Darlene Bock
NATIONALLY AWARD-WINNING PASTEL ARTIST
Darlene Bock has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has earned Signature Status with the esteemed Pastel Society of America and the Chicago Pastel Painters. Over the last 15+ years Darlene’s award-winning artwork has been juried into multiple national and international fine art competitions. She also shows her work in solo and group exhibitions in galleries throughout the Midwest.
“The moment I tried pastel it was love at first touch. My passion for drawing now had an expression in color. When painting, I expand on what I see, keeping my strokes visible, allowing the viewer to “see my hand” and better experience my process as well as the interaction of color. The various papers I use have a rough texture to hold the pure pastel pigment and they can also be sanded. This surface allows me to layer colors that stay where I put them, without disturbing those underneath.”
Darlene has worked as an illustrator and has been creating portraits in pastel and pencil for over 25 years with many repeat clients. “I am inspired by many subjects, but the ones that fascinate and excite me the most are people - especially those caught in the midst of life, unaware of being observed.” Darlene also paints still life scenes and landscapes.
Darlene maintains a strong passion for her work and gains constant inspiration from her wide array of clientele. “For me, there is a joy in transforming the commonplace into something unexpected. It is a feeling I hope to share.”
All of the art in Darlene’s Blue Moon Collection is available for purchase.
Send inquiries to kendra@thebluemoongallery.com or text 224-388-7948
FRAMED Original Pastel Paintings by Darlene Bock
classic high quality presentation
award-winning compositions
exemplary drawing skills & outstanding pastel technique
South Side Ladies Lunch 18 x 14 Pastel $625
Ken 18x14 Pastel $575
Michigan Dunes 12x18 Pastel $550
Meadow Gold 12x9 Pastel $325
Pluck For Me An Ivy 9x12 Pastel $325
Sifters 18x24 Pastel $695
Stovetop Still Life 13x12 Pastel $395.
Path To The Oak 16x12 Pastel $425.
Violet Evening 12x9 Pastel $350
Backlit 20x16 Pastel $595
Tell Me More 12x18 Pastel $525.
Tea & Tomatoes 12x16 Pastel $395
Still Life wth a Teal Vase 23 x 19 Pastel (3" wide gold frame) $625
Into The Woods 16x12 Pastel $425
Texting & Tattoos 18x24 Pastel $695
Cahlia 18x12 Pastel $395
Springtime Still Life 16x12 Pastel $395
Day is Done 12x16 Pastel $495
Contemplation 8x10 Pastel $295
Darlene Bock
Darlene Bock
Pastel Life Figures by Darlene Bock
Available for Purchase | Originals Unframed | $175 each
Figure 1 -- 22 x 17
Figure 2: 21 x 15 (26 x 20 with Light Blue Mat) Unframed
Figure 3 -- 24 x 19
Figure 4: 16 x 12 $100
Figure 5: 19.5 x 13.5
Figure 6: 21 x 15 (with mat 25 x 19)
Figure 7 -- 24 x 18
Figure 8 -- 24 x 18
Figure 9 -- 22 x 16
Figure 10: 24 x 18
Framing
All of the framing on Darlene’s paintings is done with archival materials.
The works are typically presented in classic dark wood or antique gold frames with a wider moulding to create an elegant and sophisticated museum-quality look.
Spacers keep the glass from touching the surface of the art.
The glass currently being used contains U.V. protection and has anti-reflective properties for easier viewing.
What is Pastel?
Pastel does not refer to all “pale” colors as the word is commonly used in cosmetic & fashion terminology. Pastel is pure powdered pigment -- the same that is used in the making of ALL fine art paint. These brilliant colors are ground into a paste with a small amount of gum binder and then rolled into sticks.
Pastel should not be confused with chalk. Chalk is limestone impregnated with dye.
Pastel has no liquid binder that may cause other media to darken, fade, crack or blister with time. Paintings done in pastel in the 16th century exist today as fresh as the day they were painted. No restoration needed - ever!
Pastel can be used as a drawing medium or a painting medium. An artwork is created by stroking the sticks across an abrasive surface, embedding the color in the "tooth" of the sanded paper, board, or canvas. Pastel can be blended or used with visible strokes. If the ground is completely covered, that work is considered a pastel painting.
Famous artists who have used pastel as finished work rather than as a preliminary sketch include: Rosalba Carriera, Edouard Manet, Auguste Renoir, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, James Whistler, and William Merritt Chase.
Recent Awards & Affiliations
Recent Awards
Pastel Society of America's 51st Annual Enduring Brilliance Exhibition 2023, New York City (1,463 submissions, 174 selected)
Richeson 75 International Competition 2023 (Still Life & Floral) — Meritorious Recognition for "Beverage & Botticelli" (Sold)
Richeson 75 International Competition 2023 (Figure & Portrait) — Meritorious Recognition for "Gramma On Her Porch"
Starline Gallery, Harvard IL 2023 — Best of Show for "Beachcombers"
Chicago Pastel Painters 2015 Fifth Biennial National Juried Exhibition — Artful Framers Award
Additional Meritorious Awards— Richeson 75 International Competitions — 2014, 2016, 2020
Affiliations
Chicago Pastel Painters — Signature Status
Pastel Society of America — Signature Status
International Association of Pastel Societies
