MaryClara with Emma & Scout #1

MaryClara & Scout #1, originally uploaded by debifitz.

19"X27"pastel on PastelMat

http://www.djfitzgerald.com
http://www.facebook.com/D.J.Fitzgerald.Art

This was just meant to be.... The story behind the commission is a sad one... but one of life going on. One of my favorite clients and friend owned Scout. I did a portrait of her and Scout about 13 years ago. It was the first of many portraits I was to do for her and other members of her family. 10 years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time she was given 6 months... she took 10 years. About a year ago she contacted me about coming to N.C., to photograph Scout with her dear childhood friend MaryClara. MaryClara was having a tough time after the loss of her parents and dealing with siblings.... Scout became her therapy! Scout had retired from the show ring years ago with EPM... but was still a joy to ride. And even though she had many other horses over the years, Margaret could not part with him. She wanted me to come as quickly as I could because Scout was 21 and she did not know how long he would be around. She thought MaryClara and Scout made such a good match and wanted me to capture that in my pastels. I made the trip last March to take the photos (on MaryClara's birthday!).... I had the feeling that that would be the last time I would get to see Margaret. She passed in May. Margaret gave the care of Scout to MaryClara... he is 22 now and looks great! MaryClara's other friend is Emma. And she requested that I put the saddle and boots in the portrait because they were a precious gift from her father. The gorgeous sweater was a gift from Margaret. Lots of symbolism in this one... and I really feel like Margaret was watching me work! And in a way MaryClara inherited me as a friend too! I feel like I have known her for years!

Sweetie #7

Sweetie #7, originally uploaded by debifitz.

pastel on PastelMat
private collection
16"X20"

www.djfitzgerald.com
www.facebook.com/D.J.Fitzgerald.Art

All done! Worked on the stones some more... satisfied.... It can be a little bit hard to change things too much with this paper. You can actually take a stiff paint brush and brush the pastel off... you have to brush and gently blow the pastel off. But it is not as good as doing it right the first time... I did a once over everything before signing and shipping!

Sweetie #6

Sweetie #6, originally uploaded by debifitz.

pastel on PastelMat
private collection
16"X20"

www.djfitzgerald.com
www.facebook.com/D.J.Fitzgerald.Art

Here is my first go at the stepping stones... Not quite happy with them yet... it seems like the ground is dropping off in front.. So I need to change the angles of them a bit. I am sort of making them up as I go. I have some photos of their garden path with stones like these. It is nice that the colors in them pick up the colors in Sweetie. But I will have to work on them a bit more...

And a really neat thing happen to me recently...  A wonderful artist named Leslie Harrison out of California put me on her web site blog as a guest artist! Never been a guest artist before!!   She does some beautiful pastel paintings of horses,  dogs and people... just like me!   Leslie works on my old friend velour...  I will have to try her paper source.  As much as I love PastelMat,  I still miss the feeling you get with velour. Especially with certain subjects. I have had so much trouble finding quality velour.  Her web site is amazing... please check it out! Leslie Harrison

Sweetie #5

Sweetie #5, originally uploaded by debifitz.

pastel on PastelMat
private collection
16"X20"

www.djfitzgerald.com
www.facebook.com/D.J.Fitzgerald.Art

Now for the white... here is where I pick up some of the pinks that are in the flowers. It is very hard to keep whites white... if you are not careful it can look dirty... so I try to use a lot of blues, purples, and pinks instead of grays.

Sweetie #4

Sweetie #4, originally uploaded by debifitz.

pastel on PastelMat
private collection
16"X20"

www.djfitzgerald.com
www.facebook.com/D.J.Fitzgerald.Art

Staring to get into the white areas...

Sweetie #3

Sweetie #3, originally uploaded by debifitz.

pastel on PastelMat
private collection
16"X20"

www.djfitzgerald.com
www.facebook.com/D.J.Fitzgerald.Art

Continuing on with Sweetie... I was just involved in a discussion in a fb art group about when to do a background... before or after the subject. The rule of thumb that I was taught long ago (will not say how long that was!!) was to work background to subject to foreground. The idea being that you would lay your subject onto the background. Of course I was also taught to do the whole painting at the same time... there for you are working on the composition the entire time. I usually plan the composition in the drawing phase. And I continue that plan all the way through... by working the colors of the subject into the back ground... that way it all ends up working together. It is good to learn the "rules"... they are all good and make sense. And it is a lot of fun to break them too!

Sweetie #2

Sweetie #2, originally uploaded by debifitz.

pastel on PastelMat
private collection
16"X20"

www.djfitzgerald.com
www.facebook.com/D.J.Fitzgerald.Art

Back ground, except for the rock path, done. But will probably go back and play with it a little more. On to Sweetie... I will get the browns done first and then do the white areas... just to keep them as white as possible for as long as possible!