Karen's dog, Dinah.

This is a 12" x 12" oil painting on gallery-wrapped stretched canvas, so the deep sides are also painted with the continuation of the water. Dinah was a bit younger in this picture, playing in the Guadalupe river with her tennis ball.

I painted this yesterday while at the River Art Gallery in La Villita. It had been a long while since I got to "demo" while working there, so it was nice. Talked with a lot of people as they were coming in and leaving the gallery.

Today is our book group so we're busy putting the house in company-ready condition. So many art events lately have resulted in a bit of a pile-up. Thank goodness for Flylady.com for helping to keep my house functioning. Silly name, great service.

Happy Ashley

This is a 16" x 20" oil painting on stretched canvas for the husband of my friend Mary. The dog's name was Ashley and she died a few years ago. Cute photo was tiny and in a collage of photos of Ashley. My sister scanned it in and sent it to my by email and I printed it out and worked from that. I may look at it again tomorrow, but right now I'm happy with it.

Hope looking heavenward....

This is a a pastel of Hope Manfredi, one of my YaYas. We're celebrating her birthday this evening and I did this painting of her (11 x 14) on black pastel paper. My first on black. What a challenge! I hope she likes it!

Last night I got Third Place in the Portrait show at Coppini with my Self Portrait. The best part was my YaYas were there! Mary, Karen and Hope came! I really appreciated their being there. Kip Dollar was there, bless his sweet heart. Morgan came with me, so that was special, too. And several of the students in my pastel class were there, one of whom took Second Place... Ron Watkins. For his large oil painting, "The Hunter." Of course I didn't give my friends any warning that I was taking their pictures, so they all look serious and thoughtful in these shots. Kip was standing next to me, so I missed him, darn it. Good refreshments and decent wine, friends and art surrounding you... great combination!

I'm all sunburned from my morning at the Rose Garden Elementary School today. What a blast!

I talked to hundreds and hundreds of third graders, 30 or so at a time, for twenty minutes each. My voice is a little rough because it was outdoors and it was right by Randolph Air Force Base and the jets were constant and low. I did more talking than painting but did manage to get the thing roughed in. I was painting from 9:30-12 noon. The photo of the still life set-up was taken at the end of that time, so the shadows are all different from the earlier morning when I'd sketched it in. I had a canopy, but if I'd been under it, I would have had no direct light source and been too far from the children to really talk with them. They were fabulous. Great questions, great comments. Sweet, earnest, interested faces. I was representing a "Fine Artist" in their annual Artisans' Fair where the kids are introduced to dance and theatre and music in the form of bands as well as individual musicians, potters, a caricaturist and a chorus. Wow.

Yesterday was my pastel class at the Coppini Academy. I so enjoy this group of people. Each one is really pushing forward. Haven't heard any whining whatsoever. Love it!

Tomorrow is the awards/reception at the Coppini for the current portrait show. I've been told I've gotten an award. Come have refreshments and see the great collection of portraiture represented! 7 pm. 115 Melrose Place.

Fall Fair at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens

Yesterday was fun. I did a few more monochromatic oil portrait sketches in a shared booth with Kim Roberti. Loved the time with Kim and with Karen. Our friends Pam Kirk and Carolyn McElroy also came by. I got to do a portrait of Carolyn yesterday. The fellow in the picture is Manuel, the brother of Elsa, with whom I shared a work day at the River Art Gallery.
Today I'm trying to write. Yikes! It's going so slowly!!
Send me your good wishes for flowing thoughts and flashing fingers.

NaNoWriMo sluggy start

Ok, I'm already behind. I spent the evening having dinner with my sister and Karen, talking with Jeff who came to pick up the booth grids for Brendy, listening to Karen's first words on her novel, reading "The Artist's Way," which stresses writing, but did I write? Some. I'm only 600+ words in and so already 1000 words behind.
Sigh. Today is clearer. No patients. No errands beyond getting gas and and oil change. So writing is what I'll do. Really.
No, really.

Pastel classes going great!

