The Cape

From Atop

Original oil painting 16x20"

by Susan Roux

More beach scenes keep pouring out of me as I prepare my body of work for delivery at the Blue Heron Gallery in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Wellfleet is on Cape Cod. The Cape is a beautiful place and I'm thrilled to return year after year. I've explored so many corners of it. I love bringing new people with me to take the two-day trip. They become my travel buddies.

Everyone is amazed with this gem of a place. Its off season when I deliver, so congestion is not an issue. Its like having the Cape to ourselves! Of course the beautiful flora comes later and to experience that, you must deal with the full hustle and bustle that tourist season brings.

Both bring me great joy.

One of my favorite things about the Cape is you can drive to both sides in a few minutes. The beach is always salty, but each side has its own special characteristics. To the wide Atlantic, the tall sand dunes aim to protect. Nature is wild however and it continues to carve them. Much like a painting, they are a work in progress. Every year their shapes are altered.

On the bay side, there are no pounding waves. The beaches are flat and long and the ebbing tide pulls the ocean far away from the dry sand. Sandbars appear. Grasses grow in the shallows. When the tide is high, the summertime green grasses dance in blue water. I love the shapes they make. In fall, the grass is orange. It can be spectacular swaying in the blue...

This painting is of the Atlantic side. From the parking lot, you approach high atop the dunes. The ocean appears all at once as a surprise. I wanted to capture that feeling, but I nearly gave up on it.

The front grasses gave me quite a challenge. After letting it stand for a few days I returned to try and gain control. Just as in Beach Path, those pesky, beautiful, sunlit grasses come together better second time around!

Maybe the accomplishment is sweeter when we work harder for it...

Tuscany dreams

Do you dream of going places?

I do. The more I travel the more I want to travel. Europe has been my intrigue and with luck and a few dollars, I'll return again. My sights are on Tuscany next...

I was checking out some of my followers sites and came upon Roisin O'Farrell's post titled In a bit of a Jam! Love the title and the painting. In this post Roisin talks about artists bartering. I think its a very cool idea. She starts out with little things like jam for gesso boards and ends up with weekend stay's for paintings.

I'm all up for that one!

It's been in my mind to travel for art. How wonderful that would be! Last summer I was online searching for villas in Tuscany that might offer me a room if I painted their vineyards. I was even connected with a man in Italy who was assisting me in trying to find such a place. We were unsuccessful...

That doesn't mean such a thing doesn't exist. It also doesn't mean we can't make it happen. I do remember years ago a place in Bar Harbor, Maine would invite artists during pre-season to come stay for a week. The owners were busy preparing their establishment for the summer and they allowed artists to use an entire floor during this time. The artists were free to paint and the only charge was to donate a painting at the end of their stay.

It was perfect for all involved. The owners received beautiful original art to decorate their rooms, while the artists painted for free in amazing scenery! At the end of the week, the owners hosted an "art show" in the grand-room showcasing the artists work from the week. One artist would paint a beautiful painting at her leisure during the year to bring, so her room and board was accounted for upon arrival.

If artists started to offer such deals, do you think we could begin a trend?

It isn't a far cry from my artists hosting artists idea. I know this sort of thing could work. Maybe we should talk about this some more... I'd love your ideas on the matter?

Where do you want to go?

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...

Meeting the people

I'm not much of a traveler. Yes I've spit out places like Russia, France and Ireland at you, but traveling has been a new addition in my life. It is something I've always wanted to do, but never could. Now I just want to go and experience new places and new people. My mind expands and my creativity is stimulated to levels I've never experienced. My favorite thing about traveling is meeting the people and experiencing their culture. This started when we exhibited in Saint Petersburg, Russia and were placed with a family for two weeks. Being in their home, living side-by-side with them, stumbling our way with language barriers was not a typical relaxing holiday, but it opened my eyes and gave me a new perspective on how I'd like to travel.

This fall we went to Ireland. As soon as I made our flight reservations, I began to write to Irish artists. I was hoping to meet with some of them as part of our trip. At first my letters were simple. I inquired where an artists might find inspiration in their country. Every response that returned to my computer sent me in different directions. I searched each one. How awesome a connected network such as the internet is for bringing complete strangers together! Many artists never responded. Some were only interested in giving me a few suggestions and then there were the special ones. The ones who kept writing to me for four months and invited me into their homes.

Now this is what I'm talking about.

People meeting with people, exchanging ideas, experiencing new cultures, finding our similarities, learning from our differences... Its perhaps the most stimulating experience an artist can have. Anyone can go to a new country and see the sights, but going there to meet the people is far richer. Its double the experience! Of course you still see the sights, its impossible not to. Eventually our entire trip was carved by the various people we would meet. It sent us in many different directions and we got to see marvelous places we never would have otherwise. Artists know those wonderful little places in the world that can be quiet yet so beautiful and inspiring. Places where the spirit can soar and be energized. Places where the light of day or dawn or dusk passes through the landscape with such delicate beauty or sharp contrasts that merely seeing it can stop you in your tracks.

We returned from this trip more relaxed than ever. A calm joy filled our hearts and we knew there was no way this trip could have been any better. Now I know for certain how I want to continue traveling. The places you see stand in your memory, but the people you meet are who you talk about to others and become the highlight of your trip. (plus you can still stay in touch with them afterwards...)

Next time you find yourself going on a holiday, I strongly suggest you connect with some strangers before you go. The internet makes it so easy. If you're an artist, go meet other artists. They're everywhere and easy to find. Go exchange ideas. Meet them in a coffee shop for tea. Go paint together. Anything. If you've been communicating with them for months, you won't fear meeting them. After all they weren't on the internet stalking you, you're the one who contacted them...

Think about it. It will be the best part of your trip!