Bird on a Wire

As I sort through some of my earlier work on the computer, I thought it would be fun to paint the same subject, using a different medium. The original "Bird on a Wire" was painted using watercolour paints, as you can see from the texture of the paper.

I've always liked this painting, so this past week I decided to paint it again, but this time using acrylic paints.

I started out, as I usually do, scrubbing a warm colour on the canvas, followed by a quick sketch.

Then I started adding light glazes of colour, blocking in the fence post and the prairie grasses. Next I painted in the sky.

The barbed wire was fun to do, twisting it around and dropping in highlights where the light would reflect. On my sketch (above) I had a bottom row of wire, but decided to omit that, as I thought it would block the viewer from entering the piece. Plus it didn't really do anything for the painting.

I changed the bird from a blue bird to a blue jay, with a little bit of attitude, his feathers ruffled from the prairie winds.

The remake of "Bird on a Wire", 12 x 14"
This one and other "Prairie Whispers" can be viewed in my gallery.

Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast and Beyond...

Susan

Understated Elegance

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 colour in the different elements, one by one.

This should actually be called a mixed medium as I used black acrylic to get the rich background.

"Understated Elegance", 21 x 13"

Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast and Beyond...

Susan

Getting Ready for a Show

Little did I know that when I was accepted for a gallery exhibition 6 months ago, that the time would come so quickly, and here it is only a few weeks away.

Getting ready for a show is, without a doubt is MUCHO WORK.

First is the task of selecting your artwork. What would you like to show? Are you showing a series, working on a theme, newer work, medium, etc. This usually involves taking everything off your walls, collecting your work from other locations, sorting through boxes of art that has been shoved under the bed and in the closets, and selecting the pieces. Selection usually takes me a full day. I find a rainy Sunday works well for this.

Now that the house and studio are totally ripped apart, the task of examining each piece comes next. Are the backs of each piece clearly marked? Are they framed property; no loose wires, no scratches etc. Have you signed the backs of each piece? I started doing this a couple of years ago and quite like this practice. I even put the title and a copyrite on the back as well for authenticity.

Once that is done, then the never ending paperwork begins. I start by making a list of the pieces for the show, the sizes and the price. Make sure all your records are the same. Does the price on your gallery/store coincide with your final price for the show?

Next comes the making of a press release which is to be emailed out to the newspapers. Some galleries will ask for this so they can send out a press release in their own area. Even though you SHOULD already have one on hand, there is always last minute updates to be made.

Now what about advertising? Are you running any ads in the local papers, making posters, etc. There are many free listings available on art related website. All this takes time and effort.

But don't despair, we are almost there!

Once that is done, then you should think about invitations. Are you mailing individual invitations, are you doing an email blast ... how are you letting your patrons and friends know that there even is a show?

Are you totally exhausted yet but still plan on finishing a couple of pieces for the show?

At some point you will have everything in place and under control and at this point you ... simply let it all go and stop worrying, as you know you have done your very best!

I actually LOVE having gallery exhibitions and try to have a couple a year. They are a Heck of a Lot of Fun! They are important to do as it gets your name out there and often into a whole different area then you are use to.

There is always some good things come from a show, whether it is new contacts, an opportunity down the road ... and possibly new sales or commissions.

That being said ... please join me with fellow artist Nanci Cook on March 20th at the Pearl Ellis Gallery in Comox for our "Meet and Greet".

Hmmm ... that reminds me, was I suppose to bring the coffee?

Till Next Time ...

Love what you Do ... and Do what you Love.

Susan

Mexican Painting

As some may know we basked in the glorious sun of Mazatlan Mexico for a month over
Christmas and New Years.
No working on a computer, no deadlines, just reading books by the pool, walking the beach and enjoying the company of our friends from Saskatchewan and family from Ontario.

When I first decided to go to Mexico for a whole month, I told myself "Oh you need to do a painting every day." Well that idea quickly went out of my head, as it seemed like way too much work and I was in real need of some "R & R" time, as having just finished the Winter Island Arts Magazine and having hosted a successful first Annual Island Arts Expo. Whew!

I packed a few watercolour paints and paper and painted when the mood 'moved me'. Quite honestly for the first week and a half, I was very busy - deciding whether to go to the pool, or the beach, which book to read and what to do for supper. Needless to say, there was no creative movement in sight.

Then somewhere around Christmas Eve, the 'spirit' moved me and I started sketching and painting. For about a week I could not stop. Paint a little, tan a little, paint a little, beach a little.

The results were some studies that can turn into paintings when once again the 'spirit' moves me.

Here is a quick tease of some of the colourful sketches that I produced.

I look forward to starting to work on a series of watercolour for a gallery in Mazatlan, once I get caught up on some of my other projects - like my upcoming show in March at the Pearl Ellis Gallery in Comox. But that's a whole other blog!

Till Next Time ...

Love what you Do ... and Do what you Love.

Susan

Back to Watercolours

After a whole year of working only with acrylic paints I am back to watercolours and lovin' it!

From the moment the first brush stroke went down I said "Boy I really do like watercolours".

They are great for travelling around as you need very little supplies to work with; two or three brushes, a few colours, a pencil and a sheet of paper. Plus if you are having a good day, you can usually complete a painting, or at least get a good start.

The first painting is of my nephew Zachery at the beach this summer. What I love about this one is that even though you can't see his face, if you know Zack, you recognize him right away as the "Boy at the Beach".

I also love all the action going on in this painting from his left hand tossing sand from the shovel, the way his right foot twists and is buried in the sand while his right hand turns outward.

The next image is called "No Gas Today".

This is an abandoned gas station on a gravel road in Saskatchewan. I am sure it was quite the busy stop in it's day, maybe like "Corner Gas", but sadly not any more.

The next painting is called "Wagons Ho!", another Saskatchewan scene. Both the elevators and wagons are becoming extinct in the Saskatchewan landscape.

Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast ... and Beyond!

Susan