Art Obsession

Trains For the Elliott Fouts Gallery

2012-01-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

I hope this is the only time you'll be able to say my work looks like a train wreck!

"Train Wreck"

18" x 24"

Soft Pastel

I have been invited by the Elliott Fouts Gallery to participate in their Planes, Trains, and Automobiles show, March 3 to April 5, 2012. Both "Train Wreck" and "Traffic Jam" will soon be on their way to Sacramento for the show. I've seen some of the amazing work going into this show (go check out Alvin Richard's painting!) and I predict it is going to be fantastic. If you're in the Sacramento area, this is a show you won't want to miss!

See the Elliott Fouts Gallery's web site for details of the show, or to inquire about this painting, or follow them on Facebook.

Special thanks to my friend Nick Moffitt for allowing me to borrow his vintage train cars, some of which his father made years ago. I'm very grateful to have been able to use them.

Still Life in Soft Pastel

2011-11-17T06:18:00.001-08:00

I've never considered myself a still life painter, but this new series I've started could make me turn into one. They're super fun.

"Traffic Jam"

18" x 24"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

These are my son's old cars which he had saved in a box in his closet. Funny thing I've learned about men and their toy cars, they remember all of them. From what I've seen so far, men seem to turn into little boys when they look at this painting. I couldn't have hoped for a better response.

Artist's Magazine Finalist!

2011-11-14T16:03:00.000-08:00

My painting "Dog Tired" was selected as a finalist in the Animal/Wildlife category of The Artist's Magazine's 28th Annual Art Competition. My name is listed among the finalists in the December 2011 issue.

"Dog Tired"

14" x 24"

Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard
(SOLD)

You can view WIP pics of this painting here.

Northwest Pastel Society Exhibition Award

2011-11-13T09:20:00.001-08:00

My painting "Nap Interrupted" won the Past President's Award at the Northwest Pastel Society's 25th Annual International Open Exhibition. I had three paintings accepted into the show, which is being held at the American Art Company in Tacoma, WA, until the end of the year. The American Art Company is a large, beautiful gallery, and the show is excellent. If you aren't in Washington and are unable to see the exhibit, you can go to the American Art Company web site and see it online. Of course, the photos don't do the artwork justice and it is definitely worth seeing in person, if you can.

"Nap Interrupted"

14" x 24"

Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard

My painting "Venice" is on the postcard for the show, but unfortunately someone at the NPS thinks my name is Kate. I actually like the name Kate, and I don't mind it so much when it's on the web site and I can get it changed, but this time it's in print. So if you've received a postcard for the show, and you're searching for Kate Tirrell, apparently that's me. :)

Looking Ahead to Christmas

2011-10-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

For years I've wanted to paint a Christmas themed painting that I could use for a Christmas card. Unfortunately, by the time I'm thinking about Christmas it has always been too late. I'm quite proud of myself for remembering early enough this year to make it happen.

This painting was a bit of a challenge, but great fun to paint. I love the idea of arranging things into a pile and painting them. I'm going to do it again with my next painting. In fact, I might have many more like this in the future - my head is spinning with ideas!

"Christmas Memories"
14" x 18"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

Mangos

2011-09-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago, my daughter said, "Why don't you paint while you're on pain pills? Maybe you wouldn't paint something boring." Ouch (I'm looking forward to the time when the brutal honesty of teenagers is replaced by a modicum of tact). I don't want to talk about the reason for the pain pills, because then I'll go into a rant about Mohs surgery, and this is an art blog after all. Suffice it to say, I hope I like my new nose better than the original.

Anyway, I decided to take my daughter's advice, and try to paint something loose and colorful (but also easy). Unfortunately, the pain pills were somewhat unimpressive. Not wanting to disappoint, I decided to see if I could push the color a bit more than I normally would. I also decided not to obsess, as I normally would (the pain pills actually did help with this aspect). This is the result of my day on drugs. I sincerely hope it's not too boring. ;)

"Mangos"

14" x 11"

Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard

Gig Harbor Open Studio Tour

2011-09-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

I'm participating once again in the annual Gig Harbor Open Studio Tour. If you're in Washington state the weekend of September 17 & 18, I hope you'll stop by. My studio will be open to visitors between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. that weekend. I'll be doing painting demos throughout the day, and you'll have the opportunity to ask questions and play with materials. If you're in the mood to pick up some original art, I'll have something for every budget. There will be studio clearing discounted works (seriously, I need some space around here!) as well as my award winning works on display.