Yesterday was the second pastel class and two other students have joined us. I'm so pleased by the great mix of people. Everyone is really working their hearts out. I leave those three hours completely energized. I should have taken photos of the work each is doing. I'll try to remember to do that next Tuesday. There's still room for two more people comfortably, four in a squeeze.
I entered three portraits in the Coppini show. What great talent is represented there at Coppini!
Today begins National Novel Writing Month. I'm defying the strong suggestion to start something new, and intend to finish what I started last year. I reread last year's efforts and feel a bit more ready to wade back in now.
Saturday I'll be at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens for the Fall Fest Art Show. I'll be doing the monochromatic oil portraits for folks who sit for them there, again for $40. in order to keep my sitter's chair filled and to get the practice at the quick oil portraits. Come keep me company or sit for a portrait!

Painting Day with Mary and Donna

I know I say it every month, but I love my paint day with these women.
I started a very large 24"x36" oil on canvas. Mainly I got the sketch done. Seven people, part of a wedding party at the entrance to La Villita. October 2005 I was leaving the River Art Show and saw this flower girl. I stopped and took several pictures of her and the folks behind her. I've pieced together my favorite images of each of those people as a grouping. There's a stone wall behind them and a brick path they're standing on. Very ambitious for me. If feel like I've walked off into thin air, actually.
Didn't go to Austin for the Austin Pastel Society meeting last night after all. I've taken on so much lately and my house had piled up. Flylady.com has helped so much in the keeping of my home, but I'd really slacked off this last week or so, with the new pastel class and all. It's better now. Not back to snuff, but better. Laundry and dishes are caught up and the table almost clear.
Now off to Mo's dr's appt and then patients in the early afternoon.

Outdoor Still Life

This is a 5" x 7" oil on panel. I did sand it lightly before painting this time. May have helped. These planters were in Castroville at the state park bed and breakfast last year. Not sure what the cement slabs were that they were on. There was no door, so they weren't steps. I just loved the way the light was hitting them as it came around the corner of the building. Morgan says she took the photo. I think I did. Never mind. It made for a nice reference for this little painting, whoever took it.

I've started another cat painting, but it'll have to wait until after the first pastel class which is today!

Sunday Morgan and Karen and I were in Karen's car when we were hit by a car driven by a young woman who ran the red light. We're ok. Karen's back and neck are ouchy. I'm a little stiff, but but feeling very lucky. The car didn't fare so well. It's likely totalled. Patty came and picked us up and got us home. Don't you know that she was a welcome sight!

Little Still Life Paintings.

These are 5"x7" oil paintings on panel. I love the smooth surface, but might be a trifle too smooth. Will sand them down a bit for the next ones. I sure enjoyed painting these.
This morning I scooped up some bargains at Herweck's annual art supply sale. Still big bucks, but more for them.
Tomorrow is my day at River Art Gallery and will take several paintings to display while I'm there.
Next week the first pastel class is on Tuesday at the Coppini. Wednesday I paint with Donna Good and Mary Shepard. Thursday is the Austin Pastel Society meeting. Feels good to be filling my days with all things art again. Please leave comments if you visit here. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm talking to myself again!

Double monochromatic oil portrait

I had fun with this one. This photo of it isn't so great, but I really like the portrait. 16"x20" commission.

The woman commissioning it is doing it for her parents.

Today I'm shipping off another to Minnesota. Great folks I met at the River Art Show.

Now! What am I going to paint for ME??? Good question. The woman from Minnesota sent me a great photo of a little flower girl from a wedding in La Villita she took while here. Love the little face. Maybe that one?

Will begin teaching pastel classes at Coppini

October 24th I'll begin teaching pastel classes at Coppini Academy each Tuesday from 12:30-3:30 p.m. I think I'll really enjoy this group of people. The ones who've signed up so far draw very well already and will be exploring a new medium. There's room for as many as five more students, so if you're interested, give me a shout.

Today I did a work shift of watching the Coppini Gallery for two hours, then got to watch a painter, Kaye Franklin, do a demo of a still life. Very nice.

Tonight my book group met and we talked about Virginia Woolf's "Orlando." Fun discussion.

Whew! What a Week!

