tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38906453516175145272024-03-14T03:04:37.032-07:00Susan-Schaefer-Fine-Art.caMusing on life and art.Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-44939794869532335612019-02-10T12:45:00.001-08:002019-02-10T12:55:56.419-08:00A Few Steps to CompletionAs I paint I like to take photos of the process. It helps me see the progress, and also points out the mistakes. There is something about seeing it through a camera lense that makes everything clearer.
This is the inspiration for the painting; a nice walk on top of Mount Washington BC.
First I did a thumb nail sketch. Once I had a drawing that I liked, I sketched it onto my canvas. Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-58779526101900988732018-11-03T09:34:00.002-07:002018-11-03T09:41:39.328-07:0019 Years, plus a WeekHas anyone ever asked you "How long did it take you to do that painting?" I have!
As I paint, I like to take photos of the progression of the work. It helps me see the development of the piece. As an instructor, it also helps me with my lesson planning.
Here are a few of the many steps in creating this piece:
I spend a lot of time working on the design, Once I have that figured out, I paint Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-13982199537755337052018-02-08T16:54:00.002-08:002018-02-08T16:54:23.752-08:00Painting and Organizing my StudioI decided that February was the perfect time to clean, paint and re-organize my studio / office.
I started the arduous task of taking everything out, so I could strip the wallpaper trim (ugh), and wash the walls. The wall colour was a minty green.
Once the room was emptied, and cleaned, my husband Jeff lovingly painted the walls. I struggled a bit choosing the perfect paint colour. I did a Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-32134875524196609232018-01-25T13:43:00.000-08:002018-01-25T13:43:50.373-08:00Doing Something GREAT!Each new year we flip our calendars to January. A new year - a fresh start. It's a year of doing something great!
As I go through my day, a thought keeps popping up - this year I want to do something GREAT!
What shall I do?
When walking with my spouse one morning, I told him that I wanted to do something GREAT this year. He said, It won't be any different then last year. You do something Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-15510621974784978192017-11-08T12:47:00.003-08:002017-11-08T12:47:44.943-08:00Bringing a Painting to LifeIf you can imagine one of those animated flip books that we had as kids, then you will imagine how this painting came to life.
First I covered the entire canvas with warm colours, making such no white was showing.
Next, I mixed up some paint for my sky, and worked on the negative shapes of the background, which in turn defines your positive leaf shapes. This was a bit of a mind game.Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-34920113816186925112017-10-08T09:10:00.002-07:002017-10-08T09:10:18.820-07:00Using Photos for ReferenceI wanted to show you how I take photographs and use them for references for my paintings.
I usually have a camera with me, ready to take the shot.
I was drawn to the simplicity of this photo - the understated beauty of the prairies.
When it came time to teach a class at the Chapel Gallery on "Barns, Elevators and Old Sheds", I knew which image I would use for my demo painting.
I felt Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-45223519738883062682016-04-11T11:09:00.000-07:002016-04-11T15:35:25.162-07:00My Warrior Dog - CheyenneEach April I feel a little sad, as I recall saying good-bye to Cheyenne 6 years ago.
This year, instead of reliving the sadness, I am going to tell you how great he was.
I rescued Cheyenne from the Regina Humane Society in Sept. 2000. He was 6 months old and had been locked up for the first 6 months of his life. He was a scared little boy. Driving back from Regina to my acreage he stayed curled Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-71666470399378639262016-04-04T08:34:00.001-07:002016-04-04T08:34:24.479-07:0012 Steps - The Art of Packaging ARTWhen shipping artwork, I like to go above and beyond when it comes to the packaging. Perhaps it comes from my government employee years of working in the mail room. I like to ensure that the artwork will arrive safely.
Here are my 12 easy steps in the "Art of Packaging."
