landscape – The Art of Joy A. McGugan

I’ve been doing a lot with oil pastels lately. Nothing is finished yet so I have zilch to show on the blog, but there are three pieces (one commissioned, one experimental floral, one a non-commissioned portrait) on the boards now, another two close behind. Oil pastel purists call works created with them paintings, but to me it seems like I’m doing a drawing that usually ends up with a painterly quality. But that’s another topic. The organization of one of my favorite media is the topic for today. I have abused mine and in return this has hindered the efficiency of my work because I have to search through the piles of pastels to find the colors I need. So I decided to really organize them.

Organization is an on-going battle for me. I didn’t get that gene. I do work hard sometimes to get things organized and then things just explode (I know, one should REPLACE things after they are used). And as I write I look at the stacks of books and papers beside the computer, so much to do, so little time!

Anyway, today I went to Harbor Freight with friends and bought me a really cool tool box for what I think was a good price. It has drawers with dividers and will be easy to carry around. The pastels are sorted into cool, warm and neutral groups. The box is labeled. I was going to have one drawer labeled “for works in progress” but knowing me, that would defeat that whole putting things back idea.

I just have to put the little things back in the compartments. I can do this.

Box within a box…the disintegration of organization.

Sorted (I know, I have a very healthy supply!)

Done!

Now, about that desk…

So Christmas came and went and I found myself wrapped up in all the usual activities and enjoying my family immensely! I did create and print a bunch of linocut cards…was only going to do a couple and then the project just grew. And grew. Sold enough to make it worthwhile, and frankly, I just love printing! I majored in printmaking when I was in college (minored in painting) but now I think of myself as a painter and not the other.

Finally got back into the studio for painting and have posted the results today. Both of these are mixed media as I am exploring combining oil pastels and tissue paper with oils on canvas. Don’t know what the deal is with so many trees but will think about that.

The trees in field painting MAY not be finished, but it’s close and then I’ll add my little signature. A former co-worker and fellow artist is now retired and can be counted on to take photos of sunsets and sunrises (it’s so difficult for me to do that on the way to work while driving up I-95!). She posted a photo in December that I fell in love with and she’s been gracious enough to let me use it.