I'm in Ireland!

This is the completed portrait of the Henager Sisters. Their father commissioned the painting and drove down from Austin to pick it up the night before I left.  I think he’s as happy with it as I am.  Thank you to all who kept me company online as I painted it.

With lots of help I got packed and to the airport on time, only to have an hour and a half delay waiting for the plane.  It still left almost an hour to make my connection in Newark for Dublin, so all worked out fine.  A miracle happened and I was the only passenger in my row- so I got to tip over and sleep a bit on the overnight flight!   I hadn’t slept well at home for a while, so I really needed all I could get. I took a bus to my hosts- Jan Hyland and Janetta Mellet- and had a beautiful lunch in Janetta’s beautiful garden.
Jan took me to her house afterwards where I’ve been the last two days, hosted so graciously by Jan and her husband Colm, and recovering from some wicked strain of jet lag. We’ve walked the Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Dun Leery) pier and we’ve visited the Royal Hiburnian Academy in Dublin and I’ve crashed for emergency naps several times. But it’s now 6:41 on Monday morning, the workshop starts in less than three hours and I feel great. I hope to still broadcast on my regular Wednesday, but much earlier than my usual 7 p.m. Central time.  Most likely it will be 11 a.m. or noon, but I’ll post more as I know.

The workshop is being held at a gorgeous place- The Dun Laoghaire Golf Club.  Oh my.  I can’t wait to show you!

Stay tuned….

 

Happy Susan

 

Travels and Progress and Figure Workshop

Wilson's Arch, oil 11" x 14" $250. unframed, $310. framed.
Two weeks ago my daughter and a friend and I drove to Idaho to visit my parents and my brother- a three day drive each way through spectacular country. I took a lot of photos, mostly through the windows of my car. I painted this from one of those references. A viewer of my broadcast as I began this painting did some quick research and suggested I was painting Wilson’s Arch in Utah. Very possibly. I just know I saw it coming up the road and scrambled pretty quickly to get some fly-by photos. I really like this painting.

Ranchero, oil 10"x8" $150. unframed, $175 framed.
I painted this in the Best Western bathroom (it had the best light!) in Monticello, Utah, on our way back to Texas. The fellow had been sitting at the counter having breakfast in Roswell, NM, near our booth - prompting some stealthy photos over our hash browns and biscuits and gravy. I realized as I set up to paint that I hadn't packed any WHITE! I'd never painted anything without white on my palette. It was an interesting exercise and resulted in a painting I like very much.

This is a small commissioned painting for a man of his mother, using a photo from the early '60s- a photocopy of a damaged, hand-tinted black and white photo. I simplified her complicated jacket and the very complicated background in order to shift the focus to her beautiful, elegant face.

I'm only a short way into this 18" x 24" oil of three sisters, but I thought I'd post a progress image of it so far. It seems like everyone who has kept me company during my broadcast while I painted it has mentioned how many teeth there are to paint in this portrait. I do love their smiles and will follow my own best advice in how to paint those smiles. I will so!

Coming up: I'm offering a two-day "Figure Indoors" Workshop August 21-22 at the Coppini Academy here in San Antonio. $195. includes model and studio fees. Artists may work in either oil or pastel and will work from my photographs the first day and from the model on the second day. If you love painting people and also love the idea of a narrative painting- telling a story- I hope you'll join me. Sometimes it's a pleasure to paint people when the likeness is not imperative! Email me at susan@susancarlin.com and I'll connect you to the folks who handle registration.

I leave in less than three weeks for Ireland where I'm teaching a three-day portrait workshop in Dublin (!!!), then visiting Galway and Connemara with my artist friends there. Then I'm flying to Paris (my first time!!!) for a few days, then taking the train to the International Pastel Festival in St. Florent Le Vieil where I have four paintings exhibited. Pinch me. I promise paintings will follow...

I hope your summer plans include a little adventure, a lot of fun and the chance to create something. Oh, and some time in a hammock. Ahhh.....

Figure Workshop, August 21-22

Susan Carlin- Figure Workshop
Painting the clothed figure in an interior setting
Open to all skill levels

Saturday, August 21- Sunday, August 22, 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., $195 includes venue and model fees.

It's liberating to paint people when a likeness is not necessarily the goal. Painting someone doing something, a person in context with the surroundings- the narrative becomes the intent. In this workshop, artists will become storytellers.

