Spring

Saint Patrick's Mountain, Ireland

Original oil painting 16x20"

by Susan Roux

What are you up to lately?

I feel the effects of spring. New things are emerging all around. Have you noticed? The art world is winding up for the approaching season. Announcements for artist's opportunities flood in. Calls for artists, exhibition announcements, openings, workshops, art talks and art walks to name but a few. Here in the North Country the art world is coming out of hibernation.

It may be the only thing sprouting these days as we are still under knee-deep snow... (Hum, that sounded like a frog croaking, but they can't be heard yet either.)

To the artist, spring isn't measured by the snow on the front lawn. A real shift in activity happens this time of year. Following the holidays, life in Maine is a real treasure for the artist. Ahh, the heart of winter. It's a time to delve deep into your own creativity. The winter cold keeps us shut in. The wood stoves crank and the smell and warmth of the burning logs only help relax us to tap into our creative juices. It's a welcomed time. Time to immerse ourselves into experimentation. Time to slosh paint around. Time to play and create. Winter is long and it seems that time passes slowly and that this playground of creativity will last forever.

But it doesn't.

The spring announcements can't be ignored. Artist's hibernation is over and it's time to hop, hop, hop to. Galleries will want art soon. Paintings need to be framed. First frames need to be ordered. Wondering. Worrying sets in. Did I paint enough this winter to supply everyone? Do I have enough worthy pieces? How did it get to be the middle of March without my taking closer inventory of my winter's work?

This never used to happen. I was so tuned into painting for my galleries, that I knew exactly what I had prepared for them. But as the years passed, I found my art was better when I wasn't consciously painting for my galleries. I needed to be painting for me. And so it has been lately. No regard to my galleries as I create. I figured if I paint constantly, there will be ample inventory for everyone. But is there? Is there? Is there?

It's my fear.

Well before it's time for spring clean-up in the flower beds, it will be time for spring clean-up in the studio. I've taken on a new gallery this year and perhaps it's the reason for my anxiety. One more little baby to feed... How I hate to pull myself away from the easel to go count and sort canvases, take inventory on frames and what needs to be ordered. It feels like a transition from the carefree feeling of childhood to the responsibility of adulthood. Like Holden Caulfield I'm not ready to take the leap. I just want to keep playing.

Painting for myself has been far more relaxing than painting for my galleries. I just want to ignore the signs of spring, beckoning me to switch gears and hustle, and crawl back into my hole (behind my easel) and remain in hibernation bliss...

Happy Saint Paddy's Day everyone!

Posted: Saint Patrick's Mountain, Ireland was painted a year ago following an amazing 2-week trip to Ireland. It was actually autumn, but seemed fitting for the day...

It took all day...

I bought a bushel of green tomatoes the other day from a local farmer who sells them cheap. In time when they ripen, I'll enjoy making spaghetti sauce for winter. That was my thought. Well in the heat of the house, "in time" came much faster than I anticipated! My boxful was turning redder every day. It became apparent, I needed to take time for my tomatoes.

I began by scrubbing them all. The skins were marred and scarred. Not your picture perfect specimens, but great for the pot.

I felt like painting. I mean I really felt like painting. The weekend had been filled with countless other activities and my paintbrushes were calling, actually hollering, to me. Fall duties had come to the forefront. Saturday brought a big family surge, bringing-in and stacking firewood. Now an overwhelming amount of tomatoes awaited. Somehow I felt like a squirrel preparing for the cold season ahead. I tried to remind myself how happy I would be, come winter, that all this preparation had been done.

I remember loving the process of making spaghetti sauce. This time it seemed a chore. Its a very tactile process. All the peeling and cutting with juice pouring between your fingers. The smells. Garlic, various peppers and fresh herbs explode with wonderful aromas. My chopping knife kept very busy...

Can you smell it?

I thought there would be time while it simmered to go paint or catch up on the ever mounting pile of laundry. No. There wasn't. I had a one-hour "go retrieve my son" break and that was it. It actually took all day. Beginning from: after blogging with morning coffee 'til supper.

At some point during the day, I began to embrace the process and enjoy it. Its hard to see and smell all this and not be affected. All my senses participated.

I've become increasingly obsessed with painting lately and anything that gets in the way seems so disruptive. I read about some of you with painters block, lack of inspiration, even toiling with the idea of quitting art all together. For me, its the opposite. I want to quit everything else! These days, filled with activities and duties that pull me away from our art, only add to the burning desire to paint. When the brush can be picked up again, watch out. Inspiration and desire to push paint around will be peeked!

Yes it took all day, but look what I achieved. Fifteen quarts in all!

... and a box of quickly ripening tomatoes! Yikes!

Pasta anyone?

Warm thoughts

Full Pots

Original oil painting by Susan Roux

January is quickly coming to an end. A substantial chunk of winter is behind us. We awoke to "0" degrees. That's fahrenheit. For all my foreign readers, -17.7 c. is the equivalent! Brrrrrrrr...

I hope you're all keeping warm!

Anyone want to move to Maine? In all fairness the temperatures are predicted to rebound to 17 (-8c.) in full sun later. For most of the year, its a great place to be... Plus with these cold temperatures, its the perfect excuse to curl up to someone you love in front of the fire. Just don't forget your gloves when you go out!

I choose to think warm thoughts. Join me? After yesterdays post with tiny petunias and Rahina q.h. commenting from Scotland's deep freeze, I've decided warm thoughts are needed in many places. Of course Australia may be commenting on how its mid-summer, to rub it in... (but we can pay them back come July)

I chose to post two images for warm thoughts. The first, Full Pots, is a painting I finished with a class this fall. I have to say, not only was it a challenge for me to simplify it for them, it was also a challenge for them to paint! We worked a long time on it and their results were wonderful! After stringy petunias, I was ready to see robust reds exploding out of their pots. A pleasant reminder that summer returns...

The second image is a candle and a fire. No this is not my home. Its an image from one of the spectacular "cottages" we stayed in while in Ireland. Nearly the whole wall was stone. Beautiful!

So now you can imagine your heat anyway you'd like. A sunny summer's day or curled up by a warm fire. Either way, I wish you warm thoughts, warmth in your heart, and a creative spirit that helps you produce exciting things to warm the hearts of your viewers.

Stay warm my friends and remember. We could be at the start of winter rather than well into it...

(photographs by Michael McAllister)