パステル画で有名なのはDe.gas(ドガ,仏)で,様々な姿態のバレーダンサーを描いた絵が知られており，彼はパステル画の名を広めた貢献者と言える。今まではパステルは油彩画の前の試し描き,子供の物,長持ちしない,パステル画は売れなと
言われて来たが,現在のパステル画は,油絵と見紛う程の秀作が沢山ある。題材も,人物,静物,風景 動物,具象,抽象,と多くのジャンルを持つ。
絵画のMedium(媒体)-(油絵具,アクリル,オイルパステル,水彩絵具)の中では最も安定した素材と言われる。それはチョークの様なパステル(ソフトパステル)を作るのに,主原料は,色素(ピグメント)であり,それを形作るのに,極力溶剤の様な添加物(化学物質)を使う事を嫌う為,時間の経過による色調の変化,退色が極めて少なく最も安定したMedium と言われる所以である。
パステルは各色をミツクスして他の色を作り出すのが難しく,その為多くの微妙に違った色調のパステルを持つのが秘訣である。 以前も今も ストローク(線)を残すのが,パステル画と言われるが,私は必ずしもそうは思わない。 自由な作風があって当たり前である。
パステル画用の紙(時にはサンドペーパーも良く使われる)や,画板は全てTeeth と呼ばれる目を持つており,その間にパステルを食い込ませて絵を描くのである。
仕上がった絵は,時にはコンスタントに埃の様な色素が落ちてくる事があるが(額縁屋さん泣かせである),スプレー等の安定剤は私は使わない。 色調を暗くしてしまい，所謂，パステルカラーを保つことが,出来ないからてある。
歳を取って我慢が足りなくなったせいか,油彩画の乾くのを待つ事が苦手になって来た。早めに仕上げるにはパステル画が一番と思っている。しかし油彩画の重み,深みも捨て難い物があるのは勿論である。パステル画も遅々として進まぬ事もあるし,油彩画のForgiveness は水彩画と違って私にとってはやり直しをさせてくれる一番の恩恵だと思っている。
昔小学校の図画の時間に使われていたのはオイルパステル(クレパスと言われていた)で,色素に動物脂等を練りこんだ物で，油絵具の様に，色をミツクスして他の色を作り出す事ができ，又溶剤を加えのばす事ができる。
子供の頃は，他の級友の様に何色もあるクレパスが欲しかったが，父親が最小のバラエテイ(せいぜい6-10色程)のクレパスを私に与えて，色はミックスして作り出すものだと言われて，うらめしく思ったものである。
私はソフトパステルは約750色，ハードパステルを加えると960色位持つており，4-5種類
違った会社の製品の色も微妙に違っていて，かえって色の選択に困る事がある。 今でも全く使っていないパステルがある事も事実てある。
色鉛筆やいくつかのハードパステルを使って絵を描き始める事をお薦めします。自分の名前を書ける人は，誰でも絵を描く事ができると私は信じています。
宇佐美朝子ギレスピー (昭和37年卒) 4/10/2014
Group Tours Japan
October 2013
“The ancients would have said that big catfish beneath the world had stirred,” said Tomoko Gillespie describing a mild earthquake she experienced at the end of her eight-day fall adventure in Japan with husband Cameron Gillespie.
During their brief journey abroad in October, the couple experienced a brief tsunami, caused by an earthquake, two typhoons and geothermal activity.
One of the last days of their trip, they attempted to observe the famous “Tuna Fish Auction” at a fish market, but it was closed due to the two approaching typhoons which Gillespie described as “another perfect storm.”
It led the couple to enjoy the surrounding open market shops that mainly sell dried fish products, “Not today’s catch!”
Despite the extreme weather, the pair ventured out to various places throughout Japan as they once again immersed themselves in Japanese culture.
“We realized the imminence and wonder of our ancient world,” said Gillespie. “What a wonderful life we live in and how wonderful is Japan!”
The South Boston residents’ trip began when their group landed at Narita Airport out of Tokyo, Japan. From there they took a limousine tour of the “sprawling yet small and numerous families’ rice, cabbage and white radish farms” surrounding metropolitan Tokyo before arriving at their downtown hotel.
They arrived at a “mountainside range of man-made skyscrapers, rivaling the distant view of Mount Fuji and the sommas of it, contrasting the new and manmade with the ancient and magnificent creation of God and nature” where they were welcomed with what the Gillespies described as a “comforting” meal.
During their stay, they ventured to many places throughout Japan using the high-speed Japanese train called the “bullet train.”
The train took them to the Hot Spring Resort near Mount Fuji volcano, where they rode a tall sailing ship on Lake Ashi, a volcanic caldera lake. They then took a cable car to observe the volcanic activities.
“Steam and yellow sulfur plumes rose up from scalded black volcanic rock, cooked free of vegetation,” said Gillespie. “Mt. Fuji seemed to watch us, peering majestically above and only partly blanketed at its base by a layer of cool fresh ocean rain clouds blowing in from the Pacific Ocean from the east.”
On the third day, the group took another ride on the train to Kyoto, an ancient former Capitol of Japan, where they changed into Japanese Kimonos to stroll in the “Gion” area known in earlier times as the “Geisha” town.
Gillespie described Kyoto as a quiet city with a number of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.
“Geisha is a term for a lady who plays music, sings and dances expertly in Japanese traditional style,” said Gillespie. “Geisha will be called to a restaurant to entertain and translate for their customers.”
They also visited one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nara where they saw a “gigantic, bronze” Buddha within a “huge” house, which they said is the largest, oldest, wooden structure in the world.
“Even the current one is two-thirds the size of the original one,” said Gillespie.
In Nagoya, they toured the Toyota Auto factory in TOYODA city, which was founded by Sakichi Toyoda.
The work in the factory, which they saw to be guided by computer, was described as “impressive, and made great sense.”
This experience reminded Gillespie of a trip she made 46 years ago to the Ford factory in Deerbourne Michigan.
“What amazed me at Toyota is that they make five different sizes, models and color cars on one assembly line. Of course, it’s an application of computer technology,” said Gillespie.
After spending time at the factory, they went back to Tokyo to stay in the Ginza district, “the most sophisticated entertainment and shopping area in Tokyo.”
Gillespie said the district had hundreds of restaurants, designer boutiques, theatres, department stores and hotels.
Tokyo also lends itself for “fun” sightseeing as they experienced “bird’s eye observations” from the Tokyo Tower, before having a traditional tea ceremony in a “beautiful Japanese garden.”
The Sumida River cruise they went on through central Tokyo offered a view of the downtown Asakusa Temple and souvenir shopping arcades.
They also were able to buy tickets to see the “Kabuki” drama at the “Kabuki Theatre” which Gillespie said could be described as Japanese opera.
Wearing “English earphone translation devices they were able to understand the story and watch the “gorgeous costumes and acts easily.”
Following the “Kabuki” drama, the two enjoyed hotel amenities at their five-star hotel before going to their farewell dinner at a Japanese restaurant, which Gillipsie said was “wonderful.”
Their last morning was spent enjoying an excursion of the hotel garden, a 16-acre Japanese garden with many historic art objects in central Tokyo.
“Everybody drew an “Omikuji,” a fortune telling paper available at the shrine. Fortunately, every one of us had a good fortune,” concluded Gillespie.
from yourgv.com
