This Morning

Greetings - 

This morning I got up  about five AM, turned the plant lights on, heated water for herbal tea, decided NOT to turn on the TV, and did play the Lionel Hampton band jazz record that with already on the record player turn-table. Huzzah for Lionel Hampton...

Next...., flipped light switch to brighten studio, switched on the large light box that now sits atop main studio work table, got tea, got around to scribbling three pages in the journal, and glued some paper to other paper. For particular people.

This thought came:

Maybe I would like to meet almost everybody in the world & ask them why they are who they are.

So, there is that, among so many other thoughts. 

I feel that I am going backwards in so many ways. But forward in others. Hanging by many threads. Riffing life. Caring/not caring. Being/not being. Some of you - many?- know the drill.

Trying to figure out who the next bunch of Sue Rowe is/are.

Paper, words, and people will be involved. And bears and bunnies and squirrels.... But the bell jar of Now has to be tipped over somehow. I do love "safety." But also so much other stuff. The battle is real....

On to whatever challenges the hours, day, week, year brings. I have no idea about how the holiday season will go - I'm thinkin' Low and Slow.

AAARROOUUUUU! (a good howl is better than no howl at all)

- Sue

Goofing Off in Studio B

In early afternoon Todd and I headed for a metro area estate sale. The ad showed images of art supplies. I have no need of more art supplies, but Todd needed to get out of the house.

The studio area was almost picked bare, but I spent $2.00 for these items - 

The Super Amber paper is lovely translucent stuff, and most of the sheet is there. Now to see if I can de-curve it! A small sheet got painted later in the day, and a few Hearts are sitting under a weight. We shall see what happens.

I'd not owned a painting knife this small. Now to play with some marks. And as I didn't own an old two-foot wooden ruler - well, I "had" to buy this one. Could have purchased another. Practiced self control.

Did spend one whole hour playing in Studio B this afternoon.  Paper and paint. Teabags and paint. The Oscar Peterson Trio was most excellent company.

                            They played better than I played.

This album was released in 1963. The music is still fresh. It makes me happy to "rescue" vintage record albums, and I have owned this piece for some years. It's exciting to know that people young and old are discovering and rediscovering the joys of placing a large vinyl disk onto a turntable - and trusting a sharp needle and some speakers to create sound from those tiny grooves cut into that disk.

Tomorrow will bring different studio adventures. And more choosing tunes. I have too many art supplies. And too many records. Life is pretty peachy for the moment.

I figure any future estate sale happening here promises to be at least interesting!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Art Supplies

This is one reason I try to carry art supplies in purse or computer bag at all times:

Antsy lad became concentrating artist. 
He created a focused-lad drawing, featuring a lovely blue sun.

Now I have to go home and work at creating art.  Focusing on a pastel cat. It will be fun and a challenge.

But right now I'd much rather continue sitting at cozy busy coffee shop, sipping a Thistle Milk tea and stitching stuff on to paper. And helping spread the love of art as far as it can go.

On to the day. May it be of your choosing. 

I heart the power of art.

Fare-thee-well.
Sue

Motivation - hahaha

I do not feel like doing anything. Much less the work this self-employed person has on the Damn it Do it list. Idon't really have a  list called this, but I should have one.

But the Daily Bun is freshly done.

Here's Step One:

Another widdle wabbit on a 7" x 5" piece of used Strathmore watercolor paper. I used a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen to semi-boldly sketch the outline of this petite beastie. With ink - well, (oops - haha) one must simply go and do the deed. One line I hope to somewhat hide with dark layer of gouache, and a longer-than-I-liked part of lip is already partially "erased" with a single-edged razor blade. Odd to think that through both twenty years making model horse tack and twenty years (over-lapped) making art the one constant has been boxes of single-edged razor blades. So it goes.

After using the above image as today's #InkTober  entry, I got out the tiny (SQUIRREL!! [Excuse me, it's breakfast time for the fuzzy tailed crew, and blue jays, chickadees, and crows]) metal box of gouache and watercolor paints and a water brush (brush with water in its barrel). A few broad swipes of a few colors - bun and background, and then settling to apply many strokes of "dirty white" mix  - mostly on the nose and rest of head. A few other muted colors were added as well. I guess a lot.

Another fine tool - literally - is the Signo Uni-ball ink pen in White. This was used to add more whiskers and also highlight a few areas. I tend to go back and forth with the various pens and brushes till an image yells, ""Yes! I'm finished! Please STOP!!!" (There have been times when I have not stopped...

Here is the final image. (SQUIRREL!) I remain thankful to the person who painted the original areas of color in this paper, and to my hubby who decided not to toss the watercolor block away. Minor miracles are better than none.

**********
Oct. 7 and 8 are Stillwater (MN) Art Festival dates. Our Booth number is 113. Due to flooding this year's fair is in a different part of downtown. No booths in actual park. But we will make this rainy start of weekend work. 'Cause that's what art fair artists do. I am thankful that we are not the artists awaiting yet another hurricane. A number of artists are doing that...

