Pastel Journal - USA (2019-08)

Celebratedoutdoorpainter

SkipWhitcomb(skipwhitcomb.

com)hasreceivednumerousawards

forhislandscapepaintingsinoil

andpastel,includingtheGrand

PrizeAwardinthefirstPastel 100

Competition.Theartisthashad

severalone-manshowsandhas

participatedinnumerousgallery

invitationalsandmuseumexhibitions

throughoutthecountry.A graduate

ofArtCenterCollegeofDesign,inLos

Angeles,Whitcombcurentlylivesin

FortCollins,Colorado.

fromlighttoshadow,andbya fewtouchesoflightinthe

recesses.Theoveralleffectisoneoforchestratedsimplic-

ity.It’snotfealtytothelocationthathe’safter,butclarity

ofconcept.“Thesimplerthestatement,themorepowerit

has,”hesays.“Morestuffweakensthestatement.Howcan

I implycomplexitywithoutrenderingit?That’stheangle

I’mcomingfrom.I’mnotgoingtoduplicatewhat’sout

there.Thefewershapes,thegreaterthepower.”

Perhapsthemostsurprisingaspectofhiswork,though,

isthemark-making.TakethebroadviewseeninEvening

Overlook(onpages30-31)orthemoreintimateviewin

ConvergingShadows,Lee’sFerry(above).Bothdisplaya

masteryoflightandform.Lookcloser,though,andyou

canseetheprocess—theexperimentationthatculminates

ina maturepainting.Theartisthidesnothing.Layersand

layersofscribbles,dashesandslashesofcolor—coolover

warmorwarmovercool—coalesceintoanimageboth

abstractandspecific,bothrealandimagined.Whitcomb,

inhisgenerosity,takesusona journeythroughlayersof

timeandexperience,andwe’reallthebetterforit.PJ

AaronSchuerr(aaronschuerr.com)isa landscapepainterand

pleinairenthusiast,basedinLivingston,Montana,anda frequent

contributingwriterforPastelJournal.

ABOVE
Converging
Shadows, Lee’s
Ferry (15x26)

LEFT
Summer Patterns
(14x18)

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