September 2023 Showcase - Colored Pencil Artwork
The three artists featured in the September 2023 issue of COLOR Magazine Showcase share the stories behind their beautiful artwork here in our blog.
P-P-P-Papaya by Diane Harm
18 x 24 inches
Faber-Castell Polychromos, Prismacolor Premier, and Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils on Pastelmat.
(Artist's own photo)
On my morning walk, I saw, over a garden wall, this papaya tree loaded with fruit, some of which was just beginning to ripen. The early morning light filtered through the branches, highlighting the fruit. The backlit leaves made beautiful patterns against the sky. The fruit on the tree forms and ripens from the bottom up, so it is possible to see blossoms, unripe fruit, and ripe or ripening fruit all at the same time. Because so many of the neighborhoods in my community are bordered by high walls, I have gotten in the habit of carrying my iPhone and looking up for possible subjects for paintings.
“P-P-P-Papaya” is the third in a series of paintings based on looking up into tropical trees for interesting patterns of light on the blooms, fruit, and foliage. The backlighting often highlights the translucency of the leaves and the many shades of green captured so differently as the angle of the sun changes.
About Diane Harm:
As a member of the Colored Pencil Society of America, Diane Harm has earned signature status in both the annual CPSA International exhibits and the annual online "Explore This" mixed media exhibits. As a nature artist her work encompasses both plants and animals. Diane works mainly in colored pencil and pastel.
See more at: www.dianeharm.com.
Brotherhood Sandra Veillette
12 x 16 inches
Faber-Castell Polychromos, Prismacolor Premier, and Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils on Pastelmat.
Photo from Wildlife Reference Photos for Artists (Yvonne Brandts); used with permission.
North American animals are my main subject, from the smallest birds to the big game animals. As far back as I remember, I have always drawn mainly animals.
When searching for a reference photo, I’m always attentive to the emotion a photo makes me feel. It’s that emotion that I want to recreate when drawing a realistic portrait. When I look at those two coyote cubs what I see are my two boys, ten and twelve years old, messing around together. I guess every pair of brothers close in age behave like this. It is why I named this piece “Brotherhood.”
This is the first piece I made with a background, because I usually think about the background as a scary thing. So, I didn’t trace the leaves, the flowers or the blurry zone. Then a little accident happened, and it forced me to draw the background freehanded. What a great thing!
About Sandra Veillette:
Sandra Veillette is a professional forester who lives in Quebec, Canada. She first discovered the potential of colored pencils in a high school art class, but she concentrated on acrylic painting. During the pandemic, she connected again with colored pencils for good. She learned a lot from Facebook groups dedicated to colored pencil.
See more at: acebook.com/SandraVeilletteArtiste.
Magic in the Sunflowers by Daniel Williams
19 x 25 inches
Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils on watercolor paper.
(Artists own photo).
Since my daughter was born (Sophia is now turning 8), we have loved reading books. We have been drawn to those books with the best artwork and this led me to the idea of writing my children’s book. So far, there hasn't been much writing because creating the artwork has been so fun. Much of my late art has been associated with dreaming up the world that will be a part of the book. From animals to magical landscapes, there has been endless inspiration. Of course, Sophia is the main character, so like this piece, she has been a main subject for many works. Right now, she is drawn to magical things, such as fairies, so I decided to show this in “Magic in the Sunflowers.”
About Daniel Williams:
Daniel Williams is an artist in northern Minnesota who draws inspiration from the nature surrounding him. Real-life references are never in short supply as one only needs to walk out the front door to step into a lush, rich forest. Daniel has won several awards at the largest juried show in the state at the Minnesota State Fair.
Download the digital version of the magazine for just $4.99, or subscribe and save 15%. Each issue is packed with step by step projects, critiques, colored pencil tips, artist profiles and much more.