Artist Information

Name: Grant Dolge

Medium: Water Color & Soft Pastels

Since earning my BFA from Rochester Institute of Technology over thirty years ago, I have been making my living solely from the sale of my paintings. I have worked in oil, egg tempera, and watercolor, but my most recent passion has been soft pastel, a medium that provides immediate color results. I studied color theory with Fritz Trautman of the University of Rochester after I graduated from college, and it is his color theory of arranging a palette based on color wavelengths that has influenced my painting the most.

The most dramatic example of color wavelengths is late in the day as light pierces the atmosphere; the reds and oranges glow with intensity and the long shadows are filled with purples and blues. I enjoy exploring this play of light and shadow by simplifying interpretations of landscapes I’ve seen in my travels in Italy, England, and France, as well as the landscapes around my home in central New York.

Each pastel is an original artwork created by me in my studio. I work on strongly colored paper made in France and Italy specifically for pastels. The paper is dry-mounted onto acid-free foam core using archival adhesives. I use several different brands of pastel, some of them hand made.

Fixative is applied after the majority of the painting is complete. More layers of color are added, more fixative is applied, and a finally vacuuming is done to remove as much loose dust as possible. The paintings are framed with acid-free, archival materials. A spacer is used between the mat and the painting.