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It’s amazing how beautiful the highway can be when you depict it at the right the time at the right moment and in the right place.  This painting was especially rewarding to do because of the beautiful tones and colors in the shadow areas which made the graphic shapes very interesting.

Initially, I worked by laying in the colors with a sponge to spread the color almost like a water color wash, so that I would get a sense of the minor areas in order to build on top of that.  In the past I used my fingers to blend the pastels but that proved to be a very painful experience as the paper I use is a sand paper.  So, I was sanding my fingertips!  I have since smartened up.  (I still use my fingertips, but only for the small details – but the larger areas I used the sponge.)  I’m now looking into other means of blending.

I am now deciding on my next paintings.  It could be oil refineries or a portrait of an old Marine and a rally in NYC.  Tune in next next time~!

Here are the stages of the preparation of the painting also…

Photos from the award ceremony sat. night in which I received one of the top honors, the Award of Excellence at the 9th juried show of the Pastel Society of NJ.

There were so many good works, that the judge extended the list of award recipients to recognize the efforts of the artists.  We should be encouraged by the love of the art as over 65 entries are in the show and it will be open to the public through the end of the month at Cranes Mill, 459 Passaic Ave., W. Caldwell – 9 to 5 p.m.