“At Rest” by Janet Thatcher

I thought it was high time we have a guest artist show us what can be achieved with a little inspiration from Lesley. This beautiful tiger is by Janet Thatcher… and here is what she has to say.  –Marianne

“I have been a fan of Lesley’s since I first stumbled across her marvelous book. I can still remember how excited I was to find another artist who was as passionate about animals and loved painting them in as much detail. I visited that book store many times while saving carefully until I was able to purchase it, my first art book. Within a short amount of time I had found and bought some velour paper and dug out my pastels.

I am very grateful to Lesley for sharing her knowledge so openly and allowing even those of us that are far away to learn from her experience. Even when I had my first exhibit I made the framers read Lesley’s blog.

This painting, called “At Rest” is of one of the tigers that lives at a zoo a couple of hours drive from me. I spend a great deal of time there just soaking in the beautiful creatures and getting to know them. I even got married at the zoo!

Thank you Lesley”!

Several years ago a friend of mine showed me a book by an artist – unknown to me then – it was about pastels and animals. It was of course Lesley’s first book. I was absolutely fascinated by her work – the detail, the technique, the absolute sentiment of her paintings and – her story – all of it. Although I was already using pastels in landscapes – oils were my primary medium – but I decided to buy some velour paper and try it out. I have been lucky enough to have developed a constant group of clients who have commissioned my artwork and for myself – I have been able to paint and keep the memories alive and close to my heart of some of my dogs who shared life’s journey with me.

Over the years Lesley has been kind enough to council me on framing and shipping questions which were all absolutely contrary to my framer’s ways of doing things. But her way is the only way and it is successful.

I have attached 2 of my pastels – no way near the perfection of Lesley, but inspired and loved anyway. The first is of my vet’s beloved Fezzane. A rescue white Irish Setter – from a breeder – and Fezzane lived only a few years in her new life with him. During that time she accompanied him everywhere and her favorite trips were by small aircraft to a fishing camp way off in the wilderness. The painting was inspired from a photo taken when they were at that camp on a day so hot, with just a slight breeze and not a sound to be heard. I named the painting “The Sound of Silence” – since she was no longer with him but that the painting of her would remind him of that day and the sound of her silence would be forever in his heart. This pastel by the way, was done on Canson Mi Teintes – I had not yet introduced myself to the velour.

The second is of my beloved Zoom. He was one of a litter of my even more beloved Zazoo. Zazoo lived to 18 ½ years and her 2 puppies – Zoom and Zanadoo were the only family I had through some very hard times in my life. Zanadoo died at the age of 9 after a very short illness, but Zoom lived to 16 ½ – just one year after his mother. Zazoo was the matriarch – the know it all, do it all, and my heart of hearts. Zanadoo was the Playboy – the showman and the ruler of all that went on. Zoom was the quiet one in the shadows. Always there and ready to defend us – but in the back seat. I wanted to give him the “light” and recognition he deserved and so in my painting – the sun will always shine through on him as the last and well-remembered of the 3 Amigo family. The pastel is titled simply “Zoom – The Early Years” and is done on Hahenemuhle velour.

Thank you for taking time to read this.
Margaret Ann Adams
Ste. Agathe des Monts, Quebec, Canada