October

Asters

Original oil painting 4x4"

by Susan Roux

Here in Maine, the art season is summer. It's warm weather, vacationers and tourist. Tons of shops and galleries prepare in springtime by filling their stores with plenty of inventory, in hopes of a profitable season ahead. For artists in galleries, spring deliveries bring about relief. A time to breath after a long winter of painting and preparing.

Its not a bad schedule. When the weather is cold and nasty, we're indoors painting. When warm weather arrives, we can slow down and enjoy it. Plein air painting, gardening, photo shoots, long walks and beaches... (and this year, hosting other artists!) The hustle of preparing our inventory is behind us.

This has been my mindset for a decade.

Of course there are always a few exhibitions we get involved in. I never get to worried about them as the bad economy has left me with quite an inventory. There's usually something here I can grab to go deliver.

So that's why this October is catching me a bit off guard. It seems I applied and signed up for several exhibitions that are all overlapping. I'm scrambling a bit for satisfactory inventory, but also frames. Oil paintings are easy to transfer in and out of them, so I don't keep too many extras on hand.

Tomorrow night (5-7 p.m.) is the opening at Gallery 5, where my four plein air works will be on exhibition for a month. Please come and say hi if you're around. Tuesday I'll be delivering works to Wilton, Maine where they will hang for three months. Come November 6, I'm participating in a large, one-day exhibition at the hospital. It doubles as a fundraiser with doctors and other well-to-do on the invitation list. There's a cost to participate. Sales can't ever be expected nowadays, so I'm painting some small pieces to entice them.

Posted is Asters on a chunky little 4x4" gallery wrapped canvas. Quick, loose and no frame required. Perfect for the occasion. (I hope...) Usually my smallest works are 12x16". This miniature size is a bit unsettling for me. I still have a stroke or two to add, perhaps some highlights, before its complete.

I also have Purple Coneflowers started. In the days to come, I'd like to paint several. I think they'll be more obvious hanging in a bunch. I'm also planning to bring my second Lisa in hopes of promoting myself as a portrait artist.

Come December, my students will be exhibiting at Guthries, a small local eatery/pub that prides itself in promoting the arts. I have my work cut out for me, preparing for that one!

So summer's done, but my work with exhibitions is cranking. I'll be busy.

...but isn't this life fun?

(so tell me, how do we sign these little miniatures?)

Second Lisa

Lisa (2)

Original oil Painting 20x16"

by Susan Roux

I thought I'd finish her off by late morning yesterday, but it took until 5:30 p.m. before I signed her. What is it about portraits? I couldn't seem to stop picking at her...

I was thrilled with my first Lisa. I found her fresh and alive and I was so surprised how much it looked like my sister. It was as though she was in the room smiling at me. Redoing a portrait was Don Hatfield's suggestion. He told me I would learn a lot by doing so. So I decided to try her again. I was curious as to what I could learn by redoing her, but mostly I wondered if I really had the ability to capture her again. If I could, it would tell me I knew what I was doing. If not, then it was just a fluke that the first one came out so good.

This one was challenging. Very challenging. I took a different approach for experimental sake and worked it without the first in view. I wanted to work strictly from the photo and not attempt to copy the original painting. It wasn't until close to finishing that I brought both together. To my grand surprise, I found the second painting to be much better than the first. If I think about form and 3-dimensionality, I see substantial improvement. Painterly? I can't really say that her face is painterly, but certainly the rest of her is. I question in portrait painting if painterly should be a goal. If someone were to commission a portrait would they want it well rendered?

During this experiment, what did I learn?

The first thing I learned is no portrait is easy. At least not when you're a new puppy at it like I am! There came a time when I saw more changes in color on my photo than I had before. I think this is why it was so hard to finish. Even in places were I thought I had painted all the information I could see, I kept finding more. I think part of the lesson is simply learning how to see and interpreting what it is you're seeing. As artists, once we see what it is, how its made up in colors and values, we can paint it. The difficulty is when we cannot break it down to those simple elements. I have to admit, I'm breaking it down more easily these days.

I'm exhibiting in a one-day group show at the hospital in November. Many doctors and their families will attend. I'm thinking of bringing this second Lisa and offer my services for portraits. I don't know if I'm jumping the gun too quickly here, but being able to capture my sister a second time has boosted my confidence. Part of me shivers at the thought of claiming that I can capture others. What if I'm commissioned and I really can't? The other part of me timidly whispers, "You can do this..."

I have to start somewhere, right?

Here's the first Lisa and the second Lisa, side-by-side as promised. What do you think?

Quick note: Thanks to all of you for your wonderful and helpful comments. They're always appreciated. For those of you experiencing painter's block, I received some very helpful information from bloggers. Please make sure and read each other's comments.

Thanks again.

Brewing

Work in progress 20x16"

by Susan Roux

I don't know why it is, but when things start brewing, I get excited.

I'm not talking about a good cup of tea here or conjuring up a witches brew. I'm talking about ideas. Possibilities. And not bad one's as brewing might imply...

One simple comment left on a blog.

That's how it all started. A stranger's blog. Someone I just recently found and followed. Don't you just love surprises? I do. From this comment came an email. It was a simple inquiry about weather and proper dress for October in Maine. I must say the reply was not as simple as the question. At this time of year, Maine can fluctuate 50 degrees from morning to noon! But don't let that scare you, its beautiful here.

The stranger is Karl Terry. He lives in the UK. Yes, he's coming to Maine. Coming with a large group of artist to paint the coast. I believe the rest of his posse lives in the US. Presently Karl and I are making plans to meet. I hope to travel to their location and set up my easel, to capture the coastline with my new acquaintance.

What is it about meeting foreign artists that excites me so? Maybe its a glimpse into a whole new way of looking at things. It can vary a lot with each culture. Last fall when Mike and I traveled to Ireland, I spent lots of time contacting artists there, long before we left. By the time our trip began, I made connections to meet with four different artists. Two I visited in their home studios and two I painted with. It was amazing.

So perhaps this anticipation brewing at present is kindled by stirred up memories. Nonetheless, I'm certain the encounter will be exciting and stimulating. Plus, who doesn't like an english accent?

Posted is my second attempt at Lisa. She's given me quite a challenge this time around. I hope to get back to her today and complete it. Then I'll post the two versions for you to see together...

Lisa

Lisa

Original oil painting 20x16"

by Susan Roux

I painted yesterday...

It seemed like the perfect thing to do on a rainy Sunday. I don't know what happened for everything to go so well, but to my surprise I finished my second portrait! This is my beautiful sister, Lisa. As I was painting her and she really began to emerge, it energized me so much to have her smiling back at me. I just couldn't seem to put my brush down!

I can't quite explain the excitement I felt. Even this morning as I look at my accomplishment, its hard to believe I created this. Don Hatfield is an amazing teacher. I have him to thank for this. If you ever get a chance to take his workshop, don't hesitate. He's hilarious and so gifted. He'll be tough on you and "slay your darling" (which means he paints over your work annihilating all your detail) while still making you laugh. Actually you laugh more when he does it to someone else next to you... But guaranteed, if you go with an open mind and really try to do as he says, you'll really learn. I'm perfect proof. Its been a month and five days since I took his workshop and look how my art has improved!

Can you see me smiling?

My plan is to paint my sister again in this same pose. Don suggested I do as a way to really learn. Seeing she fell into place so quickly, I'm not tired of working on it. I like that this first version feels painterly. I find her fresh with glowing youthful skin and I managed to capture her spirit.

Yeah. Wow! That's what I keep thinking...

How did I do that???

Call Don. Get classes. Paint paintings you won't believe you can do.