In the real world, artists work from life or from photos, and often a combination of both. In this workshop, artists will paint the first day from photographs provided by the instructor- a simple scene involving a single figure indoors. Artists will work from the model on the second day- an arrangement involving a woman reading.

Carlin will address issues involving proportion, composition, increasing accuracy of drawing, representing values more accurately, ways to direct the viewer's eye, as well as addressing individual artists' questions and concerns. Artists may work in oil or in pastel, or in any drawing medium. (Artists who work in other media are welcome if they are in command of their medium and are seeking assistance with the subject matter and above issues.)

Join us for a weekend of painting and storytelling!

susan@susancarlin.com

Self Portrait, and Sharon Stone- from sitting.

Ok, I broke every rule on this self portrait. I painted individual teeth, for starters. You don't do that. I admonish students not to do that. I try so hard not to paint so 'tightly' in general, yet this painting is terribly tight. Sigh. Just forgive me and we'll move on, shall we? I will say it was fun to do a self portrait in which I actually look happy -accomplished by the fact that I worked from a photo taken by a photographer friend. Most I've done from looking in a mirror and there has been a serious look on each of those. If you know me, you know that I don't often look serious. The goofy grin is more likely.

This beautiful woman is Sharon Stone. Maybe not the Sharon Stone you know from movies, but it is her name, nonetheless. Last Saturday I was called by the La Villita office, asking me to please be painting that day as the Travel Channel would be in La Villita taping an episode about San Antonio. I accosted Sharon and her husband, Ivan, the moment they walked into my gallery that morning, pleading for her to model for me later in the day. She agreed and, true to her word, she returned to sit for me for 3 and a half hours. The Travel Channel never arrived, having run out of time earlier on their route. Ah well... I enjoyed our conversation so much and she loved her painting. I took a photo of her before she left and worked another couple of hours on it Monday. Below: Ivan, Sharon and Sharon's portrait.


I'll be painting online tonight at 7 p.m. Central time in case you can swing by to say hello... www.ustream.tv/channel/susancarlin
Hope to 'see' you there!
Susan

Chacala Boy, oil, 14x11... finished

I enjoyed painting this sweet face. If you compare this painting to the one in my previous post, you'll see he looks better nourished.

Below are some of the portraits painted in the workshop... I'm delighted with each one!

Gwen Bell


Juli Koroly


Ruthie Sexton


Janice Crawford


Kay Moore


Annice Anderson


Barbara Pask


Linda Wacaster


Ray Beck


Leslie Newman

Norma Folse

For a while now I'd been casting about for 'direction' in that constant question of what to paint next. Then the other day I bought Robert Henri's book, "The Art Spirit," and on the twelfth page he writes, "An art student must be a master from the beginning; that is, he must be master of such as he has. By being now master of such as he has there is promise that he will be master in the future." I've read other versions of that notion- to paraphrase: completely fill the place you have in your life in the present; take care of the job in front of you/love the people in front of you/clean the house you live in/do all that you do now with your best skills and best effort.... because until you do, you can't possibly be ready for what's next, or what's better.
I was immediately aware of the paintings I have sitting around the studio that have been started, but not finished. Ok, well, some of my broadcast viewers remind me of them regularly, too. I see that I need to finish a few paintings before asking what's next. Expect some finishes in the next few posts!
-Susan

Salon's Jury's Top Sixty... and some starts

These last few days have been so full that now it's hard to know how to fill you in! I enjoyed all the events associated with Salon International, and it was made more special by getting to experience it all with artist Debra Bryant, who was my guest from Florida and who had a painting in the show, as well. She emailed me a couple of days ago to tell me the news that my painting had been awarded a ribbon as one of the Jury's Top Sixty in the Exhibition. I'm thrilled!

While she was visiting, we did a broadcast together in which we both started self portraits. I've worked on mine a bit since, and though it is FAR from finished, I thought I'd show you how it looks at the moment, but stay tuned for many improvements:

Saturday, April 17th, I held my second online painting workshop and this time the subject was a portrait. Again, I was so proud of all the work done by the participating artists. I'll post the images of their completed portraits on my blog in a few days when they send in their images for 'assessment and suggestions.' My own painting from our common photo reference is not completed, but I'll show you what it looks like now. His face will be a bit plumper in the final version:

Hope you're enjoying a beautiful spring!

