Oldies but Goodies

 My studio is overrun with OLD art pieces.  Most of these were done over 20 years ago..they are pastels so they lay flat in the flat file.  The elephants have been sold and gone for that time.  I recently found the elephant photos in a photo box  Sad to say goodbye to some of them..when they are your favorites, but pushing myself to say goodbye to more of them.  

I love this patriarch bull.  He was a lot of fun to paint.

This family of elephants - I can't recall selling it, but it's gone.  

It was giant. So fun to get lost in as I painted it.

This boy and his dog were a study from a magazine photo back in the day when I didn't have very good source photos. I allowed myself to use magazines - at times, even tho that's an artist's 'no-no' with copyright laws. Love the colors and the paper color.

This is my dad, Ed.  This pastel was done from a classic photo that we all had a copy of it seemed, but it showed his true character when he wasn't working and taking a break at our annual family reunion.  I will keep it - it's like an 'art heirloom'.  It is quite large, 24" x 30".

In looking at these, I noticed I was MORE careful with edges and took more time in doing a piece.  I would spend days and days on pieces. These days, if it's not done in a day, I usually lose interest unless it's a commission (which have become few and far between).  It's good for my artist's soul to revisit these from time to time, maybe that is why I hoard them. It's also a reminder to maybe SLOW DOWN a little.