Anita captures her love of animals in pastels, and specialised in pet portrait commissions. I
Tell us a bit about yourself
I have been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. After trying several
different mediums, a friend of mine suggested I try soft pastels. Today soft pastels are my
preferred choice, because of their vibrant pigments and velvety texture. The versatility of pastels enables me to blend colours with ease, capturing the play of light and shadows. It is
a medium of freedom and exploration, where I can experiment with various techniques
and build layers of texture.
Who (or what) are your biggest influences?
Animals, especially pets. They have a profound impact on their people and I believe caring
for an animal is one of the most rewarding things anyone can do for their wellbeing. I love
capturing the unique characters and expressions of animals – especially dogs and cats, in
pastel, as well as illustrating the happy friendship between owners and their pets.
How has your career developed and evolved?
My art career didn’t really take off until I retired and was able to devote enough time to be creative. The most inspiring project I have worked on recently was a portrait of a stunningly handsome Hungarian Vizsla called Velvet Thunder.
What is the best piece of advice you've received?
Take your time, add layers thinly and slowly and do not saturate your pastel paper with
pastel, because if you do, there really is no going back and it’s hard, if not impossible to add fine detail once the paper is saturated.
How do you overcome creative blocks?
I walk away for a while, sometimes for days, even weeks if I need to and during that time I usually find new enthusiasm and inspiration by learning more techniques. And, once I have learned new things I tend to immediately want to put them into practice.
How do you stay motivated in your art practice?
Learning new things and discovering inspiring reference material keeps me motivated.
How do you balance your personal life and your art practice?
I have an extremely supportive husband which helps. But I also ensure that I don’t get too
obsessive and absorbed in my art practice.
Exhibition poster:
Connect with Anita:
Instagram: @ajpastelart
Facebook: Anita Jobling
Email: anitajpastelart@gmail.com
