Pritchard Alice

Alice Pritchard studied fine arts and literature at the University of Virginia, earning a B.A. in English with a minor in Studio Art and Art History. She furthered her education, obtaining an MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Maryland. In addition to her university education, Pritchard studied with watercolorists Charles Reid of New York and Gerald Wartofsky at the Washington Studio School. She later apprenticed under portrait artist Marcos Blahove in his Georgetown Art Gallery and studio. To create a painting, whether, on canvas or paper, the artist begins by loosely sketching the composition with washes of acrylic watercolor. She develops the painting by applying numerous layers of pastel, creating a surface rich in color. The spontaneity and subtle changes of hue associated with pastel are integral to Pritchard's aesthetic. Translating her contemporary palette of cool jewel tones and intricate compositions into a signature style, the artist has developed an exciting collection of works. The unique warmth and depth of Pritchard’s works on canvas is due to her specially developed fixative formula which keeps the pastels fresh and permanently adhered to the canvas. Whatever her choice of subject, whether working on paper or canvas, this artist’s goal is twofold, to communicate both her enjoyment of pastels used in a painterly manner and to create the effect of calm and tranquility for which her work is known.