tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38906453516175145272012-02-16T00:25:41.784-08:00Musings on life, painting and my dog.Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-25360261248438758192011-09-07T20:03:00.000-07:002011-09-07T20:30:57.617-07:00

You know who I'm talking about!You can't go a day or two without painting otherwise you start to twitch.When you get down to your last canvas you have a panic attack.You'll drive down to Victoria and back to save a couple of dollars at Opus.You'll take your kids piggy-bank money and buy more paints.You sign up for workshop after workshop...but it's never enough.You make your spouse move his '

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-22121255623512405402011-09-06T19:02:00.000-07:002011-09-06T19:23:44.905-07:00

Because of the Island Arts Magazine I get out and about quite a bit. I talk to many artists, I go to a many art shows and art venues and visit artists studios. What I am finding is that most artists have a strong spirit and will do what it takes to make a living doing what they love.Some are opening art galleries while others have opened coffee shops with art for sale. Some are making DVDs and

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-16884398495611310512011-09-01T07:18:00.000-07:002011-09-06T17:53:07.540-07:00

Driving around last week, while on deliveries, I had a lot of time to do some thinking. Ever since my early teens I had dreamt of being an artist and living on a tropical island. My parents bought me my first oil colour paints. I still remember them saying, "Make sure this is what you want, as they are VERY expensive."Moving off to Edmonton in the late 70's after graduation, I started my art

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-86605803472970004652011-08-30T10:44:00.000-07:002011-08-31T20:04:07.385-07:00

When Corinne from The Old School House Arts Centre, (TOSH) in Qualicum Beach, approached me last August and asked me if I wanted an exhibition there in October, my first reaction was major panic. I said "This October?!!" "No", she said, "October 2011". "Oh, next year.", I said. Well needless to say, I was over the moon with excitement about being asked to exhibit my work. What an honour! My

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-91026043382135752342011-08-29T19:53:00.000-07:002011-08-30T05:59:24.871-07:00

I spent most of today updating my Online Gallery. There I can give the viewer a tour of my artwork. Before uploading the images, I had to make sure they were the correct file type and size. I took a break from the computer to drive down to the studio to take a few more photographs of some of my latest work, so they too could be included. For the moment - it is up to date! I have split it into

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-15925146034696930742011-03-30T09:24:00.000-07:002011-03-30T09:33:13.187-07:00

I will be heading down to the studio this afternoon, hopefully to pull my painting together.I started a new piece last week. I loved a photo that I took a couple of years ago in Milner Gardens and thought that it would make a great painting. The fall colours were brilliant.I was excited to start it, but half way through something happened. CRASH, I hit a road block. Sometimes it brings you to a

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-13842254675301802412011-01-09T20:19:00.000-08:002011-01-09T20:31:00.930-08:00

Take a look at what's on my easel!The new year is a good time to go through your "stuff" and clear out what you don't want and finish those projects that you think are worth saving.This canvas already had the beginning of a painting on it that I had started, oh, some 10 years ago. Many layers of gold and copper paint formed the base. Keeping that theme, I painted and scratched and scraped more

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-45266937078533102902010-12-21T14:19:00.001-08:002010-12-21T14:31:00.166-08:00

Look what just came off my easel!I started with a 24" square stretched canvas. Next came a few layers of yellow ochre acrylic paint. Once that was dry, I mapped in the shape of the bowl and pencilled in some markings for the peppers.The beautifully coloured peppers were grown on our deck this past summer. The bowl was brought back from a recent trip to Mazatlan. Working from a photo I took this

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-28660351329034901412010-12-19T21:24:00.000-08:002010-12-19T21:45:54.209-08:00

This is a painting that I started in my new studio/gallery and have recently completed.I began by putting a few layers of medium green paint on the canvas - just to get me in the forest mood.Working roughly from a photograph that I took last fall, I thought about how many trees I would include in the composition - deciding on 5 as odd numbers always look more balanced.Once I got the tree trunks

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-49913928655600369942010-12-11T17:06:00.000-08:002010-12-13T10:45:58.622-08:00

Started months ago ... recently completed.I planted a climbing rose this past spring, and was thrilled that it did so well after only a few months. It trails along the fence and consistently rewards us with many beautiful blossoms. It was still blooming up until a few weeks ago when we had our first snowfall.Sometimes I get all excited about a painting, work on it for awhile, then ... come to a

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-12895284727206018072010-12-11T16:31:00.000-08:002010-12-11T17:04:05.399-08:00

This recent painting is a triptych - each panel is 5 x 7" acrylic on canvas.This takes me back to my scuba diving days - where I would often go to the carribbean to scuba dive. Yes I was a rescue diver with over 100 dives under my belt. How beautiful to see these brightly coloured creatures, poking their heads out from behind corals.If you take a second look you will notice that these paintings

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-66782890520652719222010-11-22T12:58:00.001-08:002010-11-22T13:08:44.146-08:00

I had BIG plans on spending several hours down at the studio, but not today! The snow is blowing in circles making driving quite treacherous. Even though I only have 1 km. to go, I think it's best I stay put. Luckily I have my diptych poppy painting at home with my paints, so I do not have any excuses. I can paint away the afternoon from my home, while a big batch of cabbage rolls slowly cooks in

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-23295639493750735672010-11-20T16:41:00.000-08:002010-11-21T19:14:38.751-08:00

