Capturing the Light

"Three Friends"  Pastel 12 x 9 © Donna Gross
Available donnatheresafineart.com

This is a work in progress... Trying to continue to capture the light and define the shadow meanwhile enjoying the friendship these three buddies are sharing....or perhaps they are simply tolerating each other's presence all the while knowing they are in competition for the next morsel of food...

not too different from the human species....no?.... could we evolve beyond competition?  could we embrace each individual as equally worthy?  not being one to be a pessimist...I regret to say that I don't see that happening in my lifetime.... the best one can do is 

be the change you want to see....

A Good Day at the Easel

"Settling Down"  Pastel 9 x 12  © Donna Gross
Available donnatheresafineart.com

Sometimes paintings paint themselves...today was one of those days...I didn't struggle...my feet didn't ache from standing too long...my coffee stayed warm until the end....it just flowed....I am so grateful.

Stripped Peppers from Holland!!

"Stripes Win"  Pastel 8 x 10 © Donna Gross
Available contact artist

Striped pepper on the right is from Holland

Grocery shopping is a chore....I dare not complain out loud as I know living in the richest country in the world grants me the predictable shelves full of nourishment.  Born and raised in the U.S. has given me a myopic view of life.... safe streets, food in the grocery stores, clean water...the list goes on. Sure we have our problems...just turn on CNN or some other 24 hour news broadcast spewing bad news to raise your anxiety... a good reason not to have cable television.  I make choices everyday what to see, what to listen to, how to spend my time...because every minute is one less that I have...and all I have is now.

Grocery shopping is a wonderful experience when you start to take pictures of the produce section.  The produce stockers create works of art with their displays of fruits and vegetables.  So I just couldn't resist purchasing this fabulous pepper....STRIPES!! 

from Holland of all places...perhaps they are applying their techniques to achieve striped tulips to peppers?...Genius.

More from the Neighborhood!!

"Home"  Pastel 6 x 9  © Donna Gross
Available contact artist

"In Full Bloom"  Pastel 6 x 8  © Donna Gross
Available contact artist

Continuing a plein air painting practice in the neighborhood! I love being outdoors in nature and I love painting with pastels....combining the two in one activity is the best it can get for me!

What do you love to do?

A Gift

"Cairo"  Pastel 12 x 12  © Donna Gross
NFS

A dear friend of mine passed away recently...a sleek elegant Abyssinian feline aptly named Cairo ....Cairo would often come into the piano room where I take lessons from his mama and sit next to me and rub...he knew I was a cat person.  I dedicate this portrait to Robin, his dedicated mama, who nursed him through his last weeks and took such good care of him.

RIP Cairo.

Plein Air in the Neighborhood

"Big Brother"  Pastel 6 x 8 © Donna Gross
Available donnatheresafineart.com

Loving the outdoors!

I've lived in my lovely cul-de-sac for 20 years now...it's the longest time I have lived anywhere!

In fact, in my 20's, I was quite the vagabond... 

I owned a 1971 VW bus and took to the road with my boyfriend at the time and 3 cats...crazy cat lady that I am...I have 4 cats currently!! I took two tours of the United States driving the perimeter and plunging down Interstate 40 through the middle...I have so many memories of this time in my life where everything I owned could fit in my vehicle.  Life carried on... I got married ( to a different person..) and my parents bought us a washer and dryer when they found out we had to drive 20+ miles to the nearest laundromat...well that did it.  I couldn't fit everything I owned into a car anymore!  I was a domesticated woman... children followed and a house was purchased and roots were grown here in beautiful Santa Cruz, California...

Today I ventured outside my teeny tiny garage studio onto the driveway and worked plein air...that's French for "plenty of air"...

What a delightful way to spend my Friday afternoon in the neighborhood....

20 years and counting!

More Than a Day

"Three's a Crowd"  Pastel 9 x 12 © Donna Gross
SOLD

I am a daily painter. Some time ago I have learned, there began a movement for artists to paint everyday something anew.  Sometimes, for me, a piece like the one completed above takes more than one sitting.... The background on this particular piece took the most time.  I began to feel a bit bored ...unbelievably...how can I get bored doing what I love the most!!

I needed to be very careful and work delicately....I wanted to cut loose and create big sweeping strokes of color!! 

I do love this piece..the little egret on the left looks so dejected..."Was it something I said?"  I wonder if animals get their feelings hurt....