close of each year, I like to look back at the artwork I accomplished since Jan. 1. My goal for the last 25 years has been to create at least one frame worthy piece of artwork per month. This year I exceeded that goal by one; I finished and framed 13 paintings.

Rather than simply show thumbnails of all 13 artworks, I thought I’d give virtual awards to 5 of my paintings that I created this year. These are my own award designations, BTW, not your standard awards you might see on a televised awards show. I’m allowed to do that since these are my paintings and my blog. So here goes….

Deep Freeze, pastel

WOW FACTOR AWARD goes to Deep Freeze. This painting immediately brings me back to that bitterly cold day several winters ago when I stood at the edge of Lake Michigan and snapped some pics as the sun was setting. I feel chilly when I look at this image and I'm also mesmerized by the vibrant colors and jarring sharp light/dark contrasts that I depicted.  Brrr, mission accomplished.

Bird on a Wire, pastel

STRETCHED ME AWARD goes to Bird on a Wire. I honestly didn’t know if I could pull this one off.  There is so much complexity to it. I had to figure out how to render metal beams, giant bolts, and barbed wire, and juxtapose those elements next to a small bird that is trying to survive as the evidence of human industry is encroaching on nature’s territory. This piece turned out to be quite the challenge, but I am very pleased with the result.  Oh, and that Palm Warbler was actually sitting on that wire when I snapped its picture, no editing involved.

Monarch Memo, pastel

BEST STORY LINE AWARD is given to Monarch Memo. Ever the school teacher, I wanted to include actual words in this painting, explaining the truly miraculous migration journey that a Monarch butterfly takes each year. But I didn’t want the paragraph to look gimmicky. I like how this piece turned out.

Timeless Beauty, pastel

HYPER DETAILED AWARD goes hands down to Timeless Beauty. I don’t even know how many hours I spent on all those feathers and wood grain lines. A lot! I just love including all the juicy details when I zoom in with a closer look at something.

Autumn Came Softly, pastel

ALL THE FEELS AWARD is earned by Autumn Came Softly. This piece was such a pleasure to create as a demo for my pastel workshop students, from the stunning Viceroy butterfly to the subtle suggestions of brilliant changing colors that are just getting started in early autumn.

Creating art is an interesting and mysterious task. I don’t know how a piece of artwork will turn out as I begin to set down my first markings on my surface. Will it be challenging or a breeze? Will it flow or jerk out of me in fits and starts? Will I be happy with the results, just OK, disappointed, or overjoyed? Will the artwork say everything I want it to say, or will it tell a different story than I had intended? I never know the answers to those questions until the journey I take with each piece is complete. Sometimes the resulting artwork is very satisfying; it makes me smile, literally. But one feeling I always have after completing every piece of artwork is surprise. I know this may sound weird, but many times I will stand back and think, “Holy cow, did I do that?” I guess it’s because I am so in the zone when I’m working on it that when I stop to ponder the overall impact of the final work, I’m shocked at how much effort each square inch took to complete. I stand in wonderment at the result of all my labor.

I tend to lose myself in the playful work of creating, which I think is a very good thing. At some point in the process, the artwork seems to take on a life of its own. My tools and I are just conduits to help it emerge and reveal itself on the paper. A new piece of me, not seen before even by myself, is now visible. It’s scary, mysterious, and thrilling all at the same time, and always surprising to me.

So I’ll raise a glass to 2026, another year for creative discovery. May my best artwork win some future presently-unnamed awards, and may I continue to be joyfully surprised by the results of my zoned-in playtime accomplishments.