Pastel Journal - USA (2020-04)

SURPRISINGLY,SPRINGRAINWASACTUALLYPAINTEDLASTAUGUST,notinthe

spring,andnotfarfromNorbertNagel’shomeinDenver,Colo.,atanareaof

openspaceinBearCreekGreenbeltPark.“Thatmonth,wehadmorerainwith

themonsoonsthanwe’dhadinthespring,whichwasunusual,”saystheartist.

Hespenttwohourspaintingthewinningpieceonlocationandaboutthesame

amountoftimecompletingit backinhisstudio.

ThedayNagelbeganthepainting,hesetoutataround2 p.m.;it wasn’tlong

beforethecloudformationcapturedhisattention.“There’salwayssometypeof

interestingformationgoingonwhenthemonsoonscomein,”saysNagel.

“Ilikecumuluscloudsbecausetheyreflectallthislightfromtheground,the

skyandthesun.There’ssomethingabouthowtheyglowthatintriguesme.”

RacingtheWeather

A dedicatedpleinairpainter,Nagelknowshowquicklyanart-worthymoment

cancomeandgo.“IknewI hadtoworkreallyfasttogetatleastthefeelofthose

clouds,”hesays.Hefocusedongettingtheskydownfirst.“IknewI couldgo

backandseethesamegroundplaneanytime,butnottheclouds.Cumulus

cloudsarelikesnowflakes;eachoneissodifferentfromtheother.”

Nageloftenmakesnotansfirst,establishingthelargemainshapesofa scene

usingjusttwoorthreevalues—“nomorethanfour”—withoutanydetail.“They

tellmerightawayhowI’mgoingtoformthepainting,”Nagelsays.“Theyteach

menottoputintoomanyvalueshifts.I’velearnedtousemorecolorshifts

instead.Thepaintingbecomesmuchstrongerthatway.”

ThethreemajorshapesinSpringRain—thesky,thetreesandtheground—

“areshownprettymuchthewayI sawthem,”Nagelsays.Hedidalterthe

placementofthesmallbuilding,a schoolhousebuiltinthe1930sthatwas

eventuallyusedforgatheringsandparties.“Itwasn’trightinfrontofmelike

that,butI liketoputbuildingsinmypaintingstocreatescale.”

Thesimplypaintedsuggestionoftheroofisa signofNagel’swell-honed

abilitytohintatdetailswithoutoverstatingthem.Hisimpressionistic

SpringRain(11x14)

ALOCALETHATNORBERTNAGELHASVISITED

MANYTIMESPRESENTEDAWINNINGSCENE

WORTHMEMORIALIZING.

BYSTEFANIELAUFERSWEILER

Into the

Clouds

RUTH RICHESON PASTEL GOLD AWARD

approach offers just enough clarity

to relay the scene he sees with some

accuracy, while allowing plenty of

room for the subtlety that establishes

mood. “While stating the essential,

the artist leaves the obvious vague,”

says Landscape & Interior Category

Juror W. Truman Hosner of Spring

Rain. “This painting holds true to

the allegiance of an ageless marriage

of skill and poetic expression.”

40 Pastel Journal APRIL 2020