Irene Duma - Landscape Painter

fine artist and educator

Pastel painting

Let’s hippety hop on the path

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Soft pastel art of wooden path on hiking trail

One of the pleasures of hiking the East Coast Trail is that it’s well maintained. If you reach a boggy part, there will usually be a raised wooden path to cross on. Often it’s covered in chicken wire so that you won’t slip.

I never liked hiking in Ontario – hot, humid, too many bugs. I’d rather be in the water. But hiking in Newfoundland is another thing completely. Crazy views. Crazy good workout. And no bugs. Did you hear that? NO BUGS!!!

Painted for day 21 of the 30paintingsin30days art challenge from a photo I took in April. For this one I experimented with an underpainting made by using hard pastels, then dipping a paintbrush in rubbing alcohol and painting over the pastel to blend it. Then I used some high intensity pastel on top when it dried. Pretty fun stuff.

Let’s hippety hop on the path
soft pastel on watercolour paper and gesso
5×7

The view from my stoop

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It was a lazy Sunday, and though I had an early rise (for me) I was slow to get outside to paint. By 3 pm the sun was setting and my backyard was in the shade, so I moved to my front stoop where it was warm and bright. Actually, it was so bright that I couldn’t see my screen. So, I invented plein stoop painting, for us city folk. I grabbed mymy pastels and a little garden knee sponge to sit on (a dollar store find that actually works) and painted what I could see.

This was directly in front of me – the house across the street. It’s a very narrow street.

original pastel art, the house across the street

Meanwhile, right across the street
5×7
Pastel on sanded paper.

And this was when I turned a 1/6th (I didn’t want to stress myself out too much now) turn toward the harbour.

original pastel painting, downtown St. John's

A 1/6th turn of the head
5×7
Pastel on sanded paper.

Day 17, 30paintingsin30days challenge.

Those narrow streets in the battery

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Narrow-Streets-Battery-Newfoundland by Irene-Duma

Day 8 of the 30 in 30 painting challenge. I am painting, I am painting! It’s just the posting I am lagging behind on.

This is a 5x 7 gouache and pastel on watercolour paper. I made it by doing an underpainting in gouache. When it dried I painted it with fine pumice gel which gave it a sanded surface which helps the pastel stick to it. Then a final colouring with pastel.

The Battery used to be a small fishing village located at the mouth of the narrows opening into St. John’s harbour. Now it’s mainly residential homes with mighty fine views.

The house with the perfect view

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small pastel painting of house at Quidi Vidi

This is a small gouache and pastel painting of a house with my dream view. It’s at the little fishing village called Quidi Vidi just a 20 minute walk from downtown St. John’s. It’s pronounced kitty vitty, but I have heard many variations including kid-eye vid-eye from a gentleman who grew up in the area.

Yes, I know – how lucky am I that I can walk to 2 fishing villages from my home – Quidi Vidi and the Battery at the foot of Signal Hill.

The house with the perfect view.
5×7 gouache and pastel on watercolour paper.
2017

Evening stroll on Signal Hill

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Pastel painting of the Signal Hill hike Newfoundland

Being able to walk to Signal Hill and hike the trail that goes around it is one of my fave things about living in the east end of St. John’s. As summer comes to a close, the days get shorter so you may find yourself walking in evening light sooner than you expected. Which could be scary since not all of the path has stairs and handrails to hold on to.

This little pastel 5 x 7 was painted for day 5 of 30 paintings in 30 days.

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Canadian Landscape Painter + Teacher

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