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Evening Light - Monhegan

Original oil painting  16x20"

by Susan Roux

Somedays are just special. They stand out above others for what they held. You know what I'm talking about. Those days when you're doing nothing particularly special when suddenly something far beyond your imagination happens, transforming it into an incredible day that will remain in your memory forever.

Well, to be fair, it wasn't exactly like I wasn't doing something special. I was on Monhegan painting at the time...  But that in itself is a typical thing to be doing on Monhegan. Lavina, a student of mine had come to join me and this particular day, we planned to paint from the front lawn of her rental. It was located up the first hill just as you arrive on the island.

Three boats a day bring people to the island. I found it quite fascinating to see how many people arrive in a very short time. It wasn't a problem to stay focused on my work, because I had set up with my back to the street and also to this lovely scene depicted in Evening Light - Monhegan. Lavina laughed and commented on how many times I'd been photographed by the day trippers. I had been totally unaware of them and their clicking cameras or phones.

Out of an arriving cluster, a student in her mid-20's approached us. She was from the Rockport Film School and on the island for the day on assignment. I need to make a quick documentary that coincides with an older painting I've selected and would it be ok if I filmed you painting? 

What do you say to that?

I was just there doing my work. She could film me if she wanted. Sure, why not?

Well she neglected to tell me she would interview me.

Seriously??? I felt myself wanting to back out...

The next thought that passed through my head was, how was anything interesting ever going to happen to me if I didn't take risks when the opportunities presented themselves? I swallowed hard and agreed to participate. Meg and her friend went through quite some trouble wiring me, concealing everything. Only to have it all completely exposed in the final video...

This experience definitely falls into the category of special moments as described in a previous post.

Here's a series of photos taken during our film session. I had the insight to hand my camera to Jerry Cable who lives next door. Thanks for taking the shots Jerry.

Meg would ask me questions, but I had to reply like I was just talking about it on my own. It was difficult to do at first. You automatically wanted to just reply to her question.

The filming went on for quite some time. I was surprised at the shortness of the final film with all the interviewing they did.

Here you can see a passerby clicking to capture the action going on. 

So here I am in a film debut. (I tried to attach it directly here, but it kept malfunctioning.) I'd been outside painting since 7:00 am. Hair blowing in the ocean breeze and raw as it gets for an artist. No time to comb my hair or fix myself up in any way. Why don't these things happen in our youth???

October

Asters

Original oil painting 4x4"

by Susan Roux

Here in Maine, the art season is summer. It's warm weather, vacationers and tourist. Tons of shops and galleries prepare in springtime by filling their stores with plenty of inventory, in hopes of a profitable season ahead. For artists in galleries, spring deliveries bring about relief. A time to breath after a long winter of painting and preparing.

Its not a bad schedule. When the weather is cold and nasty, we're indoors painting. When warm weather arrives, we can slow down and enjoy it. Plein air painting, gardening, photo shoots, long walks and beaches... (and this year, hosting other artists!) The hustle of preparing our inventory is behind us.

This has been my mindset for a decade.

Of course there are always a few exhibitions we get involved in. I never get to worried about them as the bad economy has left me with quite an inventory. There's usually something here I can grab to go deliver.

So that's why this October is catching me a bit off guard. It seems I applied and signed up for several exhibitions that are all overlapping. I'm scrambling a bit for satisfactory inventory, but also frames. Oil paintings are easy to transfer in and out of them, so I don't keep too many extras on hand.

Tomorrow night (5-7 p.m.) is the opening at Gallery 5, where my four plein air works will be on exhibition for a month. Please come and say hi if you're around. Tuesday I'll be delivering works to Wilton, Maine where they will hang for three months. Come November 6, I'm participating in a large, one-day exhibition at the hospital. It doubles as a fundraiser with doctors and other well-to-do on the invitation list. There's a cost to participate. Sales can't ever be expected nowadays, so I'm painting some small pieces to entice them.

Posted is Asters on a chunky little 4x4" gallery wrapped canvas. Quick, loose and no frame required. Perfect for the occasion. (I hope...) Usually my smallest works are 12x16". This miniature size is a bit unsettling for me. I still have a stroke or two to add, perhaps some highlights, before its complete.

I also have Purple Coneflowers started. In the days to come, I'd like to paint several. I think they'll be more obvious hanging in a bunch. I'm also planning to bring my second Lisa in hopes of promoting myself as a portrait artist.

Come December, my students will be exhibiting at Guthries, a small local eatery/pub that prides itself in promoting the arts. I have my work cut out for me, preparing for that one!

