In the fall of 2022, friends of ours graciously allowed me to enjoy their Lopez Island cabin for a week-long getaway. My days on Lopez were unstructured — long bicycle rides around the island; discovering bread makers who made bread only from island-grown wheat; fresh vegetables from a nearby farm-stand (paying on the honor system.) But every afternoon, I’d return to the cabin and the bluff that overlooked Puget Sound. I’d sit beneath this marvelous madrone tree, seemingly spotlit by the afternoon golden light. I took several photos of this tree to bring back to my studio.
This was one of my first attempts to pastel onto proper canvas. A totally different feel than canvas-based papers I’d used in the past. I found that I could apply various pressures against the canvas with varying results — a light touch for a flat texture; or a harder pressure, where I could feel the grains of the pastel grind into the fabric. I really love working with this canvas!
I’ve gifted the final piece to our friends for their generous hospitality. They’ve told me this location is one of their favorite spots on the island. Great minds think alike, eh?
