Photo by Neil Micheal, Prosper
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I started out using oil pastels and with time was drawn to traditional pastels. I had been
painting for about five years when I first experimented with acrylics. I had a tendency to
get too literal and my body often felt tense and hyper-focused which left my paintings feeling
overworked and static. I love more impressionistic images. When I’m using the oil pastels I
often lose track of time and the process feels effortless. I’m still very conscious when I’m
working but I’m not fixated—and the end results are always more pleasing to me and the process
is more dynamic—which makes for a stronger end result. The other thing I experienced with
acrylics is that I never felt connected to the painting, probably because there was always a
knife or brush between me and the canvas. There is something almost sculptural about applying
and moving the oil pastels with my fingers.
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