So summer's done, but my work with exhibitions is cranking. I'll be busy.

...but isn't this life fun?

(so tell me, how do we sign these little miniatures?)

Spending time with Nora

Back from another workshop.

Nora Kasten asked me to join her at the Stapleton Kearns workshop. So off I was, for a long weekend on beautiful Mount Desert Island, Maine. You may be familiar with it by other names, such us Bar Harbor or Acadia National Park. We stayed in a lovely Inn on the ocean.

It was hard to take...

Seeing Nora again was wonderful. Our time together will remain precious in my memories. Next week I'll be seeing her again in Boothbay, where I intend to go paint. There is also the possibility of meeting up with English artist, Karl Terry.

The first day of the workshop was dotted with sunshine and we set up on coastal rocks at Otter Cliffs.

Stapleton emphasized the importance of design. His grand message to us was, without good design, no amount of rendering will save your painting. I returned home with ashes in my easel and the echoing thought that the finished "picture" we create is what is important. Not recreating everything that is at our location. Plein air painting is about altering and adjusting elements and values to create a picture which holds the character of the place, but not necessarily documents it as is. Though I know this, it often eludes me while out there chasing the light.

We were a wonderful group of serious artists. Ten of us in all. Its always a pleasure to meet and socialize with others who share our passion. Pictured is James Cook taking close observation to the subtle nuinces in values on Stapleton's unfinished painting. He had worked this demo during the course of two days, to show us a further evolved work. Stapleton didn't find it necessary to produce a finished product in a few hours, that I find typical for plein air artists. It was interesting to see a different, slower approach. For him, its all about the finished painting and he confessed to completing them all in his studio. He doesn't categorize himself as a plein air painter for this reason, though he frequently works on location. Patty Meglio covers the workshop story in greater detail, if you're interested in reading more.

Our weather was mostly gray. Fortunately I found the sun peeking in and out on the morning of my return. I took advantage of a photo shoot before leaving. Gardens and grand porches had been catching my eye as I drove by them, daily. The workshop spanned long hours and with morning fog and late afternoon mist, I never had to opportunity to photograph anything en route. I pleasured in taking my time and absorbing the beauty...

Note: Friday evening I attended the Luka Bloom concert where I presented him with the painting. As you predicted, he was very pleased. He hopped up out of his seat after looking at it with amazement, to give me a grand hug. How can you beat that?

Painter's block?

Early Lobster Boats

Original oil painting 12x16"

by Susan Roux

While blogging today, I came upon an artist claiming to have painter's block. I think we can all relate to that. But it got me thinking...

What is painter's block?

I know its when we can't seem to paint. Or, when we do, the results are nothing like we'd like. It can be so crippling. So derailing. That horrible feeling of... I can't paint!..falls upon you. You start to wonder why you ever thought you could, because obviously you cannot.

What causes this? Of course we don't all of a sudden forget how to paint. Do you think its something we put on ourselves? Unknowingly?

How?

Why?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Also, how do you get out of your block?

Beauty Inside and Out

Original oil painting 16x20"

by Susan Roux

Just a quick update: I heard from Gallery 5 yesterday. Not only did Magical Garden make it into the Plein Air exhibit, all four of my entries made it in! The gallery isn't that big, so this came as a huge surprise. Posted are two of the other paintings selected along with In the Lupines. Opening reception is October 15, 5-7 followed by dinner at Fishbones, maybe???

Another artist visits

Magical Garden

Original oil painting 16x20"

by Susan Roux

Nora Kasten is coming to Maine.

I'm so excited! Like you, I met Nora through blogging. This past March, I visited her during my vacation to Florida. My husband and I melted at the sight of all her romantic paintings hanging throughout her house. There's nothing quite like viewing the actual art, is there? Our visit was wonderful and too short.

Nora contacted me recently and asked if I would join her for Stapleton Kearns' workshop. It will be held in Bass Harbor, Maine. We're talking tip of Mount Desert Island (Bar Harbor). Rocky coast and crashing waves. Its a plein air workshop and should be very interesting since I've never painted the ocean up-close in plein air. Not only are we dealing with the ever changing light issues, those waves don't stand still for a moment! Don't even talk to me about the tide change.

I see a challenge in my future...

Of course I said yes. Who wouldn't? Not only will I get a grand dose of Stapleton's knowledge, I'll also get to paint with Nora. Unbelievable...

Please come early so I can sit and watch you paint those magnificent roses. I'll gladly buy you a whole bouquet!

