Abstract Saturday

Abstract Reds Over Blues, Detail

Original Pastel
Casey Klahn
CTA

Nexus Too Soon?

Is it too soon in the life of my new blog to have a cross-post from The Colorist? Will Technorati gig me for blatant self-linking behavior and take away some of my "authority" score? We'll just have to see. But, here we have an obvious nexus where, at my process blog I have planned a drawing book review for the month of October, and yet that book, Wolf Kahn Pastels, is fully about the subject matter of this blog.

Be sure to read my review of the great contemporary artist's process book, and stay tuned here for the second post where I share another of his pastel books with you.

Pointers

Richard McKinley is a long time instructor, and a favorite writer at The Pastel Journal. If you haven't found his Pastel Pointers Blog, you will be glad to follow the link and see what this accomplished pastellist has to say.

The Pastel Journal Blog

Do visit The Pastel Journal Blog soon, as there is much interesting news currently being posted. Maggie Price's workshop in North Italy is going on now, and also the PSA (Pastel Society of America) is having it's annual exhibition in NYC right now.

Let the Links Begin

Atonement
7" x 5"
Pastel
Casey Klahn

The web has a few sites dealing with the world of pastels. Some are resource guides, others provide links to miscellaneous blurbs about pastel. Then, there are periodicals with their web presence, and of course a lot of instructional sites. There are the societies which promote the medium. Don't forget the retailers where we can go to mail order our goodies.

I want to begin linking those valuable web sites, and also the sites and blogs of pastel artists. Then, we will be free to get to our focus on this blog, which will be an ongoing discussion, in proper "Web Two Point Oh" fashion, of the medium of pigment. We want to feature both the artistic side, and the tactile and technique side, of pastels. We will interact and explore. We will laugh. We will cry. Okay, okay, maybe I'm over reaching there. But, this is a social site, and I hope to provide an outlet here for the enduring and incredible interest that art lovers have for the tools that make this whole endeavor work.

Probably the most enjoyable link I can share regarding an overview of pastel resources, and therefore in itself a deep and thorough resource, is the Squidoo lens that Katherine Tyrrell has created: Pastels - Resources for Artists. Cut some time out of your busy schedule to explore her site, and maybe have a cup of tea while you're at it, since Katherine is a Londoner.

Then, have a look at this blast of pastel links by artshow.com. By the way, the pastellists who are featured at artshow.com are a short list "who's who" of very good contemporary artists who use the medium.

Links:

http://www.squidoo.com/pastels
http://www.artshow.com/resources/pastels.html

Welcome to Pastel - PastelsBlog.blogspot

Small On-Sight Box


Red Barn with Ramp
12.75" x 9.25'
Pastel
Casey Klahn

While there are a precious few blogs that feature works in pastel, there is still a need for a blog about just the medium itself. Pastel has been described as the world's first (colored) medium, and yet (paradoxically) it is in a renaissance today. Who can resist these luscious, rich colors that vibrate before one's eyes?

The subject of pastel is in demand at my blog, The Colorist. Because of this, and also because I am narrowing and refining the scope of that popular blog, I have decided to pursue the subject of this dynamic artist's tool in this new blog. To be specific, I want to discuss here the qualities and dimensions of the pastel medium. This cannot, of course, be divorced from the art that is being produced currently by so many artists throughout the world. I hope to feature as many contemporary pastellists as possible, and to interview them one by one for your enlightenment and enjoyment.

In the little less than a year that I have been writing The Colorist, I have posted the most frequently articles with the tag: "pastel". Although I had intended to only post every 1-3 days, in March of 2007, I posted 45 times during that month's focus on the subject of the pastel medium.

Historical masters of the pastel stick will also be fair venue, here. Links to primary resources about pastel, and also vendors of the gem-like little sticks will be included. How about the peripherals such as paper, fixative, studio tools, and the like? And, my own pastel works will be highlighted, too. Basically, whatever interests me and relates to the medium will be the main rule.