Pastel Journal - USA (2019-05)

DUTCHARTISTLOESBOTMANRECENTLYCELEBRATED

HER50THBIRTHDAYANDHER25THYEARASANARTIST

BYMOUNTINGANEXHIBITIONOF 300 PASTELPAINTINGS.

ByEnidWood

W

henaskedtodescribe

whatit isaboutpastel

thatdrawshertoit,

LoesBotmansays

simply,“Thecolors.”She

continues,“WhenI wasabout11-years-

old,I gotmyfirstboxofRembrandt

pastelsfrommymotherformybirthday,

butwhenI wasattheArtAcademywehad

topaintwithoilandacrylic.I didn’tlike

it,butpastelsweren’tcommonandwere

almosttaboo.Theteachersdidn’twantto

teachmehowtodrawwiththem.Inthe

lastyearofschool,whenI hadtoprepare

fortheexam,I mademyownpastels

andmadedrawings79x79-incheslarge.”

Botmanremembersneedingtostandon

a ladderinordertocompletethem.She

decidedtofocusonpastelsafterhertime

attheAcademyended.

Theartisthadveryfewpastelsand

verylittlemoneywhena retiredDutch

artisttelephonedtoaskBotmanif she

COLOR

ComingIntotheNight(211/3x154/5)

wantedtobuyherpastels.“Youwould

havetocomenow,”shesaid.Botman

toldthewomanthatshe’dcomeonher

bicycle,butthewomaninsistedthatshe

bringa car.Botmandidn’thavea car,so

shebroughtherhusband,whoalsorode

a bicycle.Thepairwrappedthewoman’s

pastelscarefullyintolargeparcels.When

thewomandeclaredthatshe’dwalkthem

totheircar,Botmanandherhusband

improvisedbyleaningona parkedcar

andfumblingintheirpocketsfortheir

“carkeys.”Fortunately,it startedraining,

andthewomanrushedindoors,leaving

Botmanandherhusbandtocyclehome

withthepreciousUnisonpastelsinthe

rain.Botmanremembersunwrapping

themwhenshegothome.“Itwasmagical

toseethosepastels.”

Theartistbelievesthatfeelinggrateful

producespositiveresultsinourlives.When

shelookedathernewlyacquiredpastels,

nestledinwoodenboxesthatherhusband

IMAGINING

54 Pastel Journal JUNE 2019