There are some excellent artists on the tour this year, so it will be a great way to spend the weekend. Especially if this amazing weather continues! For more information, visit the Gig Harbor Open Studio Tour Web Site.

Latest in my Soft Pastel Dog Series

2011-08-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

I wanted to paint something fun and easy after the Venice painting, so I decided to add to my dog series. I definitely think the idea of painting the same subject repeatedly has merit. Of course, I know my subject very well, but I feel like I'm improving in certain areas. Or maybe that's just my imagination. This one didn't take me very long, though, so at the very least I'm improving in speed.

"Nap Interrupted"

14" x 24"

Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard

Review of the Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener

2011-07-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, the owner of Classroom Friendly Supplies contacted me and asked if I would review their pencil sharpener. Any pastellist who uses pastel pencils knows that a good sharpener is hard to find. Pastel inevitably breaks off and clogs the sharpener. Always on the lookout for a great sharpener, I was very happy to have the opportunity to try it.

The last time I reviewed a sharpener, I was impressed at first, but soon disappointed (see the review). This time, I wanted to use the sharpener consistently for a few months to be able to give a better assessment of how the sharpener performs over time. Since any new sharpener I try must compete with my Creative Mark Multi-Point for favorite sharpener status, I’ll be comparing it to the Multi-point in this review.

Overall, I like this sharpener. Right out of the box, what impressed me was its style. It is slightly more compact (and slightly heavier) than the Multi-Point, sort of retro looking, and has a metal body (the Multi-Point has a plastic body). It’s a sturdy sharpener. Like the Multi-Point, the Classroom Friendly Sharpener comes with a clamp. This clamp works better than the Multi-Point’s but it didn’t take me long before I abandoned it. It’s just unnecessary. (I’d still like one with suction feet, but no one seems to make them that way.)

Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener

(Stock photo)

Other than the metal body, this sharpener is very similar to the Multi-Point, so I was particularly interested to see how it would compare to my favorite sharpener. I fed it a pastel pencil and turned the crank - wow, did I get an amazingly sharp point! It has an automatic stop, like the Multi-Point, but it was quite a while before I noticed it. The feel of the automatic stop is more subtle than the Multi-Point, and a little bit of pressure on the feeding mechanism will allow it to keep sharpening. This is good if you want a super sharp tip, but if you’re not careful it will eat the pastel pencil.

Check out these super sharp tips!

Like the Multi-Point, this sharpener leaves bite marks on the pastel pencils (this doesn't bother me in the least, but if it concerns you, don't buy either sharpener).

How does this sharpener hold up over time? Pretty well. I’ve found it takes more pressure for it to get a sharp point now than it used to, but it will still give great results. It also breaks off the tip more often than it used to, but that is similar to the Multi-Point. It seems like I get great results at the beginning, by three months it’s starting to get frustrating, and (assuming the Classroom Sharpener keeps wearing similar to the Multi-Point) I’ll need to replace it by six months.

What happens when the pastel gets stuck in the sharpener? This is the one area where the Multi-Point compares more favorably. Most of the time, it’s fairly simple to poke out the stuck pastel. Once in a while, it’s almost impossible. The first time that happened was maybe a month in, and I couldn’t get the pastel out at all. I pulled out the shavings receptacle and poked around to no avail. I shoved a metal BBQ skewer in and poked, but it felt like I was hitting metal. It was confusing and frustrating. I finally gave up and set the sharpener aside, thinking it was unusable. A few days later I missed the super sharp point, so I started poking around in it again. I was able to poke an unbent paper clip inside along the grooves repeatedly until the pastel came loose. I don’t know why it sticks in there so stubbornly sometimes, but it does. It’s happened to me a handful of times, and if there is one thing that would discourage me from buying this sharpener, that would be it.

