Berg en Dal – 30-12-23

What Color Can Do

This pastel drawing ‘Berg en Dal – 30-12-23’ is the second of new pastel editions to an ever growing series. The one I completed last December 19th exceeded my expectations. Frankly, I didn’t think I could add more to the reference drawing I made in May. Then you can see what color can do. After my Christmas drawing of December 25th it was time to get back in the saddle again. Nothing else to do either. Outside there is a nasty gloom and I like to avoid fireworks at all costs. This way I still have my eyes and hands on January 1st. Really, it’s a travesty indeed. People buy for 100 million+ euro here in the Netherlands. Foreigners often are surprized when they come to visit us. They say it looks like a war zone at 12 o’clock. Poor Ukrainian refugees. Those millions were better spent in the Ukraine!

Driving Force

Couldn’t this one major driving force: to create art and offer people perspective on beauty? By all means, my pastel chalks are way less expensive than a regular portion of fireworks. Another advantage: my colors don’t fade away instantly. Flares of color in the sky do. With this pastel I also want to convey another idea. Beauty isn’t about spectacular pops that rip open your eardrums but in silence. Hence my latest creation that speaks for itself. A wandering beauty silently expressing captivating colors. New Year’s resolution that now occurs to me: spend more time in nature.

A Blank Spot

The reference drawing I used for this one I completed on November 2nd. Even though that one was impressionist rather than cubist I decided to turn another way this time. Lately I feel I also have to delve into the process of abstracting landscapes in pastel and oil. Somewhat of a blank spot in my oevre. I always have considered my pastels more suited to create impressionism than cubism. Maybe that has got something to do with a specific aspect. Broken hatched strokes create these impressionistic views better than other mediums. On the other hand I always feel myself much of a cheat doing big planes with chalks. That’s easy and perhaps I fear of delivering sloppy and hasty work. Cancel fear for 2024 I’d say and try it anyway. This pastel of this beautiful scenery in Berg en Dal is a first start.

Pastel drawing on Clairfontaine Pastel Mat paper (69.4 x 49.8 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers