Another Day. Another Bear.

Here is one challenge an artist comes upon early and often: How to work within a theme without becoming repetitive and boring.

Having sold a one of my favorite original "Sunlight/Moonlight" pieces at The Edina Art Fair it feels like the time to tackle a new one. So out comes the Masonsite already prepped and waiting for pastels.
Maybe some day I'll tackle one in acrylic or oil, but not today.

First lesson - While working with lots of black pastel DO NOT wear a lovely pink top. Pink and black are a fine color combination - but not a great way to color clothing. I switched to a black Dick Blick tee shirt and continued on.

This piece will be the first "Sunlight/Moonlight" to be fully 24' x 18". More room to work, different scale to be considered. What colors moon? What colors bear? What colors background and foreground? What colors lettering? I'm still working on using up tiny pieces of color, but first it's time to lay down the black. (Wear dark clothing, remember?) The prepped board is done in a reddy-orange so we'll see if any of that warmth will remain in finished piece. Onward!

Here's the piece so far:

I'm liking the moon. Realistic? No, but that's O.K. Daughter, Tara, likes the blue ring surrounding it. That was fun to scribble. The bruin's got some volume. Lots of work left to do. And am experimenting with different fixatives. So far, so good.

Hoping to finish this beast by the end of the day so we can offer it for sale at the Spring Green Art Fair June 29 - 30. Crossing fingers. Trying to work in larger color fields - a bit more abstract than previous work. Knocking wood. Head is pounding, but if Frida Kahlo could paint her masterpieces under great pain I can finish a bear to comparatively much less suffering. 

On completely different note - it Rained so hard yesterday that the soil dropped away from a large pot of marigolds - leaving the little beauties completely bare-rooted. Replanted them this morning and wished them recovery from the deluge.

Wishing us all recovery from whatever not-good situation we are dealing with. Sure are a bunch around. May you find a bit of time today to sit, relax, or even play! The "Back To School" displays are going up. Argh. Appreciate these last few days of June. 

And come visit us at an art fair in July:

July 6: Shell Lake, WI

July 13- 14: Grand Marais, MN

July 20: Stockholm, WI

July 26 - 28: Ely Blueberry Festival - Ely, MN

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Wow.

Wow. Summer is speeding by. There aren't enough exclamation points to end the previous sentence.

But the cold wet never-ending Spring has given now to hot wet we'll-see-how-it-goes Summer. Storms tip the tomato and sunflowers over and we go tip them back. Have staked up a number of them - what a concept.

Will be doing the Spring Green, Wisconsin Art Festival on June 29 and 30th. Sad to miss Duluth, MN's Park Point Festival, but the bears said "We want to see new sights, and we know that there's Great Pie in Spring Green." Who's to argue with a bear? Especially when pie is involved. So we will see how the truck's worth of art stuff packs into a Chrystler Town and country mini-van. A vehicle with an automatic transmission! And doors for access! Yes, we've come to van-land way late, but our hearts belong to pick-up trucks, at least big chunks of hearts. But our hearts are beginning to come around to better gas mileage and a tad more comfort. And lots more cup-holders!

As several of the larger originals have gone to new homes in past weeks it's time to see what new bears and themes come out of the studio. It's a battle over doing cousins of favorites and and or trying to create totally new creations. Plus, refilling card racks and magnet trays. And maybe making a new sign.    And business cards. And attacking a really large basket of freshly washed/bleached laundry goodies. Oh, the joy of matching up many almost the same but not all the same white socks!

So, on to the tasks/joys of the day.

We do so wish we could send much of our rain to Colorado, but a recent report stated that Minnesota's watershed is still depleted from recent droughts. Sigh.

Wishing, too, for ONE whole art fair weekend without one day of RAIN.

Time to stop wishing and start doing. Good thing we can wish and do at the same time!

Time to tea, considering options, and on to the art supplies!

Will post line of upcoming art fairs here and on my Sue Rowe Studios Facebook Page. Yes, there are other Sue Rowe Studio FB Pages. Try some words like: bears, Stillwater, MN, artist, to hunt up our crew. Didn't know it would turn into an adventure - sorry for inconvenience, but Thanks for showing up!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue