Fresh paint

Well-known local artist Terry Pappas has been creating captivating images of the Sacramento River and other scenes in pastel for over 15 years. A couple of years ago, she decided do delve into oil paint with a force. Pappas has painted in oil before, but it always took a back seat to the pastels. This time, she wanted to paint several pieces and build a show around them. The results are stunning. Thirty of the best (many were scrapped) are on display this month at the Elliott Fouts Gallery, located at 4749 J Street. What’s interesting is that the oil paintings have a similar feel to her pastels, and also seem as though she’s always painted in that medium. Equally intriguing is that her current pastel work is stronger because of what she’s learned from the oils. Here is an artist who understands the process of making art.