Spring

Saint Patrick's Mountain, Ireland

Original oil painting 16x20"

by Susan Roux

What are you up to lately?

I feel the effects of spring. New things are emerging all around. Have you noticed? The art world is winding up for the approaching season. Announcements for artist's opportunities flood in. Calls for artists, exhibition announcements, openings, workshops, art talks and art walks to name but a few. Here in the North Country the art world is coming out of hibernation.

It may be the only thing sprouting these days as we are still under knee-deep snow... (Hum, that sounded like a frog croaking, but they can't be heard yet either.)

To the artist, spring isn't measured by the snow on the front lawn. A real shift in activity happens this time of year. Following the holidays, life in Maine is a real treasure for the artist. Ahh, the heart of winter. It's a time to delve deep into your own creativity. The winter cold keeps us shut in. The wood stoves crank and the smell and warmth of the burning logs only help relax us to tap into our creative juices. It's a welcomed time. Time to immerse ourselves into experimentation. Time to slosh paint around. Time to play and create. Winter is long and it seems that time passes slowly and that this playground of creativity will last forever.

But it doesn't.

The spring announcements can't be ignored. Artist's hibernation is over and it's time to hop, hop, hop to. Galleries will want art soon. Paintings need to be framed. First frames need to be ordered. Wondering. Worrying sets in. Did I paint enough this winter to supply everyone? Do I have enough worthy pieces? How did it get to be the middle of March without my taking closer inventory of my winter's work?

This never used to happen. I was so tuned into painting for my galleries, that I knew exactly what I had prepared for them. But as the years passed, I found my art was better when I wasn't consciously painting for my galleries. I needed to be painting for me. And so it has been lately. No regard to my galleries as I create. I figured if I paint constantly, there will be ample inventory for everyone. But is there? Is there? Is there?

It's my fear.

Well before it's time for spring clean-up in the flower beds, it will be time for spring clean-up in the studio. I've taken on a new gallery this year and perhaps it's the reason for my anxiety. One more little baby to feed... How I hate to pull myself away from the easel to go count and sort canvases, take inventory on frames and what needs to be ordered. It feels like a transition from the carefree feeling of childhood to the responsibility of adulthood. Like Holden Caulfield I'm not ready to take the leap. I just want to keep playing.

Painting for myself has been far more relaxing than painting for my galleries. I just want to ignore the signs of spring, beckoning me to switch gears and hustle, and crawl back into my hole (behind my easel) and remain in hibernation bliss...

Happy Saint Paddy's Day everyone!

Posted: Saint Patrick's Mountain, Ireland was painted a year ago following an amazing 2-week trip to Ireland. It was actually autumn, but seemed fitting for the day...

Owen Rohu

Susan Roux and Owen Rohu

Meet Irish artist, Owen Rohu. I met Owen over the internet in the same way I found John Morris as mentioned before. It was thrilling to have these accomplished artists writing to me months before my trip. Owen lived over two hours away from where we were staying in Ballyvaughan. He invited Mike and I to come visit. He claimed his town was picturesque and as an artist, and Mike a photographer , we would find it inspiring. Owen was right. Westport was very beautiful!

I wasn't nervous at all. After my wonderful experience meeting John, I knew this was going to be a day I would always remember. Owen was preparing for an exhibition at Oisin Gallery in Dublin which was beginning the following week. What a thrill it was to get a pre-showing of all his works! So many beautiful paintings hung around his studio, ready for delivery.

We looked at each one.

Owen explained his process.

I was captivated by the detail and his use of the oil's transparency.

That was a common thread for us. The transparency is not often explored and it was fun to meet someone who loved it as much as I do. He had painted delicate onion peels where light passed through with absolute beauty! Flower petals were dainty, transparent, weightless strokes of delight...

Owen's specialty was his glorious still life's.

He showed me how he transformed an old dog house into the perfect controlled display space to set his subjects in.

Genius!

He never has to play, "chase the light"!

Owen gave me exhibition booklets filled with wonderful images of past works.

We visited, talked, had lunch and tea with his lovely wife and family. I can't tell you how inspiring it is to go visit with other artists while on holiday. I urge you to try it. You will make friends you will keep for life...

Owen Rohu is the lucky artist who has the magnificent view from yesterday's post, Magic. I've been informed of the real name for Saint Patrick's Mountain. It is called Croagh Patrick (pronounced Croke), but the locals call it The Reek. Odd sounding names for us in America...

(Photographs by Michael McAllister)

Magic

There's nothing better than listening to

Luka Bloom

for painting an Ireland painting...

I know I've mentioned him before and I often paint with his music playing. However, yesterday it really put me in a very special creative zone. I tweaked and signed four paintings! What a great feeling. Its not like I painted all four in one day. They were virtually done. I just find it difficult to bring them to completion. Too often, I'd hoped to capture something more. So they sit, ...unsigned.

Not yesterday. Like magic I could see exactly what I needed to do to them and I was fearless about charging in.

I never worked like this before. I'd finish one before starting another, focusing all my energy on the canvas at hand. But my process changed a bit. Now I let different layers dry before continuing. That, coupled with the many works in progress from my 3-4 painting classes, has my studio cluttered with unfinished works. Wet paintings in cross-hatch placement, grow on the floor from my walls towards the center of my studio. Sometimes I begin so many, they consume nearly all my working space! This lends itself to never finishing some. Are they just drying between layers or are they done?

Often I feel like I just fall short of really painting something spectacular. I know that sounds conceited, but something inside me says I can do better. You'd think I'd have figured it out by now...

Anyway, yesterday I was very excited about my accomplishment. Here posted is the painting I'd been toiling on all week. I was finally happy with it. Its a scene in Ireland and the distant mountain is Saint Patrick's mountain. It is the view from one of the artist's homes we visited. Can you imagine this being your daily view?

I wish you all days like yesterday was for me. Its a gift when it happens and everything falls so sweetly into place. Have a good one and thanks for reading...