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...

The endless journey

Warm Breeze

Original oil painting 20x16"

by Susan Roux

An artists journey is an interesting one to say the least. As we progress down the many winding roads of this journey, we come to realize that the end of the journey only exists if we choose to stop. Otherwise the journey is endless. Meaning that the more we know, the more we discover or are educated about art, the more we realize that there is still further to go. I don't care how masterful an artist may be, there is always more to learn.

I've been very fortunate this past year. I've seen my art evolve through experimentation and hard work. For those of you who follow me, you also know this improvement is due in large part to Don Hatfield. He has been a constant who keeps me focused and stimulated by opening my eyes to things I hadn't yet observed on my own.

If you can't see it, you can't paint it.

I repeat this phrase over and over. I feel a vision needs to exist, whether in our minds or through our eyes. Until you observe the light and the shadow, you cannot paint the light and the shadow. The same is true for all aspects of painting. If you can't see it or don't have the ability to break down what it is exactly that you're observing, it is impossible to replicate it in paint.

I'm not just referring to the representation of objects in one's work. I'm also referring to the emotion an artist has towards these objects. In fine art, it isn't simply representation that is necessary. It isn't only about a pretty picture. Fine art also captures emotion.

The emotion we capture is created by many factors. Color, brushstroke and values play a huge part. But a vision or understanding of the emotion you wish to portray needs to be present. Without the vision, the idea, it will not happen.

And so it goes... This is the great mystery, the giant labyrinth that we call the artist journey. It's a combined mesh of skill, observation and emotion. The variables are endless making the combination of the parts endless as well. So where are you on this journey?

I ran across an excerpt today by Barry John Raybould in his Virtual Art Academy. It opened my eyes to a level that I've yet to discover. It's perhaps a direction I'll need to focus on if I want to continue improving. But it seems a difficult step, so don't be expecting too much in this direction from me yet... Here is the excerpt.

Old master artists knew how to suggest a lot of detail without actually rendering it. Look closely at any of John Singer Sargent's paintings and you will notice that an elegant dress is no more than a series of abstract brushstrokes. If you make your viewers exercise their own imagination, you stimulate them to contribute their own thoughts and images to the work and become a participant in the experience. If you depict everything to make it look like a photograph, you leave nothing up to the imagination of the viewer. The other big advantage of the principle of suggestion is that once again you can say more with less, simplifying and strengthening the abstract design of your painting.

The abstract he refers to in John Singer Sargent's dresses is more than just a loose stroke. It's also a combination of loose color. Both of these combined creates the abstracts he speaks about that stimulate the viewer's imagination. Phew, do I have your head spinning yet? Mine is.

The endless journey... I wouldn't have it any other way.

Here she comes!

Martine-Alison is coming to visit!

From France to Maine. For three glorious weeks, I might add... Can you see me jumping with excitement? Getting together with other artists is such a rewarding experience. Today, Leslie Saeta posted about meeting Dreama Tolle Perry, an artist she blogs with. If you still haven't had this experience, I urge you to try it as soon as possible. You're in for a wonderful surprise!

Through a nutty impulsive act, I got Martine-Alison represented by the Blue Heron Gallery. Though we are nations apart, we revel in the fact that our art hangs together. Martine-Alison and Susan Roux, side-by-side as we wish to be...

I suppose you want to hear the story.

As I've already mentioned, Roy, the owner and I have a very good relationship. To truly understand what happened, I must inform you of his love for the female form. Every year I paint him a "babe" or two to keep him interested and happy. This year I delivered Roaring Twenties and Golden Shimmy. You get the idea...

I recall, a few years back during a phone conversation on the off-season, he told me to try painting in the nude! Sales were on the decline and he thought I might loosen up and pour my passion onto the canvas if I was completely free. I laughed at his suggestion, because my Catholic upbringing made this totally impossible. Not to mention that if he really wanted me to relax, this was not the way to do it!

He then suggested I paint my "beach babes" (as he likes to call them), without clothes. It was a very humorous conversation, I assure you. At every suggestion, I laughed and laughed. Did he have any inclination of my sensitivity to public display?

"But your an artist!" he continued. "You're suppose to be fine with nudity. You're suppose to be open minded and free. You really should try it!" He urged on.

It wasn't working...

Later that day, Martine-Alison had just completed a painting. As usual she emailed me the image. This is what she sent:

Valentine

by Martine-Alison

We were instant messaging at the time and I was telling her of my conversation with Roy. We were giggling and all sorts of crazy, silly things were flying out of our mouths, or rather, our fingertips... When we get going, a whole lot of ridiculous gets fed upon by both parties and its no wonder the expression "fruitcake" comes into the conversation! One silly idea leads to another silly idea and being as visual as we are... well you can only imagine the level of hysterical we touch upon.

So somewhere in the middle of being totally foolish together, I get the idea of sending her image to Roy.

A few giggles later, with her daring me to do it, and I was emailing Roy.

It was a very brief message. It read, "Is this what you mean?" and Martine-Alison's image.

As you can well imagine, I received a response very quickly! He knew instantly it wasn't my work, but he certainly wanted to know who's work it was! (I wonder what Leo is looking at?)

And so it happened that with one foolish act, my friend became represented by the Blue Heron Gallery...

For those of you who keep wondering how to get gallery representation? It isn't always a fine art. Sometimes craziness is the way in.

So Martine-Alison is arriving just in time to attend the Grand Season Opening! Let me tell you, Roy puts on a fabulous opening party! It will be held on Saturday, May 29. The gallery is in Wellfleet, MA on Cape Cod. If any of you are nearby or will be visiting during Memorial weekend, please do come meet us. We will be the two silliest girls in the building. You'll find us be following the giggles...

Go meet artists. You'll spark such stimulation in yourself, you'll be amazed! Any time together or simply communicating together will be precious.

You already have so much in common...