Wild West Cowgirl Oil Pastel

This is a piece that belongs to a series I did with oil pastels. As soon as I discovered French pastels a few years ago I had a hard time trying to figure out how to make them work to my advantage. I spent many an hour rubbing the pastels and breathing on them to warm them up a little so that I could smear them around. They are very rich and very thick and very irridescent. This is a larger piece for me 12"X18" and falls into a series of people who have unusual lives. Cowgirl couldn't do much but shows in the late 1800s early 1900s. If she wanted to make money she should also be a sharp shooter. I was and still am impressed with those folks that traveled around to make a living such as circus people. They tend to have very short lived relationships and a fear of settling down.. I have read the story of many a circus folk and I never tire of the interesting places and people they met along the way.
Its funny how I did this in California and here I am in Arizona, living next door to a man that dresses in full cowboy regalia and drives tourists around in a jeep all day. Honestly I have never seen him in regular clothes so for me he is a cowboy whether he is or not.