Living with art

Ava in the Garden

Original oil painting  18x14"

by Susan Roux

What is the value of your art?

I don't mean the retail cost of it. No, not at all. I'm talking about how much it's valued by it's owner.

I was talking to my dear artist friend, Svetlana Beattie. I'd like to share with you the story she told me about a particular painting she'd done.

The lady who purchased her painting had become a close friend. She was a gardner among other things and invited Svetlana to come paint in the garden anytime she wished. It became the artist's point of inspiration for a great number of beautiful works. The relationship between the two grew, one loving the garden the other loving the painter's interpretation.

Two artists in their own right, not only appreciating each others creations, but finding stimulation to enhance their work by seeing it through the other's eyes.

The artist came frequently to paint directly in the garden. So often really, that she had almost become a moving sculpture in the landscape. The gardner had trouble seeing the artist's works leave her property. After all, they were an exquisite emotional response to her flowers and landscape. As it turned out, she would purchase many of them directly upon their completion. It was a very good relationship for both.

The artist had an exhibition and because many of her works were never shown in public, due to the gardner buying them instantly, the artists asked permission to show one of the paintings. At first the gardner didn't want to agree to it, but after some reflection and hard coaxing by the artist, she finally agreed to let it be shown.

Two short days after letting her painting go, the gardner came to the artist begging for her painting back. I can't stand it anymore! This big empty wall. I knew I loved your painting, but I never realized just how much it means to me. Every time I glanced over the painting soothed me, relaxed me. Now that it's missing I feel anxious and irritable. I need my painting back, right away!

It was emotional.

When you begin to live with a piece of original art, it may come as a surprise to the buyer, but you'll be affected by it in many ways. Much like a wine continues to grow and change in the bottle, a painting also has a life all it's own. The artist has projected their soul into it. It is impossible to separate the two. The deeper you look into a piece of art, the more you see and feel the artist.

Light changes in the household and each time, the painting changes as well. This is not a quality saved exclusively for Kinkade's work, though he would have liked to make people think so. Oil paintings change with varied light. It's part of the living quality it possesses.

These things, the soul of the artist, the light changing the painting, speak to the buyer. Living with art improves quality of life. It does exude healing properties. It can relax, de-stress and sooth... A buyer falls in love with the painting and each time he/she views it, it's comparable to viewing one's love. Just as your love can grow for your partner, so it can grow for your art.

The emotional attachment is real.


Now artist, go pour yourselves out on canvas! You never know how much it will inspire or affect someone else, so do your best and make it count. Art is a window into your soul. Put all your passion into it and it will reflect back.

When to stop?

Sanctuary

Original oil Painting

by Susan Roux

When do you stop painting?

I'm certain I'm not alone on this subject. How many times have you brought a painting to completion only to feel it was better awhile ago. I'm guilty of it in the studio and notorious for it on location.

Have you ever stopped because someone told you to stop? At that point when you still had a vision to continue, it can be very difficult to put your brush down. What do you do to all those spots you planned on developing further?

I'm here today. Stopping and pondering.

This is the painting I worked on in the Chicken Coop. I took a different approach from the start. Paint the poetry! That's what was in my head (and on the little Monet post-it note in my studio) The scene is from my photo shoot following Stapleton Kearns workshop. That glorious morning when I saw the sun dancing in and out. Armed with my camera, I parked and walked many times while leaving the island.

I'm not always a fan of photos. (sorry my dear husband...) I couldn't wait to paint this lovely scene, but once I looked at my pictures, they hadn't captured anything I remembered. I didn't care. I set out to paint the feeling I had when admiring this waterfront property. How dreamy this floral place was! I could just sit there for hours breathing in the wonderful scents. The various flowers, the salty air...

This precious place slipped my soul away into a relaxing dream.

It was all about the feeling. I used the photo as a reference to put down a basic layout of my composition. Move things, change things. Nothing mattered. I wasn't trying to duplicate the image before me. I have to tell you I had more fun painting this than I have in a long time. It was pure emotion. I thought of my friend Jennifer Wadsworth who always lets the canvas speak to her and direct her. Is this what she's been talking about all this time? I was manipulating the paint to whatever felt right. Choosing colors that projected the feeling I desired. I found myself holding brushes in ways I never have before. It became a tactile experience. I was romancing the canvas.

I think Nora enjoyed watching me as pure emotion led me in its development. By day's end, she told me I was near done. She warmed me about overworking it. That evening, artist friend, Svetlana Beattie visited. She loved the painting. Sign it, she said. Her description of it was moving. With her whole body and up on tiptoes, she demonstrated her feelings towards the tree. Its like a girl, looking out at the sea and leaning towards it. Her arms gracefully out and pointing down, breathing it all in. She's like a ballerina...

Its so interesting to listen to others describe your work. She went on and on about the rhythmic movement and the colors and concluded that any additions would ruin this feeling. She made me listen to Debussy's Reflections in the Water. She said my painting made her feel like that. Everything she said sounded like poetry to me. Had I actually captured that?

So here I am today. I have spots I still intended to develop further. Do I stop? Do I continue? The longer time elapses, the more I seem to overlook the passages that struck me as unfinished. There's no rush. Maybe I should begin another and then see how I feel about this one, remaining at this stage.

