5/2026 Adventure: I-5 ~ MY FAVORITE THING!
Spring is a joyful time of new growth and new beginnings. This month's challenge asks "What brings you joy?". Our artists celebrate a favorite connection with a painting.
ALEC HALL ~ Pablo, 8 x 8, Surface: UART 500 grit, Pastels: Rembrandt; Carb-Othello pastel pencils - "We got our first burro by adopting a wild-caught burro from the BLM. We enjoyed him so much that we later bought a mini burro to keep him company when my old horse passed away. These two burros were inseparable friends, and they soon became two of our favorite animals on our farm. This painting is of Pablo, the mini burro." - Hendersonville, NC
TERRILYNN DUBREUIL ~ Eliana, 18 x 12, Reverie soft pastel on UArt 400 buff - "When I saw the prompt 'my favorite thing', my mind immediately flew to my grandchildren. I have 2, a girl and a boy. This painting is of my granddaughter a few years back when she and I were inseparable (she lives in Maine and I in NC so we don't see each other as much now, of course). This is representative of those small adventures, those that really matter, that I go on with each of them. One doesn't notice at first, but if you look more closely, you'll see there are NO EYES painted in this. It's a trick of an artist to "suggest" what is there, and then allow the viewer to finish the painting, and thereby be involved. I'm presently on the road heading West. Just finished PACE26 and now heading to IAPS. Connections with our amazing worldwide pastel communities!" - Asheville, NC
MERYL MEYER ~ Napoleon Dessert, 8 x 11, soft pastels, grey Pastel Mat paper - "When I get a craving for cake it must be satisfied. This sweet, layered chocolate, cake with pastry cream, beckoned me and was delicious. It put a huge smile on my face and in my tummy. The sanded paper worked well for adding layers. I tried to get the feeling of the rich chocolate topping. The background was more of a challenge than the subject. I added some texture with shaved pastel powder for the tablecloth rolling it on the paper with a brayer. I used festive colors in the background because for me eating cake is a celebration. I let myself have fun with this." - Weaverville, NC
DEBORAH CHASE ~ Stoke’s Watering Can, 7.5 x 9.5 - "What brings a smile to my face is seeing little seedlings starting to sprout." - Rutherfordton, NC
EILEEN WILHEM ~ Wishes, 9 x 12, Uart 400 pastel board - "This is my grandniece who is so full of joy and laughter. She has Down Syndrome and I couldn't get her eyes quite right, which makes me sad since I hoped to give it to her." - Pinnacle, NC
JAN COBB ~ Too Pretty, 9 x 12 soft pastels "Fresh flowers bring me joy. Recently I was cutting flowers when I saw a beautiful flower that I had never seen before - I didn’t cut it. Just took a picture. Google quickly identified it - an Opium Poppy. How can something so beautiful be so ugly." - Black Mountain, NC
LINDA MEDDERS-JACKSON ~ Unfinished Work, Uart 800, Pastel pencils, nupastels and mixed brands soft pastel - "Getting a good start on this one but not good enough to make a deadline (incredibly slow painter)." - Cross, NC
ANDREA STUTESMAN ~ Pastels, 9 x 12, UArt with assorted soft pastels - "What I love is "Pastels". I love the feel of them and how vivid their color is! - Black Mountain, NC
CLAIRE BENTON ~ Favorites, 5 x 7, Kraft paper, pan pastels, pastel pencils and NuPastels - "Books, chocolate, sleeping, and pastels. Not always in that order ;)" - Riverview, FL
DIANE DE GRASSE ~ Can I Be Next?!, 12 x 16, hard and soft pastels on Uart 400 paper - "My Favorite Thing… for years, the Birdbath! From my first painting of one 20 years ago, an oil lovingly rendered, to this action-packed pastel illustrating what I can watch from my sofa today. Wordsworth wrote “My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky…” that’s how I feel when I see birds enjoying a lively bath. I chose black UART 400 paper with mostly hard pastels to establish a soft background, then used soft pastels for bright color and intensity. I imagined sprays of water to indicate action and laughed at the silliness. Thanks for this challenge, I loved it!" - Black Mountain, NC
