Welcome to my studio.
As a young student apprenticing with Michael Newberry in Los Angeles (that's thirty years ago now), I learned pastels long before I had much of an understanding of oil paint or certainly watercolor. Nothing makes me feel more grounded, more like I know what to do, than to stand in front of an easel surrounded by sticks of fantastically pure color. I would never say there's no work ahead, but give me a large box of pastels and I am like a bird dog who's found a a strong scent and sure direction. The rainbows of color are a source of comfort to me. Here is a mini video breaking down the developmental stages of a pair of pastels I've been working on.
Art Throw-Down Family Feud Edition
March 3, 2017 6:00 - 9:00 pm Daud Akhriev, Timur Akhriev and I will be painting from a model while an audience sips cocktails, nibbles cheese and cheers us on. Heckling has occasionally happened in the past. The men will be painting in oils, I believe, but I have selected pastels. Come sit on my side of the room and cheer us on. Last time I did this with only ONE opponent my canvas slipped off the easel near the end of the night, and when I tried to stop its descent I wiped off the model's entire face... It can be lots of fun and quite a test of an artist's endurance. For those of you who do not know, the gentlemen mentioned above are my spouse and my son, respectively. Click on their names for their websites. Tickets to the Feud and more information click HERE.
“I can’t forget the taste of your mouth
From your lips the heavens pour out ”