"twilight"

"twilight" 11" high x 22" wide

Assorted pastel on Uart 320

I have about a 45 minute to an hour drive home from from day job. I travel in a north westerly direction and during this time of the year , I am able to get a good view of the sunset. This really helps to make my drive home a little more bearable. I always have my Iphone ready to snap a quick photo as I drive along. I use these photos as a reference for my paintings. 

These are the photos I used as a reference for "twilight"

I am still working off those left over scraps of Uart 320. I love exploring the underpainting for my vision of the painting.

some progress photos

I have not used my Nupastel sticks for awhile. They are a hard pastel and great for sketching and blending The blue violet seemed the perfect color for the underpainting using these reference photos. I brushed the pastel in with some alcohol. When that was dry , I added some pumice gel with a bristle brush to areas of the painting where I wanted more texture. When the pumice gel was dry I started laying in the dark colors of the landscape and the some of the lighter colors of the sky. These paintings are a lot of fun to do, no pressure to make a perfect painting, but I love exploring the possibilities of the underpainting. Then I usually spend a few hours finishing up the painting. Most times I let it sit on the easel for a day or so, so that  I can come back , have a look and and then put in the final marks.  These ideas sometimes end up as ideas for larger paintings.  I'm trying to push myself to work on larger scale paintings. 

Hope you enjoy, and please,  comments are always welcome!

#fortheartistinme

#creatingconnection

 

a winter's day

"a winter's day" 16" high x 22"wide pastel on Uart 320

The weather is chilly. I have some time in my studio today , so I thought I would paint something to reflect  the feeling of the day and season. I love playing with the underpainting and texture of the pastel paper. I chose a Uart 320 grit sanded paper, my favorite paper to use. These winter days can be gray, so I started with staining the paper with Payne's Gray oil paint and turbenoid and brushing it in with a large bristol brush. I love to add more texture with pumice gel, so I brushed in some areas where I wanted the paper to be more rough. 

Here are some images of the process I use. First I stained the paper with oil paint/turbenoid and after that dried, I added the pumice gel to areas on the paper where I wanted more texture . I also put in my horizon line. I don't like to divide my landscapes in half and usually the area I want to focus on will be larger. I started with putting in the tree line , since they were the darkest. From there I went to the sky and work my way to the bottom of the painting, taping off the pastel dust as I go. I like a lot of texture and layers of pastel, so I will use a light spray of fixative to help build the layers.

 

I work from my own reference photos. It's important that I remember the feeling I had when I took the photo. 

Sometimes I use a sketch  or in this case I did a small 4" high x 7" wide study. Occasionally I will just just jump into painting, but I think it's valuable time, making plans for a larger painting.  I have  been concentrating on doing larger paintings, but I do love doing these little studies. 

I do hope you enjoy this winter day painting. As always , I welcome your comments. Please be sure to check out my website BMH fine art.

#thankfulgratefulblessed

#creatingconnection

 

Exploring my imagination

“into the light” 12” x18 pastel on Uart 320

I feel very fortunate to live with in a few miles of a lake with walking trails. Going there allows me to get away from all the current happenings and catch my breath. I was drawn down a path off the the walking trail where the light was coming behind the trees and illuminating the ground and leaves on the trees. We are in the month of October and typically would be seeing the autumn colors - but everything is still very green.

 A few photos walking off the trail.

I could only imagine what this scene would look like with the autumn colors....

Autumn is my favorite season - the angle of the sun , the crisp air, the changing of colors and the anticipation of the restful winter months. So I decided to use my photo references and paint what I thought it would look like in the height of autumn color - thinking about the color in the light and in’s the shadows. Just exploring the possibilities. 

I started with toning the Uart 320  sanded paper with ArtGraf and brushing it in with alcohol. Next I layer in all the trees in a  dark purple black pastel . From there I just played with the color - brighter colors in the light and muted colors in the shadows. 

I very excited to say that I have SOLD the painting !  I will be running prints, so please be sure to check out my website BMH fine art. 

As always , comments are welcome. 

#thankfulgratefulblessed

creating connection

 

A purpose for my art

 video

 2020 - a year full of unexpected happenings.

I never anticipated what this year would bring for me.

If you have been following along with me and reading my blog, or for those who know me -

you are aware that I have been making some life changes.

