2025
Dina Gardner has always been fascinated by how artists, whether they are painters, musicians, writers or anyone with artistic gifts, work through their creative process. She is fascinated that the process of 'creating' is different for every artist, regardless of their medium.
Her process for painting with pastels starts with music and her musical taste is wide and varied. Once the music is on in her studio, there is a lot of singing and dancing (neither done particularly well) that happens while she paints. She usually works from a photograph which she sketches on a sanded piece of pastel paper. She takes a lot of creative license, often adding or deleting objects in the photograph. Dina’s first layer, commonly referred to as the underpainting, is applied in dry pastel and then washed down with a paintbrush dipped in alcohol. Once this layer dries, she lays down layer upon layer of pastel, often letting the original underpainting peek through. Once in a while there are happy accidents. Sometimes there are tragic outcomes. But all the time she is grateful that she found this creative outlet at this stage of her life.
Dina’s paintings reflect objects she is drawn to: oceans and water, skies and clouds, trees, rock formations, marshes and meadows. When she paints from a photo reference or even when painting plein air, she is not painting what the subject looks like but rather what her response is to the subject.
Dina splits her time between Boston, MA, where she has lived for more than 40 years and her home in Manhattan Beach, CA, close to where she was raised. Both places provide her with inspiration and untold amounts of visual stimulation. Dina’s goal is to capture the beauty she observes around her and to express that beauty through her paintings.
Carte Blanche - Pastel Impressionist Wave Painting
By Dina Gardner
Located in Boston, MA
Carte Blanche 10.0 x 8.0 x 1.0, 1.0 lbs Pastel on archival paper Hand signed by artist Artist's Commentary: "I like to paint in series and I usually also take a break, both durin...
Pastel
Drama Queen - Impressionist Pastel Wave Painting
By Dina Gardner
Located in Boston, MA
Drama Queen 24.0 x 20.0 x 1.0, 4.0 lbs Framed pastel on archival paper Hand signed by artist Artist's Commentary: "I am constantly thinking of painting titles, both consciously a...
Pastel
Full Disclosure - Impressionist Pastel Wave Painting
By Dina Gardner
Located in Boston, MA
Full Disclosure 12.0 x 24.0 x 1.0, 4.0 lbs Framed pastel on archival paper Hand signed by artist Artist's Commentary: "I’ve painted this piece several times from the original pho...
Pastel
Windswept - Impressionist Wave Pastel Painting
By Dina Gardner
Located in Boston, MA
Windswept 10.0 x 8.0 x 1.0, 1.0 lbs Pastel on archival paper Hand signed by artist Artist's Commentary: “'Windswept' is the fourth painting in my wave series. I love finding the ...
Pastel
Belle of the Ball - Pastel Impressionist Wave Painting
By Dina Gardner
Located in Boston, MA
Belle of the Ball 24.0 x 6.0 x 2.0, 4.0 lbs Pastel on archival paper Hand signed by artist Artist's Commentary: "Waves have a rhythm to them and the longer you watch them the qui...
Pastel
Time Traveler - Impressionist Pastel Wave Painting
By Dina Gardner
Located in Boston, MA
Time Traveler 16.0 x 12.0 x 0.1, 1.0 lbs Pastel on archival paper Hand signed by artist Artist's Commentary: "Once in a blue moon, a painting just paints itself. That was the ca...
Pastel
"Ocean IV" (2022) Original Painting by Elena Degenhardt, Pastel Seascape
By Elena Degenhardt
Located in Denver, CO
Elena Degenhardt's "Ocean IV" is a poignant representation of the relentless and eternal spirit of the sea. Crafted in 2022, this exquisite original artwork measures 4 x 6 inches, rendered in soft pastel on paper, and comes elegantly framed in a custom 8 x 10-inch frame that complements the hues of the ocean's waters. Degenhardt's mastery in pastel techniques...
Paper, Pastel
"Ocean I" Original Painting by Elena Degenhardt, Pastel Seascape
By Elena Degenhardt
Located in Denver, CO
Elena Degenhardt's "Ocean I" is a poignant representation of the relentless and eternal spirit of the sea. Crafted in 2022, this exquisite original artwork measures 4 x 6 inches, rendered in soft pastel on paper, and comes elegantly framed in a custom 8 x 10-inch frame that complements the stormy hues of the ocean's waters. Degenhardt's mastery in pastel techniques...
Canvas, Oil
"Ocean III" (2022) Original Painting by Elena Degenhardt, Pastel Seascape
By Elena Degenhardt
Located in Denver, CO
Elena Degenhardt's "Ocean III" is a poignant representation of the relentless and eternal spirit of the sea. Crafted in 2022, this exquisite original artwork measures 4 x 6 inches, rendered in soft pastel on paper, and comes elegantly framed in a custom 8 x 10-inch frame that complements the hues of the ocean's waters. Degenhardt's mastery in pastel techniques...
Paper, Pastel
"Plein Air Wave Fragmentations VI" (2022) Original Painting by Elena Degenhardt
By Elena Degenhardt
Located in Denver, CO
Elena Degenhardt's "Plein Air Wave Fragmentations VI" is a poignant representation of the relentless and eternal spirit of the sea. Crafted in 2022, this exquisite original artwork measures 5 x 6.5 inches, rendered in soft pastel on paper, and comes elegantly framed in a custom 6.5 x 8-inch frame that complements the hues of the ocean's waters. Degenhardt's mastery in pastel techniques...
Paper, Pastel
"Cove" Oil Painting
By Leigh Ann Van Fossan
Located in Denver, CO
Leigh Ann Van Fossan's "Cove" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts bright teal colored cove where water meets the shore and the atmospheric pastel sky reflects in the b...
Oil, Canvas
"Waves Mountains High I" Original Painting by Elena Degenhardt, Pastel Seascape
By Elena Degenhardt
Located in Denver, CO
Elena Degenhardt's "Waves Mountain High I" is a poignant representation of the relentless and eternal spirit of the sea. Crafted in 2022, this exquisite original artwork measures 6 x 6 inches, rendered in soft pastel on paper, and comes elegantly framed in a custom 8 x 8-inch frame that complements the hues of the ocean's waters. Degenhardt's mastery in pastel techniques...
Paper, Pastel
