Art Immersion / Workshop

Do you wish you painted better? Are you looking to hone your skills as an artist?

How about an Art Immersion!

What is that specifically? 

It is plunging yourself fully into a week of art. It's more than a workshop. It's a personalized educational experience. An educational experience that is designed uniquely for you and addresses your own art improvement needs.

Where are you in your art journey? Are you a beginner? Have you been painting for awhile, selling, but still strive to improve your work? Are you blocked? Do you feel like you keep working at it, but nothing's really changing? Nothing is improving? Are you an advanced painter who desires a week away, to a new environment, that offers instructional benefits? If so, this Art Immersion is for you!

What would an Art Immersion look like?

Consider spending a week living with an artist. Conversations evolve around art all day long. You paint all week as though you were on a painting vacation. A painting vacation that includes instructions to help you through whatever is blocking you from achieving the results you desire.

If you don't know me yet, I'm Susan Roux. I own the largest art gallery in Portland Maine (3000 sq. ft.). I teach 5 classes a week at the gallery, from raw beginners to advanced students. I've been teaching for over 20 years and still love helping people improve their skills. I have a great eye. I can help you see what your work is missing. Together let's change your work to the "wow" you desire!

This is what the Art Immersion package at Roux & Cyr International Fine Art Gallery looks like.

It's Monday. You arrive in Portland, ME where I will meet you and take you to my home in Poland Spring. You will have a private room for the week and share my home including use of my kitchen. Tuesday through Saturday we travel to the gallery during my usual work hours. Once there you will set yourself up and begin painting. You have the option to set up in the studio space or at the front windows of the gallery. I am available to discuss your art, your desires towards your art and be your personal teacher and advisor for the week.

I will also be doing my usual gallery duties, so learning how the in's and out's of the gallery world works is available information to you. You catch it all. Where art is created, displayed and sold. You will be there during my 5 weekly classes, with the option to share our studio space or paint separately at the front window. You may choose to try both.

My hours are long. The gallery is located in the center of Portland, which is a lovely walking city known for it's amazing food. Since this is a unique educational experience designed specifically for you, you choose how that experience develops. Maybe you want to do some plein air painting? Maybe you want to take in a photo shoot? Maybe you want to take the ferry to the islands in Casco Bay. Maybe you want to enjoy some quiet time on the rooftop patio overlooking the city and ocean? Whatever works to inspire you during this immersion is acceptable. You get to design what your experience will be like.

You leave on Sunday. I'll take you to the Portland airport or bus/train station. You can choose to fly out on Saturday evening if you'd prefer. I am available to bring you to the airport after 5:00.

A little about your host... Susan Roux

You need to know I have a humorous personality. I'm smart and serious when need be but have no problems being silly and funny. I'm very comfortable hosting people and you will be made to feel at home right from the start. My gallery is warm, inviting and uplifting. It is a welcoming environment to work in, not one that is unapproachable. My students love me and I love them too. You will enter into that part of my life. Be prepared to learn and laugh. I laugh a lot at the gallery.

Drinking wine is acceptable, sometimes encouraged, as I find it helps many students relax enough to tap into their creative side. For some it helps them find courage to try something new, something scary, something that's holding them back.

I am neat and clean, but not to a fault.

Daily hours includes traveling time:
(leaving and arriving from and to my Poland Spring home)

Tuesday: 9:30-9:30
Wednesday: 9:30-9:30
Thursday: 9:30-9:30
Friday: 9:30-6:00
Saturday: 9:30-6:00

Cost for one week Art Immersion: $1000

This includes room, use of home kitchen, art education, travel pick up and delivery in Portland, ME.

Please call to make arrangements. 207-576-7787 As part of the uniqueness of this program, you can select a week that suits your schedule.

Let's get you Immersed In Art!

Color Workshop

Whoops!

Original oil painting  20x16"

by Susan Roux

Are you ready to use color freely? Would you like to be confident enough to use color freely? Are you caught in a cycle where you paint mostly with local color? Let's change that.

Sign up for a color workshop now!

October 13, 14 and 15

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

9:30-4:30

$200

Roux & Cyr International Fine Art Gallery

48 Free Street

Portland, Maine

207-576-7787

Join in the fun as we explore color and arm you with the tools necessary to use color creatively. Color is emotion in a painting and you can learn to manipulate the emotion your paintings emit. Don't be satisfied by just capturing the essence of your subject, learn to be in control of how your painting "feels". 

