For 40 years, Arizona artist Stan Bloomfield has rooted his art practice in the versatile mediums of watercolor and pastel. “After seeing a pastel demonstration at a local art supply store, I became interested in combining the two mediums. A watercolor underpainting would be a great start to a pastel finish,” he reflects. “Texture could be created through the washing off and reapplication of pastel.
Crosscurrents, soft pastel, 16 x 21 in.
Also unplanned happy accidents happen that are more akin to watercolor than pastel. During this washing off process, some of the pastel will stick, which will serve as an underpainting for the next layer. These accidents lead me in new directions. A tree may look more like a boulder, a rock might be a tree. This technique is lots of fun, [but] also frustrating.”
Glacial Erratic, soft pastel, 16 x 21 in.
Recent paintings by the artist include Glacial Erratic and Crosscurrents, both of which feature white water crashing over rocks. “The painting began as an abstract study,” he says of the latter painting. “Color and value were created at random. Hard edges at the bottom needed an offsetting calm area, so the lower area became a boulder field while the horizontal area looked like a fallen tree. The two areas needed something to connect them, [and] impressionistic water filled the bill.”
Late Afternoon, soft pastel, 16 x 21 in.
Bloomfield has received numerous awards for his work and has master status in the Pastel Society of America, Master Circle/Eminent Pastelist status in the International Association of Pastel Societies, Distinguished Pastelist status in the Pastel Society of the West Coast and Signature member status in the American Impressionist Society. He currently lives in Flagstaff, Arizona, with his poodle Lucy. —
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