**********
Now, on to trying to make brain and hands and rest of body do the Real Work. Good luck with YOUR doings of the day!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue



www.suerowe.com
Facebook: Sue-Rowe-Studios

100 Days - 100 Dreams: 21

I complain because I have "no time" to draw.
Today I am finding time.
Because my heart needs to Draw.

Subject: Small cast resin polar bear

Art Supplies:
Prismacolor colored pencils
Strathmore Toned Gray sketchbook (5.5" x 8.5")
Black pen

The eye and arm are tentative. Yet one must begin.

The more you look the more you see. And,  yes, I decided from the start to make notes on the drawing. This way I don't feel pressed to create something that might be matted and framed. This practice is for PRACTICE. Learning. Relearning. Sort of like a musician practicing scales and fingering.

I was listening to an interview with Pema Chodron. Her "smile at fear" was worth the time. I am not good at smiling at fear.

This is as far as the drawing is getting tonight. It is not finished. I will keep at this bear until it has no more to teach me. Then I will draw another bear. Or a red leaf. Or a fork.

The subject is not as important as the drawing.

(To be continued.)

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

www.suerowe.com
Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios

Chaos Always Chaos

Here be Chaos.
Sometimes the studio table is neat.
Now is not one of the those times.
Sigh.

And, so on to Wet Paint today - to buy MORE ART SUPPLIES!!!!!!!

Fare-the-well,
Sue

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time, and for many many years, I led a different life. There is a hobby called Model Horse Showing, and I customized plastic model horses for myself and other competitors. The most popular plastic horse figurines used were made by the Breyer Molding Company, which was, at the time, located in Chicago, Illinois.

With hot water, soldering irons, Bondo, varieties of epoxy putties, sand-paper, grinding tools, primers, paints, and patience, we could create, or attempt to create, the equines of our dreams. Yes, our horses often sported real hair manes and tails - from a wide variety of fibers.

Below are only three of hundreds(?) of models I made. (I am still a poor keeper of records...) Most were produced and sold to pay rent, buy groceries and gas, or pay for trips to and from model horse shows - both in the U.S. and Canada. Some day I might type of years spent judging at these shows - but not today.

Arabian stallion - So Bask Fireworks (from Proud Arabian Mare)

Spotted Mule - Sunshine's Oh-Oh Be-Bop (from Classic-scale Duchess)

Appaloosas colt - Sunshine's Cocoa Dial (from Running Foal)

The baby above is one of the few customized models I still own, but that's O.K. The life-long friendships formed with folks around the world is ever so much more important. Most of the ribbons and trophies are gone. Many of the friends are now mad typists on Facebook.

This post is simply to illustrate that one person, if time and interests allot, can live a bunch of different lives. Some people only knew me in the model horse world, some only in flea market/antique shop world, some in the relatively new life as full-time artist. All of these worlds offer fascination for a life-time, but, darn, one has to choose whether to spend a whole life-time completely in one world (a fine choice for some) or decide to romp in a few other widely-different realms.

Readers who know me from art fairs - well, now we have something "new" to discuss. Readers who are in "The Hobby" will smile at these vintage goodies, and see (and rejoice?) how far the artistry in the industry has come from the good old days of the 1970's and '80's. All these different times have been important to the whole weird life I've lived so far. I hope you enjoy being part of the Adventure!

Now it's time for a late-night (for me) last cup of tea.

Enjoy your world or worlds, and if you choose - strike out to discover a new one in a minute or tomorrow. There's still time...

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

Back to Mr. Bossypants

Greetings on yet another Winter Storm Warning Day. Tonight the white stuff is pretty much done falling, but is by no means done being on the ground. At this point the plowed banks are high enough that it's getting difficult to see if traffic is coming at lots of crossroads.  "Life is dangerous." But we keep reminding eachother that we are one day closer to that mythical season called Spring. Yup. And daylight's staying till a tad after 6 P.M., so we do see the tinyest bit of hope. On to art!

For all you drawing types, I thought it might be fun to show the pencils used in the creation of "Mr. Bossypants." Through the years the Primsmacolor brand colored pencils have multiplied not unlike rabbits around here. Many were purchased at full price at art supply stores, but we've lucked into MANY at garage-sales, thus balancing out prices per pencil to a more reasonable amount. Last summer I lucked into a full little-used set of 24 still in metal case, for fifty cents. Have yet to put them to use, but it's nice to know that they are waiting in the reserves.

Here, again, is the bunny (phase 1):

He was blocked out, in outline only, with a regular old HB 2 pencil.

Pencils matching local colors on original photo were located in the pencil stash. Also, a mix of warmer and cooler colors to play with while layering. It's all about the layering.... (Note: see that slash of Indigo Blue between ears? At the time I'd THOUGHT it was the right tone to put down there. Wrong..., but even with numerous attempts at covering the area with more appropriate colors that blue would not be denied. LESSON: some colors cannot be second-guessed. Go easy with the cool colors at first, especially with a warm subject.)

