Taurus Rising Art

About

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My medium of choice is charcoal for many reasons. In using the combination of charcoal sticks and pencils, an assortment of erasers and blending tools, I am able to achieve the darkest blacks, the brightest highlights and every shade in between. By doing this, I hope that my flowers will appear as though they are popping off the page. Also, by using only black and white the mind is left open to a wide array of colors.

My process begins with the selection of a flower that has the desired qualities such as gracefulness, uniqueness, charm, elegance and the potential of offering a pleasing composition. Next, I spotlight my subject and do a light sketch and begin to darken my background and certain areas of the flower. The background is darkened three times and other areas are lightened with erasers. A fixative is applied after each stage. As I intermittently travel between darkening and lightening, an image begins to emerge as though out of the ashes. Before I am finished with the process, I have witnessed the life and death of a flower. From this point, working from memory, I will capture the flower’s essence.

Biography

Cheryn Prentice-Holstead was born in Barstow, California in 1959, the fourth of seven children and now lives in Green Bay, WI. Her formal studies began in 1979 at the University of Wisconsin, West Bend, in Commercial Art. She continued those studies at UW- Oshkosh in 1981. She later attended UW-Green Bay from 1992 through 1995 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and The Arts, emphasis in Graphic Art.

In 1996 Cheryn accepted her first Graphic Artist position at Promotional Designs, Green Bay, WI and later worked for Colortech of Wisconsin. Soon she abandoned Graphic Art and her love for fine art took a front seat as she began to work from her home. She has worked in a number of mediums: water color, pen and ink, acrylic, pencil, pastel and charcoal. Subjects enjoyed are botanical, portraits, including Native American, landscapes, animals and angels.

In 1994 Cheryn began creating large drawings of flowers in charcoal, which has become her passion. Her flowers, usually 30”x 42” or larger, seem to take on a personality of their own as they pose gracefully, sensually and confidently in the spot light. Presently her work resides in over 13 private collections and one permanent art collection.