Thanks...

I just wanted to post my gratitude for the many well wishes and thanks I've received for the book. 

It was a "labor of love", first from the standpoint of one who loves this vibrant and lively medium, and loves teaching others a few of the things I've learned about how to paint the landscape, but mostly out of love for Christ, who gave me a modicum of talent and provided me with the opportunities to explore and enjoy using pastels. It was His example that showed me so clearly that I wasn't to hold out, hold back or expect to gain income from the book, but that in giving it away I would gain more than I could ever expect otherwise. The truth of that is difficult to prove, but it's real nonetheless. Your thanks are truly appreciated.

Although due to family needs I have few chances to spend time in my pastel studio, I continue to teach classes once a week with a devoted group of students, and I pursue painting in gouache on my little dining room table. My mind roves over the landscape and technical areas I haven't yet explored in this book, and as a result I have several additional chapters brewing. I sincerely hope to write them and post them here as an appendix, of sorts.

If you have a question or idea you would like answered, or would like to propose an additional area of study in the landscape as its painted in pastels, I welcome your thoughts. Please understand that for the present I'm not in the process of writing, but as I teach and post on Today's Art Class blog, much of what I hope to write is beginning to coalesce.

And in the nearer future, I hope to begin offering online workshops in the landscape in pastel. Look for that to come to fruition in 2011 sometime. I'll post opportunities here as they arise, but if it's something you're interested in doing and you have a particular subject you'd like to explore (i.e. sunsets, reflections, snow, night, etc.) send an email to me at d.d.secor(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll add you to my mailing list.

If this is your first visit here, please page through the Table of Contents Links in the sidebar. If you're new to pastels, you might want to start at the beginning and explore the possibilities in order. Perhaps you're struggling with a particular subject and stumbled upon the information using an Internet search. Either way, I hope what you find here is of help and interest to you.  

Every student is a blessing to me. Teaching is a delight, and freely sharing even more so.
Deborah