Catching the rain

Hello Little bird

Original oil painting 20x16"

by Susan Roux

sold

Did you receive an email from Eric Rhoads about catching the rain? He's the publisher of Fine Art Connoisseur and a few other artists publications. In it he talks about having alternative strategies in our difficult economy. Thinking outside the box, even looking outside the box, when seeking ways to market our art. We are all creative. I know a lot of you are marketing yourselves effectively over the internet. It does offer a wide range of avenues. I personally don't take advantage of them. I could learn a lot from many of you in this realm.

Frolicking

sold

I have been represented by galleries for the past decade. I sometimes have trouble with other marketing venues due to the prices my art requires, to stay abreast with my galleries. As you may already know, undercutting your gallery price is detrimental to your gallery relationship, your representation. I've struggled with this. It seems to limit my possibilities because I no longer have the freedom to fluctuate my prices to accommodate varying venues.

Hat Dance

sold

But I have to agree with Eric. As you may know, I hung my art at Nosh, a restaurant, for the month of March. I received less than a 24 hour notice before the show had to be hung. It would have been very easy to decline. But something made me hustle and get a nice selection of art on their walls. My prices remain high and sales were far from my hopes. At best I'd wished for a local gallery to stop in for lunch, see my latest girls and want to represent me.

Quite the contrary happened.

In one month's time, I sold seven paintings! I can't believe it. At a restaurant! I'm sharing this information with you so you won't close the door on opportunities you might think are pointless. We are all at different stages in our art journeys and what works for one person may not be the answer for the next. But keep your eyes and options open. Like Eric points out in his article, you need to reach out in different areas to find customers. Just imagine if I hadn't rushed to put an exhibit together in record time? I'd have missed all these sales...

Thank you my new collectors. You made my month!

sold

Sweet Dreams

Sweet Dreamer

Original oil painting 28x22"

by Susan Roux

This series of ladies at the beach has me entranced. My spare time is completely devoted to creating more of them. Even times that aren't spare get caught up in it. Certainly I would define this as crossing over from passion to obsession. I can't describe what fascinates me the most as I'm painting these. Is it color? Is it the sensuality? It's almost as though life breaths into them. I've never been so directed by what's emerging on canvas as I am now.

Both the figure and the background tantalize me equally.

The beginning starts off simply. A quick gesture sketch put on by a large brush, allows the form to move and morph into shape. Colors start to appear as random as my whim. Slowly it takes shape. This is when the fun or stress really kicks in.

The decisions I make stop being random and the art takes control. What starts out vague and undefined begins to have a voice. The further I develop the canvas, the more important it is to listen to it.

Is the canvas really talking? Well not in the out-loud voice we recognize with our ears. Someone better lock me up if that happens. Just make sure there's an easel and paints with me behind those locked doors...

No the voice I'm talking about is quiet and soft. Sometimes it's hard to hear. Backing away helps. Reflecting. Really seeing what's happening on canvas. Making decisions. Unwavering. The painting takes a turn. It finds a direction. Until I grasp this feeling, I can't bring the painting to completion. It's just a figure in a space prior that.

Each one is different. They all speak differently to me. Sometimes it's difficult to know the direction. Other times it's loud and clear. Usually the title will come to me when I find the direction. It wasn't the case with Sweet Dreamer. She sat completed. I observed her trying to come up with the right title. The longer I contemplated I began to notice she was also in a contemplative state. She looked so far away, deep in thought. What was she thinking about? Who was she thinking about? Was she longing? Was she sad? Was she reliving a moment from earlier in the day? I didn't have the answer.

Luka Bloom was singing in the background. Oh, how he serenades me continuously while I create. Sweet dreams Baby were the words that softly repeated from his lips as he sang True Blue. It fit my girl. It didn't matter if I understood her mood. She was dreaming. Day dreaming about whatever. I wanted to think it was a happy dream. Her clothes and stance supported that thought. And so it was that she became titled Sweet Dreamer.

I wish I could show you how the light moves in the background. Seeing them live is the only way...

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.

Blue Heron Gallery

Sundress

Original oil painting 28x22"

by Susan Roux

Think sunshine, warm sand, long beaches and vacation. People strolling about relaxed and smiling. Tank tops, flip flops, shorts and ponytails. The smell of salty air.

Think Cape Cod.

Have you ever been? It's a wonderful peninsula, shaped like an arm if you're showing your muscle.

Locals here refer to their locations by using body parts. For example, Orleans is located on the inside of the elbow while Chatham is on the outside of the elbow. Truro is the wrist, Provincetown or P-town as it's known are the fingers, and Falmouth is the armpit. Ask for directions on the Cape and these are the words you'll hear. It's pretty self explanatory and with a single highway running to the tip, finding your way isn't very difficult.

Blue Heron Gallery is located halfway between the inner elbow and the wrist in the lovely town of Wellfleet. People come to Wellfleet for the art. It has many art galleries all within walking distance. Aside from these it's also known for it's oysters. I've been very fortunate to be represented at this fine gallery for years now. The owner, Roy Thurston III, is a wonderful kind man and will happily greet you as you enter. He loves art. He loves the female form and his walls are hung with beautiful amazing pieces of art. You'll also find swirling sculptures, chiseled sculptures, tiny sculptures and whimsical sculptures. Beautiful colored glass pieces sitting on pedestals are placed to capture your eye and enhance the art. The whole experience of walking through this well known gallery is exhilarating to say the least.

