A Summer Walk

Wild Flowers  - Leslie Snider

 Before this summer's long dry spell put an end 

to the lush colours of summer ,

I took a few photos 

and was inspired 

to try this pastel sketch.

Patches of wildflowers 

accompany the pathways 

along Kingston trails.

But peeking into the shadows 

also produces interesting results!

 

Favourite Artist Quotes 01

 I 'm enjoying this subtle novel

 and loved this quote 

that gives all seniors (myself included) 

hope for the future. 

 I won't give a synopsis...

I hate too much info before diving in to a story 

but will give you a taster from the book review pages....

From Guardian Reviews:
" The story, the multiple plot-lines, are enigmatic, often fragmentary, and arranged in a gradual, musing style. It is tempting to describe this as "painterly", but, by that, I do not mean her father Lucian Freud's intimate terrorising in oil, but rather the patient restraint of the Victorian watercolourist, where colour, allowed to dry and sharpen, then shines through in lucid, floating layers."


From Kirkus Reviews
"she ( Freud) also provides astute insights into the creative process in a series of letters from Max’s fictional mentor.

Shoreline Studies in Pastel

Southern Ontario is experiencing 

a long, hot, dry, 

 spell of summer weather.

Time to decamp to the seaside!

Shoreline Pastel 2016- Leslie Snider

 

 

 

This pastel study was done on a calm day, 

The crystal, clear water 

allowed the light to penetrate

 and reflect the submerged rocks. 

Shoreline Pastel 2016- Leslie Snider

Here the wind has picked up

 creating frothy turbulence

 and opaque shadows.

 

Summer Skies

Two approaches to the same sky.

 

In this first

 I used the purity of pastel

to capture the contrasts 

of wispy clouds

 and the sparkling water of a summer day

on  Presqui'le Bay

This second is a charcoal sketch of the same sky.

The moody grays 

and more aggressive strokes 

contribute to a completely different feeling.