http://www.outdoorpainter.com / August-September 2019 59
sosoftedgesinthedistance—inparticular,thehorizonline—
arecrucialtotheexecutionofMarino’spaintings.TheTerrages-
Ludwigduoworkswellforthiselement.“It’sflatwhereI often
paint—AnnapolisandTilghmanIsland,wheremybrotherlives
—sothewaterandlandmeetandformspectacularcolorsthat
blendintotheocean,”saysthepastelist.“TheTerragespastelsare
roundedandhavea nicedistributionofpigment.Theygoright
intothesurface.Then,whenthesofterLudwigsarewovenover
thiscolor,I cancapturetheaerialqualityofthehorizon.The
stickscanbelimitinginsomeways,buttheyhavea beautifuldis-
tributionofpigmentthatI don’tgetinoil.I callthemmymagic
sticks.Youcanlaycolordownwithdifferentbrandsandcreate
beautifultactilesurfaceswithhighsandlows.That’swhat’sgreat
aboutpastels.Still,yoursupportcanonlytakesomuchpigment,
soyouhavetobecareful...butyoualsohavetobedaringand
justdoit.I reallygrindthesticksintothesurface.Theystartto
fuseandcreatenewcolors.”
Brokencolorcanmeana disjointedpainting,if notdone
right.Includingquieterpassagesina pastelcanallowtheviewer’s
eyetorest,thusgivingstrengthtothebusierspotsonthesurface.
“It’sallinhowyoumaneuverthestick,”Marinosays.“Youdon’t
wantit toobusyallovertheplace.”Thesolutionis toscumble.“I
willtakethesideofa stickina moreneutralcolorandscrapeover
a fewplaces.BytakingsofterLudwigrectilinearsticksandusing
theedgetoscumbleoverareas,I canknocksomeofthebusyness
down.Theminorareasofinterest,therestfulspots,helpthemajor
focalpointstandout.”
AlthoughMarinofindsplentyofinspirationaroundher
homeinMaryland,she’salsokeenontravel.“Youneedtogo
somewhereandexperiencea differentlandtogetthegearsmoving
again,”sheasserts.“WhenI’vebeenina rut,I feellikeit’stimeto
go.TravelhelpsrekindlethefeelingsofwhyI paint,ofwhyI get
upinthemorningandwanttodothis.There’snothinglikegoing
toa placewithpeoplewhoareboththesameanddifferentfrom
you, and encountering a different landscape. That uneasiness
(TOP)Eos, 2016,pastel, 12 x 24in.,privatecollection,studio•(ABOVE) Giverny’s
Lucie, 2014, pastel, 16 x 12 in., private collection, plein air