I love pastels for their versatility. They became the medium of choice for a mom trying to raise her two kids, and dealing with all the demands of life.

My reasoning...easy cleanup, no drying time, start and stop whenever I needed, and still get the saturations, and blending of colors I needed. I may not be able to travel overseas yet, but I have my videos, photographs, research, and books to look at when I need a push of inspiration.

I love researching art history as well, and finding artists that I can relate to.

What artists do you find inspiring and relatable?

When I first happened upon Odilon Redon’s work, I immediately thought of Goya. The deeper I researched the more I realized they had similar experiences. The Franco Prussian War had left a lasting impression on him, and it showed in his works.

Besides these great pieces of art, I find his pastel artworks to be vibrant with colors, and light. His works have a power of color, very different from many others. He used layers upon layers as his technique.

If you’re a beginner when it comes to pastels, and need somewhere to start, check out my pastel course for beginners!