The gallery sits behind a lovely perennial garden, center-pieced by a sculpted female with water trickling down her body. You'll walk among the flowers on a brick-laid walkway that leads to the front door. The garden stroll is just a hint of what lies inside. You'll be surprised by it's size. There you'll find a series of rooms on two floors and well placed art that pulls you through the space. Each time you turn another spectacular piece catches your eye in the distance and soon you're drawn further into the maze exploring every inch of the gallery. It's so easy to get lost in the art. At times you may even get lost in the gallery!

Delivery time is approaching. Blue Heron is a seasonal gallery and April is when all the art arrives. Roy is an amazing curator and in a week's time he'll have the empty walls dazzling. I'm looking forward to another season and the opportunity to have my latest series of females out in view for the public. So if you find yourself on the Cape this summer, remember Wellfleet is between the inner elbow and the wrist. Do stop by and let me know what you think.

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...

Momentum

Swirling Glow

Original oil painting 28x22"

by Susan Roux

Did I learn anything for my last post? Only that using a celebrities name for the title, adding a video and posting it all over facebook didn't yield me any more hits than usual. Actually it yielded less comments than usual... Interesting.

Over time I've noticed that when a person's name is used in the title, I'll receive hits on that post if someone googles them. Sometimes it's over a year later and the post can get very active. It seems more effective when the person isn't well known and there isn't as much written about them over the internet.

With regards to the Sheen post, what I would like is to tap into how to create a growing interest around what I'm doing, without it being bad stuff... I'm not sure if it's even possible. We live in a society that preys on the misfortune of others. Why is that?

I prefer to separate myself from all that. Yes I did post about Charlie Sheen, but it was to inform you about how quickly someone's idea can materialize into something concrete. It wasn't to slam Charlie down. I feel far removed from all the celebrity gossip. Tucked away in the woods of Maine, I prefer to slip into my own little world. My imagination can keep me quite entertained and with a large entourage of family and friends, I live a very nice life here. I don't need others misfortunes to keep me ticking.

Slipping away into my own little world...

It seems to be what my latest series is about. Swirling Glow is the tenth. I like to place them near each other and though half are away at an exhibit, I can still group the others here. It's hit me that since their backgrounds are all ambiguous, they represent the world I make for myself. Maybe not make exactly, but it's where my mind likes to escape to. My own solitary little world.

Don't most artists? We love to really get into our paintings, transforming ourselves, pouring out our soul, or creative energy onto canvas. When all goes well, we find ourselves in a trance. Interruptions can cause us to explode verbally. Slipping away into our creations is what we thrive for. Returning to reality is often resisted.

And so it is with me lately. Perhaps more than ever. I think this latest series taps from deep within. For once, I love what I'm creating. I'm hoping the buying public, if they still exist, will love it too. I was overwhelmed with a phone call the other day from a gentleman who purchased 3 of my girls, exhibited at Nosh. Wow! Could this be a glimpse at the reaction people will have to them? It's the first time they're out in public. What a nice compliment. Thank you sir. Periodically these boosts are necessary to keep our momentum going. Lately my momentum is going strong.

How about you? How is your momentum going these days?

Charlie Sheen

Long-Stem Brushes

on sale 50 cents a piece...

How do you bring tons of hits to your blog in one day?

I have a little story to share with you. I know this is out of my ordinary, but out of the ordinary is who I am anyway. So if you'll oblige me...

Sparks the Rescue is a band, signed by Fearless Records, which my stepson Toby McAllister is a member of. This fall/winter the band was busy writing and recording a new CD scheduled for released in May. All the songs are mastered and ready.

A few days ago Fearless Records called the guys and asked if they could write a song about Charlie Sheen. Being based in California, I'm sure the "Sheen" incident is much more popular there than say... Maine, where I am. Luckily being in the midst of getting a CD out, the band could access new music that was already recorded, but not yet heard.

I find this very funny and interesting.

STR, as the band is known, called their recording studio and asked for a karaoke track of one of their songs. Writing lyrics comes easy for them. In no time they had rewritten lyrics to go with one of their new CD songs. Alex Roy, the singer, recorded those new vocals at his home, emailed the track to the recording studio, where it was then added to the karaoke track.

Are you following this?

Fast track... California calls STR, who then calls the recording studio for music. STR records a new vocal track at home on a computer and emails it back to the recording studio who then puts it all together and emails it way out to California. California then takes it and creates a video to go along with the words STR wrote and recorded. All this was done within a few days.

Yes I said a few days!

Now the song with video is out on the internet. Less than twenty four hours after release it had received 10,000 hits.

Wow, so that's how it's done! Now how do I take that information and put it to use on my own blog??? Talk about instant exposure.

The best part about all this is STR music will be heard everywhere and by the time their CD is released, people will already know this tune. Those who'll put the Charlie Sheen song on their ipods, listening to it repeatedly, will be used to the beat and most likely enjoy the original version on the CD.

I hope you were able to follow this story. It all happened so quickly without anyone leaving their home! Technology is crazy.

Here's the video... It Feels Good To Be Charlie Sheen - Sparks The Rescue It'll give you a laugh!

(Yeah seriously, brushes for 50 cents a piece. I now own enough to open a small store...)