Well, this has been a wild week. I won First Place Pastels at the Coppini Academy at the awards ceremony on Wednesday, with "Morning Flight." Nice check came with that. Then this weekend was the River Art Show and I had a booth doing monochromatic (brown/sepia tones) oil portraits. I was busy the whole weekend and met some great folks while I painted them or someone in their family. I also won First Place Pastels (or rather "Other, Works on Paper") there, too, with "Christina's Joy." Nice check came with that, too. I'm grateful.

Karen was incredible for helping me load and set up, take payments, write receipts, pack up and load it all back into her soccer mom van again and then unload it at my house. I swear I saw wings popping out the top of her shirt by the time we were done.
Kim Roberti (http://kimroberti.com/) and her beloved, Bob Posey, were my houseguests this weekend as she had a booth at the River Art Fair, too. She did super well, too, selling several paintings. Bob and Karen shared the camaraderie of being the appreciated "roadies." Angels both. Kim has two still life paintings on eBay right now. Aren't they beautiful?: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZjaycee490

This week is about getting my taxes done by the extension date of next weekend. Sigh.
NaNoWriMo starts again November 1st and I'd like to participate.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/
Check into it and join me in writing 50,000 words in the month of November. I had a blast last year and am looking forward to going that special sort of crazy again this year.

Ring Around The Rosie

This is how I spent my evening: an 11"x14" oil done with a palette knife on canvas panel. I did a larger, pink and blue version of it last year about this time. I like this one in its quieter colors.

Forgot this one...

5" x 7" on unstretched canvas I did last night. Kind of sweet, right?

Four small paintings

Ok, I stayed up late last night. These cats are 6"x6"on Gessobord (love that smooth surface) and the little vase was started in a workshop two years ago and found again today... so I finished it up. It's about 6" x 8" on unstretched canvas.

I've got a cat, Joel, living with me right now, sort of on a trial basis. He's lived under Karen's house for his short life of a year and a half. She has a dog unfriendly to cats and has worried about Joel, so I brought him home last week. He turns out to be a lap kitty. A house cat who's waited for fulfillment. I have to shut him in the studio at night or he walks on my head in the middle of the night, but otherwise he's been easy. Sigh. So much for "never."

Three more portraits

This is another monochromatic oil done yesterday with very warm brown reds. May be too warm for future paintings.

This is the second one I did yesterday. I worked with water soluble oils and they dried too fast, I think. Kind of like working with watercolor, actually.

This was done from a sitting today. Each of these took an hour or less. I want to feel confident this weekend at the River Art Show when I do them for the public. Please come down and keep me company at the Assembly Hall in La Villita on Saturday and Sunday. I'll be just left of the stage area.

Another one

This is the second of the monochromatic portrait sketches. It's not exactly right yet (the whisps of hair in front still bother me) but I like it.

Monochrome oil portrait.

This was an experiment to see if I could do a monochromatic oil sketch in under an hour. It really did look fine at 30 minutes. I fiddled with it another half hour, though and have fiddled further since I took the photo. (Love the alliteration.) I'm thinking I want to do many, many of these. Pretty fun stuff.

Delivered 6 paintings Friday- Coppini and RAC

Thank you all for your title suggestions! I went with "Look, Daddy" but loved the idea of "Treasure Hunters," too.
I took three paintings, two pastels and an oil, (Morning Flight, Caldo and Railroad Man) to Coppini for the Fall Exhibition. I'll get a postcard to say which one/s got in and which ones to pick up again. The reception/awards presentation will be Wednesday, October 4th.
I took another three, two oils and a pastel, (Look Daddy, Apple Reflected, and Flexibility) to Regional Artist Consortium for the airport show, themed "Reflections." I'll get an email saying which got in. I hated to leave my paintings there... folks were just leaning them against the walls, no cardboard or padding between. I get so cranky when my frames are nicked and scratched.
Tomorrow is my day at River Art Gallery so I might try to get a pastel (or two?) done today to take there.
I have a patient in a half hour and I still need to dress. At least there's no commute!

Finish of large pastel... title?

Ok, it's framed, so I guess it's done. I added a little starfish behind the boy purely for composition... trying to make sense of all that space there. My camera punches up blues, I think. I mean, it's blue, but not quite this intense. This is a pastel, 22"x28" framed in an ornate gold frame under non-glare glass. Now if only I knew what to call this. "Shell"? "Treasure"?
Any ideas? I'd need to know by noon tomorrow, if anyone thinks of something better.

Father and Son on the Beach

This isn't quite done, but has come a long way since Tuesday's start. It was my day to paint with Mary Shepard and it took three drawings until I got the figures where they made some sense. I didn't paint Wednesday, but did more Thursday and again today. I hope to finish it tonight and frame it tonight, but whether for the airport show or the Coppini show, I'm still not sure. I'll post a finished image as soon as I'm able.

I love that the baby's holding a shell he's found.

Second of two little paintings.

Actually, I painted this first- Saturday morning - and the little girls on the beach in the afternoon. Then we had game night that evening! Very nice day, no? Wet brushes all day and dominos with friends at night. This painting is 9" x 12" on canvas panel.

Two new small oils

This one of the little girls on the beach is 8"x10" in oil on canvas panel. I took the reference pictures in June on Mustang Island.


Blogger seems to be having trouble right now so I'll try uploading the other image later.

Yesterday I attended a demo by Steve DaLuz at Coppini Academy and urged my sister Patty to become a member. She did... and also was voted Artist of the Month right off the bat! She put up her pastel painting of her middle child, Jake, and it got the most votes. I was so proud.

Tomorrow is Paint Day with Mary Shepard. Donna is off fly fishing in Montana this month.

New still life and finished up Harry

Finally. I just took a whole evening to paint. Felt great. Took the photos for this still life last year. I did several paintings from that day last year, but this was one I hadn't thought I'd do. Loved it after all. 11"x14" oil on stretched canvas.
The one of Harry was a quick study I did last year from a photo session we did, just to see if the painting would work. I cleaned up the computer room/oft-time studio today and decided this painting deserved some attention. I still want to do a "real" painting of him in this pose as well as in some of the others with the "cat's cradle" string. 16" x 20" oil on stretched canvas.

Finishes

This is a little 11x14 still life oil on stretched canvas which I started last week with my painting buddies Mary and Donna. The portrait is one I started as a demo in Marble Falls during the portrait workshop.

Unrelated but fun- I've found myself in the throes of teaching old dogs new tricks. Literally. I'm involved with someone who has not one, not two, but three dogs, two of them large- none of whom have been asked to behave until now. They're old. I'm old. Therefore I'm the newest fan of The Dog Whisperer. I'm trying to watch all the reruns as fast as I can. I've ordered the DVDs through NetFlix, we've ordered his book. We're doing dog school at Rob Cary every Sunday. We're taking brisk, purposeful walks through their neighborhood without great straining at the leash. We can now enter and leave the house without them trying to muscle past us at the door in effort to escape. The barking has subsided. We reward the right behavior and correct the wrong. Wow. Just call me Pack Leader. Ok, Co-Pack Leader. Either way, it's good.

Workshop was great... posting progress on demo painting.

The workshop in Marble Falls was terrific. Eleven participants and all worked their hearts out. I was immensely proud.

This is an in-progress painting I started at the workshop as a demo. I've worked a bit more on it since, but it's not done. I like where it's going, though. I'll post the finished version soon.

Progress on the pastel of the little boy

Worked on this portrait of this sweet fellow a couple of days ago. I'm liking how it's coming.

Featured artist of the month in Del Rio Gallery

Hi all,
Just wanted to let you know I have 18 paintings at the Lee-Bunch Studio Gallery in Del Rio, TX for the month of July and will be there for the First Friday Art Walk July 7th. If you're anywhere around there then, come visit me!

