Invite an artist

Rose's Colossal Delphiniums

Original oil painting 24x18"

by Susan Roux

I need your help.

As you know, I've been trying to recruit artists to join the blogging world. To some the invitation is casual. "Come check it out. You'd like it." To others, the invitation goes much further. They would truly benefit and are in need of the motivating support-circle we all share.

One in particular.

Her name is Jennifer. She's an artist whose devoted a great deal of time and energy promoting others, with little recognition. She goes out of her way to establish great venues to host exhibitions and invites artists, by the hundreds, to participate. Yet, she stands understated in the shadows. She thrives helping others get exposure in a quiet humble way, never stealing the limelight for herself. Life has been difficult at times. She's battled the difficulties and is a survivor.

Recently, we met for tea. I talked to her about blogging and we both agreed it would be good for her.

Here's where your help comes in...

When life isn't always grand, motivation to start something new is often lacking. My request to you is simple. Here's a pre-written letter to her. Would you please paste it into your mail, fill in the few blanks and send it to this address? It would be wonderful if the art-world finally gave back to her...

gulfislandart@yahoo.com

Imagine her surprise if everyone who reads this, sends it to her? It gives me happy chills, just thinking about it! Thank you in advance. I know I can count on you.

Hi Jennifer,

I'm . I'd like to invite you to start blogging at www.blogspotcom. I understand you're an artist too, so we're bound to have a lot in common. I look forward to getting to know you and share in your creative works of art.

Please come follow my blog: and let me know as soon as you start your own.

I look forward to following yours too!

Sending you smiles,

------------

You're all so great. Thanks for your help!

Restored

Rose Cottage

Original oil painting 18x24"

by Susan Roux

Did you really think I could stay out of this canvas for a whole day? I couldn't.

It took until mid afternoon before I dared return to it. Thank you for all your comments. You gave me courage to calm down and decipher what had gone wrong. I refused to believe my own excuses. "Too old, so I'm imagining things..." No, sorry I couldn't swallow that one.

Its in the mistakes that we learn.

Saturday I travel to Cape Cod to deliver my body of work for the summer at the Blue Heron Gallery. The owner, Roy and I have a great artist/gallery relationship. This winter he decided to hand pick the art for his gallery. Usually we bring him what we want, but he's in hopes that this might help sales in a tough economy. So all winter, when I finished a painting, I send it along to him. And so it was with Rose Cottage...

I was so excited painting it, as you have read in yesterday post. I took my camera to my studio and photographed it before taking it off the easel. I ran upstairs to my computer, downloaded the image and immediately sent it to Roy, stating that the painting, "looks much better in person". After sending it, I turned to view my painting. This is when I realized the dilemma I wrote about yesterday. Everything looked different and the painting seemed ruined!

On no! And here I had just sent it to Roy.

No problem. I deliver in a few days and it always takes Roy a week and a half to respond to my emails. He won't have even seen it...

Wrong.

Yesterday morning as I turned on my computer to write my devastating artistic breakdown post, there sat a reply from Roy. "Yes, definitely bring it to the gallery!"

So as you see, yesterday I was dealing with my own breakdown along with feeling the pressure to revive it to gallery standards. Let me tell you, my head spun around for awhile. Calming down finally helped. What went wrong? I was still trying to figure it out. I know I didn't imagine what I saw. It was there. But what happened to lose it?

Suddenly I remembered adjusting my yellows just before finishing. Cool lemon yellows in my dark areas were competing for attention. I decided to calm them with cadmium yellow. It worked like magic. They calmed and brightened at the same time. I proceeded to calm several spots of lemon yellow. Oddly in my head, I remember thinking my light is all cool, adding warm cannot be right. But visually it had given a better transition out of the darkness, so I never questioned it further.

Could adding cool lemon yellow back to these passages make the difference?

It did. Suddenly the depth in my trees/vegetation returned. With the warm yellow beneath, the transition out of the dark patches wasn't as stark as before. Such a simple fix... I realized I had warmed most of my little dots of light leading the viewer in, causing those to also disappear. So a few more cool highlights and presto they returned!

A bit more adjusting here and there and what I saw in my head, was once again before my eyes. During my class last night, I kept analyzing it further, dabbing a dot or two until I felt it was tweaked to my satisfaction.

I think the feeling of restoring it back to its original feeling was more rewarding than having it all fall into place immediately. Trusting that my instincts and knowledge are enough to pull me through my mistakes is restored. Faith that the light in my studio is still safe for painting is also calming...

I couldn't sleep last night. I wanted to get out of bed and go paint all night. But my days are too busy and I knew sleep was necessary, so I held myself back. Funny how a failed painting can knock your energy but success bubbles it nearly out of control!

I hope you trust in your instincts. Its what makes us so creative. When it all falls apart, its where we have to look for answers. That and blogging...

Thanks for being so supportive.

Share smiles

(Still deciding if its done...)

