Pastel is one of the most permanent art mediums in existence. Many pastels painted hundreds of years ago are still as bright and fresh as the day they were created. The artist’s pigments in pastels are the same as those used in fine oil paints. The only difference is that with pastel the pigments are not mixed with a liquid binder which may degrade over time. The pure, bright hues will not change or yellow. I predominantly use locally made Unison Pastels to create my artwork.
My art work is inspired by local landscape, the changing seasons and the time of day. I use pastels to capture the ways in which colour and light transform the everyday view into something beautiful. I am fascinated with the way in which colours sit together, pushing forward and pulling back, altering atmosphere, understanding and the way in which we view the world.
I offer an original hand painted work of fine art, painted on location and in my studio using the best archival materials for its creation and your enjoyment.
Pastel
Pastel is a beautiful medium with vibrant colours that can last more than a lifetime, but it is particularly important to handle and frame pastel paintings with extra care. Before you open your new unframed pastel art work, please read the guidelines below to make sure you keep it in its original condition.
Your pastel painting may shed a few particles of pigment when new. This is normal and will not damage the image. The surface will become more solid with time and shedding will stop. Please do not attempt to rub or brush away fallen particles, as you may mar the surface of your painting. Keep your unframed painting flat, face up, in its original archival package until you take it to your framer. This keeps the piece safe from dust, hairs, and smudges until it can be properly protected with a frame. If you wish to remove painting please cut the archival cellophane away from the sides and pull away from the painting surface. do not drag or touch surface.
Handle around the edges only. Pastel is a delicate medium and while fixative may have been used at some point in the creation of the piece, it is still very capable of smudging when touched. This means that colour and details can be lost and paintings can be ruined if not handled properly. Your pastel painting has edges that do not have pastel on them. This is easy to tell if there is paper of a different colour as there will be a border or pencil mark where the edge of the piece falls. Please always handle your piece by the edges and avoid touching the pastel itself.
Framing
Ensure your framer is very comfortable framing pastel paintings and request that they do not spray additional fixative on the artwork.
All frames must use real glass, not acrylic or plexiglass as pastel particles can come off of the paper if there is any type of static, therefore it is very important to use real glass in front of a pastel painting.
Your pastel painting needs to be framed away from the glass. When speaking with your framer, make sure they will frame with either a mat/mount or with a spacer/double mount so the pastel painting and paper will not be directly against the glass. An experienced framer should be able to provide you with a variety of options to keep your new pastel artwork in good condition over the years. If you are moving or traveling with your artwork, keep it framed and store it face up for the drive.