marks or shading. When I worked
in pastel, I used primarily Terry
Ludwigs, as well as some Rembrandts
and Nupastels, carrying them in a
handy Huber travel box. I worked
on UART 400 paper. It’s tough, so if
there’s smudging during transport,
I can clean it up with a stiff brush
and then reapply pastel. I slipped
any 9x12-inch or smaller paintings
between sheets in my sketch pad.
Have Wildlife, Will Teach
In exchange for my time at the
refuge, I participated in its outreach
programming for the local commu-
nity, teaching art classes to children
and adults at the Bristol Bay campus
of the University of Alaska. The
Pastel Society of Colorado, of which
I’m a member, donated materials,
which enabled me to teach my stu-
dents how to paint in pastel with the
necessary supplies free of charge.
During my stay in Togiak, there
was so much to absorb, which—as
artists—is what we do. I devised
a plan that worked for me. I made
lots of thumbnail sketches and also
took photos of the subjects, making
notes about why they had captured
my interest. Wildlife wasn’t my
only subject. I also sketched and
ARTIST
RESOURCESFor more information
about artist-in-residency
programs in Alaska,
visit the “Voices of the
Wilderness” website at
fs.usda.gov/goto/votw.
With specific questions
relating to residency pro-
grams, contact Barbara
Lydon at [email protected].These quick bear sketches, which I drew while observing their antics, are the type of sketch that
allow you “to get out of your own way,” as my artist friend, Lorenzo Chavez, says.ArtistsNetwork.com 13