I am not sure where the time goes, but it certainly has flown by! Here are a few of my latest pieces, six in all. Hope you enjoy them.
~Rita
Adirondack View, 8×10 oil pastel
Rolling Thunder, 8×10 oil pastel
Winter Stream, 8×10 oil pastel
January Snowfall, 8×10 oil pastel
Louden Road Pond, 8×10 oil pastel
Winter Field, 8×10 oil pastel
I went out for a short hike yesterday, to find a new preserve that had opened up nearby. Most of the trails are currently under construction and not open for public use, and consequently there really wasn’t much to see. However there was one spot…. a boardwalk that opened into to the lake, which was surrounded by a spread of dense water lilies, quietly floating in the late afternoon sun. It was really quite a sight. As I looked at the lily pads and the glistening reflections on the water, I thought what a silent, peaceful sanctuary that I have stumbled upon. ~Rita
Round Lake Preserve, 5×7 oil pastel
It was one of those days today. I ran through my day doing a little of this and a little of that. All those things you really don’t want to do but has to be done…. worked on my taxes, stayed on hold with my insurance company forever, stayed in a line too long at the post office, went to the bank, got soaked in an unexpected downpour, etc., Now at midnight I am very tired, and thinking that I wanted to post the painting I finished yesterday. I find myself wondering about what I want to say about this particular painting. And as I was wondering, I passed by my studio, the painting still on the easel, and immediately knew what I wanted to say. Whether it is a landscape, a still life, or a dancer, these images I see and try to create in art bring me to a quiet reprieve from life. Watching these dancers, in their world of color and movement, concentrating on their practice quiets me. A quiet reprieve from the frenetic life we all experience at times. For tonight, it was just what I needed. ~Rita
Ballet Practice, 8×10 oil pastel
I have always been in intrigued by people who dedicate their life to one true passion. Those who for are willing to give up all else in their lives to do that one true thing. I am fortunate to live in an area that hosts the New York City Ballet for several weeks in the summer each year, and these young women who dance for us season after season are some of my favorite examples of this. I often think about their dedication… hours and hours of work day after day, week after week,…. being so singularly focused to perform these amazing productions. I often wonder about their lives…. who these ballerinas are behind the scenes, apart from what we see, and for these reasons, they are one of my favorite subjects to paint. ~Rita
Graceful Repose, oil pastel, 11×14
It’s the end of December and still no snow. Here is another one from my memories. ~Rita
Winter Memory, 8×10 oil pastel
The first time I set foot in the Adirondacks 35 years ago, I was visiting my friend who referred to it as “God’s Country.” The location was a place called “Canada Lake” in Northern New York. It was at that time that I fell in love with the area, and it has been in my blood ever since. I am intrigued by the painters in the last couple of hundred years that have attempted to capture the beauty of this area we call Upstate New York. They are of course the Hudson River School Painters. One of my favorite artists from this era is Arthur Parton, who not only painted upstate New York, but also the coast of Maine. The coast of Maine also holds a special place in my heart, and because of this, I feel a kind of kinship with him. I wonder about all of these artists that have left such legacies, and although I unfortunately will never have a chance to meet them, their work inspires me; and I am thankful that the results of their thousands of hours of painting continue to teach me so much. ~Rita
Arthur Parton Study, oil pastel
I just got my new full set of sennelier oil pastel grandes in the mail over the weekend and I can’t tell you how excited I am. For those of you who have never used oil pastels (which is, I imagine, 99 percent of the adult population) let me tell you that this is the crème de la crème of oil pastels. For a mere … (cough cough)… well, lets leave out the price…..you get pigment that goes on as smooth as lipstick, in colors that are just gorgeous. I am not sure anyone really understands my excitement about these colorful sticks. I showed my husband, in the hopes of him sharing in my joy, but all he said was, “My one regret in life is that you will never look at me in the same way you look at those oil pastels”. Yikes, I ‘ve been caught. ~Rita
Before the Gala, 8×10 oil pastel
Deep in the Adirondack Mountains, and off most of the beaten paths of the hiking trails, you will find these lovely little pools of rocks and water. They are certainly not a highpoint for most, and of course don’t hold a candle to the scenic spectacular views of the mountains, but they have a quiet beauty that I often imagine goes without notice. These hidden gems are quiet, trickles of water and rocks, reflecting the rich colors around them in swirling patterns of light. The soothing sound they make is music to the ears . I guess for me, they seem to be a reminder that sometimes life’s riches are not found on the big stage, but behind the curtain. ~Rita
Hidden Gems, 8×10 oil pastel
There is something I find irresistible about Lilacs. I’m not sure if its the smell, or the way they sway in the breeze on a warm spring day, but I am mesmorized by them. We have a large white lilac bush and a smaller purple on on the side of our house, and this year I cut a few and put them in a vase inside. On my way to the grocery store today, keys and list in hand, they caught my eye, and that was the end of grocery shopping for a couple of hours. Yes, irresistible. As I painted, I wondered what life would be like without these things from nature we just simply can’t resist. Thankfully, we will never have to know. ~Rita
Lilacs and Lace, 5×7 oil pastel
New York North Fine Art 