How do the sharpeners compare on price? The Classroom Friendly Sharpener is $19.95 with free shipping. The Creative Mark Multi-Point is $27.99 at Jerry’s Artarama, but you can often find it on sale (last time I paid $12.99, which was awesome, but typically it’s over $20).

So what’s the verdict? Did the Classroom Friendly Sharpener replace the Multi-Point as my favorite sharpener? I love the super sharp tip possible with the Classroom Friendly Sharpener, but I have to factor in the occasional frustration of not being able to get the pastel out. As long as the blades stay sharp and I can get that super sharp tip, it’s definitely worth having the Classroom Friendly Sharpener around. When this one wears out, I’ll buy another, but I’m not going to give up my Multi-Point. I'll need it for backup when the pastel refuses to come out of the Classroom Friendly Sharpener. If the Classroom Friendly Sharpener came unclogged as easily as the Multi-Point, it would definitely be my new favorite.

You can buy the Classroom Friendly Sharpener here.

One caution for Conté pastel pencil users: the Classroom Friendly Sharpener won’t sharpen the Contés. If Conté is your brand, stick with the Multi-Point.

Pastel Society of America Exhibition

2011-07-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

My painting "Laundry Day, Venice" was accepted into the Pastel Society of America's 39th Annual Exhibition. There were over one thousand submissions this year, and the jury selected less than 180. I'm very happy to be among those who were accepted.

The exhibition is being held at the National Arts Club in New York City from September 6 to October 1, 2011. See the Pastel Society of America's web site for details.

"Laundry Day, Venice"
19" x 25"
Soft Pastel on La Carte

Venice Painting in Soft Pastel

2011-07-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

This painting is based on a photo I took when my husband and I were in Venice last fall. Normally this is not something I'd choose to paint, but I was so in love with the image that I abandoned all good sense and insisted on painting it. As you might guess, it was time consuming. Definitely my most ambitious painting to date. I started this painting the end of last year, and then had to put it away for a while so I could get other projects done. I'm very happy to have finally finished it.

For those who are interested, here are a few pictures I took during the painting process.

And the finished painting again:

"Venice"

25" x 19"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

Terry Ludwig Award!

2011-04-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

My painting "Laundry Day, Venice" won the Terry Ludwig Award in the Pastel Society of the West Coast's 25th Pastels USA International Open Exhibition. Terry Ludwigs are my favorite pastels, so I am over the moon! I'm definitely having a good month. :)

You can see the show at the Haggin Museum in Stockton, CA from April 24 to June 19, 2011.

Best of Show!!

2011-04-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

My painting "Old Friend" won Best of Show at the Northwest Pastel Society 2011 Members' Exhibit!

The reception was very well attended (it was packed in there!), and I got to meet some people I have known online for a while but hadn't met in person, which is always fun!

There are many excellent paintings at the exhibit, but my favorite paintings of the show were by Sandy Byers, who won the NPS Director's Award for her painting "Symphony of Swans." Take a look at these paintings online and you will see how beautiful they are, but it doesn't prepare you for how absolutely stunning they are in person.

If you can get to the Kirsten Gallery to see the show, it's definitely worth it!

Latest Commission and News

2011-04-08T18:28:00.000-07:00

I'm behind on my blog posting, and I'm not going to bother making any excuses (I don't have a good one anyway). I'll just give you the latest news.

Here is my most recent commission, a beautiful cat named Frank.

"Frank"

Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard

11"x14"

(SOLD)

Now for the news:

I had three paintings accepted into the Northwest Pastel Society Member's Exhibit. The show is being held at the Kirsten Gallery in Seattle from April 10 to May 8, 2011. The artist reception is Sunday, April 10, from 2-4 pm. I am planning to be there, so if you're local please come out and say hello. It should be a great show!

I had two paintings accepted into the Pastel Society of the West Coast's "Pastels USA," the 25th Annual Open International Exhibition. It is being held at the Haggin Museum in Stockton, CA, from April 24 to June 19, 2011. Click on this link for information.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you Sunday!

Dog Painting in Soft Pastel With WIP Pics

2011-02-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

I've had a computer in my studio now for a year, and I love being able to paint from it. I used to print out a picture on photo paper, and paint from that. It's so much better using the monitor! I can enlarge the reference and see much more detail now, which makes my job a lot easier. I can also use PhotoShop to help compose the image.

