Pastel Paintings By Richard McKinley

Today I want to introduce to you, friends, an American artist who paints with pastels.  His name is Richard McKinley.

McKinley, now a renowned pastel artist, was born and raised in a small forest town in Oregon, USA. A fairly remote area with picturesque landscapes and in the immediate vicinity of Crater Lake National Park - a paradise for artists.

Pastel is a drawing or painting done with a soft, chalk-like pastel "stick" composed of powdered pigments. In appearance, the pastel stick essentially looks like a piece of chalk, although it is actually somewhat softer and smoother.

However, the charm of the landscape drew him outwards - and it was here that McKinley developed his own kind of artistry, capturing the fleeting beauty of nature, especially the fleeting qualities of light, water and sky.

In the open air, the artist often returns to the same place over and over again to put up his easel and paint the surroundings. "It's different. And the result is always different. My goal is to capture the spontaneous dance of light on the palette of nature,” says McKinley.

He became a teacher as well as a highly respected pastel artist known for his landscapes, created with an appreciation for the ever-changing, intricate tones of nature.

I first got acquainted with McKinley's work recently and I liked his paintings especially the way he paints water, reflection. His works subtly convey the beauty of nature. Which picture did you like? 

 

Perhaps you're interested in pastel painting by Richard Savoie.