Portrait Study in Oil Pastel

 This is a quick portrait study in oil pastel.  The aim is to review some of the techniques used in my oil pastel class.  In this example, I am using watercolour paper that is sealed with Holbein transparent gesso.  This is a granular gesso that adds texture to the paper surface. The preliminary drawing is done with watercolour pencils.

The oil pastels are Holbein Artist Oil Pastels.  They have a creamy rich texture that allows me to create a drawing that has a painterly quality to it. 

Video for So Says Exhibition

This is a painting process video for the my painting in the exhibition  "So Says..." at Galerie de la Ville in Dollard Des Ormeaux, from May 3rd to May 24th, 2015.

So Says...

Fragile, Composed, Her Hands bright in a shaft of light, Salon Louis XIV, Chenonceau

This is the work that I am currently exhibiting at the So Says Exhibition at Galerie de la Ville in Dollard des Ormeaux.  It is oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches.

The inspiration for this painting came many years ago, a chance occurrence while visiting the Chateau of Chenonceau in France. My daughter, 5 at the time was naturally bored with all the pomp of the historical lieu. In the salon of Louis XIV, she cured her boredom by sitting down on the floor to play shadow puppets thanks to a stream of light coming through the window. It was a delicious moment, given the place and the innocence of the gesture.


Like many painting ideas, this one sat in the back of my mind for many years. (My daughter is now 18 years old.) The phrase from the Mavis Gallant short story brought that chance occurrence to the fore of my mind and became the impetus for this work. I have taken her words and transformed them into something other, interpreting them through my own personal filters, taking me out of my comfort zone of usually painting the landscape.

It is a great show and it is fascinating to see how other artists interpreted the literary quotes that inspired them.  Here is a list of the quotes: