Monday, January 31, 2011

MARIA

24x36" oil on canvas
private collection

This is Maria, the leader of our art group and wife of Eric. I hesitated to post this portrait as I don't think I captured Maria's spirit at all. I was going for the same light, limited palette feel of Eric's portrait, but somehow it just didn't happen. I really labored over this, put it away for several weeks and reworked it, but it's just not a love connection, at all.

I told myself I would post a painting even if I was uncomfortable with it so I am. Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

A WEEKEND WITH FAMILY


























This is our niece Claire. We just returned from spending a wonderful weekend with her and her mommy and daddy. It was incredibly cold but we were all snug, with our two pugs, wrapped tightly in a rug. Not really. It rhymed. But, we were snug and we did have the two pugs. We've been out of touch so it was an incredible time getting to know this little one. I brought my camera and took not one snap! Putz!

I had planned to paint this snap of Claire instead of the painting I did do of her with her baseball cap on backward. I mistakenly identified said cap as her dad's. It wasn't as she so gently informed me.

This lovely child with the ginger hair is quite the character. You know when you realize that small children know so much more than grown adults about certain subjects and they just say something that leaves you with your mouth agape? That happened. A lot. And, after one particularly insightful pearl, she launched into a perfectly pitched rendition of Happy Birthday.

Himself, now dubbed a very proud and adoring Uncle Tim and moi, heretofore known as Auntie Suzanne, the painter lady for art, had the most wonderful time. It was a very good thing to feel good with family again.


















And the boys enjoyed the trip as well, although Blu gets car sick. Claire is a little unsure of the jumping Pugs but she really likes them. This is sounding a bit like "what I did on my vacation" so....

back to work!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

ERIC

24x36" oil on canvas
private collection

This is Eric, also a member of the art group himself and I are happily a part of. I took a bunch of shots of the group members and have collected so many possible painting possibilities.

With this portrait I decided to limit my palette—that took quite a while—and see what happened. I used cadmium red, white, black and a bit of ultramarine blue.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

DIANE

























16x20" oil on canvas private collection

Meet Diane. She is a partner in dighoarts, a custom design firm and guiding member of the art club himself and I belong to. I was fortunate enough to pick Diane's name out of the hat passed around for our year end portrait project. I decided to paint her on a primed raw canvas with a predominately blue/magenta palette. Happily she was pleased with the results.

We had a lovely meal comprised of member prepared dishes followed by an unveiling of each portrait this past Sunday.

It was a delightful evening, made special by great tasting vittles, the Jets' victory and really incredible works of art. Ranging from representational realism to abstract concepts, the works were a wonderful conclusion to a very creative and exciting year.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

FLY ONE


















24x36 oil on canvas
SOLD



Buggin again! So much fun to paint, however I would suggest, for the purposes of this painting being attractive enough to enjoy, that we put aside our knowledge of where these puppies land and what they do when they get there and just try hard focus on the lovely array of color on it's back.

Try. Try really hard. I am. Ick!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

MOSES BOTKIN CHALLENGE January



























SOLD

It's that time again, and in a new year! I'm ranted out regarding time flying by, so Iet's just move on shall we?

This months' challenge was to paint whatever we wanted to, but it must begin with the letters—pi and it was given to us by Sharman Owings. Very cool.

I can relate to the little Piggy I chose to paint on so many levels, the most obvious being the internal and external aspect of his round pinkness. Save more money, spend more calories. Enough said. As a new friend is fond of saying...Gak!

Please enjoy the group response to the "pi" challenge.....












“Pineapple on the Snow”  
Oil on hardboard 8x10”
©2011 Diana Moses Botkin
http://dianamosesbotkin.blogspot.com/















“Old Pickup Truck”
6x8” oil on panel
© 2011 Robin Cheers
http://robincheers.blogspot.com












“Pink Piglet”
6x6”  oil on canvas
©2011 Ruth Andre
http://apaintingday.blogspot.com
















“Pilsner”
oil on panel, 6x6”
©2011 Sharman Owings
http://sharmanowingspaintings.blogspot.com/

















“Apples for Pie”
11x14” pastel on pastel board
©2011 Vicki Ross
http://www.vickiandrandyrossart.blogspot.com/

Friday, January 7, 2011

METAMORPHOSIS


























24x24" oil on canvas
SOLD

Ok, take a deep breath Suz. I'm feel like I'm at the first dance recital I never had. This obviously isn't in my usual style or subject matter so, clearly I'm very uncomfortable.

I'm fortunate to be part of 100 plus women from around the world exhibiting works in International Women Celebrate!, the 100 Woman Art Exhibit at AyrSpace Gallery in Canada.  The works are the artists response to IWC.

A new friend and very gifted artist Nicki Ault was kind enough to suggest my name and I became part of the exhibit soon thereafter. Thank you so much Nicki for the suggestion and the emotional support. You can see Nicki's incredible work at her blog: http://nickiault.blogspot.com/.

We were asked to include a narrative of our work with submission of the piece, so I guess I'll include that here...


My journey through life as a female has been incredibly illuminating. I’ve grown from a position of feeling hopelessly dependent to a place of feeling joyously liberated, creatively alive and deeply grateful. And, oddly enough, in looking back, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

My response to International Women Celebrate is one of metamorphosis in keeping with my own experience as a woman.  A time spent in deep confusion gave way to a time of spiritual cocooning and finally liberating freedom. My power is now my own to lose and my wings are weak still, but I envision taking flight any day now.

Well, there you have it. Of course I'm riddled with self-doubt, don't think it's nearly good enough or thought through. I'd like to use the excuse of only having 3 days to complete it due to a full schedule, personal mishaps like not keeping up with the requirements and a cold from hell. It's a beginning. At least I stepped out of my comfort zone.

That said, I'm feeling much better and can't wait to see what everyone has been up to.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

BREAD




















18x24" pastel on canson paper
NFS

Another painting from the past. I'm closing in on a very tight deadline right now, working on a painting for International Women Celebrate! I joined the group late, started my painting late and just hope I can get 'r done by tomorrow, the deadline for electronic and narrative submission. If you are interested in learning more about the project, the blog address is:  http://iwcelebrate.blogspot.com/

Anyway this is a pastel, from back in the day when I worked exclusively in that medium. I couldn't sell this because it was done from an incredible photograph taken from a Pottery Barn catalog. At that time, I was so insecure it never occurred to me that I could set up paint my own still life, so I would scour catalogs etc. for photos to paint from.

I was seeing a therapist at the time, finding my way out of fear and dependence. She was adamant that I continue painting and even suggested that I set up my own compositions and take my own reference photos. A revelation! Seems so obvious now, but I was more than a little confused back in the day and rarely if ever thought beyond my own self-imposed limits. The results of that advice were very satisfying. I'll look for some snaps to post.

I was so thrilled with the therapist's interest in my work that I offered her a choice of paintings that resulted from her guidance and advice as a gift when our time together came to an end. She chose this one. I so didn't want to let it go, but I knew I could never sell it since it wasn't my composition, so reluctantly, I let it go.

Her parting words to me were in the form of a dire warning that I should continue painting and not stop, because if I did, I might never start again. I ignored her advice, stopped and subsequently didn't work for the next fifteen years. I used to regret that lost time but I now believe that what we choose to do has to be the right thing simply because we chose to do it. It's not like you can go back and see what the results would have been if we'd made another choice. During that time I worked as a graphic designer, learned valuable lessons in design, used computer programs that are an integral part of my work today and met himself.

And now, I'm painting again. I wonder where she is?