Studio makeover, Debra's visit & Gentleman Traveler

My studio/computer room in its former hideous state:

This room was originally the fourth bedroom in my home, although I've only used it as an office for the 20+ years I've lived here. A few years ago I discovered the advantages of painting with my reference photos on the computer monitor, so I moved in a couple of easels... and the flotsam and jetsam began to accumulate. Until I started broadcasting my painting time, I usually had a movie or TV show going while I painted in order to have 'company' of a sort. Now I get to have a conversation with real people while I paint. Life was good, but oh, was it ever messy!
The same space now:

I don't think the "before" pictures truly show how awful it was in this room, but trust me- you wouldn't have wanted your loved ones to enter without making sure their shots were up to date.
How did this transformation happen? I have a friend who was born organized. You know how Superman had X-ray eyes and could see inside and behind things? Well, she can look at clutter and stacks and jumbles of who-knows-what and see how to put it in order. Me? I look at a cluttered room and just turn in circles until the depth of my despair could fill a Russian novel.

Yesterday she took on my studio and the room didn't stand a chance. It whimpered a little (or was that me?) and gave in to her tidy plans. I keep going to the door and saying, "WOW!"

Tonight I'll get to do my Wednesday night (7:00 p.m. Central time) broadcast in a space with SPACE. Please drop in if you can! On Friday, I'll be broadcasting painting with Debra Bryant , whom I get to host while she's in town for the opening reception of the Salon International exhibition this weekend. I'm not sure exactly when we'll broadcast on Friday, so if you add your email address to my "Get an email when I'll be painting online" form on my blog, you'll get an email with the time. Friday evening Debra and I will attend the Salon's Awards Banquet. Photos to follow!

My painting, Gentleman Traveler, was accepted into the Salon International and its image is now posted on Greenhouse Gallery's website here, and the super enormous image of it is here. Here is the framed view.
Some of you may remember that Daniel Greene critiqued my accepted entry last year, and what a thrill that was for me. Well, this year's judge, Everett Raymond Kinstler, is going to critique Gentleman Traveler. I will do my best to video his critique and post it here afterward. It'll be an honor to have him consider my work for the few minutes he'll focus on it.

Remember that I'm offering an Online Portrait Workshop a week from Saturday- April 17th, 9-4:30, for $50. So if you have good internet access and want to paint a portrait that Saturday, I hope you'll join in the fun! Follow this link to register:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4YWRGKKTFG5QU

Come on by tonight at 7 for a chat while I paint... You know I love it.

Susan

Joe, oil, 12" x 12"

I started this painting during one of my recent broadcasts and finished it over several days at my studio/gallery. It was a fun challenge to work out where the warms and cools were in his skin tones. I took the reference photo of a gracious visitor to the gallery who allowed me to take a few photos in response to my shameless begging. Thank you, Joe!

Tonight I'll be painting online at 7 p.m. Central, universe willing and the creek don't rise. Why don't you swing by around that time? I won't have a long session tonight, but always look forward to 'seeing' everyone and painting. Hope you'll drop in!

Reminder: My second Online Painting Workshop is coming up three Saturdays from now- April 17, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. $50. The subject will be a portrait, the reference for which I'll be sending this week to those who've registered. Send your family to the park for the day and pull up your easel to the computer- Let's paint a portrait together!

To register, follow this link:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4YWRGKKTFG5QU

(If you're receiving this by email, the button below won't work, so use the link above.)

For those registering from the blog, use this button:

"See" you tonight!
Susan

Turkish Angora Kitten, 5" x 7" oil

This is one of those pure joy paintings. It's the eighth in a series of kitty faces I've painted for a fellow who's become a friend in the process. Saturday I was mentioning to a Turkish friend that I needed to look for an image of a new cat's face to paint for Bill, and she suggested a Turkish Angora cat. They were new to me, but I've discovered they are always white with one green eye and one blue eye. I painted it on a slick gesso-coated, not canvas, panel, which left lots of brush marks visible down to the white surface. At first that worried me, but later I decided I liked the look a lot. What do you think?