Take a look in the shadows of her dress. So much excitement and interest can be captured with the creative use of color. Be in control of color harmony in your paintings. 

Play with color. Let it explode on canvas while still capturing your forms. You'll have so much fun letting your brush dip into all those pretty colors on your palette. Aren't you ready for a color party? Aren't your paintings ready for a color party?

Sign up now. Limited space available. Contact me soon before it's all booked up!

Website

Sea Angel  

Original oil painting  24x18"

by Susan Roux

Things here are very exciting as the opening of Roux & Cyr International Fine Art Gallery nears. We have a wonderful body of 25 artists, representing 6 countries. You can see them all on our website. Come view the beautiful work that will be adorning our gallery walls!

Our Grand Opening is: 

Memorial Day Weekend

 Saturday, May 24, 2014 

You are all invited to attend. If you can't make it but find yourself in Portland Maine at some point, please stop in! We are at 48 Free Street, across the street from the Civic Center in the Arts District. I'd be very happy to show you around!

We will not be a typical art gallery. We have a lot going on and are working to be community friendly and an inviting place for people to come see art, talk about art, learn about art, create art and last but not least buy art! I'll be busy in our back studio continuing to teach weekly courses to beginners and intermediates. We will also be offering workshops from our very talented artists, so keep an eye out for anyone you'd like to learn from. You can also contact me with a request and I'll urge that artist to set up a workshop. Our first scheduled workshop is a 2-day workshop by artist Sandra Leinonen Dunn on August 7-8, 2014. It is at a very reasonable cost of $200. Please contact me if you'd like to attend. 

Bean Pot and Green Apple

Original oil painting  16x20"

by Sandra Leinonen Dunn

The best way to keep up with this schedule is through our Facebook page. Please come like us here. Don't forget to share us as well! It's the best place to keep up with our latest news, rotating monthly exhibits, any events and openings. You can also let me know if you'd like to be on our mailing list by emailing me. Unfortunately as you already know, my blogging time has been severely cut since I began planning this gallery a full year ago. It's no longer the most efficient way to keep up with our news.

I must admit that I miss coming here and interacting with all of you. I also miss seeing all your great art. It's so inspiring to see how committed you are and how often you post. It helped motivate me as well. 

So what happens to an artist when they decide to open a large art gallery?

Every emotion you can think of! I'm busy beyond comprehension, but doing all the work with love and passion. It's been amazing to start with a vision and step by step move it forward until eventually all the parts fall into place. Watching it all turn into reality... Paintings are beginning to pour into my home and that like none other, is making it all feel so real. The day we enter our space and begin to build wall partitions will be huge as well. 

Thank you for stopping by and do leave a comment so I'll know you came. Don't forget to like us on Facebook and email me if you'd like to join our gallery mailing list. Have a good day!

The Teaching Component

Papaver

Original oil painting  14x11"

by Susan Roux

As the last of our snow melted this week, I found myself painting reminders of my garden from last summer. This lovely poppy was a new addition and I'm wondering if it survived the winter. I was so attracted to the delicateness of it's petals. They're thin and floppy much like fine transparent rice paper. It was fun trying to capture that quality with paint. I wonder if the name papaver has to do with paper? It seemed the appropriate title for this showy, dainty blossom.

As you well know, I'm in the process of opening an international fine art gallery. It's been consuming most of my time and the prime reason why my posts here are so far apart. Don't worry though, I'm still painting.

I'm so happy to announce that the gallery will have a teaching room. My classes will move from my home studio to Portland. I'm really excited about that component. Not only will it give me the opportunity to continue inspiring lots of people to paint, it offers a space to conduct workshops. My plan is to have some of my represented artists travel here to Maine and teach directly in the gallery. How fun and a wonderful opportunity for you!

Until everything is set in stone I don't want to formally announce our intended workshops just yet, but keep your calendars open for late summer, early fall. If you're curious to know right away who's tentatively coming and when, you can contact me personally. As soon as everything is definite, I'll let you know.

