June 2021 Showcase - Colored Pencil Artwork
Below, the three artists featured in the June 2021 issue of COLOR Magazine Showcase share the inspiration behind their artwork for our blog. Here each artist shares the story behind their extraordinary creation.
Street Closure by Richard Huck
18 x 15 inches
Colored pencil on Arches 260 lb Hotpress
(En plein air)
I have been living in northeast Pennsylvania for a number of years where fracking and pipelines are prevalent. Numerous mountains have paths cut out for these lines which is quite disturbing both visually and environmentally. My work, Street Closure, is in direct response to this.
I worked directly from a setup that I created using precut cardboard structures and a self-created cardboard pipeline. I begin with an underpainting of indigo blue and slowly build various colors in layers to achieve the desired color. This is a technique that I have employed not only with colored pencil, but pastels and even wax crayons. I want to develop an interaction between my work and the viewer. Dealing with current issues assists in that communication.
About Richard Huck:
Richard Huck has been an active artist since elementary school. He has had solo and group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. The majority of these have been drawing mediums, but he also exhibits his photography as well. Social and environmental issues play a dominant part in much of his work.
Alice by Megan Seiter
14.5 x 10 inches
Caran d'Ache and Prismacolor pencils on sanded pastel paper
(Artist's own photo)
Alice is a colored pencil drawing named after the notable chef and activist, Alice Waters. A pioneer in a movement calling for local sustainable agriculture, Alice’s voice has made a substantial impact worldwide. To honor her, the hellebore featured in this drawing were locally sourced from my grandmother’s garden. These simple and leaf-like flowers were left unadorned, in a stark composition, so as to shine light on their innate beauty.
The drawing was crafted with oil and wax-based colored pencils, applied in many light layers. Colored pencils have an exceptional ability to render fine detail, and they pair well with the hardy quality of sanded pastel paper. Alice is a nod to the incredible strides that Alice Waters has made in our global efforts toward sustainability, and the drawing itself reflects my love for color, subtle value shifts, and texture within a simple still-life setting.
About Megan Seiter:
Megan Seiter is an American artist specializing in colored pencil still life drawings. Her work is distinguished by her attention to fine detail and nuance in color. She builds each drawing by applying many light layers of colored pencil, creating a feeling of depth and luminosity in her subjects.
See more at: https://www.meganseiter.com/
Summer Immersion by Debra Yaun
19 x 15 inches
Colored pencil on grey Pastelmat
(Artist's own photo)
The photo for Summer Immersion was taken of a friend’s teenage granddaughter in their backyard pool. It took almost a year of trying to get together with a busy teenager but we finally got together. I took lots of photos in different positions with my Nikon as well as with my iPhone. The photos that I had in mind did not turn out as well as I hoped and the shot I ended up using was not something I had planned on doing! As soon as I saw it I knew that was my favorite shot.
When I drew out the face I made several changes. Some were because the face was too distorted so I made some small adjustments and some of the reflections in the water I just didn’t like. This was also the largest piece I have done Clairefontaine Pastelmat so I was still learning the differences of the surface.
Awards for Summer Immersion include National League of Pen Women: Best in Show, CPSA: Exceptional Merit Award, Cape Cod Magic of Water: First Place, UK Colored Pencil Society: President’s Award
About Debra Yaun:
Debra has been using colored pencils for many years. She also works in scratchboard and watercolor. Her subject matter varies from people to animals and other nature subjects. The distortion and refections caused by water are often part of her artwork. She has been president of the Atlanta chapter of CPSA for many years.
See more at: http://debrayaun.com/
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