My oil pastel paintings are a newer, more organic and transcendental version of a longtime fascination with light, shadow patterns, and rich color. My photos of flowers and other natural elements are scanned into a computer; then tiny portions are enlarged to explore their abstract qualities. A photoshop program is used to refine and alter the compositions. Next, the image is printed on paper or canvas as a faint toned ground for the oil pastel overlays. The colors are lush and luminous and give an ethereal quality to everyday subjects. That sense of the divine in the ordinary is what I attempt to convey.

I also work in acrylics on canvas and lately on panel, which I am enjoying very much.   That way I can work much larger without the hassle of building frames and stretching the canvas.  Some of my smaller oil pastels have been used as starting points for the larger works.

The most fun I am having at the moment is turning digital photos of my dog's "nose art" into wildly colorful, exuberent "photo-paintings".  She is by turns Expressionist, Impressionist, or downright "Fauve-ist", depending on what's passing through the yard.  It has long been a goal of mine to produce (real) art that most people can afford, and to produce enough of it that I can survive, too.  That's my hope for the "PiCassieO" works! Each image will be limited to 50 copies maximum, individually printed by the human half of the team!  It's an exciting idea!  Check out the article about us at www.charlotte.com/cabarrus , archived by now under "April 13, 2008, and take a look at our blog, www.airedale-art.blogspot.com . 

I also have a blog, "Bear Dances & Bird Songs," the objective  being to share my thoughts and intentions regarding different paintings.  I would love to get some feedback!  Check it out at www.bethstafford.blogspot.com .