LATEST WORK

Working, working...Goal..200 paintings before March...LOL. Live Artfully!!

LET'S PLAY CATCH UP!!

Oh My!! I have become one of those lazy, worthless bloggers that never add anything to their blog..forgoing it and all it's glory for Facebook..(which I post to daily, almost)..so..Since September the 26th--I have done a few shows. Had a great 3rd year at KENTUCK ART FESTIVAL in Northport, AL..The month of Oct. was a blur..and now..the season is over, and I am missing it..but, I definitely have a better plan for 2014!! I am painting now for it..and will paint hard and furious until my first show of the season which is in March, I believe. I hope to have a couple of hundred original paintings done by that time. Let's cross our fingers that I can pull it off. It will make my year so much easier, if I have some back inventory!!!

It's November..a month of thankful gratitude...I try every day to grateful for something, so I am not going to do it day by day just for the month of November..

Well..I will TRY to blog better in the near future..I am still a little brain-dead from the month of October, and really can't think right now...so stay tuned..

Live Artfully!!

MORE MORE MORE..

30 minute paintings on cardboard.

Live Artfully!

MORE 30 MINUTE PAINTINGS!! SO LIBERATING!!

Well..I have a couple of things to talk about, and several more of my "30 MINUTE PAINTINGS ON CARDBOARD". These paintings are fun, and since there is not the pressure to succeed in making something that someone will buy--(which  I may be wrong, since SIX of these have sold already)--they are quite liberating. I am painting fast, and not really caring about the end result. They are not stiff..and I am taking notes..so, it's a learning process. I love the last one..it is so dark, and different for me. It's not using much money, I'm basically painting with little piles of paint that I had down for the "real" paintings, which I am also doing, but cannot show them all until the shows. TRY THIS. Just free yourself to do whatever you wish to do..don't like what you painted..toss it in the garbage or paint over..no pressure. Just paint.

I wanted to say something about the show this past weekend. It rained. It was cold. The first four hours was wet, and absolutely NO customers. So, with 4 hours to go..the rain went away..the sun fought for a peek..and the customers came. Huntsville surprised the HECK out of me!! They came out, they bought ..they bought..they bought..Need I say more??  I'm not talking that they bought "just" from me, either..I saw A LOT of artwork moving out. THAT is a GOOD show! I sold the largest painting I had (3 feet x 4 feet), and the man took it home, hung it, and brought me a picture of it, hanging. That was so nice of him! For only having 4 hours to sell, I actually made more money than I have at a lot of two day shows. I NOW LOVE HUNTSVILLE!!! Thank you to all the great new people that I met, and who supported my art!

It was ran this year, by a man named Curtis Benzle. He did an awesome job, and put on a great show! He had a great group of volunteers, and they were more than helpful. They even brought us pizza. This is a class A show, and I was proud to be a part of it!

Well, that is all. NEXT, we will be in Birmingham at the Bluff Park Show. October 5th. ONE DAY. Maybe if you are nearby, maybe you'll come and see us! Maybe you'll buy a 30 minute painting on cardboard..LIVE ARTFULLY!!

I SET A TIMER FOR 30 MINUTES..AND...

Last night was FUN!! I took a stack of cardboard, and I set my timer for 30 minutes (for each painting), and I painted as fast as I could! I LOVED IT!! It was so liberating..I think that not caring what you are painting seriously helps you paint better..don't like something?? Glob paint on top of it..smear it around, and keep going. One of these paintings (I'm not telling which one), took 18 minutes...The trick though..have everything you need organized, and right at your fingertips..makes it go a lot faster!  Hope you enjoy!

Live Artfully!!

WE WILL BE IN HUNTSVILLE,AL AT THE MONTE SANO ART SHOW!!

In HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA!!

ART JOURNALING--FOUR YEARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE!

How is that title? Four Years in the white house--pretty good, huh?? So..This journal page is a hot mess! I did it very, very fast--with no thought--and you know what? WHO CARES! It's mine..I'll own it...some days you just feel like making a hot mess... It was "cute" at one point..but, I just could not stop..and now..Oh well..it is, what it is..it's just a JOURNAL..and a warm up to making more art--so, it does not matter.

Here I am..I am 11 months old--and dropped off on my grandparent's doorstep...in the big, white house. We left this house when I was 4 years old, so it surprises me that I remember anything...but..I DO. My first memory was of me in a crib, and someone had tied a balloon to the corner, and as I lay there the balloon went out the window..the window that was right beside my crib...and it floated away..

I was in this house for 3 years. The big white house was attached to the back of a paint store. They sold Dutch Boy paint. I have never figured why our house was attached to the paint store..and have never asked. When I got "older", probably around 3-4..I would walk over to the paint store, and stay in there forever..looking at all the colors, and things. The owner knew me, and obviously didn't think anything of a child plundering around his place. (Can you imagine a child doing that TODAY??). I would normally leave there, and walk across the street to the dry cleaners. The dry cleaners had a magical bird..a big black bird that could talk. So, I would go to the dry cleaners, climb up on a stool, and sit there and feed the bird crackers, and teach him new words.. His name was Sam.

So..this is how I spent my days..until around 3 o'clock...That is when our housekeeper's soap opera came on, and also the very same time that the GREEN HORNET came on. I would fight every day with Tensy, she wanting to watch her show, and ME wanting to watch mine. I can still hear her saying.."Miss Suzan..you are the MEANEST child I have ever met.." I loved Tensy..she was my partner in crime, my ally...and at 3'oclock..my worst enemy! It's funny that I have no memory of my grandmother during this period of my life..but, I remember Tensy. I also remember the reason that grandpa had to fire her. One night, late..my aunt Lou had gone out, and came home. She came running into the house..yelling for grandpa (her father)..There was SOMEONE passed out in the family car. That "someone" turned out to be my beloved, Tensy..she was drunk, and passed out, and my grandfather sent her away.

I also remember the attic of that house..and the little door that lead to it...it scared me then, and it scares me now. I totally dislike attics and tiny doors. I always feel that monsters lurk on the other side..hahahah.

Life was good at the big, white house..I had plenty of attention, five of my aunts and uncles lived there too..my grandfather worked at the Naval Air Station, and every day, he would come home and bring me that little chocolate candy called "Sixlets", and we would sit outside on the big metal glider, and talk to me about his day. He would usually have buttermilk and cornbread while we sat out there. Life was good!

Live Artfully!

BACK TO ART JOURNALING!! BACK TO MY ROOTS!!

I'm LONG overdue..I want to do art journaling once again! It is where I started with my art, and after being published numerous times for it..I just left it behind. I would like to get up every day, and do a journal page, and post on here. I plan on only taking about 30 minutes to an hour, each day, to do both. In doing this--I have also decided to "open" up, and let you in on some of the things that formed me, my personality, and eventually lead me to be an artist.

So today this is the page that I painted. Took me approximately 20 minutes to do. It is about the number 11. The number 11 is significant to me because when I was 11 months old, on Halloween night, my father dropped me off at my grandmother's house to live.

I was born in Florida, in a small community hospital, in November 1964, to a crazy woman. Not just your run-of-the-mill crazy woman--you know--the kind that talks to themselves, and answers, etc. I was born to someone that was technically, totally bat-shit crazy. I know..it's not nice to talk about your "mother" that way--but, honestly..I have met the lady once, and spoken to her twice..so, we are going to forget the mother thing, and just go on with my story.

So..By the time I was 11 months old, I had divorced parents, and each had remarried, and divorced again!! I never knew either of these supposed "step-parents", but have been told that neither of them were very kind to me. I had already had a broken arm, and was very underweight when finally brought to my grandparents. My "mother" decided one day, that she wanted to go to California, and decided that a baby was not in her plans...SO..she called my father (who was 2 hours away, in another city), and she put me in my crib, and she left. Plain and simple. My father supposedly borrowed a work truck from his employer, and drove like crazy to go get me. On that night, I went from being a neglected, most likely abused baby, to a completely different life.....

I journaled this morning about the beginning. Back to my roots..back where it started...stay tuned.. Have a glorious day!!

Live Artfully!
Suzan

I'M GRATEFUL

Today, I slept late--went to bed around 8 this morning, and got up around 2 this afternoon. It was thundering outside....so, I went outside on my porch and it was raining. The rain was coming straight down, really heavy..but not pounding..The air smelled liked heaven, and there was a cool breeze. I was so grateful. I try to start every morning out by finding something to Thank God for. Sometimes, it's just that I'm alive and healthy, but this morning was truely a blessing. It's the end of August--it should be sweltering hot, but I've actually had to put on a jacket at night. I'm grateful for so many things in my life. My husband, my daughter, his two daughters, the grandkids, and granddoggie, my "adopted children" (though they are all in there mid 20's or 30's)..my friends (most who have been with me through the long haul) and my biggest gratitude goes to the ability to fulfill a life-long dream of being an artist. I am most grateful that even though the world is seemingly raging with hatred and prejudice on the outside--I have my safe little world up here on the mountain, and even though I cannot ignore what is going on "out there"..I can keep my peace of mind in our little piece of heaven.

This has been a wonderful journey--this artistic life that we are allowed to live. I have met some wonderful people, and made some awesome friends (that I hope are with me for the rest of my days). I have gotten to travel, and sell my art. I have so much to be happy and grateful for.  Please take time each and every day to be grateful for something. It brings so much back to you, in many surprising ways.

Tomorrow is Nature Boy's birthday. He will be 66 years old. He's an amazing man--hard working, loyal, funny, cute, attentive to me..I would almost say that he is too perfect to be married to ME--I am flawed beyond belief...hahaha. Happy Birthday Sweetheart (Chuck)...you are wonderful, and I love you with all of my heart!

Not everything is perfect in my world. My daughter is living in Pennsylvania, which is a long way from Alabama. She is amazing--she got a job as a traveling nurse, and stays 13 weeks in a location (hospital), before they move her on to another job. I miss her every day, but am grateful that I raised (don't know how I did it), a loving, smart awesome woman.

I have a request--I don't ever ask for much. I have a friend, and his partner had a stroke this past Friday. I've only met these guys once in my life, we are online friends--but, they are really kind, and great people. Please take a moment to say a prayer, or send out a good thought for them. I would appreciate it.

Well, that is all for today..I just felt like writing down my thoughts, as boring as they may be.

Live Artfully!!