Its been an exciting summer of artists visitors for me. Three weeks of Martine-Alison, over a week with Don Hatfield and now, who knows how long, with Nora Kasten. I'm so blessed to have all you wonderful people in my life. Blogging has been a gift. I can't think of an easier way to network with and among our peers throughout the world. There's a comfort we build here. A trust. Not only are we revealing ourselves through our art, our words cover pages and pages, helping us understand each other. So many similarities exist in our thought process as we continue this art journey we're on. Friendships grow and blossom.

Go meet each other. I've repeated this over and over. Host an artist in your home. You'll be so stimulated, you won't believe it! Are we unique? We sure are. But artists are also very similar. What are you afraid of? Invite someone. Who knows, you might just be so lucky as to have them accept...

Posted is one of four plein air paintings I submitted for approval in a local plein air exhibit at Gallery 5. Hopefully something of mine will make it into the show.

Our secret

From the Clover

Work in progress 20x16"

by Susan Roux

The rocks were talking.

I've never experienced anything like it. We were on Deer Isle, painting plein air from early morning 'til mid-afternoon. The weather was hot and sunny so we packed our gear and drove to find a beach locals told us about. It was a tiny beach. A very tiny beach...

Off to the side I noticed a trail. It rose up a wooded hill. A dense pine forest, perhaps all growing on large rocks. Something felt very ancient here. The trail forked. It was a short walk. Each ended at a different location around a point. Three completely different beaches, facing three different compass points, all separated by this wooded hill.

One particular beach seemed to pull us in. Chris, Karen and I descended onto in.

A different energy existed there. It was powerful and it tingled inside us. In awe, we moved slowly, not speaking. Large rounded boulder type rocks surrounded us. The tide was low, exposing a tiny sandy beach. I was pulled to a large rock, where I immediately crouched to listen.

The rocks were talking.

It really did feel ancient here. It was humbling. Like these rocks had been here so much longer than any of us, they had even evolved to speak... Chris and I were overwhelmed by the energy we began to talk about our shared Abenaki Indian ancestry. Something here made us feel very connected.

Then Karen surprised us by saying she had Abenaki in her too. Her grandfather was a medicine man!

We are living proof that not all the French and Indians were at war...

No wonder we've become instant friends. We were already connected. Just as this place made us feel connected. Ancient knowledge seemed to be here. We all listened to the rocks. It was the vast areas of exposed barnacles crackling and popping. It put Rice Crispies to shame! The range of sounds it made was incredible.

A bit further, the rocks rose up on either side of us.

From there, you needn't crouch to hear the chatter. It echoed around you. How cool and spiritual a place this was! The secret beach found only at low tide.

It had so much to say...

We returned to our rental house to tell everyone of our magnificent find. They laughed at us. Talking rocks? Seriously now...

The looks on our faces must have sparked some interest, because the next day Mike wanted me to take him there. We needed to wait until low tide. It was misting, so I knew it wouldn't be the same. In the heat, the barnacles had closed tight. The sound was coming from within their closed shells. As though these tiny crustaceans were complaining about the intense heat bestowed upon them.

Much like I've been doing these past few days in the Eastern heat wave...

The sound was softer. Much softer. But upon seeing this place, Mike suddenly understood. He even apologized for laughing the night before. Armed with his trusty camera, he took the photos posted. I wondered how many people came to this beach and never herd it talking. If they were themselves chatting, they would have drowned the sound. If felt like our amazing secret. The place where the rocks talk...

I still have chills thinking about it.

Without class

In the Lupines

Original oil painting 14x18"

by Susan Roux

I'm preparing a body of work to be exhibited next summer. I know it sounds far off to be beginning so soon, but the inspiration is alive and current. I feel its the perfect time to dive right in.

The morning I left for Deer Isle, I received an email from my artist friend Sandy. She suggested I go visit Peter at Blue Hill Bay Gallery, located directly in the picturesque town of Blue Hill, Maine. She is represented there and thought Peter might be interested in my art.

Talk about a last minute rush to pack a few finished paintings, grab frames, hardware and tools. No time left to put anything together. We were just about to leave. Running out the door, I remembered to print out a resume only to find it wasn't updated for 2010... Change some dates, pop in resume paper and hit print. In ten minutes, I managed to somewhat prepare for a gallery visit. Phew!

I was hoping to finish some magnificent work on location to totally impress him, but that didn't turn out to be the case. All my works were unfinished and the lupines were fading daily. By Thursday afternoon, I decided to give Peter a call.

This is never the way to approach a gallery, yet here I was doing it...

I like to project an image of class. Unfortunately Peter never saw it. His gallery was closing for the day in two hours and I was thirty minutes away. Throw some unfinished paintings in the car, hair all a mess and still in my painting clothes from a morning at work, yet I was off to Blue Hill.

I can't emphasize enough how it helps to know someone currently in a gallery. I did not enter the gallery with my best work. Luckily he could see through the plein air struggle and saw something he liked. Something that held promise. He delighted that I was so interested in the lupines. To my great surprise, he's taking me on.

We decided it would be best to plan for next year rather than try to rush a body of work instantly. And so here it is. My inspiration to paint lupines and the rocky coast of the Blue Hill Peninsula including Deer Isle and perhaps Acadia is front and foremost at the moment. Posted, In the Lupines, is my first finished painting for next years exhibit.

In the Lupines/detail

Yesterday, after my early morning lupine painting session with fog, I returned to my studio to finish the painting I'd started on the island, in the lupine patch. (They're purple. How can I resist?)

Hope you're immersing yourself in what nature has to offer. Its so beautiful...

(Happy Anniversary Honey!)

Delphinium

I sit here this morning, looking at all the beautiful art you post, and I just want to jump up and paint. Unfortunately all that sticks in my head is I've been selected for jury duty! I can't begin tell you how much this is disrupting my life. Today and tomorrow selections will be made and hopefully I'll have a schedule as to when I'm needed. This is stressing me out beyond my capacity.

My objective is to post up-lifting posts and I am failing miserably! Sorry for that.

On the brighter side. I'm adding a new student to my Tuesday night class and my Adult Ed class starts Thursday night. Hopefully I won't be stuck in court and can actually keep my teaching commitments. It will be my sanity through this.

I need to change my thoughts, so I'm posting a picture of delphiniums.

These are from a wonderful gardener's home. Her name incidentally is Rose. She is a friend/acquaintance who I contacted last summer to ask if I could teach a plein air workshop on her property. She had moved since I'd last seen her, so the gardens were a complete surprise to me. I returned several times to paint there. She had the most magnificent delphiniums and I took my friend Sandy Dunn to come paint them with me. I don't know Rose's secret but she had blossoms whose circumference were larger than my head! Sandy could not believe it. We were stuck, mesmerized and completely unsure how to capture this grandeur in our paintings. We never did capture the scale. It would have taken a figure or something recognizable in the painting, but all we wanted to do was paint delphinium! The one's posted here are new baby plants.

I'm certain we'll return to try again this summer!

Nothing like beautiful flowers to put the mind at ease and relieve some stress. Dreams of summer. That will be my thought for the day...

Happy dreaming!

Sandy Dunn

This is my friend Sandy Dunn, also known as Sandra Leinonen Dunn. Not only is she a wonderful artist, she's a painting!

Don't you think?

(Her photographer husband thinks she's a photograph...) Its inspiring just being around her. Sandy is very gifted, intelligent, wonderfully kind and giving. I really enjoy our limited time together. We're meeting today for lunch. I'm so excited! Its been since before my trip to Ireland this past fall that we've seen each other. Schedules get in the way...

Getting together is always creative stimulation. I know I'll return energized with wonderful new ideas. Its always the case. Don't you love it when ideas just flow with positive energy? It nourishes your spirit. Nourishes your soul.

We've exhibited in two-person shows many times. I remember one exhibit we titled "Pear-ing up", for Sandy is known for her unusual colorful pears. Currently we exhibit together at a local music lessons establishment. Sandy loves to play the violin and incorporates her pears to paint pear-shaped violins! They are quite different and popular. Maine Street Music Lessons is a great place to exhibit these unusual pieces.

Sandy and I love to paint together. Whether from each other's studios or out painting plein air in fragrant gardens , we compliment each other, supporting and lending advise. I know her help has aided my advancement in plein air works. Constructive criticism can be so helpful. Hopefully we can get together to paint again soon...

Do you have special artists that you paint with, exchange ideas with? Its wonderful to find someone who you trust to give you sound advise when you need it most. Art is such a personal thing. You reveal something very deep about yourself. It can be difficult being critiqued. When two people can function well in that situation, both gaining from the experience, its a gift.

Sandy lives one hour away, but she's my "near-by" gift. I'm very glad we found each other...

I'd like to leave you with her cheerful flowers. Hope they make you smile...