Original oil painting

by Susan Roux

Yesterday a few of us from my Wednesday night paint class went to see Tricia Griffin sing. She too is from this paint class. We are all aware of her singing talent. So many times during class she graces us with her beautiful voice. As she relaxes and the paintbrush flows rhythmically, she begins to sing. Often a few other ladies chime in as well. Soft beautiful music followed by giggles from the bunch becomes the backdrop for class.

I'm so blessed to have them for students.

She's invited us many times, over several years, to her performances. I've never attended. Most times there was a conflict in schedule. (I'm teaching...) Tricia is in a singing group, but at times she sings solo with her guitar. So was the case yesterday.

We found her at a nursing home/assisted living facility, donating her time and talents to cheer the residents. I admired her. What greater gift can you give someone then an unselfish act that brings others pleasure? The residents and the director all wanted her back, and for longer...

I found myself fighting back tears. She sang songs my parents loved. Songs my parents would sing around the house when I was just a child. I could hear my Dad's voice in my head as she sang Edelweiss... My body swayed in total calmness with the melody. Funny how music can put you somewhere in your past. The ultimate time travel machine! Simply... music.

Though awake, you find yourself in a dream.

There I was in our gold-painted living room. Mom at the old, bulky player-piano, fingers flying in every direction and Dad to her left, singing in merriment. His voice in the cellar, hers in the heavens. They sounded so beautiful together. I tried to keep up, but could never hit the notes they sang. Mom's voice (and my childish one trying to imitate her) were suddenly in my head as Somewhere over the Rainbow flowed amazingly out of Tricia's mouth. A little old man, who seemed to be sleeping throughout the performance, shouted out, "Judy Garland!" as she began. I wondered, about this simple half hour gesture and how it impacted these residents. Where did these songs take them? I like to imagine, they were twirling around on a dance floor with the love of their lives!

The more common songs, brought the room to life. In timid quiet voices they joined in softly, without overpowering Tricia. Bravely, without a mike, she created a giant sing-a-long. I saw the wrinkled faces twinkle and smile. What a gift she gave them!

Tricia, you're a wonderful person...

Too often, we don't stop and think of how our small acts can really lift the spirits of others. You never know what a stranger is going through. What battles they're facing. Whether they're at the brink of falling into depression, or not. Maybe they are totally content. Either way, even a simple gesture like a smile or a hi, can suddenly change their day around. Let's not forget this. I know all you lovely bloggers have loads of smiles to share! Let's go share some...

Booklets

Do you ever have brochures or booklets just jump out at you?

There they are. Staring you in the face. You can feel them tugging at you. Take me. Take me. Your arm leaps forward. You hesitate. It retracts. Your eye stays glued to the booklet. "Why would you be taking it?" you ask yourself. "These are for tourist." Unable to turn away, you finally pick it up.

Have you had this happen to you? I have. Several times actually.

What happens next is the real story. You spend a few moments wondering why you even grabbed this information and almost convince yourself it wasn't there for you at all. And then it happens... It sends you in a completely different direction altogether.

Your mind wanders and begins to imagine possibilities. New possibilities. Your excited just thinking about them. The first time this happened I was in the grocery store and at the checkout I spotted a Cape Cod art gallery guide. This may not strike you as funny, but I'm in Maine and Cape Cod is not exactly close by. There was just one gallery guide tucked among the TV guides. Looking back now, I'm convinced it arrived here by accident. An accident with my name on it. This happened in 2001 and by 2002, after much research and many art packets later, I got into the Blue Heron Gallery. If I hadn't picked up that booklet, would I be there? Most likely not.

Don't avoid taking chances that can spin you around. Surprises await. New beginnings await. Most times its just a matter of taking that initial step. Picking up that booklet...

So Wednesday while waiting for my son to arrive at the airport, I stumbled across a whole stand of booklets. Yes, they are there for tourist. Well a few jumped out at me and I must say I didn't hesitate as long as I had years ago in the grocery store. One was of Blue Hill, Maine. I've never been and knew nothing about it. I may have heard the name, but one town or another, if you don't know it can mean nothing.

I quickly learned its the jutting chunk of land just south of Acadia where the popular picturesque Bar Harbor sits. Its a wonderful area, so why wouldn't the area south be as pretty? I don't suppose it wouldn't. Photos of lupines run through out the booklet. Next thing I know, I'm all over the internet looking for lodging during lupine season...

Wouldn't it be splendid to go paint the lovely purple spikes with the ocean in the background? Whole houses are for rent by the week for the price of a few nights in an inn. (Ha ha, just like in Ireland!) My first thought of going for a few nights quickly turned into wanting to go paint for the week! My second thought is do I want to invite other artists to come join me? You can get houses with various number of bedrooms...

Well I'm not sure how this will play out at the moment. But I can tell you I wouldn't even be considering this if I hadn't first picked up that booklet. Now I'm tingling with excitement at the thought of going on a painting holiday.

