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.

 

 

Variations - Black and White

Same marsh as below,
 another view and time of year.

 A clear summer midday  

and lush summer grasses 

sway in the breeze. 

First Day of Summer - photos

Summer solstice 

brought the first major thunderstorm 

of the year 

with rain and high winds, 

tearing leaves from the trees

and scattering these delicate elderberry flowers.

Leslie Snider - photo

Leslie Snider - photo

Leslie Snider - photo

Working From Photos

What to keep and what to leave behind.

That is the question!

I take lots of photos 

often with little idea in mind 

as to what might transpire.

 I look for interesting contrasts in light and shade, 

or colour, or textures.

Here, there is more detail than I can comfortably use

so I begin with identifying what appeals to me.

Those dark shadows in the dense undergrowth 

created an interesting movement across the picture plane 

The strong verticals from the tree trunks act as a balance.

The colour contrasts of oranges and vivid greens was also appealing.

I simplified and brightened the foliage.

So not an exact rendition but one I hope has a lively personality!

Variations - Colour

In this latest pastel 

the sun rising behind a dense line of trees

 cast a brilliant glow onto an otherwise 

rather muted marsh.

I enjoyed the colour scheme so much

 I used it again for another view of the same area.

(I have only identified specific colours 

 as the others could easily be varied.)

This time a quick sketch 

while thinking about capturing 

a more spontaneous mood.