Q: I understand your comments to mean that being at the studio challenges you to be your best. How (why) do you think that works? (Question from Nancy Nikkal)
“Avenger,” soft pastel on sandpaper, 58″ x 38″
A: I am always trying to push my pastel techniques further, seeking to figure out new ways to render my subject matter, expanding my technical vocabulary. It would be monotonous to keep working the same old way. Wasn’t it John Baldessari who said, “No more boring art?” He was talking about art that’s boring to look at. Well, as someone who CREATES art I don’t want to be bored during the making so I keep challenging myself. I love learning, in general, and I especially love learning new things about soft pastel.
Very often I start a project because I have no idea how to depict some particular subject using pastel. For example, one of the reasons I undertook “Avenger” was to challenge myself to render all of that hair! Eventually I managed to figure it out and I learned a few new techniques in the process.
Comments are welcome!
Posted on August 8, 2020, in 2020, An Artist's Life, Bolivianos, Creative Process, Pastel Painting, Working methods and tagged always, “Avenger”, ”No more boring art”, challenge, comments, creates, depict, eventually, expending, figure out, further, John Baldessari, learning, making, managed, matter, monotonous, myself, Nancy Nikkal, particular, pastel, process, project, reasons, render, seeking, soft pastel, soft pastel on sandpaper, Studio, subject, talking, technical, techniques, trying, understand, undertook, vocabulary, working. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
barbararachkoscoloreddust.com 
You met the challenge you set yourself in a spectacular way. The first thing i noticed is the hair – and wondered how did you do that? It’s totally captivating.
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Thank you, Nancy.
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