Jenny Willigrod

About

My artwork has been labeled “Southwest Whimsical” as I love bright, bold colors and my subjects are images from scenes of the Southwest and Mexico.   In this area of the world, the land can be harsh and the desert can be a muted pallet of browns and grays.  It never fails that amidst all of the dullness, a bright spot of color exists.  I am inspired by these burst of colors in our landscapes such as in the brilliance of a bright pink cactus blossom or a shimmering adobe wall under the desert sky. 

All of my pieces are created with chalk pastels on black paper. Pastels are a great medium for my work for they allow me to achieve the bright and bold colors I desire.  Pastels are created with a simple combination of pigment and binder, so their colors remain brilliant and can last long after oil paintings begin to crack and fade.

 All pastels need to be framed and kept under a glass as they will smear.  I do use a fixative on my pieces, but just very lightly as the fixative can dull the pigment. You probably don’t want to stick your artwork in a place with a lot of moisture or hang it in direct sunlight. But these are common preventative measures you would take with most of your art anyway.

It is best to lay the pastel flat when you transport as the chalk can flake.  It’s the nature of the medium.