Pastel PaintingNatalie Richards

Natalie paints in pastels. Her pastel paintings begin with the desire to portray an element in the landscape.

For inspiration, she looks through reference photographs that she has taken over the years. Most of the photographs were taken near her home in California or during her travels throughout the United States.

The photograph is used as a starting point for expressing her vision. A sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty and intelligence found in nature guides and inspires her.

Natalie’s paintings are done with soft pastels, a medium which has been used for many centuries. Pure pigment is mixed with enough binder to form a stick. When framed properly, pastels are one of the most permanent mediums.

The pastel sticks are very sensitive to touch which allows her to build her work in soft layers with nuances of color. Pastels also lend themselves to detail and have a strong tactile presence, which helps her depict the textures and feeling of her landscapes.