Maybe it’s my bluegrass country upbringing, or my penchant for more earthy tones, but I’ve always loved the wheat fields of Provence above all others.

I’ll never forget a drive I took with my mom one summer in the valley between Roussillon and Gordes. The burnt yellow fields stretched on for miles, a dry heat rising from ochre-colored earth. We stopped for photos and were entranced by the melody of wheat stalks dancing in the arid wind, the entire valley singing of summer.

WHEAT FIELDS
Chalk Pastel & Acrylic Paint on Paper
50 x 70 cm // 19.7 x 27.6 inches (about)
Framed and matted to around 29 x 37 inches
2022-2023, Provence Series

PROCESS & MATERIALS
I create each original chalk pastel painting on 100% cotton, deckled-edged, cold pressed heavy weight art paper. My preferred chalks come from the artisanal pastelliers in Roussillon, Provence, in tandem with Senneliers chalk pastels - a very high quality, hand-crafted, elegant range which blends and layers perfectly. I finish out the piece with heavy body acrylic paint details.

As part of my process, I create a layered thickness to the chalk itself by using art fixative spray in layers as I work - not just as a final finish like you would a varnish. In this way, I can create a pastel painting which shows more texture and depth than your average pastel drawing on paper.

HANDLING
Chalk pastel, however, remains a fluid, movable medium which will never fully “set” like a varnished oil painting, for example. This is one of the reasons I love this medium so much, but which requires dedicated care and attention for handling.

FRAMING
Framing is included with this artwork. This piece is set in a gorgeous antique, ornate wooden frame that I found in New Orleans, LA. The mat is an earthy off-white, beautifully balancing the highlights within the field.

SHIPPING
This art ships from New Orleans, LA, USA - Packaging original art is an art form unto itself, and one which I have been honing for years. I package your original art with as much care as I took creating it.

Let’s talk about any questions you might have - please don’t hesitate to reach out.