Some of my Early Work

(left) "Gigi"
original pastel on Canson, approx. 16"x13"
©1985 Diana Moses Botkin

(above right) "Communion"
original pastel on Canson, approx. 18"x24"
©1986 Diana Moses Botkin

(at left) "Storge"
original pastel on suedeboard, approx. 18"x24"
©1988 Diana Moses Botkin
 
Artist friend Diana Robinson nominated me for the 3-in-5 challenge to post three paintings for the next 5 days.

I've noticed several other artists doing this lately, and many of them are showing early work, especially for the first posts. I like that idea, so here are my first three, from when I was doing more paintings in pastel.

At the time, with little kids to care for, and unpredictable work hours, pastels allowed me to pick up where I'd previously left off in a painting and keep working, without concern for paint layers drying or not drying.

I had many irises in my garden and painted quite a few. Most of the documentation of my work from that era is in slide form but I do have a few digital images of work from that time.

Both "Communion" and "Storge" garnered show honors for me in the 1980s and "Storge" was purchased by show sponsor Bristol-Myers at the "Realism Today" exhibit in 1988. Reproductions of "Communion" can be ordered at my LifeImages Gallery.