Pastels Statement

Capturing nature in pastels motivates me to move toward the unusual, the perspective of  nature I did not notice before, and the feeling of exhilaration that it brings. I love the precision  that my science background gave me, and yet the creative spirit requires release and flexibility.  To paint nature requires distinct focus on light, shadow, and color. I must see not only contour,  but also the space around and behind my subject, and I must see color in ways that create  harmony, emphasis, connection, and composition, without necessarily judging accuracy or  realism. For me, the experience of painting nature with soft pastels is both meditative and  challenging. 

Sandra Lema-Stern