Remember Narnia?

"Bowing Oak"
9 x 12 inch Chalk pastel on flat canvas
Click here to view large or purchase
There are many sights that inspire artists here in Fallbrook.  Live Oak Park is both a wonderful location for families and a great place to take in the play of light and shadow on the trees.

As a child, I remember enjoying the twists and turns of the park and the large, shady areas to run wild with other kids.  As an adult who likes to paint trees, I have a whole new appreciation for the park.  The tree in the painting above inspired me both from an artist's and a child's point of view.  It reminded me of the dryads in one of my favorite childhood book series, The Chronicles of Narnia.  Although I enjoy the Narnia movies, my memories of the books are much stronger, and one of the scenes I often think of when I see such lifelike trees is when Susan and Lucy happened upon the Dryads dancing in the moonlight.

"Bowing Oak" was created with my favorite technique for capturing strong lights and darks with pastels: wet chalk on flat canvas (to get the darks), with a top layer of dry chalk (to get the lights). 

If you're looking for inspiration for paintings, sometimes the most powerful subjects can be those that capture both your artist's eye and your childhood imagination.

"Trellis Blooms"
9 x 12 Chalk pastel on paper
Click here to view large or purchase
Looking for free summer art ideas?  Visit my latest lessons on Bright Hub:

Create a summer scene mixed media collage

Beginner plein air painting: using a viewfinder

Create a night sky fireworks pastel


See more of my artwork at http://www.nikihilsabeck.com/

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