Chasing Summer

Chasing Summer, 20 x 16 oil on linen

I never tire of seeing little feet in the sand nor water rushing to shore.

Below are a few progress photos of this painting that is done on one of my hand mounted linen boards. Pure luxury, as far as I am concerned...

Click on any of the images below for a larger view.

Below are details images showing the lusciousness of the linen.

Paint, live, love, enjoy and thank you so much for visiting my blog!

Here Fishy Fishy

Lilypad Playground (dry pastel, 25 x 41 framed) by Sandy Byers

As a child, I could spend endless hours laying on a dock with my head hanging over the edge just waiting for something to move. Anything! Then, when it did, I recall getting all excited trying to figure out what made the ripples in the water. I looked quickly from side to side and checked under the dock and around the poles, searching for the culprit.

Sometimes, it would be something a small as a minnow kissing the air that would set off circles and circles of waves intended to drift out to sea.

I still find that enjoyment in the water at the edge of a dock.

This piece will be part of my upcoming show at the Scott Milo Gallery in Anacortes. If you get a chance to stop by during the opening reception, I would love your company. Plus, it will be during the Anacortes Arts Festival so there will be lots and lots of fun things to see and do!

Scott Milo Gallery

August 3rd - Sept 4th

Artist Reception August 3rd (Friday) 6-9 pm



Waves of Langley

Langley Wave (11 x 14 dry pastel on La Carte)

This is a piece I started on Sunday during the festival in Langley, Washington. It was quite warm (well, to me anyway) so painting some nice cool water seemed really refreshing. Although I took a lot of my pastels with me, I used a very small palette to work on this piece - really, just a handful of colors. This piece will be part of my upcoming show (August 3rd - September 4th) at the Scott Milo Gallery in Anacortes.

Waves to you,

Sandy

Fun at the Festival

Me, soaking up the rays! 

First in order is a huge thanks to Whidbey Island Fine Art Studios for all the work they did to bring together such a great gathering of artists and models; THANK YOU! It was wonderful to be in such great company and in the company of those who were kind enough to visit the festival, too.

I enjoyed meeting so many nice folks, artists and patrons. Everyone seemed in super spirits and I have a hunch that was partly due to the sunny skies that graced us for both days.

The festival was the first public appearance for the lastest version of the Attache Board, which is a tool my husband (Larry) built. You can see it right behind me with all my stuff attached to it. Pretty soon we'll get a video made so it will be easier to see how it works but it was great to see other artists' reactions to it. We sold several of them and I am excited for others to start using what I think is an incredible studio tool. It was initially built with a pastel artist in mind (me :-) but because I also paint with oils, Larry incorporated some additional accessories that work really well for holding smaller sized canvas and boards.

Moe, who is hanging out on the Attache Board, was keeping an eye on everyone at the fair and I think he even fell in love a time or two. I could mostly tell by the look in his eyes...oh-so-dreamy...

11 x 14 pastel on paper

availability info on my website

And, have I mentioned how fabulous it is to be painting again?!

Speaking of painting...off I go. Thanks for stopping by and thanks to those of you who have signed up for my newsletter.

Cheers,

Sandy



Demo at Langley

Just a quick note to let you know I will be doing a pastel demo (or two) at the Choochokam Arts Festival in Langley, WA, on Saturday.

If you get a chance to stop by, please look for me and introduce yourself. I am honored to be at the Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio booth where there will be lots of amazing art happening.

Hope to see you there.
Cheers,
Sandy

Chillin in the Summer

Frosted Woolley Fields (pastel 16 x 20)

availability information on my website

Because it's so hot out for a lot of folks around the country, I thought it might be fun to post a winter painting. Before I get started yapping about it though, I want to say THANKS to those who have sent their well wishes either in mail or thoughts for my recovery. I am now back at the easel and loving it!

I am honored to annouce that I have been selected as Artist of the Month by artistsnetwork for July and in the online article I spend quite a bit of time talking about reference photos and how I use a variety of them to compose an image.

Defining objective: In any painting, I first want to define my objective - my personal investment in a piece. It doesn't have to be some huge statement but it does have to mean something to me on a personal level if I am going to invest my heart and time in a piece.

For this piece I really wanted to recreate a scene I see and enjoy often on my way to town. When I drive past the field in the photo below, there are usally sheep hovering around the clump of trees. During the winter, when the sun hits the trees, it seems like they light up and the fields have a beautiful winter frost on them. This field, when the sheep are grazing, exudes a sense of calmness to me. This is the "thing" I want to capture and share with others in my painting. So, I have defined my objective.

I have chosen the photo below for a color reference and also for noting the frost on the fields.

Now....where WILL I find those sheep.....

As I mentioned, the sheep are usually hovering around that clump of trees or out in the field just in front of the trees but that doesn't seem to be the case if I have my camera in the car. Do you suppose they are camera-shy?

No problem, I have other sheep photos I can use. The sheep who live across the street don't seem to mind the camera.

I don't need a lot of detail for the sheep so this image will work well for the pair I want in the back. Now, for the guy in the front...

Okay. That will do. So, now I have all my reference photos. It is a matter of working out a composition that will be inviting and interesting. I work through several thumbnail sketches and work through some ideas in photoshop until I come up with something I like but I am careful not to "overwork" my idea. All I want is a good roadmap. I want to leave the creative process for the easel!

Thanks for visiting!

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