BABBLING “The capture of light in this piece is spectacular. The artist edited each element in the landscape to include only what was necessary to convey the reflected light on the rocks and water, and the lively movement of the stream. Clean, confident mark-making also nicely conveyed varying textures and contributed to a strong sense of energy throughout the painting.”~ Barbara Jaenicke, Juror of Selection, Pastel Society of New Hampshire, 15th Annual National Juried Exhibition “It’s Pastel”
SPRING FURY “This powerful pastel grabs you from across the room and pulls you in, demanding that you do more than just “look;” you are invited to viscerally experience all it offers as if you are right there at the falls. You can almost hear the roaring falls and feel the glowing sun. There is a clear focal point with an unfolding array of other worthy attractions to discover along the way. Allison has captured the vibrant movement and relentless energy of the cascading water but also creates a gentle harmony with the grounded strength of the sunlit rocks. Edges, light, color, temperature, and textures are masterfully crafted together to distill a complex scene into an evocative story. All the creative and skillful techniques combine seamlessly to make this a painting worth revisiting for years.”~ Tom Bailey, Pastel Society of NH, Members Show 2023
SACHUEST SURF “This artist has created a skillful, dramatic seascape. We can almost hear the roaring surf and smell the salt air as we are drawn to the active focal point of a sunlit wave crashing on solid rock.”~ Eileen Casey, Connecticut Pastel Society, 29th Annual National Exhibition “Renaissance in Pastel”
FUNNELED “This piece is a great example of warm/cool contrast and the drama of values. A really interesting composition where that strong triangle comes down to really point the viewer’s eye to the bottom right corner where there is an explosion of color as that wave crashes into the opening. I especially love that warm light on the inner side of the right rock, contrasted by the purplish blue on the upper part of the rock that is so clearly reflecting the color of the sky. I really loved the color use and composition here. Great work, Allison!”~ Tara Will, Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod, 26th Annual National Juried Exhibit “For Pastels Only”
PEONY SPIRAL “Here is another one for the light and the reflected light, shadows, and the transparency of the water and the vase. Did I mention the light? It is also very well-drawn, and the crop makes the shadow and the cloth part of the subject. Really leads the eye around, always back to that glorious full bloom.”~ Rita Kirkman, Great Lakes Pastel Society, National Online Exhibition
BLUE RIBBON BLOOMS “The sunlight captured on these blooms is brilliantly painted. Allison’s play of light and shadow on the petals gives the dahlias such presence you can feel the weight of their blooms. And the yellow against the turquoise sky is magical!”~ Laurinda O’Connor, Pastel Society of Maine, 22nd Annual Open Juried Exhibition “Pastels Only”
ROUNDING THE RIM “This painting achieves marvelous translucence in the water. It is astonishing how powdered pigment can convey such limpidness.”~ Katie Hanson, Central Mass Pastel Society, National Exhibition “Marks of Distinction 2022”
TIME TO GO “Great art makes us feel strongly. This painting aches with feelings of coming to the end of something. [I love] the way the stalks of these dying flowers rise into the picture plane framed by airy negative space. Krajcik has created a grand and powerful image. The warm golds and pale whites against rich blue gradations of sky keep the palette focused and the mood poignant. The wispy edges and textural elements are beautifully described to bring depth, intimacy, and interest to this grouping. A cluster of terrestrial shapes, like an endangered species, release their petals in a final voyage onward. What an accomplishment to imbue the work with such emotion.”~ Alain Picard, Pastel Society of New Hampshire, 14th Annual National Juried Exhibition “It’s Pastel”
GOLD RUSH “Color, energy, and movement! What a dynamic painting! Water is hard enough to depict, but to do it in a way that is unusual, both in composition and color, makes for a wild ride here between the rocks. Add in the bright sunlight and cool shadows created by lush, captivating marks and this becomes a unique and exciting painting of what might otherwise be considered traditional subject matter.”~ Lyn Asselta, PSNH 13th Annual National Exhibition, “It’s Pastel”
SILVER SPRAY AND BLUE STONE “…to be able to accomplish the feel of the different textures, surfaces, weights, and volumes, and then have the fluid movement here, of the water and the mark making as it splashes over it, is a wonderful combination of weight and fluidity that I found to be quite astonishing.”~ Laura Pollak, Pastel Society of Maine, “Pastels Only”
JACKSON FALLS “The water here has such great movement and motion! I love how the limited palette provides interest in the extreme values. The light of the splashing water against the shadow side of the rock face provides great contrast and only adds to the interest of the shifting shadows within the water. I like how the horizon line sits so high in the composition.”~ Tara Will, Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod, “For Pastels Only 2020”
ROADSIDE SUNSHINE “I was drawn to the composition and the continuity in this painting. The size and shape of the sunflowers dominating the foreground give way to much smaller sizes and shapes, which draw the eye back to a row of trees beyond the field. The violets and oranges of the light on the sunflowers in the foreground is echoed in the color of the clouds in the distance. I find this to be successful in composition and in discovering ways to lead the eye through the painting to the space between the trees in the distance, allowing the viewer to skip over those lovely flowers and off toward the edge of the field.”~ Lyn Asselta, Pastel Society of Maine, “Pastels Only”
SLICES “This essentially limited orange/blue palette of this enchanting woodland scene serves to unify the composition. The artist handled both areas in light, half-shadow, and full shadow with great competence. Less definition of detail in the background focuses the viewer on the main attraction of rock ledge where the artist also increases the light effect and saturated color of the leaves to create a focal point.”~ Robert Carsten, Central Mass Pastel Society, “Marks of Distinction 2020”