1) When packaging acrylic paintings, I always place Reynolds parchment paper on the top side of the paintings. This Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-13447367761928104422016-03-30T17:43:00.002-07:002016-03-30T18:19:43.639-07:00The Art of DistractionI was off to the store to buy some mushrooms. I had requested turkey tetrazzini for supper - a tasty way of using up some of our left-over turkey.
I decided to make a pit stop first, so I pulled off the road at Nile Creek.
The view was spectacular. When I saw the magnesium blue sky, the titanium white clouds with the mountains in the background, I wanted to drop down to the ground, bow to Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-33729966053463940522016-03-25T17:26:00.000-07:002016-03-26T13:00:17.116-07:00Hosting a WorkshopI absolutely love hosting and facilitating painting workshops.
A few years ago, as part of our Island Arts Magazine services, we decided to start hosting workshops. How hard could it be?
There actually is a lot of planning that goes into these events. Researching and tracking down instructors is the main issue, as some of them are booking two years in advance. We try to bring in instructors Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-62498885850304562452016-03-13T11:55:00.000-07:002016-03-13T11:55:14.930-07:00Why I Love SundaysI've always loved Sundays.
In my younger days Sunday was usually a day off from school or work. It was a day when family and friends would gather for a nice meal. Sometimes an afternoon pick up game of baseball would be in order. Once the dishes were done, and the kitchen table cleared off, out came the cards for an evening of serious card playing. If you were lucky, you might win the pot of $Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-25179585005357364732016-03-01T12:53:00.003-08:002016-03-01T12:53:15.782-08:00My Underwater AdventuresI have always wanted to do a painting of my underwater adventures. On a rainy west coast day, I decided to do just that.
I pulled out an envelope of underwater photos that I had compiled over the years. Some were from Mexico, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and many from the Cayman Islands (one of my favourite dive spots)
Looking at the photos took me down memory lane. It Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-84837772858785927802016-02-25T07:30:00.000-08:002016-02-26T08:55:21.010-08:00Take an Art RetreatLast fall I was invited to attend an art retreat. Living on Vancouver Island, surrounded by beauty, we often forget about the wonder that is in our own back yard. I jumped on the idea!
Being the organizing junky that I am, before going on the retreat, I made a list of intentions.
1) Have FUN
2) meet new artists
3) don't expect end results
4) Have FUN ...
I painted and sketched and wandered Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-7158121933385173092016-02-19T10:46:00.000-08:002016-02-19T10:46:06.889-08:00Simple is BestAs I mature (as opposed to getting older) I've noticed that it is the simple things that bring me the most joy.
I love it when friends pop in for coffee or tea, knowing that they are welcome anytime.
I enjoy spending time with my parents, being goofy and laughing over nothing.
It warms my heart when I receive a birthday card, thank you note or Christmas letter in the mail. Most notes these daysSusan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-17646115923068447172016-02-15T10:09:00.000-08:002016-02-15T10:09:53.953-08:00Letting GoOver the years as my painting skills develop, I sometimes find it hard to let go of certain paintings.
Each painting reminds me of a time and place in my life, so letting go can sometimes be difficult.
What I like to do is move them onto the next stage.
With a ruler and sharp blade, I cut them off the stretcher bars and use them as table covers (placemats). That way they are still functional Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-82007025114153239212016-02-10T11:38:00.001-08:002016-02-13T08:51:43.066-08:00What Brings me JoyWhat is Love if not Joy?
I love to garden. Watching the flowers make their way through the earth in the spring brings me joy.
Taking a bowl out into the garden and picking fresh greens and a ripe tomatoe for a salad...that brings me joy.
Playing with my nieces and nephews...that brings me joy.
The love of creating, whether it is designing the Island Arts Magazine, or moving paint around a Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-69313362336181316142016-02-10T10:20:00.001-08:002016-02-10T10:20:47.251-08:00LIttle Things that Make a DifferenceSometimes it's the little things that make a big difference.
This is a painting called "Fall Forest".
I painted it awhile back and was happy with it.
