The Pencil Box - Featured Artists - July 2019
Corresponding with the art gallery that is featured each month in Ann Kullberg's COLOR Magazine, The Pencil Box blog series will give artists a bit more space to share insight and inspiration about their colored pencil art. Make sure to check out FB group links at the bottom of this post. Call for entry is posted every month in participating Facebook groups - join in the fun and your artwork could be featured, too!
Moon Moth in the Vineyard by Nancy Jacey
18"x28," Prismacolor on Crescent cold-pressed illustration board
My passion for art is capturing the color, beauty and detail of nature and our surroundings. My work depicts how I view the small things that we see every day that are often overlooked and transforms them in to larger-than-life paintings and drawings. This piece, “Moon Moth in the Vineyard,” is inspired by the grape vines that grow at our family vineyard. Normally my subject matter is depicted in daytime settings, so this was a fun and challenging study of how color is reflected and perceived in the moonlight. This piece is completed using 100% Prismacolor pencil over a 3 month period of time; no solvents were used.
About Nancy:
Nancy graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University where she received her BFA in Studio Art. She later studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design, earning her MFA in Illustration.
See more at: http://www.nancyjacey.com
Tufted Coquette by Dianne Muth
9x12 inches, Polychromos on Grafix 0.05 Matte Drafting Film. Photo used with permission from Nicholas Bray - Zoothera Birding.com
This Tufted Coquette is a rare Hummingbird species whose friendly presence flits about at the edges of tropical forests, plantations, and savannas in South America. It is so tiny it's often mistaken for a large bee! Another name for this bird is the Splendid Coquette, and truly what a marvel of splendid colors and intricate detail it is! The extraordinary photo caught both my eye as an artist, and my heart. As a young girl growing up in Australia, beautiful exotic birds graced us with their presence on an everyday basis. The sunrise brought with it a chorus from laughing Kookaburras, charming ringing of Bell Birds, and the complex warbling of Magpies, while flashes of bright color announced bountiful flocks of Lorikeets had arrived at nearby feeders for breakfast. Like so many from my homeland, these birds are a precious part of my most sacred memories. The opportunity to portray this glorious Coquette was a soothing balm to my soul, and I hope it serves to bless your hearts with even more wonder at this beautiful natural world we live in.
About Dianne:
Dianne, from an early age, has viewed the world through a lens of love and wonder. She's worked hard caring for her family through both trials & joys. Now, finally free to pursue her own dreams in retirement, she loves to bring her passion for imagination and color to paper.
See more at: https://www.facebook.com/Dianne-Muth-Personalty-Pet-Portraits-340138340181284/
Majestic Stone by Gem Thompson
9x12 inches, Pan Pastel and colored pencil on Clairefontaine Pastelmat
Majestic Stone is a UK based racehorse who is owned by a syndicate. One of his owners commissioned me to produce this piece as a present for his wife's birthday.
In the reference image the horse was wearing a large sheepskin nose band cover which I was requested to remove for the portrait due to it covering much of his face detracting from his beauty. This proved somewhat of a challenge as I had to invent the facial features that had been obscured by the nose band. This is the first occasion I have used a black background for a drawing but due to the horses rich color and shiny coat, plus the heavy shadows in the reference image I think it worked really well and I am very pleased with the result.
About Gem:
Gem is a self-taught artist working from her Yorkshire home in the UK. She predominantly produces commissioned pet portraits alongside creating original wildlife pieces when time allows. Gem currently balances her artwork with a full time day job, though dreams of eventually making her living through drawing.
See more at: https://www.gemthompsonanimalart.co.uk/
The Music Makers by Lesley Martyn
A5 (8" x 6"), Faber-Castell Polychromos and Caran d'Ache Pablos on Canson Mi Tientes
This drawing has special meaning to me as I come from a very musical family. My grandfather played Cello, founded the Leeds XXV String orchestra in the UK in the early 1900s, then went on to Rhodesia where he founded the Bulawayo Philharmonic Orchestra and was the conductor for many years. On retirement and well into his 90's he was the librarian at the Academy of Music in Bulawayo. The library has been named in his honor. My grandmother played the violin and viola ,my mum and brother played the cello and I played the piano! We were always surrounded by sheets of music!!.
About Lesley:
Lesley Martyn started drawing in November 2017 when a local artist offered classes demonstrating his technique in graphite. From there she discovered the world of colored pencils and followed artists Karen Hull and Lisa Ann Watkins, joined the CPCAU where she is now the Secretary and has started doing commissions.
See more at: https://www.facebook.com/lesleymartynart
These artworks are published in the JULY 2019 issue of COLOR Magazine.
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