Pastel Painting With Karen Miura

http://www.karenmiura.com/

Thursday, August 13, 2026.  We once again (third time) joined a class with Karen Miura to create pet pastel portraits.  Fun, local, with results you can take home with you of your pet.  Tonight we had a class of about 12 participants.  One cat and the rest dogs were represented.  The process begins with a color photo of the pet in a 5 x 7 format.  If you cannot obtain the photo the personnel at our meeting place, Museum of the Dog  https://museumofthedog.org/ will print it for you.  Karen supplies a sturdy paper with a piece of carbon paper on top, taped in place.  This paper sandwich is topped off with the photo of our pet.  Next a sharp pencil is used to outline all significant markings on the pet.  Karen helps all to ensure no significant feature is missed.  

Next the color photo and carbon paper are removed.  What we see is a representative of the pet from the carbon paper and our outlining.  Then the fun begins.  We learned when working with pastels you do the dark colors first.  Look at your photo and choose colors.  Karen supplies a wonderful array of colors.  She teaches the nuances of color as she advised each of us on our pet portrait.  If you want her help on a feature (for me it was eyes and nose) she cheerfully comes over and makes your portrait come alive.  Some photos I was able to capture:

 The weather has changed but still doing my "thing" out there with a variety of signs.  This one is to remind the public in the area that we are not forgetting about #TheEpsteinFiles no matter how many smokescreens are tossed in the air as a distraction.  Star stays warm inside of my down filled jacket.  The orange whistle is in case we see #ICE in the area.  Will not do anything more then blow the whistle and video any unusual actions nearby.  The Holiday Market at Union Square is open now.  Not a lot of foot traffic maybe due to it feeling 12 degrees F today.  The photos are from a few days ago when it was a warm 38F.

 Now that we are in NYC new challenges!  Better Half has taken up part time residence at the Chelsea Piers driving range.  Because we no longer have an auto the possibility of 18 holes is more remote.

I have joined a volunteer group, DOROT, that promotes inter-generational interaction through zoom.  Also  recently began staging a one woman "awareness" campaign.  Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri (weather permitting) I sit in a large square (Union Square Park) with a variety of posters I make at home.  Each American citizen has the right to (so far) free speech.  I am utilizing that right to hopefully raise the voting publics' awareness of the power we have as voters. (a few photos)

 A new location and new opportunities/adventures on the horizon.  We miss our home and the Hawaiian life but at some point have to admit we should no longer be behind the wheel.  It will be an adjustment but we will persevere!

 Relocation:  We have bid Aloha to our home in Hawaii permanently and now live in New York City.  No car, no car insurance, less headaches.  Busses, busses everywhere.  We are not subway riders.

 KAREN MIURA - www.KarenMiura.com

August 11, 2023, Museum of the Dog, NYC.  Karen teaches a pastel class for the public once a month.  We attended in September 2019 and had such a great time we took the class again on August 11.  The class had about 5 tables with 4 people at each table.  Everyone had a photo of a pet and if they had no pet Karen's pup, Lucy served as a model.  While we worked Lucy visited each table to say Hello throughout the two hour class.

Our photos were duplicated on a copy machine in B&W.  Once they were given to us and trimmed we turned the photocopy over and coated the back with black pastel chalk.  Next the photo was placed on a white sanded piece of card stock (supplied to us).  Then using a regular pencil we were to trace all important features of our pet onto the card stock.

A basic starting point was created from the tracing.  The color photo we brought gave us the details and colors to aim for - with Karen's tremendous help!

How to deal with a black cat?  Karen looked at the photo and pointed out the shades of blue and highlights that could be included.

The participants had various sets of skills they brought to the class.  But in the end all had a good time and an art piece they had created with Karen's patient assistance.  The results:

2022 Two Hips/Knees Replacement Update

 Great surgeons, good outcome, excellent physical therapists and determination.  Results in mobility as well as flexibility.  Patient is almost 80 years of age (cat is 11).

10 Days Post Hip Replacement

Physical therapist Bernie Soriano tests muscles that support the new hip. (published late - saw it was still in draft form so figured better late then never. Sorry! )

New Humane Society Lodgers

We have named them the Candy sisters.  They weight in at almost one pound each.  They were found somewhere alone and covered in fleas.  It is estimated it may take up to 6 weeks for them to top out at 2 pounds each.  We will see.  Tooo cute.

The three sisters at rest.

Licorice and her one calico toe.  Licorice is the adventurer with an independent spirit.

Gummy has been kissed by a calico angel between her ears.

Taffy and her one sided calico chin. Taffy is going to be that perfect in-your-lap cat.