You Have to Start Somewhere

Greetings on a RARE Sunny morning in late May Minnesota.

Playing a bit of Glenn Gould's "Goldberg Variations" by Mr. J. S. Bach to set the mood. On to the typing:

Playing with using up small chips of pastel on a painting that will mount to 14" x 11". Working on velour mat board, going for an abstract semi-retro feel. Here goes!

Fun to play with large simple shapes. Large fields of color. Some days it's time to say "To Heck with that blasted detail stuff." Not every day, but some days. This is one of those days. I'm hoping for many more in the near future. The idea came from a recent sketch during "normal" goofing off in sketchbook time. Sometimes certain ink or pencil shapes yell out for becoming finished pieces. Whew.

Am running late for mandatory tasks. Will update progress SOON.

Today? Finish something, start something, try something new, hold a door open for a stranger, hold the brain shut to a fear.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Edina Art Fair: Last Day in May & June 1 & 2. We'll be in Booth # 348 onFrance Ave. - near Caribou Coffee. Closest cross street: 49 1/2. Come visit. These two probably won't be coming along, but there will hundreds of their fellow furred ones to consider. Toodle-loo!

Inspiration?

Inspiration? Ya gotta get it where ya find it. Just here in the kitchen one could draw or paint:

* Candle with calm flame
* Young tomato plants eager to become adults
* Dirty sneakers (remember Van Gogh's boot paintings/)
* Creamer full of white apple blossoms
* Various "still-lifes" of Stuff on Counters

Last week we vended at Llama Magic - an event held annually at the Washington County Fairgrounds just outside Lake Elmo, MN. The barns held many booths of wondrous wooly things - roving, fleeces, yarns, finished products, and ANIMALS. The building we were in held Alpacas and Llamas. So I "shot" llamas and alpacas. for Future Inspiration.

We can play with Attitude. We can play with Shapes. We can play with Contrasts. We can play with Textures.

Not this morning. But as Grandma Bessie would say - "Soon. Soon."

Take your camera with you  - even on mundane travels. Something close by or far away might just be the thing to capture  and get the pens or paints busy. I will probably never sketch this week's filling-station sign stating gas is $4.39.9 a gallon, but the image is there if I need to draw in despair.

Time to go learn of the healing power of art at the Hudson Hospital - their facility is filled art - on purpose. Hoorah!


Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Another Start - Another Finish

May is here, and green is happening. No leaves on trees yet, but where is are buds there is hope...

Where there are boring paintings there might be hope.

Hunting through some stacks I came across this semi-finished acrylic painting done on an 18" x 24" canvas. I don't do much work on canvas, and this piece was O.K., but not good enough. Plus, I needed a challenge to finish off my Sue Rowe Studios Facebook Page "30 Bear Challenge." Bye bye, Bear...

Out came the sand-paper. Off came the paint.

On to seeing who next will show up. Time to PLAY WITH MORE COLOR. I have nothing to lose. And after a few days, paint tubes, brushes and fingers (and consultations with daughter and husband) this is who appeared:

His name is Mr. Smirker. Folks seem to like him. He feels at home on his canvas, and is waiting patiently for varnish and frame. I'm glad to have given the canvas a second chance, and I hope that this guy will liven up an art fair or gallery.

Give something or someone in your home or studio that second chance? Mr. Smirker would say "Yes!"

Shepard's Harvest/Llama Magic is coming up Mother's Day weekend, at the Washington County Fairground, outside Lake Elmo, MN. Admission is free. Come see all the wonderful fiber work, demonstrations, and  wide variety of animals - of which many will be the fluffy or shown llamas and alpacas. We will have a booth in the Llama Magic barn. Come by and say "hi!"

Spring does seem to be actually coming. Our baby tomato, basil, and marigold plants are very excited!

On to the next "30" Challenge. And Spring.....

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

How Many Times Can A Person Start Over?

Happy May Day? It's been raining and /or snowing off and on all day, but not right now. More in forecast. Yippee yi oh.

To play in Spring dirt I have been making newspaper pots and transplanting the baby basils in potting soil. It's TIME to play in dirt. Earlier this week we had two Beautiful Days. We shoveled the empty sunflower seeds from under the bird/squirrel feeders, we swept the patio. We raked the flower garden.... Brave green things are attempting Spring. but Spring keeps back-tracking. Like me and writing. Darned back-tracking....

One Bear left in the Sue Rowe Studios Facebook Page "30 Bear Challenge." I think he is finished. I keep asking husband and daughter for advice and they give it. He will be posted tomorrow. Then it will be on to the next "30" Challenge. for some reason "30" is a good number for me to work with. It's short  enough to see the end but long enough to appear as a solid block of work. I give thanks for 30 Things at least once a day. Often they are repeats but I make the attempt to bring a wide variety of thoughts into the list. Almost always on is "I'm thankful that i can still hear." The head is "loud" tonight, whether from weather or possible gluten intolerance (Yes, I made oatmeal chocolate chips cookies recently (double batch, with butter). Still no answers.

Anyway, it's time to get back to the challenge of writing. NO EXCUSES!

So, on to a fresh cup of boring herbal tea and seeing who gets voted off of "Survivor." Surviving is good. On to our possibly record breaking may snowfall and continuing the starting over.

Play in dirt, or with dough, or with crayons this week!??!

Festivals and art fairs start for us in two weeks. Come visit!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue