Regina Calton Burchett - Drawings & Pastels

I don’t use the term awesome very much, but this flower is simply amazing. I first saw one when my grandmother had one on her front porch over two decades ago. I never knew a flower could come in such amazing shape, beauty and colors all in one plant. I was awed then, and I am awed now.

A few changes to improve the shape of the tree and add some shadows and highlights. Plus, my other picture was taken at night, with fluorescent lighting, and this one was taken in daylight.

Close to done - working on getting a few more pieces ready for the weekend La Villita show in San Antonio

I saw my first bluebonnets of the year today, but didn’t get a chance to take a photo. These are from a couple of years ago. And in honor of my father, I’d like to give one of his quotes:
“Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the flowers is?”

Here they are:

The state flower of Texas. Aren’t bluebonnets amazing?

I keep telling myself that if I want to improve as an artist, I need to practice.  Every piece won’t be a “keeper”.  So I try to draw whenever I have time.  Also, I intend to occasionally copy art that I like, not to sell but to improve my skills.  So I won’t be working on composition or even color, but I will be working on technique.  Today, a friend and I spent a while sketching - we limited our time to 10 minutes on each piece:

Pear pencil sketch (from my photo)

 
Bird pencil sketch (not my photo)

 
Perfume bottle pencil sketch

I think this one is finished - sometimes, you reach a point where you just can’t really see the piece anymore…

I have not had time to work on art, but love this bug.  So here it is.

What a great design.

started this evening, still in progress

I love Texas skies
I love Texas skies
I love Texas skies

Sometimes it’s difficult to decide which medium would be the best to work with when you have a certain final creation in mind.  I have started with pastel pencils and after twenty minutes or so, switched to watercolor, then decided that wouldn’t work and ended up drawing with colored pencil, because I wanted a lot of detail and sharp lines.

Colored pencil work takes patience and focus, but it’s great meditation too.  Some things just seem to come out better with the small exact strokes and slow laying down of color available through working with colored pencils.  This is a piece I did a few years ago - and often when I do a realistic piece, I end up using a magnifying glass so that I can truly see the detail of what I am drawing.  At times, it seems like working with pencil is going back to the basics, which can be a good thing once in a while.

We had a great day painting pastels of a beautiful bouquet brought by new friend Sue from Michigan and my friend Jo from Bastrop. We traded pastel tips and encouraging words while sipping Starbucks.  Life is good.

Sunflowers         Sue, painting

Jo, painting                 My sunflowers (in progress)