One of the great things about teaching at the gallery is all the wonderful art that will serve as examples of the concepts being taught. Often at home, I pull out my own work to help explain things. Now there will be a whole range of works from many different amazing artists to refer to. I think it will elevate the teaching component and offer such inspiring stimulation for all the students. It will do everyone good to be experiencing diverse works of quality art, including myself. When the bar is set high, people tend to strive for higher achievements. It will be an honor to teach in such surroundings.

Please stay tuned for future announcements of upcoming workshops. There'll be lots of exciting news in the near future!


Keep painting everyone. It's wonderful for the soul...

Dock Fore

Sophia in the Garden

Original oil painting  12x16"

by Susan Roux

If you live in Maine, you already know the Portland Art walk is a big deal. It's been in operation for many years and has provided a model for several other cities who've followed suite. The first Friday of the month is reserved for Portland and they continue all year long, even during winter. 

In the beginning it was galleries, studios and the museum open to the public, after hours. It was an opportunity to see artist's at work while sipping wine and nibbling grapes and cheese. The event has grown over the years. Musicians, performers, outdoor vendors and artists have all become part of the action. The streets are filled with every sort of character you can imagine. It's an interesting night out.

I don't live in Portland so being part of the art walk seemed unattainable. Recently I stumbled upon a call to artists who were interested in taking part. I'm happy to say they approved my work and Friday I'll be participating.

The venue is Dock Fore. A nice tiny Irish Pub located at 336 Fore St. in the Old Port. You see it here with the red awning. Shaun McCarthy , the proprietor, has been very nice and welcoming. He'll be more than happy to pour you a brew.

I have 13 pieces hanging around the room. I'll be on location from 5-8, so please do come around to meet me and say hi. It's your opportunity to see my work in person and not through the inferior-quality photos I keep posting for you to see here. My solo exhibit is titled: Scents and Sensuality. It's a combination of figures and floral landscapes.

I hope you stop in. I'll be looking forward to your visit!

Dock Fore

336 Fore St.

Portland, ME

Friday, September 7 from 5-8

Thanks Shaun for this opportunity and to my husband, Mike McAllister, for the photos...

Nosh

Garden Girl

Original oil painting 28x22"

by Susan Roux

Hit the road running.

It's been me these past few days. I was so absorbed in art la la land at my retreat, that getting back to reality was sure to be a struggle. My mind didn't want to think about anything other than art. But reality exists and it became time to return to it.

No sooner had I emptied my car of all my belongings, my phone rang with an exhibition opportunity. It was afternoon and I had a class to teach that night. In less than 24 hours I had to be hanging. I've never hurried so much to put an exhibition together!

The venue is a restaurant/bar in Portland Maine called Nosh. It's located on Congress Street in the heart of the art district. It's newly renovated and the menu is exciting, creative and fun. What a cool place! If you're around please stop in to see my exhibit. Some of my new "girls" are hanging there. It's a perfect opportunity to see them in person. (and they're so much better in person...) The opportunity came from Paul, one of my students. His art is hanging with mine for the month of March. Paul has been taking lessons for only a year and his work is wonderful. Do stop in.

Garden Girl is the second painting I completed while on retreat. She was a struggle. I've been working hard trying to depict nature around my figures while still keeping it subdued. I'm playing with layers of color that neutralize until they become only values. Ocean scenes are simpler to achieve. Gardens on the other hand are a real challenge. I use so many colors layering, it's difficult to have local color dominate. I do want to figure it out, so I keep trying.

I worked the better part of a day on her hands. It's the first time I ever really defined some. I worked with a large brush and had planned to continue them the following day with a small brush. Fresh morning eyes can be a gift. I liked the softness and relaxed pose on her hat. I decided against using a small brush to preserve the delicateness the larger ones created. Being totally immersed during this retreat helped me focus deeper than I could have at home. Full days in concentration has it's benefits.

Today is the first day I can breath since my return. The world hit me by storm with each day filled to capacity. I've been running and running. No wonder I resisted returning to reality. I look at the all the girls I've painted recently. They are the complete opposite of my reality. There they stand, relaxed in a world all their own. Not a care in the world, existing in a dreamlike state. You'd think I'd be painting chaotic hustle bustle scenes. Instead these girls just been pouring out of me.

Do you think deep inside, I wish I was this relaxed and carefree?