‘Atlantic Moon Shell’ 1982 carbon dust on prepared clay board 12” x 12”

De Soleil Fine Art Studio

1970’s Frederick, Maryland

*Early Influences*

1983 Frederick, Maryland

198o’s Washington, D.C.

Hand-inked maps: Handbook of AmericanIndians, Arctic Volume, published bySmithsonian Museum of Natural History

1980’s Baltimore, Maryland

Cylburn Nature Center & Bird Museum

1980’s Baltimore, Maryland

Oregon Ridge Nature Center

1980’s Baltimore, Maryland

1990’s Maine

1990’s Maine

Papier mache

2000’s New York, NY

New York Studio School,

Greenwich Village Metropolitan Opera NYC Professional Organizer

2000’s , New York, NY

2000’s The Catskills, NY

The Catskills, NYwatercolors

The Catskills, NY

ceramics

The Catskills, NYdrawings

MERRILEE: My Muse

A Nest of Her Own

Mutable Stones Series2008-2009

Margarete de Soleil, Oak Street Studio, Missoula, MT 2008

de Soleil Studioworks of art on paper

Oak Street Studio ‘Works in Progress’ Wall Missoula, MT

‘Mutable Stones I’ 2008 pencil, ink, and chalk pastel on Arches paper 12” x 12”

‘Mutable Stones I’ detail

‘Mutable Stones II’ 2008 pencil, ink, and chalk pastel on Arches paper 22” x 22”

‘Mutable Stones II’ detail

‘Mutable Stones V’ 2008 pencil, ink, and chalk pastel on Arches paper 22” x 30”

‘Mutable Stones VI’ 2008 pencil, ink, and pastel on Arches paper 22” x 22”

Arrangement of stones: 1-2 days, Observation of forms: a lifetime

Compositional sketchbook drawings, the arrangement of the page

Initial pencil contour drawing, 2-3 days

A very soft chalk pastel to begin work on negative or background space.

Initial layer of color to individual stones, noting warm and cool colors, interpreting individuality of stones. Attentions to directionality of details.

Working with the core and reflected shadows on the stones themselves and the shadows the stones cast on each other.

Contour and stipple drawing with archival ink pens, establishing the composition and depths of the “dark darks”. Defining the designs on certain stones.

The shapes of the stones and changes to any directionality of lines on the stones are considered. Building up of layers of shading, stipples, and texture.

More building up of layers of shading, stipples, and texture, in some areas, 50 layers.Add color and focus to curves and shapes in the plate.

Defining shadows and finalizing areas of more focus or less focus, textures and marks.

Voila’! Each piece upon completion has many layers of pastel and ink, stipple and chalk scribbles. The focus is important, which leads the viewer’s eye on a journey.

‘Mutable Stones VII’ 2008 pencil, ink, and chalk pastel on Arches paper 22” x 30”

‘Mutable Stones VIII’ 2009 pencil, ink and chalk pastel on Arches paper 22” x 22”

‘Mutable Stones IX’ 2009 pencil, ink and chalk pastel on Arches paper 22” x 22”

‘Mutable Stones X’ 2009 pencil, ink and chalk pastel on Arches paper 22” x 22”

Detail view ‘Mutable Stones X’

Interlude Series with Slipper Shells

‘Mutable Stones with Shells II’ 2009 pencil, ink and chalk pastel on Arches paper 22” x 22”

‘Mutable Stones with Shells III’ 2009 pencil, ink and chalk pastel on Arches paper 22” x 22”

‘Mutable Stones XI’ 2009 pencil, ink and chalk pastel on Arches paper 22” x 22”

‘Tic-Tak-Toe’ 2009 pencil, ink, and chalk pastel on Arches paper 22” x 22”

‘Grid Variation I’ 2009 pencil, ink and pastel on Ingres paper 18” x 20”

‘Then and Now’ 2009 pencil, ink, and chalk pastel on Arches paper 12” x 12”

detail view “Then & Now”

‘Layered Stones’ 2009 inks, charcoal, found-object printed Ingres paper, cigar box 8” x 9 ½ “ x 1”

INSPIRATION

cezannefound objects rembrandt

giacometti

kahlo kollwitz

matisse