Artists hosting artists

In the post "Let the journey happen", I mentioned Martine-Alison. She lives in France. I found her over the internet, much like I keep urging you to do. Let me tell you how it happened...

At the time I was looking for French artists. I had the idea to connect artists from Maine and France. I wanted to have them communicate together for a while. My plan was to invite the French artist here to stay for two weeks at which time we would take them painting in plein air, sometimes the whole group, sometimes alone with our guest. At a later date, the Maine artists would be hosted in France. I envisioned lots of marketing around the event, involving the media, both TV and print, to rouse interest. Next, I wanted to have exhibitions of our combined work in both countries following our creative exchange. Can you imagine such an international exhibition? I can.

I thought it was the perfect idea. Artist traveling to different countries for the cost of a flight and the agreement to host another for two weeks in their own home. We would get to meet artists we otherwise would never have met. We would paint together, exchange ideas, view different creative techniques and ultimately stimulate and inspire each other.

I never did find the artists needed to partake in this idea, but it never left my mind. Some artists here thought it was exciting, but many showed no interest. I would still love to see it realized, or a version of it. I had imagined five artists from each country, making us ten all together. Though it would have been fun as a large group, it might be more reasonable to lower the number and keep the huge media hoopla and exhibit out of the picture. Still, it would be an awesome way to gain recognition and improve everyone's resume!

This idea still seems amazing and possible to me. As I've mentioned, I sought out Irish artists before visiting Ireland. I suppose I'm trying to do a small portion, a small version, of it alone. Though no hosting was involved, perhaps it will evolve. I think getting to live together would be a huge added benefit. Imagine all the conversations that would occur during so much time together...

Imagine, imagine, imagine...

Perhaps someday I'll find enough artists interested in doing this with me. If that's you, please let me know. Post it in the comment section so we can all find each other. Maybe together we can make it happen.

This is how I met Martine-Alison. We have been communicating daily since. Its been nearly three years now. She has become more than a friend. I call her my twin. An ocean divides us, yet we are bound together. She has left inspiring comments on many of my posts. If you can read french, you should go back and read them. In the future, I will tell you more about this amazing person, friend, artist from across the pond...

Don't give up

Finding artists to paint with me in Ireland wasn't easy. This land of lush greenery is green for a reason. Rain. Daily rain as I was told and this past summer had been exceedingly wet. Artists were not accustomed to setting up their easels with the constant threat of rain. Painting in plein air is different from studio painting and they had not developed skills for this. A bit of anxiety set in as they thought they would paint with a skilled plein air painter. I'm not so skilled. Anyway that didn't matter. I dreamed of how exciting it would be to paint in a foreign country with artists from that country. It would be the highlight of my trip!

I urged on. I was coming for the first time and I was going to paint directly on location. I wanted so much to capture the colors and feeling of Ireland while I was there, not simply from photos later. A little bit of rain wasn't going to stop me. After all, it wouldn't be the first time I set up in the rain. When water mixes with oil paints it causes some very interesting effects. Sometimes wonderful little surprises! And frankly, who cares if it would turn into a flop, I just wanted to do it. I wanted to paint Ireland in Ireland.

Despite all they were telling me and with stubborn determination, I continued my quest to find someone. One month before our flight I was completely unsuccessful.

"That's it!" I decided.

It was like putting my foot down. I wasn't going to give up so easily. My time was closing in and finding a painting partner became increasingly important. In desperation, I pulled out every Irish address I had contacted several months before. In a giant group email I stated my plight. I was looking for someone to paint with. Would anyone be willing to do so and if not, could they please direct me to someone who would.

Wow! It seemed to have worked like magic. I had several people return saying they would. It even seemed for awhile that a whole painting group would assemble to paint with me. A huge tingling rush spread through my body at the mere thought! Orchestrating that was simply too difficult and so it didn't happen. By the time I left, I had two separate proposal to paint. I was thrilled.

Only one of those actually happened. It was on the final days of our two week trip. A little gem in the end! Mat Grogan (www.matgrogan.com) a wonderful, shy master painter skilled in still life paintings joined me with his friend Dave Hayes (http://www.dom.ie/dhayes/dhayeshome.htm). I'll never forget it. We painted on a glorious day in full sun without wind or rain, in a lush Irish garden. I did paint by myself earlier in my trip, but it was nothing like painting with foreign artists. That was quite a thrill!

If you want something, don't give up. Keep plugging. Keep pushing until you succeed. In the end it will be worth all the effort you put into it and more.

(Photography by Michael McAllister)