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.
Finishes
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.
Big Mom News
We knew she was better than we'd been given to expect Mom could be. But today at her appt. with the cardiologist the miracle was confirmed. She's back to normal. They can't explain it. He said that when she was in the hospital and they measured her heart's ability to expel the blood, her "ejection fraction" was less than 10%. Normal is between 50 and 75%. We were getting the results of the echocardiogram taken over two weeks ago and already it was 50% then, so he thinks it's likely even better now. No more oxygen. No meds. No doctors. She's good to go.
We're celebrating, as you can imagine. Thank you to all who added their thoughts to those which changed her fate.
Susan
A start.
This is the barest beginning of a commissioned oil of two sweet children picking dandelions in a field in West Texas. Not sure yet about the proportion of the boy in the foreground in relation to the girl farther back. I may need to repaint him smaller. We'll see.
Done?
I think I'm done. This is a photo under bad fluorescent lighting, so it's not so true to color. The blues are too punched up and the faces too pale, but you get the idea. I'll try to get a photo of it outdoors tomorrow.
Tomorrow is the Fiesta Art Fair. I try very hard not to miss it each year. I go early to see the art before it's been picked over.
I bought a painting tonight from an artist whose work I love. She sells through galleries and on eBay. Check out Karin Jurick at: http://www.karinjurick.com
'Night All
More progress on painting of Kids
Spent a few hours this evening working on refining these faces, painting in her jewelry, softening edges of hair. Still have much more to do on arms and hands and grass and clothing. I hope to have it done in a couple more days. 'Night all.
Sketch of Adam and a BIO for my website
http://www.susancarlin.com/Bio.htm
Could use an illustration or photo tucked in here and there, but I'm so pleased to have gotten something written!
Also did a portrait sketch of a friend's grandson for her birthday today. Cheers!
Progress on the painting of the children
I spent today painting with Donna and Mary and made lots of good progress on this one. Still much more to go, but I'm pleased with what got done. LOVE being with those two!
Got a nice walk in with a friend afterwards at Eisenhower Park. Mo taped American Idol for me to see when I got back. Topped it all off with a phone call to my mom. Very nice day indeed.
Spent the evening painting
Finally broke the spell. I hadn't painted since the day before Mom's heart attack. Not sure if they got connected in my brain or how, but it was good to get back to the brushes and paint.
Much, much more to go on this painting, but felt like I got pretty far along tonight.
Mom's doing well, by the way.
Posing with the paintings
Morgan and I went downtown today to pick up my award from the San Antonio Art League's Museum. Loved seeing all the other paintings and sculptures in the show. A few by friends- so great! We also traded out the paintings I have at River Art Gallery.
Three awards, one day. Wow!
Yesterday I had to decide between two receptions, both of which were at shows where I had paintings: Austin Pastel Society and the San Antonio Art League and Museum. I decided to go to the Austin Pastel Society one because I love these people. It's the first art group I ever joined. They've been so encouraging and fun and have helped birth my more public artist self. I arrived to find that my highest aspiration, art-wise, had been achieved: Best of Show. Omigosh. Trust me when I say what a thrill that is. It was for my painting, "Morning Flight," the 24"x18" pastel of 18 people waiting at a Southwest Airlines gate for their plane to arrive. I also got First Place for Still Life for my 20"x16" pastel of Libby Peters' living room called, "Her Grandmother's Chair." The award would've been great in name only, but came with lots of prizes. A 150 stick set of Rembrandt pastels in a two tray wooden box. A pricey little item. Plus lots of neat papers and another 30 stick set in a wooden box. Scrumptious. I'm considering listing the sets on eBay, since I'm pretty well set on pastels until the next millenium. We'll see.
On the way home I called the San Antonio Art League and found I'd won a Sponsor's Award for $500. That had me doing a little behind-the-wheel happy dance, let me tell you. That painting is called "Caldo," and is a 24"x18" pastel.
I also called Mom and Dad on the way home and told them of my news. I'm so grateful to be able to do that.
Now it's back to work on these commissions. I've stewed long enough. Life is wonderful, as Jason Mraz's new song so beautifully asserts.
Stewing in my juices
Ok, I don't know what it is. Most likely has something to do with the recent lessons in the fragility of life, the temporary (time-based) nature of everything dear, but I'm getting little done art-wise. At least overtly. Still trying to get my life routines back on track and keep being derailed. I'm trying so hard to "be here now" but do have expectations that I make plans and stick to them, too. Reconciling those disparate ideas is a challenge right now.
The gift of menopause is supposed to be the clarity and intensity of feeling, unrelieved by the previous experience of three weeks out of four spent all docile and accomodating. Got it. I've got the unrelieved intensity. Unfriendly "friends" are being jettisoned. Room for new friends is being readied. Ideas for paintings are written down. Conversations are deeper. I become more transparent. Clutter is boxed up and moved out. I've been home six days and I haven't painted a lick. Did those portrait sketches Tuesday, but haven't painted. A friend died while I was in Phoenix. The services were over before I returned. Her voice is on my voice mail. She was younger than I.
I'm feeling such an urgency to not waste a moment. Not miss anything. Not squander my time with anyone, anything not infused with love and authenticity. Hot flashes wake me and I jot down the images which are delivered simultaneously. All I can do is pay attention to it all and allow the transformation as it happens. The painting will come soon, I know.