On to the pencils used for "Mr. Bossypants." Unless noted, all are Prismacolor brand.
In no particular order:

*Indigo Blue
*Black Grape
*Plum (Pedigree/Empire brand)
*Dark Umber
*Dark Brown
*Sepia
*Sienna Brown
Yellow Ochre
*Goldenrod
*Bronze
*Artichoke
*Gingerroot
*Cream
*Blush Pink
*French Grey 90%
*French Grey 70%
*Warm Grey 50%
*Warm Grey 20%
*French Grey 10%
*White

Also, tortillions, or blending stumps, sizes #3 and #4:

I don'd often use blending stumps when drawing, preferring more often to use the pencils themselves. However, with this subject  these paper goodies were quite useful.

My thought on art supplies in general is: Use whatever you need to use to get to the result for which you are questing.

An artist does not need to have everything ever created in the filed in which you work, but it doesn't hurt to have a number of goodies on hand. I VERY seldom use those pokey things, but I was glad that they were waiting in the studio.





So, after layers and layers of the above pencils blended with the above stumps, and a few trips to the mirror, and conferring with husband and daughter, and looking at photo to make more and more  similar shadings, the bunny known as "Mr. Bossypants" came to be. Most pencils seem hardly to have gotten any shorter, though they were sharpened early and often. Blending stumps were sanded down from time to time. And, yes,  a hunk of trusty rubber eraser was put to use a time or two.

And here, once again, is the final bun-neh in all his flat furry glory:

Yup, that Indigo Blue is still haunting me... Oh well, lesson learned? Hoping so!

And, Yes, it's time to get back to the bears. And hoping for Spring!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

30 -4: Stillwater

Saturday and Sunday, October 1 and 2, the Stillwater, MN Fall Art and Jazz Festival will be going on near the banks of the Scenic St. Croix. This afternoon when we set up our booth the show organizer stated that we "will be facing the river." This is a good thing. I live in Stillwater. A nice 30-minute hike down the hill. The river is always there, but I usually manage to get down to appreciate it about four or five times a year.

This is sort of sad.

People come to town from all over the world to appreciate the water and land where we live. To watch the lift-bridge go up and down (except when it mal-functions and traffic backs up more than the usual back up during usual bridge ups-and-downs). To visit The Historic Courthouse up on 4th and Pine, or check out The Warden's House near the location of the old prison. To ride a paddleboat down the river or ride a hot-air balloon over the river.

This weekend holds the opportunity to look out over the St. Croix Valley and see it as both a local and a tourist. We will hope to be busy in our little white art fair home, but if not, to take some deep breaths, look up and out, and give thanks for being able to take the view for granted.

Fare-thee-well,
and go appreciate a local landmark!

-Sue

OADMD - Frugality

Yes, I'm a bit crazed. Broken pencil points can make me sad, angry, and, especially, disappointed. Disappointed in the tip breaking off, not wanting to trust the pencil OR the pencil sharpener. Disappointed in the shorter life span of less-long pencil. Sigh. Yes, I can be seriously shallow.
Yesterday and today included an exercise in hope and frugality. Just how much expression is left in a quarter-inch pencil lead? The drawing portion is still as long as it would be if attached to it's former pencil-self. Gather those literal bits and pieces from the bottom of the bag and give them a chance at making their mark!
First, I went for color symbolism. Free association. Questions. Possibilities. The leads hold up quite well. My fingers - not so much. Come on vise-pinkies, you can do this!


Because only a few colored leads were available at the moment, I had to rely on limited lines, shapes, and patterns to kick-start the imagination. The page was going to be warmly-hued whether I liked it or not. The ever-present Sharpie Marker added a bit of weight to words, but was not allowed to mix with pencil. Leads dragged on their sides made color blocks, leads on end could add the smallest detail. Blending was allowed.

On these pages rules are made, adhered to, and changed. This page was started at The Bikery, continued at home (Thanks, Neil Young, for your You Tube inspiration!), and is still a work in progress. It's messy now and gonna get messier. The pencil bits are far from used up and there is still white paper showing.


1) MAKE UP A FEW RULES. 2) Follow Through. DON'T BE AFRAID TO WASTE TIME OR PAPER. That sentence was really hard to write. However, when chatting with folks who say that they want to start drawing I always say "Don't be afraid to waste paper." It's the waste time part that I'm bad at. Reading books on walking and being idle have helped the brain get over that hurdle. Some of us have to muck through a time of long fuzzy to come up with The Good Idea. We have a hard time allowing ourselves this chunk of day, even if it might be the most "profitable" in the end. Start small. Five minutes. Build to an hour. Maybe chance a day.


Look at bits of art supplies as really tiny toys. (I will so appreciate the complete pencils after this page...)

Neil Young keeps being innovative and powerful in his playing: "Hey Hey, My My.... Rock and Roll will never die..."


Lesson for the day: Lack of art supplies is No Excuse. Use what you have. Make a sand painting. Trace a cloud. Draw a house plant. Go ahead Use your big stuff. but know that if put to the task a tiny tip can probably get your message across. So far so good. And more to come 'cause hardly any pencil bits were worn off in the making of this drawing.


To be continued........

Fare-thee-well,
Sue