Workshop info and Austin Pastel Society end-of-year party/meeting

Spent last evening up in Austin with the wonderful artists who've been the most supportive in my efforts to relaunch myself artistically these last three years. I took on the duties of Membership chair this year. It was good to see everyone. Passed out information about the portrait workshop I'm giving in Marble Falls next month. Here's a recap:

I'm offering a two-day portrait workshop in Marble Falls, Texas, on July 13-14. That's a Thursday and Friday from 9:30-4:00 each day with a lunch break. Marble Falls is less than an hour west of Austin and an hour and a half north of San Antonio. The location is a great Guild-owned gallery on Main Street, with a large workshop space. I was asked to do a pastel portrait demo for the Guild in mid-May and was impressed by the enthusiasm in the membership. Should be a fun group!
The cost of the workshop is $100.
The workshop is for artists who work in either pastel or oil who'd like to expand their ability to paint portraits. Some basic drawing skills are expected and a familiarity with the medium you'll use in the workshop.

Supplies:
Participants should bring the medium with which you'd like to work, an easel and TV trays or other surface for your supplies.
If pastel, bring as many sticks as you can. I'll bring extra palettes to fill in the gaps of participants' sets for the duration of the workshop. You can work on any medium-toned pastel surface, sanded surfaces would be best.
If oils, just bring all their usual colors. I'm not particular about brushes. A variety is good, of course. Filberts are great. The surface should be as smooth as possible. A fine-weave linen stretched canvas, or Gessobord or Claybord by Ampersand would be good. Even a gessoed masonite panel sanded between coats.

An old rug or dropcloth should be brought to put under each easel. At least 3 painting surfaces should be brought to the workshop. No smaller than 11" x 14", and no bigger than 16" x 20". Pastel surfaces do not need to be cut down to 16 x 20, but simply marked out with those dimensions.
I'll provide the photos to work from, and a model for the last part of the second day. I'm going to emphasize value MUCH more than particular colors used.
Feel free to contact me with any questions.
I hope you can make it!
Susan

210-655-3590
www.susancarlin.com

A new pastel portrait start

This is such a fun story. Last year I'd been saying to someone that I'd love to see one of the portraits I did back in the 70's. And a couple of days later I got an email from a woman in Arkansas I'd done a portrait for in 1979! It was of her daughter, then four. Now the daughter has a four year old son and she was wanting a portrait of him to hang with the daughter's portrait. Cool, no? Well, I got the photos of the original and the little boy a few days ago and got to spend some hours working on the start yesterday. Still much to go, but thought I'd post the "so far" here.
Yesterday I had my one-day-a-month painting with my friends Mary and Donna, this time out at Mary's Hill Country home. It's so great to get that time together. Mary and Donna worked on watercolor paintings and I did this pastel. The conversations are always expansive and thought-deepening.

I'm a lucky duck. I got to join in on a five-day workshop with Kimberly Dow in Corpus Christi last week for the last two days. She has a way with paint that intrigues me. She works on a smooth surface with thin layers of paint in a way which feels familiar to this old pastel painter. This is what I managed to do in those two days.... so it's not done by any means, but I learned a LOT. Thought I'd post it anyway.

I'm going to give a two-day portrait workshop in Marble Falls, TX (in oil or pastel) on July 13-14th, Thursday and Friday. $100. Contact me for more details if you're interested.
susan@susancarlin.com

Marble Falls Demonstration

These images are from last Thursday when I did a demonstration of a pastel portrait from a live model for the Highland Arts Guild in Marble Falls. What a gracious group! We've decided on a two-day workshop in July- the 13th and 14th- for portraiture either in oil or pastel. $100. If you can join us, let me know!

Completed painting

These children's mother and I have declared this painting finished. I really like how it turned out. In the original photo the children are far apart, the grassy area goes way on back before the road and the trees and hills beyond are a minor area behind. We've reordered reality to put the children in relationship to each other and to celebrate the West Texas landcape.

Now it's allowed to dry before varnishing, and that will dry before packaging and shipping North.

Progress on the dandelion painting/ Opening

I spent the day with my friends Mary and Donna painting today and got further along on this commissioned painting. At least all the canvas is covered now. Now I can begin painting details.
Donna painted a large watercolor of flowers along a fence and Mary worked on an oil landscape with water and a bridge. What a pleasure to have that time with them!
Tomorrow is the opening at the new RAC gallery. I have two paintings in the show. Everyone's welcome to come: 606 Embassy Oaks, Suite 400, San Antonio. 6-9 pm.