International Pastel Visits

My research skills are so crunchy. Chalk that up to the fact that I went to college before the PC era. I say this to illustrate how difficult it is to locate and identify international pastelists.

Here are the pathways I have beaten so far. Blogger search. Google searches, including the queries "Norway Pastels", both in English and separately in Norwegian (etc.). Art aggregator sites that are Euro-centric. Reviews of blog rolls. Foreign Pastel Societies.

Recently, I looked in on Wet Canvas, and viola! There are some users there, complete with little flags for nationality. I suppose I joined WC a couple of years ago, when it was a lot smaller. They sure have grown in that time!


Now, it pleases me to bring you Merethe Torbergsen of Norway. Visit Merethe's Creative Corner for some yummy still lifes and portraiture.


And, to backtrack a little, I wish to point out Emma-Jane Rosenberg. Do take the trouble to explore this English artist's landscapes, which show an advanced level of draftsmanship, and a deft use of color. I really like them. Not to be pigeon-holed, this fine artist is adept at portraiture and the still life, too.

International Series - Gesa Helms

Scotland

Here at Pastel, I wish to begin a series of international links to Pastelists from countries other than my own. Call it a one-over-the-world interest in the greater world of our medium of pigment. We begin with Gesa Helms, of Glasgow, Scotland.

Gesa Helms, of Paint and Pastel, is a wonderfully experimental artist whose blog contains both glimpses into her own colorful work and insights into the art base of Scotland. She is based in Glasgow. Her blog blurb is:

"ideas, experiments and thoughts on painting: pastels, oils and more"

See her post about the late, great Joan Eardley for a taste of Scottish art appreciation. Eardley's work is a hoot.

As far as Scotland is concerned, you have to love a nation whose land is in constant marine weather, and whose men wear the kilt anyway. That's tough.

Other things I love about Scotland:
Whisky
Ice Climbing
Mel Gibson's Movie
Did I mention Whisky?

Things I find mildly amusing about Scotland:
My birth town of Aberdeen, Washington got its name from Aberdeen, Scotland
Bagpipes
Tartan
Scottish Common Sense Realism

Things I want to know more about Scotland:
Scottish Colourists

Links:
http://gesah.blogspot.com/
http://www.ghelms.com/