Tuesday, September 10, 6pm – 8pm, (BAA Community Studio 2810 Wilderness Place, Suite C, Boulder, CO)
Gretchen Acharya Demonstrates Portrait of a Tree with Soft Pastels
All are Welcome – FREE!
What makes each tree unique? Painting a tree begins with careful observation. Ideally this is done in the field, but for my demo I will work in soft pastel from one of my many tree photos.
I will explore the development of a tree portrait beginning with a basic contour drawing to define the shape of the tree and the composition of the painting. Next I do a value study to determine the direction of the light source, the placement of branches and foliage masses. Then comes the fun part. I am noting the angle of the limbs departing the trunk, the texture of the foliage and bark, the placement of sky holes, and playing with color. As I paint.I try to remain mindful of this tree’s place in the landscape and its interaction with the environment.
Artist Statement:
As an artist, my primary experience of the world is visual. My gift is the ability to communicate this experience through art. My art is derived from my participation in and observation of the dance of life around me. I have traveled extensively and often find inspiration from these experiences. I enjoy painting landscapes and explorations of the figure in motion. Whatever the subject, it is my intention to reach beyond the simple reflection of a physical object, to communicate to the viewer on a deeper level. I am interested in the interplay of light, shadow, and texture in defining form and expressing the living energy of the subject. In my landscape paintings, for example, I am painting not only a tree, but its interaction with the environment, light, moisture, air, soil. In figurative work I often place the subjects within their social and cultural environment describing family interactions, or the rhythm and movement of dance, games, or festivals. My goal is to encourage people to observe life more thoughtfully.
My primary medium is soft pastel. I prefer pastel for a number of reasons, it’s directness of execution, the unmatched brilliance and vibrancy of color, it’s versatility and permanence. I am currently also working with water soluble oils. I am experimenting with multi layered glazes, which allow colors to evolve as I work. My style has evolved naturally from the interaction between the medium and my artistic vision. While many paintings are completed on location others evolve in the studio from a combination of sketches, photographic references and creative imagination.
http://gretchen-acharya.squarespace.com
https://www.openstudios.org/artists2/acharya
https://www.pastelsocietyofcolorado.org/member-gallery/gretchen-acharya
