I happened upon Lexington, Ky., artist Marianna McDonald’s pastel landscapes last weekend while at the Woodland Art Fair (in Lexington). From her website, I learned that I missed her at this year’s Summerfair, held here in Cincinnati each June. I'll be sure look for her there next year!

From her site, you can see how McDonald’s warm scenes—in both pastel and oil—convey her love of the land, whether that be Kentucky farmland or West Virginia valleys. My favorite element is the narrative underneath each piece explaining her inspiration for and setting of each painting.