I would not consider myself a writer and I have always struggled with the words to describe

my feelings and thoughts - even to title my paintings. 

I realize now why I am a painter. 

I believe it is God's gift to me. 

Through my paintings, I want to create a connection, to share what I see and feel 

and hopefully to bring you feelings of joy.

Just prior to the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, I had just completed a 6 month program to help me find

 a purpose for my life. 

I hope you will watch the video link to hear my words.

#creatingconnection

#thankfulgratefulblessed

BMH fine art

BMH fine art website is released!

I have finally finished my website and putting it out there. Bonnie Morgan Hyde fine art

It has been a work in progress over the last year with the encouragement and help from some important people in my life. Honestly, it might not have happened without them and I am deeply thankful.

With that said, my website is a selection of my artwork through the last 15 years. It is mostly my pastels, including original work and giclee prints. I have included some giclees of earlier work that I did in watercolor.

If you have been  following me on FB, Instagram or reading my blog - you know that I consider this work to be “ pieces of me”. It has been difficult for me to separate myself from them and offer them for sale.

I will just say this - with the growth of my Christian faith over the last several years, I found that I might be able to use my artwork to create a connection. A connection with people through my art and also to connect people to God through my art. Some of my more recent paintings include Scripture. All of my work is inspired by God’s creations that I see and connect with. I am thankful for the gift of painting that He has given me.

I recommend that you view the website on a laptop or desktop computer for better viewing, but it is also mobile phone ready. 

I hope my artwork brings you JOY. 

please feel free to reach out to me with your comments

#thankfulgratefulblessed

“creating connection”

Something to be said about commission paintings

20”x16”pastel on Uart 320 toned with Payne’s gray oil stain

Inspiration for me, has always come from the connection to what I SEE, what I FEEL and my grateful feelings for this gift of painting that God has given me. My paintings are all very personal to me - little pieces of me.

When painting a commission, the image that is handed to me to paint is not my connection. I know I have the skills to paint the image - but my goal is for the painting to show an emotional connection. 

“Seasons of life” 18”x12” pastel on toned Uart 320 

24”x18” pastel on Uart 320 toned with alizarin crimson oil stain

These recent commissions have been requested by family or personal friends. Maybe that was the emotional connection I felt - wanting them to enjoy the painting I give them because that image was meaningful in some way to them. 

I guess it is all about “creating connection” and that may be what God has put me on earth to do.

Seasons...

“seasons of life” 12”x18” pastel on Uart320

I sat up late last night writing down my thoughts for this blog post. I recently moved. Trying to get settled into my new home and working full time has not given me much time to set up my new studio space and painting. But once I laid out my pastels on the table , I knew it was time to focus on my painting. It had been 3 months since I had picked up a pastel stick.

Some of my pastels 

BOOM - along comes COVID-19 everything changes, I am laid off temporarily from my job. The world is in pandemic, the news, the sickness and loss of loved ones, people and businesses failing financially - FEAR. I  feel myself pivoting into a new season. As my pastor, Jody Ray, says in his book, Pivot, “ Pivot moments occur when you recognize there is more to a situation than what you can see. They happen when you believe you have a future, despite what your present reality might be...they happen when you don’t allow your fears to paralyze you and you don’t let worries weigh you down”. I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. As a Christian - I let go of my fears and trust in God. He has prepared a journey for me, a change in my season.

My sister has been living in Newburyport MA on Plum Island. She recently shared some photos with me. I don’t use other people’s photos for my work unless they are commissioned. But these photos called out to me! The path -the journey. The change of season from winter to spring - new life. The sky - for the artist in me. I have been to Plum Island, painted there, the connection was strong. I needed to paint !

Here are some progress photos of the painting. After not painting for several months, I felt rusty. I took my time feeling my way with my pastels and the texture of the paper. I added some pumice gel to areas where I wanted more texture and toned areas with pastel and alcohol wash for the underpainting. I love the rough surface which creates more depth . I wanted this painting to be more thoughtful, moody. Eventually it came together. Appropriately I titled it “seasons of life”. I hope you connect with my painting. I pray that you come through this pandemic into a new season of hope - more thoughtful and fearless. 

As always , your comments are welcome. 

Creating connection.