We're having a clear, beautiful day here in San Antonio. Spring is in full swing around here- the bluebonnets are rioting along the roads and the trees are that intense yellow green of early spring. Red bud trees are thrilling in their various shades of pink to neon fuscia, and the mountain laurel trees are heavy with their clusters of grape-bubble-gum-scented flowers... heady stuff. Hope you look for and enjoy all the beauty around you today!

Notre Dame Future finished...Persian kitten tomorrow...

I started this painting during my broadcasts, so those of you who join me while I'm painting live will recognize it. I had some days at the gallery to paint, so finished it up here. Quite an epic painting, yes? Notre Dame and the autumn landscape in the background was a great puzzle to figure out and each stone in the foreground needed to have its own character. Very little about this painting felt familiar or easy, so I feel extra proud at the completion of it. The parents of the little boys in the painting went to school and now work at Notre Dame.

Tomorrow I'll be painting a small (8"x10") painting of an adorable Persian kitten named Gilbert.

I hope you'll join me- www.ustream.tv/channel/susancarlin at 7 p.m. Central.

New Online Workshop- This time: A Portrait!

I'm excited about offering a new online workshop- This time we'll paint a portrait on Saturday, April 17th. I'll be working in oil again this time, as will most of the participating artists, but you may use any medium you're most comfortable working in. In a week or so, I'll send the registered artists the supply list and the image we'll be using as our reference. Before the workshop I'll send the password and workshop online site. Midway through the workshop, each artist can participate in the "assessment and suggestion" session by sending me an image of her/his work-in-progress and receiving my assessment and suggestions. The workshop fee is $50. A DVD of the workshop will be available for $20. to those who took the workshop, and for $45. to others. You can register via PayPal below...

The workshop will start at 9:00 a.m. and will end around 4:30. The underlying technology is quirky and can cause some hiccups, but with good humor we all enjoyed the first workshop in February and are wanting to do it all again with new subject matter! I hope you'll join us!



April 17 Online Portrait Workshop

Upsie Daisy, 14 x 11 oil

$400. unframed, $450. framed.

I know. It's true- these are the same daisies in the same jar. I sure got my money's worth with those flowers, didn't I? I see that I painted the jar differently in each- high shoulders, low shoulders, taller, shorter. I'm sure glad I've kept my artistic license up to date!

I've always thought of myself as a portrait artist who occasionally attempted other sorts of paintings- as if still life and landscapes 'belonged' to other painters and I was traipsing, even trespassing, on their territory to paint those subjects. I hereby claim all subject matter as "mine." I'm a painter.

I've really enjoyed painting these still lifes lately. Upsie Daisy is one I've painted over the last two Wednesday evenings during my online broadcasts. Gwen Bell is the artist of the small painting of the bowl with two apples. I fell in love with it when I saw it on her blog and was delighted she sold it to me. It hangs on my dining room wall usually, but I pulled it down into this arrangement when I was taking reference photos. I'm pleased she gave me permission to include it in this one of mine.

We're having a beautiful day here in San Antonio. I hope you're enjoying yours!

Online Still Life Painting Workshop Report

Daisies' Date, oil, 14" x 11" $400 unframed, $450. framed

- My painting from the workshop yesterday. (The painting within the painting is by Barbara Pask. )
Look for the images of the other artists' paintings below....

Nineteen wonderful artists registered for my first online painting workshop and seventeen attended it live yesterday. The other two will take the workshop from the video recordings we created yesterday. I was so impressed with each artist's work and their good nature as we rolled with occasional difficulty using Ustream as our means to connect. Between those delays and my having chosen a reference that was a bit complicated we ran later than we'd planned, but they hung in there, creating beautiful paintings every one.
I plan to offer other online workshops in the future, putting to use all I learned and making changes suggested by the artists in this first one. Portraiture, figures, pastel, more still life... my mind whirls with the possibilities!
If you couldn't attend yesterday's workshop live, but would like to take it by painting along to about 8-9 hours of videos on your own time in your own home, let me know. susan@susancarlin.com $40. (Critiques of your resulting work are not included with this option.)

I'll add images of the other artists' workshop paintings on this post as they are sent to me... check back over the next few days!

Ruthie Sexton

Annice Anderson

Debra Bryant

Barbara Pask

Gwen Bell

Peggy Montano

Pattie Wall

Marilyn Harman

Norma Folse

Michelle Burnett

Leslie Newman

Janice Crawford