For instance, I can put my reference image in PhotoShop and "Posterize" it to show only a few values. This can help me work through my initial drawing. Here is the ref posterized:

First I pick a light tone and draw out the highlights:

Next I take a middle and darker tone and place those in the appropriate places:

Next, I use a pastel pencil to work out my drawing:

I add in the background, and continue to work out the drawing:

Still working out my drawing while filling in local color:

Now I'm starting to fill in detail:

Now I've worked out the values for the most part, and just need the foreground and finishing touches:

Finished:

"Dog Tired"

14"x24"

Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard

(SOLD)

(I took these pictures at different times of day, in different lighting, which is the reason for the varying colors.)

If you've seen the demo on my web site, you'll have noticed that this is the same method, with the exception of using the computer. Isn't technology wonderful?

Pastel Painting with WIP Pics

2011-01-30T11:36:00.000-08:00

This is a painting based on a photograph I took in Venice, Italy. I loved Venice - it was a visual feast! I was fascinated by the very common scene of laundry hanging out on lines in Venice. It's just not something I ever see where I live.

It was sunny and beautiful when we were there, and I loved the shadow patterns the laundry made on the walls of the buildings. I enjoyed this particular spot because of all the intersecting laundry lines connecting the colorful buildings, the light on the clothing and, of course, the shadows. All of that against the bright blue sky made me want to paint it.

I'm posting some WIP pics in case you're interested in seeing the process.

And the finished painting again:

"Laundry Day, Venice"

19.75 x 25.5"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

My Latest Commission and Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T10:15:00.000-08:00

This last day of 2010, I’d like to thank all of you who have followed my blog and supported me and my work throughout the year. I appreciate you more than you can possibly know.

Since Christmas has passed, I can now share a painting which was commissioned for a Christmas gift. This is a little Westie named Morgan. He’s an old dog (14, if I remember correctly) and I had the opportunity to meet him once during the painting process. I hope I was able to capture his sweet personality in his portrait.

White dogs are challenging to paint, particularly when they have long, wavy fur. Despite this challenge, I really enjoyed painting Morgan. I absolutely loved his over-the-shoulder pose. I chose a square format, which I thought complimented the pose, and made it slightly larger than life to make it more contemporary. I was very pleased with the results!

"Morgan"

15 x 15”

Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard
(SOLD)

I wish all of you good health, happiness, and prosperity in 2011!

NPS President's Award

2010-11-14T12:54:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to report that my painting "Retired" won the President's Award (1st Place) in the Northwest Pastel Society's 24th International Open Exhibition! The reception was very well attended, and the show is very impressive. I was really looking forward to meeting Duane Wakeham, the juror, but unfortunately he was sick and unable to attend. I was able to meet some other artists whose work I particularly like, though, so overall it was quite a fun afternoon.

If you aren't local, but want to see the exhibit, go to the American Art Company's web site. You'll see the show under "Current Exhibits." The gallery did a great job hanging the show, so if you are able to see it in person, do try. It is so much more impressive in person than online.

"Retired"

19.5 x 27.5"

Also, I'll be doing a pastel demo for the Rainier League of Arts on Tuesday, November 16, at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the Pierce County Library Processing and Administrative Center, 3005 112th Street East, Tacoma, WA 98446. All are welcome to attend. Hope to see you there!

Northwest Pastel Society Exhibition

2010-11-11T11:01:00.000-08:00

If you're anywhere around Tacoma, WA on Saturday, please join me at the artists' reception for the Northwest Pastel Society's 24th Annual International Open Exhibition. The show is at the American Art Company in Tacoma, and I'll be at the reception from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

American Art Company
1126 Broadway Plaza
Tacoma, WA 98402
800-753-2278

Hope to see you there!

I'm back at the easel!

2010-10-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful vacation and now I'm back at the easel working on commissions. These commissions are going to be Christmas presents, and I don't want to be the one to spoil the surprise, so I won't share them with you until after Christmas (if I remember).

