Master Pastel Artist, L.A. Cline, http://www.lacfineart.com, has recently been honored with the People's Choice Award at the prestigious Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club 7th Annual Fine Art Show. In response to the overwhelming outpouring of appreciation for Cline's Sports and Entertainment Series, a few select pieces from the artist's own personal collection will now be made available to collectors.
Cline's popularity is the result of 30 years of passionate mastery of the pastel medium, coupled with the choice of fun and energetic subject matter in the Sports and Entertainment fine art series.
Even in the toughest of times, the artist went to great lengths to push the limits of what is possible to achieve with the sticks of concentrated pigment known as 'pastels'. As a single parent of a young son, Cline worked two jobs to support the family yet persevered with valiant dedication to creating Fine Art using the Pastel medium.
With shocking realism, Cline captures not only the physical likeness but the emotional nuances of the subject. When asked how the Sports and Entertainment series evolved, the artist had this to say:
"I started this series of Sports and Entertainment in the nineties (total of about 18 years ago), when it was very difficult for an Artist to be able to go to these events and capture these athletes in action. It was very hard to get passes to the events. At this time I was a single person with a son working two jobs, painting portraits and working in sales. The series of Sports and Entertainment was a way for me to show my work on Channel 10 TV, South Florida's Sun Life Stadium Events and the BB&T Hockey Stadium. These original pastel paintings were 'show' pieces for these events. Now, years later, I have the opportunity to share a few of the Originals with collectors. It is rare that I sell my Original paintings unless they are commissioned pieces. These pieces are the only one of its kind and cannot be duplicated."
Even though times were difficult financially, Cline stayed true to the vision of developing the Sports and Entertainment series. While this art was not directly commissioned prior to starting, as many of Cline's works are, this series was a gamble and labor of love which provided benefit to the artist.
Currently, Cline is working on the fourth piece in a series of Entertainment Pastel Paintings. The latest subgenre in this series pays homage to street performers, inspired by the artist's life growing up in New York City. The piece entitled, "Love to You" depicts a mime in the midst of performance. The first in this series "Lucky Leprechaun" was completed earlier this year. The artist wanted to convey the themes 'Luck' and 'Love' as well as wishes to loyal collectors. Both of these street performance pieces will be available in the same size as framed Giclee prints in the L.A.C Fine Art Store.
The artist is frequently asked how it is possible that such fine detail and mind-blowing realism are achieved using only pastels. Cline confides that the process is intense and exhausting, consisting of layer upon layer upon layer of color applied during all times of the day and night. In this way, the artist captures light and shadow with crisp realism. The skill and precision the artist works makes L.A. Cline the premiere pastel artist in America today, having had the honor to create portraits of sports stars, celebrities, CEO's of major corporations and even Federal and State supreme court justices.
Cline's precision and skillful fine detail is also evident in the Artist's Wildlife and Nature Paintings. Applauded for almost unbelievably life-like florals and endearing animal depictions, L.A. Cline shows no limit in the subject matter the artist deftly creates in the pastel masterpieces some available on-line in the L.A.C. Fine Art Store, http://www.lacfineart.com/fine-art-blog/fine-art-store
J. Rosel, Journalist
