Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Follow your passion


Orange Roses
Original oil painting 18x14"
by Susan Roux

I received these lovely roses from my dear Anastasia this weekend. What a beautiful surprise to see her and many others at the exhibition. If you're reading, thanks for coming...

I was up way before the crack of dawn yesterday, even with the time change. I'd been lying in bed painting in my mind. Does that happen to you? It seems lately I've been painting in my mind more than on canvas. Juggling life and your paintbrushes can often be challenging.

I decided to make yesterday a painting day. I had a class to teach at night and aside from a few loads of laundry, I made a date with my easel. Sometimes I just have to overlook everything that needs to be done around here and allow myself painting time. So from the early hour, I was perusing my extensive photo library in search of a picture I could be passionate about. I was tossing a variety into a new folder as a means of narrowing my choices down. There were lots to choose from and the folder was filling quickly.

Daylight finally broke, so I went to this folder only to find my inspiration for any of my choices had fizzled. By now the house was up and I told Mike, what I should do is paint those roses. Why don't you?

Ever notice how we argue with ourselves?

Well... my excuses began, I never paint roses.

He knew that. Mike buys me flowers all the time and I watch the roses slowly droop and die off. I even keep them in the vase because I see beauty in the dead blossoms. Sometimes he buys me more just so I'll finally throw away the crispy ones... How many times has he heard me say, I should paint the roses?

Beautiful as they are, they're in a constant state of change. At first opening, then sagging and slowly fading. I've never had a day observing them without change. The thought of painting them was a bit terrifying. There are people like Nora who paint them so well and honestly I hadn't a clue how to begin. But there they were staring me in the face and my most stimulating inspiration at the moment.

As you can clearly see, I attempted it. It turned out to be lots of fun and not the nightmare I expected. I stopped thinking about them as roses and not knowing how to paint roses. Instead I focused on how wonderful they made me feel and that feeling is what I painted. It didn't take long that I practically stopped looking at the real roses, so if they were changing, it wasn't an issue.

I even brought it to completion and began another painting all before my class arrived. Then I painted again with them. I was on a roll. Sure hope it lasts...

Go paint what you're inspired to paint. Even if you don't think there exists a buyer out there for what you're painting, or if you don't think you have a clue how to do it. Its the passion that counts. Paint what you're passionate about and you'll be the most successful with that subject.

If only I'd remember my own advice...


38 comments:

  1. I never regretted not doing laundry, but I have often regretted not spending enough time in the studio!

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  2. Thoughtful post and a lovely painting. And another reason for your husband to keep buying you flowers!

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  3. Susan,

    It's not always easy to get motivated, but sometimes it is just hard to get started. I find that once I get started, I get warmed up and time flies by. I also find that doing small paintings from time to time is fun and motivating because I can finish them in one sitting. Nice work.

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  4. Lovely painting and encouraging post

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  5. You should paint the roses...again. I look forward to the next one!

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  6. il y a dans cette peinture quelque chose qui me rappèle mon enfance.. c'est touchant!

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  7. Wonderful painting Susan. I hope you will paint more of them. Now Mike will be inspiring you even more with fresh ones. :)

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  8. Susan, this is just gorgeous ... it has an ethereal quality I love. Well, one thing's for sure: you can never again claim that you don't paint roses! Wonderful job ... and thanks for the encouraging post; I think sometimes I can hear the laundry and the dishes calling out to me while I'm painting ... it's awfully hard to ignore them, but I just turn up my music and keep on going ...

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  9. I really like this painting and I too get my painting ideas and solutions in the morning while I am still in bed. My Hubby works 4 grave yard shifts a week and I lay in bed until he gets home and solve the painting problems.

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  10. Wow... hard to believe you hadn't done it thousands of times before!!! Wonderful..

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  11. Tes roses Susan sont très roses! Elles ont cette noblesse qui les caractérise et leur donne cette délicate fraîcheur. Tu leur restitues en les mettant en peinture leur parfum... Quel éclat de couleurs... quel bouquet... Bisous

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  12. Great advice, and a beautiful painting! I'm so glad you friend gave you roses!!

