Dorothy Dooley Prescott Artist Fine Art Pastels

If you had asked Dorothy when she was a young girl, what she wanted to be when she grew up, her answer would have been, "An Artist" (--or "An Attorney"--because she heard they made a lot of money!)  As a child growing up in the Pacific Northwest, she was always drawing and painting on anything she could get her hands on, including her dad's seminary papers, her headboard, the driveway... It turned out that she grew up to be a 7th grade Language Arts teacher, and a mother; both careers she loved.  But she still yearned to paint, to represent the beauty around her with her own voice and vision.  Upon retirement, she moved to Prescott, Arizona, after three years as a nomad traveling the world and U.S. The 3rd bedroom was officially designated "The Studio",  and the painting journey began.  After working in watercolor, she tried pastels and immediately fell in love with the medium.  Using the unique landscapes and wildlife of Prescott for inspiration, she has been developing her craft and defining her vision.

Arizona and Prescott in particular, abound in beauty and variety. At nearly every turn, I encounter a unique scene that captures and compels me to give it expression. When I am immersed in creating a painting, I feel alive with anticipation. 

Painting has taught me to better understand and appreciate that it is the juxtaposition of darks and lights, the sharp edges against the smooth, that give a painting--and life--its meaning.  Without those stark contrasts, the work is flat and uninteresting.  Those dark times filled with failure and tragedy are every bit as essential to a full life as the times filled with joy and light.  Both work together to create a work, and a life, of beauty and purpose.