Speaking of commissions, portraits and pet portraits make excellent gifts. If you're thinking of a painting as a unique holiday gift, now is the time to get moving on it! Whether you use me or another artist, you want to make sure you order soon enough to get your painting done on time.

Now for some news since I last posted:

I had two paintings accepted into the Peninsula Art League's 8th Annual Open Juried Exhibition. One of my paintings won first place. You can see the winning pieces here. The exhibition is being held at the Gig Harbor Civic Center until November 22.

One of my paintings was accepted into the IAPS's 2010 Web Exhibition. There were over 850 images entered and only 72 were accepted, so I was very fortunate to get in.

And lastly, I had two paintings accepted into the Northwest Pastel Society's 24th Open International Exhibit. The show starts November 13th and is being held at the American Art Company in Tacoma, WA. The artist reception is also November 13, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Drawing Practice

2010-08-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

I'm taking some time off from painting. It feels really strange, but I need some vacation time. And I want to hang out with the kids before school starts, I have a lot of paintings to frame, and I need to get things done around the house that I've been neglecting. I'm forcing myself to stay away from the easel for a while, because otherwise I won't get anything done.

Since I don't have any new paintings to show, and likely won't for another month or so, I thought I'd show you a quick one I did a while ago just for drawing practice. Of course, it's not perfect, but that's the beauty of doing something just for practice. I don't have to try to make it perfect. I take it as far as my mood allows, then it gets thrown into a box.

10" x 8"

Soft Pastel on Suede Matboard

I hope the remainder of your summer is excellent, and I will see you in the fall.

Trying Pan Pastels

2010-08-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

To tell you the truth, I've never been tempted to buy Pan Pastels. Part of what I like about soft pastels is a tactile thing - being able to hold them and blend with my hand, painting with nothing between me and the paint. I didn't think I would like Pan Pastels (if you don't know what Pan Pastels are, click here to find out). However, since I recently received them for free (my award for the Pastels USA show) I took the opportunity to experiment with them.

I started with a sheet of Pastelmat paper. This support seems perfect for the Pans. There were lots of tools included, so I pulled out a large oval sponge and spread green all over the paper. It was awesome! It took just a few minutes and didn't require the blending that my other pastels would have needed. Using the other tools took a bit of getting used to, and was a bit awkward for me. Sometimes I liked the results, sometimes not. Of course, I had to supplement colors from my existing pastel stock. I found I could use the tools with softer pastels (like Terry Ludwigs) in the same manner as the Pans, but it didn't work with my Mount Visions. However, the tools blended the Mount Visions just fine on the paper.

Turns out, I liked the Pans much more than I thought I would. I particularly liked being able to cover a large area so quickly and easily. I wouldn't want to use them exclusively, but I think they are a nice addition to my existing stock of pastels.

"Retired"

19.5" x 27.5"

Soft Pastel on Pastelmat

Pastel Society of America Exhibition

2010-08-09T15:13:00.000-07:00

My painting “Sweet” was accepted into the Pastel Society of America’s 38th Annual Open Juried Exhibition for “Pastels Only.” This was my first time entering the competition, and I’m thrilled to be among those who were accepted for the exhibition. I understand there were well over 1200 entries and only 160 paintings were chosen, so this is a huge honor. I have seen some of the quality work that was declined, and feel incredibly fortunate to be included.

The exhibition is being held at The National Arts Club in New York, NY from September 7 through October 2, 2010. Please see the Pastel Society of America’s web site for details.

"Sweet"

9.5 x 12.5"

Soft Pastel on La Carte

Another Guitar Player in Pastel

2010-08-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the pastel I've been working on. This one was uncooperative and a bit of a struggle to paint, but overall I'm happy with the results.

"Solo"

27.5" x 19.5"

Soft Pastel on Pastelmat

"And Now For Something Completely Different"

2010-07-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a painting right now, but it's going pretty slow. Since it's not ready to post, I thought I'd show you something I did last month, when I started playing with oils again. My goal with this painting was to stay loose and colorful, and try not to blend. It takes a lot of concentration for me to paint like this. Normally I paint on autopilot, but I have to be completely conscious and aware the whole time in order to stay loose. Even so, it was quite a fun project.

"Lesli"

12" x 12"

Oil on Canvas