Janice WallPastel Artist, Vashon
"My work often suggests the commonplace, touched by a sense of mystery."
|
|
The Forgotten
Along the Canal
|
Oporto Rooftops
Old Fishing Village
|
Gift from the Lake
|
Peace in the Meadow
|
The Heart Remembers
|
Artist Statement
"When I was in kindergarten, my favorite activity was standing at the easel and painting with a big brush and cups of brightly colored tempera. It took me away from the craziness of the classroom to a world of my own making. I didn’t have an easel of my own until I became an adult, so it was a real treat. I was never encouraged to be an artist when I “grew up.” Life was made of more practical ambitions, so I became an art teacher and worked in the field of graphic design. I didn’t devote myself to studio work until I retired and gave myself permission to pursue my childhood dream. I was good at drawing, and felt I had to pick up brushes to be a painter.
A few years ago I discovered pastels and have been on a learning path with the colorful sticks ever since. They form the perfect bridge from drawing to painting. I live and paint on Vashon Island in Washington State’s Puget Sound, a short ferry ride from my birthplace of Seattle. I am a Signature Member and Distinguished Pastelist of the Northwest Pastel Society and a Master Circle member of the International Association of Pastel Societies. My work often suggests the commonplace, touched by a sense of mystery."