November 2021 Showcase - Colored Pencil Artwork
The three artists below, featured in the November 2021 issue of COLOR Magazine Showcase, share their beautiful artwork and the inspiration behind it here in our blog.
Union Men by Jeffrey Smart Baisden, CPSA
24 x 14 inches
Colored pencil on Strathmore Illustration Board
(Artist's own photo)
Union Men is the fifth drawing in a series paying tribute to the working man and his beautifully designed tools. These vintage containers are marked with their collective oil-stained history.
I am fascinated by the patterns, colors, and richness of rusted, aged metal; form and function at its best. My collection of metal oil cans has been a subject in other still life compositions but given their unique design should be a primary subject.
Dramatic lighting and cast shadows play an important role in this composition, echoing and softening the shapes in a framed background. The balanced, ordered composition and structured shadowing is contrasted by the randomness of the patterned rusted surfaces and weathered wood.
About Jeffrey Smart Baisden, CPSA:
Jeffrey Smart Baisden lives in Live Oak, Florida. She discovered colored pencils as a valuable teaching tool in 1980. She now devotes her time to drawing, exhibitions, and teaching workshops. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, solo and group exhibitions as well as 24 Colored Pencil Society of America Exhibitions.
See more at: jeffreysmartbaisden.com
Le Petite Duet by Jeanne Cardana, CPSA
11.5 x 14.25 inches
Faber-Castell colored pencils on Strathmore 500 Bristol Vellum paper
(Artist's own photo)
Inspired by my granddaughter, Stella, and her cousin, Cora, this piece portrays the moment in time when they first met and found common ground at a baby grand piano. The artwork represents a special time when family came together at my mother's retirement facility to celebrate her birthday during our annual reunion.
The sweet engagement between the girls was a delight not only to witness, but also to draw and the colored pencils served well to capture the colors, textures, and mood of the piece. Special attention was given to create a sense of movement one would expect with the draping of the dresses to the placement of the hands on the keys.
About Jeanne Cardana, CPSA:
Jeanne has a Bachelors in Biological/Wildlife Illustration and much of her earlier illustration career was centered in the medical and scientific realms. Jeanne’s training as a biological/medical illustrator, attention to detail, strong connection with the natural world, and lifetime experience with horses translate into her work as an artist.
See more at: www.jeannecardana.com
16 x 20 inches
Colored Pencil on Ampersand Pastel Board
(Artist's own photo)
I take a straightforward approach to representational art. Observing closely, looking past the obvious, my goal is always to capture and portray objects and their physical appearance in reality. I want those that view my work to discover the unique beauty in everyday objects that go unnoticed, discarded, or are no longer in use.
I spend time walking around flea markets or antique stores looking for objects that grab my attention or bring back a special memory or pose a question. “Why did someone keep these bottle caps?” “Wonder how much the drinks might have cost back then?” “How many different brands are represented?” It is like going on a treasure hunt; never knowing what you might find or what story it holds.
I was drawn to the many colors, shapes, and details of these bottle caps that had been thrown into an old wooden box. I knew I had to capture this story in my next painting.
About Donna Slade:
Donna Slade is a contemporary realist painter and former gallery owner, who enjoyed a 30-year award-winning career in advertising, art direction, design, and illustration. Her colored pencil paintings are executed in a contemporary realism style with a desire to capture and portray a series of objects and their physical appearance in reality.
See more at: www.donnasladeart.com
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