Cattle by the Nene

Pastel on Clairefontaine Pastelmat, 13 x 19 inches

My last Pastel for a while - not so keen on the Pastel dust that flies around in the studio, and I need to do some oils for the Affordable Art Fair at Battersea next month, and for PBFA gallery.

I found this one half-finished ina box I stack my Pastels in - it was another demo painting I did last year, and somewhat unseasonal at the moment, but a reminder of what's to come; warm breezes, billowing cumulus clouds and cattle lazily swishing their tales by the river.

I tend to do the majority of my landscapes in Oils, but occasionally I like to do one in the Pastel medium, which lends a slightly 'softer' feel to the painting. By definition, Pastel sticks don't have sharp points, so inevitably, small, crisp details are hardly possible like they are with Oils with sharp brushes, so the 'finish' of a Pastel painting always has a slightly looser look to it. 

Talking of demos as I alluded to above, I am painting a frosty riverine landscape as a demo painting to the Ufford Art Society, near Stamford in Lincolnshire. If anyone wants to attend, you would be most welcome for a nominal small fee on the door, but please let me know if you want to come, thank you!