I have been playing with this image for a couple weeks-at one point he is flying with his umbrella, another has him being blown about by the wind.  I never show his face but just the shadow of a man teetering on the brink of something-mortality...the loss of control....I don't think it is a depressing image, it feels to me more of a letting go of what one thinks one is supposed to do or have or be and leaning into the world and being free...leaving the old behind

I am absolutely in love with these pastels .  I love how I can capture the light and shadows, the incredible palette of grays the darkness that defines the space.  The way I can move the color with my hands, almost like a dance.  It keeps just flowing and its a wonderful feeling

I have always wanted to try pastels.  Always.  I love the way they look, what you can do with them, the way they make you feel.  But they are also expensive, and I have enough stuff in my studio-and then, and then, my dear friend gave me a huge lot of them-all the colors you could imagine.  I brought that big heavy bag up the stairs and took out each tray like it was a piece of gold and just feasted my eyes.  But today I took one in my hand, and it was love, it was a fairy tale, things flowed and blended and came together like magic.  

What a dream, and how grateful I am that J decided to clean out her studio and gift me with all sorts of treasures.  Can't wait to get to work tomorrow...