As time went on there was something bothering me, but I just couldn't put my finger on it.
Then all of a sudden it hit me. I was reminded of a lesson that I picked up in a Janice Robertson workshop. The background was competing with the foregroundSusan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-6907831295354083002016-02-07T12:09:00.002-08:002016-02-07T19:58:00.902-08:00And This is How It's Done I'd like to show you a few steps on the process that I use when painting.
The first thing, and I find this very difficult, is picking a subject. Because I work from photographs, I can (without exaggerating) waste hours going through thousands of images. Plus I can can totally change my mind from the evening to the morning.
Once I have the subject, then I look at the image and pre-paint itSusan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-40747113686398980132015-08-26T10:24:00.002-07:002015-08-26T10:24:33.091-07:005 Reasons Why You Should get your Coffee ready in the EveningIf you are like me, you absolutely LOVE your morning coffee.
After dinner, my mother always gets her coffee pot ready for the next morning. She pours the water in and measures the coffee. Then she carefully places it in position, ready to push the button early in the morning. I often wondered why?
1) If you do it in the morning you might pour water all over the counter top as the coffee pot Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-53908836719809732802015-08-19T10:18:00.002-07:002015-08-19T10:29:08.370-07:00Applying to an Art GalleryI am interested in having my series "Prairie Whispers" tour across Canada, so I am seeking gallery exhibitions. The gallery that I have sent a proposal to is booking shows for 2017 - 2018.
I like to have a professional gallery exhibition once a year. Usually the gallery has a deadline for submissions. Make sure to get your proposal in on time.
First I research the gallery to see if my Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-82815535005381767702015-08-09T09:35:00.001-07:002015-08-09T09:35:13.466-07:00Enjoying the ProcessWhen emailing a friend, I told her that I was starting a new painting. After seeing my reference photo instead of saying "I can't wait to see the final painting", her comment was "Enjoy the Process".
That really struck me as a great thing to say to someone. Enjoy the process! How often do we start a painting, work through it, only to get to the end? It's like that old saying "It's not about the Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-14199843737552252772015-08-04T08:58:00.002-07:002015-08-04T08:59:02.928-07:00Shipping a Painting to Mexico"The Lady with the Yellow Fan" was sold months ago. The client has a condo in Mexico and wanted to take her down south. After much discussion, we agreed that the best course of action would be to take her off the stretcher bars. That way the client can take her on the plane with them. Once they get to their destination, she can easily be re-stretched.
Never having done this before, I was a bit Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-55042927833279159412015-06-09T09:10:00.001-07:002015-06-09T09:10:46.544-07:00Just for TodayAs I was doing my yoga practice this morning, under the blue sky, the warm sun and the gentle ocean breezes, these thoughts came to mind:
Just for today - breath a little deeper
Just for today - expand your heart just a little bit more
Just for today - be the best you can be
Just for today - paint just for the pleasure of painting
Just for today - look at the Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-64126844611398606032015-05-21T14:54:00.000-07:002015-05-21T17:22:57.892-07:00West Coast Mini-SeriesAfter painting prairie images for almost a year, I was ready for a change of scenery. I had four canvases on hand, each 16 x 20" and thought hmm...I can do a West Coast mini series.
When working on the "Prairie Whispers" series, my palette was very different. I used lots of warm colours: yellows, browns and maroon. Now back on the west coast, I am back to intense blues and greens. It was a Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3890645351617514527.post-10547875448962257122015-05-11T11:07:00.002-07:002015-05-11T11:08:18.005-07:00Picking a Title for your ArtworkOften the hardest part of painting, is not the work itself, but the title that comes later. Sometimes the titles just pop into my head, even before I start the painting. Other times, not so much.
This is the case with this painting.
Last summer we drove up island to Gold River BC and hopped aboard the MV Uchuck III. We were were on a day trip to Friendly Cove, also know as Yuquot
- the Susan Schaeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951458545458355696noreply@blogger.com0