Congratulations to me! Today I moved into my new "Young at Art Studios". Ya, now I have a place to go and play, create, have fun and move some paint around the canvas. It is outside of my home which means that I have to make an effort to get dressed and go to the "studio". It is only 1 km. from the house, making it perfect to go there for a quick couple of hours.As you see I have started a poppy

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-14755754292773310112010-10-31T18:08:00.000-07:002010-10-31T18:34:07.702-07:00

With only 6 days from the 2nd Annual Island Arts Expo, I am without a doubt getting ready!Today I spent the morning printing out a few more artists cards, as last week I had a guest come over and purchase a few. I needed to replenish my stock.Next I started packing up some paintings. This involved taking a really good look at them for any scratches which may have occurred the last time I had a

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-36795059576828960932010-10-17T13:54:00.001-07:002010-10-17T18:42:49.572-07:00

I've started another acrylic painting. After a recent visit to an artist's studio in Cowichan Bay, and seeing a sketch on the wall of a painting in progress, I was reminded that it is always a good idea to draw your ideas on paper first BEFORE starting a painting. This way you become intimate with my subject by working out all the design problems on paper before putting paint to canvas.Here is my

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-47755523460317575202010-09-19T18:01:00.001-07:002010-09-24T12:21:29.645-07:00

Just finished another watercolour. This is an image from a photograph I took while vacationing last winter in Mazatlan with Jeff and my sister in law.While walking downtown, with all the noisy street vendors and time share people hounding you at every step and the diesel buses flying by kicking up dust and smoke ... out of all that chaos this beautiful delicate flower decided to grow.I was

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-72659510515064107472010-09-15T13:33:00.000-07:002010-09-18T09:31:18.305-07:00

And now back to watercolour ...I know some of your LOVE my watercolours. I also love creating them. There is something so gentle about working with watercolour paint. There is a rhythm that happens when I work with watercolour, that I don't experience when working with acrylic.Everything is much more planned, unlike acrylic. This give painting such a piece a very meditative feeling as you simply

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-57821262492546643702010-09-12T16:41:00.000-07:002010-09-15T12:48:45.584-07:00

Each fall I collect poppy seeds from my gardens, then in the spring I have fun scattering them around - waiting to see what comes forth, taking many photos to be used when the mood moves me.Since working on that poppy commission earlier this year, I have gone totally poppy crazy. I just can't get enough of painting poppies.I love putting the acrylic paint on really thick - impasto like - moving

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-91284566248160377802010-09-12T13:36:00.000-07:002010-09-12T15:05:31.784-07:00

What a busy summer with many visitors, art shows to attend and paintings to deliver.This summer we delivered a commission to a patron out in Saskatchewan, one that was ordered a year ago! After having several of my paintings in her home already, a client of mine mentioned that she now needed something for over her bed. Measuring the space available, I put it on the back shelf until I was ready.

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-18648126355121463202010-06-29T22:03:00.000-07:002010-09-12T14:26:32.225-07:00

From our kitchen window we are fortunate to be able to look at the ocean and watch as the cruise ships head up to Alaska. We can see if the ocean is rough or calm, whether the tide is in or out ... and we always see the same two eagles sitting on top of the highest tree, having a good look around.This contemporary painting is acrylic on stretched canvas."Scout's Lookout", 16 x 20"For purchasing

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-60758709855611498892010-06-29T21:16:00.000-07:002010-06-29T21:33:21.986-07:00

I love doing these small paintings!I'll often work on a smaller painting while I am at TOSH (The Old School House) for the day as a resident artist. It's easy to transport, you need only a few colour and it's fun to move the paint around.This is the fourth in the series of small sea shell paintings.1) Pink Beauty2) Scalloped Edges3) I Found a Dollar on the Beach4) A Snail's PaceThey are all 5 x 7

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-1919966117454004882010-06-21T17:47:00.000-07:002010-06-21T18:12:21.046-07:00

On Sunday June 13th, the Qualicum Bay, Bowser area hosted a Garden Tour. Nine unique gardens were selected to be viewed and artists were selected to sit in the garden and paint for the day.Not having much experience in "Outdoor Painting" (easier to say than en plein air), I decided to throw my hat in the ring. We were allowed to have a sneak preview of our selected garden beforehand, and even

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-46809837893647812452010-05-09T18:11:00.000-07:002010-05-11T15:38:31.194-07:00

This painting was an experiment of sorts. I have been carrying a few yards of canvas around for many years - moving it from Toronto, then Sask. and ultimately out to Vancouver Island. It was time to do something with it!My handyman Jeff was given the task of stretching it onto stretcher boards. Once that was done I began putting many, many, many layers of thick paint and gesso on the canvas. I

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-41502069324750716302010-05-08T17:34:00.000-07:002010-05-08T21:07:49.280-07:00

I am thrilled to report that this painting has been selected to show in the Arrowsmith Federation of Canadian Artists Summer Exhibition."The View from my RV", acrylic 24 x 30"Last fall Jeff, Cheyenne and I decided to explore more of Vancouver Island with our RV. Never having driven further north then Campbell River, we headed "Up Island" (as they say on the west coast) to Port Hardy and Port

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-23722893984896174292010-03-29T11:06:00.000-07:002010-03-30T08:32:32.337-07:00

Another gallery exhibition comes to an end. As some of you already know fellow artist Nanci Cook and I had a joint exhibition of work at the Pearl Ellis Gallery in Comox. The show came down yesterday.I would like to thank Sheila and Bob Pollock plus all their wonderful volunteers for their help with the exhibition. The Pearl Ellis Gallery is a volunteer run gallery. Without their help there would

Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1