Perhaps I'll stop here and consider it an achievement. I can take my next one a step further to see if I can carry the poetry to the very end without loosing it.

Ooooh, so many stimulating thoughts... Its like being in competition with myself. Its a win win situation, or lose lose, depending on how you look at it.

Water Ballerina

Water Ballerina

Original oil painting 11x14"

by Susan Roux

I took Martine-Alison for a walk. From my home, we can easily walk to two different ponds, though the forest keeps them hidden. She brought her camera. It was a beautifully warm, sunny day and we took our time strolling, benefitting from the pleasures nature offers. Our senses enjoyed the many sights and sounds, from birds to frogs to packs of just-emerged dragonflies that danced around merrily and even landed on us as tiny hitchhikers.

It was a day of simple pleasures.

The beach was filled with mothers and toddlers. Older children were still at school. We sat for awhile watching the activity. Martine-Alison instantly focused on a darling girl swimming in a ballerina tutu. Captivated from the little girls movements, her camera pointed at no one else. She thought she was taking pictures for me to use, as she knows I adore painting children at the beach.

But that didn't totally turn out to be the reality...

Once home, she decided to paint her too. We've always wanted to paint the same person together. Now we had the chance.

To make this happen, during our quickly diminishing visit, she had to deviate from her normal process. Typically she paints her 20x20" canvases with brushes smaller than my signing brush. Can you believe it? Smaller than a signing brush..?

It takes her nearly a month to complete one, though she paints day-in day-out. It was obvious we needed to speed up her process.

I passed her a cluster of larger brushes. At a half-inch wide, they seemed enormous to her! I laughed. She wanted to attempt my method. "Teach me," she said. (like she needs teaching...) So, bravely abandoning her comfort, Martine-Alison played with paint on a canvas whose finish is much rougher than her own. She's never painted so quickly!

Water Ballerina

Original oil painting 14x11"

by Martine-Alison

Four artists gathered here to have a painting party. It was the perfect activity for a rainy day. Svetlana Beattie saw what we were painting and she too decided to paint the little girl. Music was turned on. Of course it was Luka Bloom... Such a wonderful serenader for the activity of painting. Our bodies swayed like our brushes to his magical, dreamy music. The artists all said it was the best music to paint to.

It created a mood. An energy in the room. Suddenly Svetlana asked, in her strong Russian accent, if Luka just said, ballerina?

Oh yes, I replied. Ballerina, just like we're painting. Its my favorite song, Water Ballerina.

Water Ballerina? Its exactly what we're painting! she remarked.

Oh yes it was. And there suddenly, came the title to all of our paintings...

Water Ballerina

Original oil painting 14x11"

by Svetlana Beattie

I told Svetlana how I bumped into Luka while strolling castle grounds in Ireland. Our encounter amazed her. His spirit was circling in the room, affecting how we painted. She said I must write to Luka to thank him for his inspiration. So Luka, if you're listening, I just want you to know how wonderfully inspiring your music is. Its the perfect accompaniment for painting. You continue to chant me away to my glorious painting-zone...

We have three artists versions of a sweet little swimmer. They are as different as the artists are. One impressionistic, one an experiment and one that I'm finally happy with.

Too bad the child's mother will never know her daughter is artistically-captured for all eternity. Three times..!

Svetlana Beattie

New Woman

Original oil painting

by Svetlana Beattie

Sometimes we create similarities without ever realizing it. Its not until someone else points it out, that we see it. Its interesting how we do that. Our minds work in a certain way so it might be inevitable for this to happen. After all, it is all our work.

This is just what happened to Svetlana Beattie.

She sent me several images of her paintings last night, which she'll be exhibiting soon. Within her diverse body of work, the two images posted jumped out at me.

Snack

Original oil painting

by Svetlana Beattie

Two completely different paintings, one classical and the other modern, bore a striking resemblance. We were on the phone when she sent the images. I chuckled when I saw them. The Madonna and Child was transformed into Lady and Dog. She hadn't noticed how similar they were...

Svetlana is an art student at the University. She explained that "New Woman" was an assignment while "Snack" was not. She did remember that the two works were painted around the same time. Its interesting that the similarity never hit her. Even down to the aura. One yellow. One blue.

She had a wonderful story about "New Woman". It wasn't the Madonna. It represented all women whose faces must be covered from society. In her arms, sits her child. She's female. A new kind of female. One who will break the rules. She is comfortable and at peace in her mother's arms, but tugs at the garment which conceals her. She is the "New Woman". The one who will refuse to wrap her face.

In the distance, within the red space, are many other women covered with garments. All those who've passed before her, in confinement. Her mission, her purpose is set. Like the child Jesus, she too will change the world.

Interestingly, a mother looks at her child in her arms, yet the female who posed with her dog, looks at the artist...

Svetlana will be exhibiting at City Hall in Augusta, Maine starting February 14. Her exhibit will highlight her evolution through two and a half years of study. It will be an eclectic selection ranging from drawings, paintings and sculpture. Its a unique opportunity to see, how through professors' challenge of trying different styles, an artist develops and finds one's self.

Best of luck, Svetlana!