I hope you keep yourself open to new possibilities. Half the fun is never knowing what's waiting around the corner. Just as color can give you surprises on the canvas, a slight change in direction can place surprises in your life. Go surprise yourself!

Colored Fields

You know you're longing for a change in season, when you plan an imaginary trip on the internet...

That was me yesterday.

After painting all morning past lunch, I sat with tea to rest my brain before my evening class. (Its my Wednesday night ladies, we have a ball...) I thought I'd blog, but I ended up in Tuscany.

You know it isn't the first time I drift off there. In January I posted Tuscany dreams.

Yesterday was different. As though pretending it was a reality, I sat and searched out everything. The flight cost, places to stay (oh they have some cool ones!), and even a car rental. Flights from here to Florence are absolutely out of control. Who tipped off the airlines that we all want to visit Tuscany?

I think its an artist's dream.

Aside from the cost, the biggest dilemma is when to go. The region has so much to offer. Perhaps the fields of poppies, the lavender rows, the vineyards bursting with grape clusters, the harvest or even the sunflowers? I think I would have to stay there from May to grape harvest! How else could I capture it all?

Can you just imagine taking half a year off from your life to paint Tuscany? Oh yes, you know I'm just dreaming. But if your going to dream, why not make it big?

Much like Ireland, you can rent full houses at very reasonable prices. I'm drawn to the old stone ones. You know at all times you're not in Kansas anymore when you wake up surrounded by ancient stone. Something about that makes me feel so connected to the past. Its such a comfortable feeling. Humbling, but comfortable.

Come on, dream with me.

Were sitting at a lovely, round, stone table on the open outdoor terrace, overlooking fields and hills that go on forever. Tall stately trees dot the countryside. The sun is low and long shadows grow from their feet, curving with the landscape. In the evening's warmth, you sip full bodied red wine. Cheese, homemade bread and a cluster of plump juicy grapes fill the turquoise colored plate. Sitting with it on a white and orange flowered cloth is one, dainty, paper-like poppy. It rises and bends gracefully from the slender clear vase at the center of the table. You break off a nibble of cheese. Warm wine hits your lips and you breath in a long slow breath and exhale completely relaxed, sinking in your wrap-around chair. You dream of painting in the fields tomorrow...

Who wouldn't like that?

My sights have been on Tuscany for awhile. You know I won't rest until I get there. I'd better start saving my pennies...

Let your heart dream today. A warm smile will grow on your face and for a brief moment all your tension will drift away...

Posted: Colored Field 24x18" Original oil painting by Susan Roux

2010

The blank canvas. The big white blank canvas stands before us. Endless possibilities. Hope is in our hearts. Hope for change. Hope for improvement.

What will you do?

Its your canvas. You're in charge. You're the definer of much that will be painted on it. What color will you start with? Will you be timid and begin with a soft pastel or will you be bold and make yourself known with vibrant red? Its your life and I hope your living it. We only get one.

Forget the typical, I'll lose weight. I'll exercise more. Yes of course they're good and healthy, but think bigger. Dream. Really dream! Then set yourself on a path towards it. You don't have to be afraid of doing it alone. We can march on together. Your giant internet support group awaits you!

Have you taken steps to meet a stranger yet? Its a great place to start. Everyone has so much to share. Meet someone new and your mind will suddenly be exposed to new possibilities. Share your ideas and in conversation, a different point of view will add to it, encourage it, inspire it. Suddenly you'll feel the power to try, the power to act on it, emerge and grow. You can make things happen. You can reach out. You can be proud of who you are. You can stand tall and march on with enthusiasm! Dare to imagine and then go do it!

Grab that paintbrush. You know, the biggest one you have and go dip it in red!

Dare to Imagine...

Change. Dare to imagine change. Dare to imagine possibilities. What would happen if...? Open your mind and view the world from a different stand point. Reach out to people you haven't met. See where it leads you. This is exactly what I do. Sometimes I feel like I'm setting seeds of possibility down and in time, some grow.

Yesterday that happened. One grew. I received a phone call from a past friend and collector of my art. For years now a signed Christmas card is all the contact we've shared. What a delight to hear her voice! She is the type of person who instantly energizes your creativity. Do you know people like that? Just being in their presence stimulates you. Its like a giant wave of tingling energy starting at one point and taking over your whole body. I have always loved talking to June. So many creative thoughts go through my mind afterwards. I become a hyper child, unable to focus on one thought. There are too many.

Well June didn't call to simply say hi, though that would have been enough. A seed sewn years ago blossomed. To my surprise she offered me an exhibition at the hospital. Its a 3 year waiting list to exhibit there. I hang in 16 days! That makes it Dec. 26. Yes, a bit challenging, but certainly possible!

All that inventory that collects because art sales are down becomes a welcomed gift at times like these.

So go sew yourself some seeds! Expect nothing in return. Eventually some will grow. New opportunities will emerge. Dare to imagine!