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  13. Your floral images are truly beautiful, Susan!

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  14. Roses look like they would be hard to do. You did great. Flowers are definitely a passion for you! I get that night-time inspiration that evaporates in the morning.

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  15. You post the most marvellous of post and I learn something every time I visit here. But I knew that would be the case i popped over to say that for once I do not agree with you, I am talking about the poem on my blog. Wishing I had not put it there.

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  16. i found your blog through Leovi and its excellent! I started a new one myself about art, maybe you can check it out too =) thanks!

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  17. Oh Susan!!! these roses are beautiful. The color is perfect and your post is so interesting as usual.

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  18. Roses are daunting..and you've done an exceptional job on these...what a fantastic color. Love the blue vase too. Top drawer result!

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  19. Very beautiful - I am going to take some of your advice - thank you.

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  20. Ever notice how we argue with ourselves? Yes! I do it all the time!

    I'm glad you won this argument...your painting is beautiful :-)

    ~Ron

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  21. I say you look like a skilled rose painter! They are beautiful.

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  22. they're almost on fire. realy nice :)

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  23. glad you lost the argument with yourself. You did an absolutely magnificent job on these roses. Just the right amount of detail and so much left to the imagination. great work Susan.

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  24. Hi Susan, Thanks for stopping by again. I do just the same. My iphone is so full of possible images to paint I had to take off some of my music - imagine! But sometimes it's a balance between finding the thing that sings out and just starting and getting going. The roses were the best by the way!

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  25. I love reading about your process and how you stopped and painted them for how they make you feel. Also loved that you say you paint in your mind... I am always fiddling with my words and stories and can't wait to put them on paper.
    Please keep me informed about your time away to that lovely cottage! When I finish this current WIP, I am tinkering with the idea of writing about ladies--virtual strangers- who go on a retreat to paint but find out more about themselves than they planned. It's only a seed right now, but it intrigues me.

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  26. love this piece! love who it is supposed to be blurry but yet the roses are so crisp!!

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  27. bonjour Suzan, j'ai perdu mon blog et je viens d'en créer un autre "weekend et coup de brosse" venez me rejoindre pour à nouveau partager quelques mots, je vous attends comme nouveau membre de mon nouveau blog- merci à bientôt- cath

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  28. You write about painting in your head; I don't do that but I write in my head when I'm not able to sleep. The nights fly faster that way.

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  29. Elegant and beautifully painted! I hope to see more roses in your future. What a sweet husband to keep buying you bouquets to replace the crispy ones!!

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  30. Beautiful painting the roses look perfect.

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  31. Love your inspiring blog! And the roses were a wonderful choice, they'er lovely.

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  32. I sooooo agree with that last statement, paint what you are passionate about and don't worry if it will sell or not. I spent so much of my "artistic life" painting for profit....not any more. Oh, don't get me wrong I still love selling a painting, but it is more important that I Love painting the painting I'm selling....:-}

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  33. Hello Susan,
    The Impressionist painting is eternal!
    you paint with sensitivity
    His painting is art!

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  34. Hi Susan! I am flipping out with joy over this painting! There is a Degas pastel in my local art museum that utilizes very masterful application of purples and oranges. I fell in love with it many years ago and am so impressed with your use of those hues! Standing alone your painting is stunning! I am very impressed.

    Now I am realizing just how much of an overlooked choice of complimentary colors purple and orange are. Thanks to you I am realizing when done right it is so moving and so rich! You did such an amazing job and it proves just how much having passion about what we do is essential and most often directly the cause of our out doing ourselves as we improve! I think you outdid yourself and am so impressed! Keep following your heart!

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  35. Susan, these roses are drop dead gorgeous! And you thought you couldn't paint roses! You did what we all need to remember which is to paint our passion about the shapes and colors we see before us, and stop thinking about the complexity of the object!

    Very lovely post and the painting is truly bellissima!

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