My foray into pastel painting was not planned. During my professional life as corporate counsel in a large multinational corporation in France, I spent the greater part of twenty-five years writing and negotiating major agreements in the oil industry. In that period, as in the rest of my life, music – classical music, opera, singing – was the most fundamental part of my life. So, when a friend invited me to go with her to a pastel painting class, I was surprised that I immediately took to the drawing and blending of the pastels.

As the weeks went on, I began to understand the elements making up any drawing or painting: the composition, the shapes, the colors, the perspective, the light, the shadows – all the things you look at in the world without really noticing until you try to draw them. The surprise is that you can often produce paintings that you like, and you wonder how you did it. The endeavor itself brings out undiscovered parts of yourself. Often you can feel lost when you first look at something you want to draw. But you pick up a pastel stick and start drawing, like a writer picks up a pencil or sits down at the computer. You just start and see where your mind leads you. It is surprising what you end up with - sometimes you like it, sometimes you don’t. But it is remarkable how satisfying it can be. As was pointed out to me, you are using the right side of your brain – the intuitive, creative side – rather than the logical, verbal left side of your brain. You come out feeling whole!

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Martha Salper
Contact: martha.artinfo@gmail.com