Rural Art in Soft Pastel by Artist Lynda Baxter
It became evident to me that I should paint RURAL ART after living in rural Alberta for more than two decades! Highland cow paintings, rooster and chicken paintings and of course the landscape that surrounds us!
Rural Art by Lynda Baxter in Soft Pastels
“As a rural Alberta woman, and artist, I need only look out my window to appreciate all of God’s natural beauty that surrounds me.
My choice of medium is soft pastel so there is no mixing paint! The pastel sticks offer immediate gratification that suit both my painting style and my busy lifestyle. There is so much freedom with this medium! I love the texture I can achieve with them. I strive to make the best use of their stunning colours while incorporating vivid mark making into each painting.
I frequent the backroads with my camera in hand, visiting neighbouring farms and going down to the coulee to catch sight of the wildlife.
I try to incorporate each animals unique personality, their expressive behaviour and even work ethic, like in the case of the Clydesdales, and our own working cow horses into my paintings. I exaggerate the colours that might be more typical, to be more brilliant. I spend as much time as I can in the field, at the fence and talking to other owners. I ask questions, and learn about their animals. I want to paint what I know.
I enjoy making my own substrate using clear or toned gesso on gaiter board, wood panels or mat board. This way, the surface can then be built up with texture by using a palette knife or sponge. The results are always surprising. I like to see how far I can push things, so I think experimenting keep it all very interesting and I just never know what I’m going to come up with!”
Gallery
What can I say! Soft pastels are my new love. The vibrant colours, the silky smooth way they go on the paper, oh, and the choices of paper you can get! Tinted, sanded with different grits, and of course, I can use my watercolours with clear gesso and make my own! I'm surrounded by RURAL everything! I wouldn't have it any other way. I see beauty everywhere I go and in everything little thing. I'm constantly striving to challenge myself and am enjoying all of the people I meet along my way who invite me into their way of life so I can take zillions of reference photos! I'm utterly grateful for them, and all the cow, rooster, chicken, pig, and sheep facts they teach me while I'm there. I'm feeling truly blessed.
When we moved to central Alberta, I was completely intrigued by the local moose! I still am. I spent countless hours driving back roads trying to spot them. The perfect bull moose. Antlers dripping with water from the many sloughs we have, and of course back the perfect photo would be backlit!! All I ever found were cows. I feel in love with them. They replaced my moose habit in a heartbeat. When I discovered I had neighbours with Highland cows, I suddenly had a new passion, subject and I was in for a whole new learning curve!!
"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. ~ Psalm 19-1
“If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.”
– Edward Hopper
“Creativity takes courage.”
– Henri Matisse
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent van Gogh
“The richness I achieve comes from nature, the source of my inspiration.”
– Claude Monet