PAT QUIGLEY ~ Mine Creek Woods, 6 x 8, soft pastels on gesssoed bristleboard - "Woods along small creeks are a favorite place for me and one that I return to throughout the year to see changes in color and mood. My other favorite thing is to do small studies like this which lets me to a fast interpretation without overthinking. Thanks for these challenges - always a pleasure to learn!" - Norristown, PA
KATHERINE HUTCHINSON ~ Hope, 7 x 9.5, sketch pad sheet using various pastels - "This was an interesting painting for me. I had done a practice of my youngest grandchild on a drawing pad with colored pencils while traveling a few months ago. I got it out thinking to begin again with pastels. Instead, after checking to see if the pad would accept any pastel, I decided to use the colored pencil beginning as an underpainting. It worked far better than I thought possible. It's great to learn a new thing completing a fun adventure. Thanks!" -Rutherfordton, NC
CAROL ROLLICK ~ 12 x 12 and 6 x 12 -"EXPERIMENTING!!!!! Is my favorite thing!!!! I have intentionally left the fabric from the waves sticking out of the edge of the photo to show that technique. This is painted on padded Mylar 9 and has a great deal of reflectivity shining through the pastel because of that. Were I to do this again, I would be more careful with the application of the Jesso on the Mylar and would use a fabric for the waves less patterned. I used pan pastels and an assortment of regular soft pastels. Please note certain brilliant colors from the Diane Townsend pastels do not photograph correctly for those using them and trying to photograph them to exhibit. I have no such intention. I just want to have fun!!" - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
KAREN KNAUB ~ Mountain Country, 16 x 12, many different hard and soft pastels - "I love the mountains of NC, especially taking a drive past farms and orchards, along the river. I always loved coming home and seeing this covered bridge before Chimney Rock. It screamed Mountain Country to me. Unfortunately this beautiful piece of our history did not survive Hurricane Helene. I still have lots to do to finish this." - Lake Lure, NC
LISA DAIGLE ~ Gibbet Hill in Springtime, 13 x 11, Canson Velvet Pistachio Green paper, mostly Earthberry Pastels other than underpainting - "Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, A cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things, This is the best season of your life." — 13th century Chinese Chan Master Wumen (tr. Stephen Mitchell) - Townsend, MA
MARGARET LYN-SOROKEN ~ Mutual Fav... Lap Cat, 12 x 9, pastels on brown paper - "Sketch on wrapping paper. I like the ground to experiment on." - Black Mountain, NC
WILL EVANS ~ Ever Changing Views, 12 x 12, Uart 400x Terry Ludwig - "When we moved from Charleston, we knew that a house or lot with a view was a requirement. The journey took a few years and many weekend trips to satisfy the search. The western view from the house changes hourly, daily, seasonally from thick fog to winters Rime ice, from brown to summer’s green, all the while celebrating the Blue Ridge Mountains setting. It is a “favorite thing”. - Fairview, NC
NANCY CLAUSEN ~ By the River, 11.5 x 15, Sennelier paper, Faber Castell hard pastels, great American and Terry Ludwig - "I have done this scene in a variety of ways. It's one of my favorites. We had a family outing there some years ago and this particular scene was a favorite. It's a camp ground on the French Broad River which I understand has been fixed up since the Hurricane." - Swannanoa, NC
JANE BEST ~ In the Hills, 9 x 12 - "Houses, barns, and farm scenes have always been my favorite things to draw and paint. I especially like exploring back roads and finding old and abandoned ones! Thanks for this adventure!" - Morganton, NC
PAT FENDA ~ Go Pink - "I used pastel card for the 1st time with lots of hard and a few soft pastels. I really enjoyed it and am happy with the results. Nothing makes me happier than a new bloom!! - Tampa, FL
MARY ANN GRIB ~ Breakers, 8.75 x 5.75, soft pastels on Uart 400 - "Many things give me joy but recently I've been occupied by the ocean with its mesmerizing ebb and flow. I have so many photos as reference that it makes sense to delve into this subject matter. I've painted this subject on and off but I think it deserves more of my attention. This is the first of many studies I plan on doing." - Gallatin, TN
