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Disappointment

 This week black armbands will mourn the loss our Men's National soccer team suffered at the hands...sorry, at the feet of The Netherlands team. It wasn't so much that they lost that I'm sad. They went down  2 - 0 in the first half. Then, at about the 74th minute, our guys scored. They had kept their opponents out of the net until a third goal was inserted late in the game. 

What is sad was the USA played well until it came time to score. In the four games they played in the World Cup, they scored only three goals. One in a tie with Wales. The second goal beat Iran. The third goal was in the defeat by The Netherlands. Despite this, we have a young emerging team. There are many positive things to take away from this effort. Their future looks promising.

On My Easel

I'm experimenting with using Pastels. If you're unfamiliar with the medium, imagine a chalk-like crayon in many colors. We use special paper that is available in many colors. The colors eliminate the need for a wash that creates the base of a painting. Some artists prefer painting from a totally black base. Others might use a deep cream, light green or even red.

I chose white and was inspired by a photograph taken by my friend Nicolas le Joie. It showed Anne Marie Opgenorth walking their dog in the famous driftless zone in southwestern Wisconsin.

Hazy Days 12 x 16 Pastel

Pastel #2
The inspiration here came from a beautiful photo, taken by Julia Taylor, of a working boat plying the relatively calm water of Lake Michigan

Working Boat
Pastel 12 x 16

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