Sheep - part the first

For a little something different - and maybe Fun - on a piece of left-ever prepped paper  - subject - a cropped photo of a Minnesota State Fair ewe.

Of course, one has to start somewhere. And as I'd already placed a circle on the paper - let's put the sheep somewhere in the circle - scritch, scritch:

No, I do not know what I am doing. This is pretty much the usual. Start in. See what happens. Try to respect the subject. 

See those large crosshatched marks on the bottom of the paper? These are from a trimmed edge of a much larger drawing. I find it hard to throw paper away, but I hadn't remembered saving this, either. As it happens - the strip was large enough to generate three squares of 7 1/2 inches each. And to generate the challenge of  incorporating these marks into completed pastel. This is yet a work in progress...

But there IS progress. So far - so - well, we'll see...

Still not sure of where this is going - but it's heading somewhere...

Sometimes I wish I had a map. Too late this time!
And, yes, I am fighting typing sheep puns.
But - you? Feel free!


Fare-thee-well,
Sue

In The Works

When nothing else works - back to cross-hatching!

Work in progress - 10" x 8" pastel of some of "our" backyard crows.

I am daring to play around with composition - using my photo as jumping off point. Still much to decide - but a limited palette of colors and the choice to stay with straight lines helps. Sometimes boundaries are a good thing.

The current state of this piece is already much changed from the above image. More layers. More subtle shading. Birds more delineated.There is a glimmer of hope.

Whew.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Busy

We are almost done prepping for The Ely Blueberry Festival.

I just did a "terrible" thing as a pastelist. 
This is a landscape based on a real photograph I took while on Bear Island Lake (would I lie?) in northern Minnesota. It measures approximately 11 1/2" by 24" - I think. No time to find or build a real frame. So.... of to Michael's craft store I go. This morning. And... they are having a sale on these long poster frames. Buy one, get one freee - I think. So.... I am using the frame mostly as a barrier against bad luck. And if the pastel painting is purchased the customer is free to frame the piece as he or she pleases. Whew? Whew.

Here is another view - 

See? There will be options.

Sometimes we have too many.
Sometimes not enough.

Off to Ely we go! Good ol' Booth 15. Next to the main street - Sheridan - so we get to see the world of Ely go by past the back of our booth. Sad that our usual crew to our left won't be here this year. Sad that two of "our" trees blew over just before the festival last July. Made for a hotter spot than usual. Glad that the weather forecast is O.K. But one is never Sure of the forecast. We will see what weather gods have in store for us this year. When visiting the Northland it is best to have a suitcase with a little bit of everything packed. Sandals? Check? Goose-down vest? Check. 

On to the double-checking - 

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

A Little Start is Better Than None

Tomorrow's poet

will be Alice Walker.

But not tonight.

Tonight a football game matters

more than one of our most 

famous

writers.

I shall remain a shallow sort

as long as there is football.

But will start learning about 

Ms. Walker's poetry

this evening.

A start.

For now

here is 

a small start

I made this past year.

It ended up

being

a big part 

of an art adventure.

Thousands 

of little actions

can create

A Big Thing.

Start.

****************************************

Fare-thee-well,

Sue

More Thirty Thankfuls

Today I am thankful (this is all very free-form)

1) for SUNSHINE.
2) that the garden is greening up.
3) for the teakettle that soon should be whistling on the stove.
4) for the music of Vivaldi.
5) that I got a re-order from a gallery out East.
6) because we have a new art fair to try this Sunday. (Oshkosh, WI - June 14).
7) for business that I need to use being only minutes away.
8) for a bowl of home-made soup waiting in the frig.
9) that we don't have to work at the antique shop today.
10) for the decent sales we've been having at the antique shop.

11) for the energy and will to keep exercising every day.
12) that I decided not to fight the folks at Wet Paint's art supply sale this morning, and spend the time weeding in the garden instead.
13) that the Bleeding Heart is STILL in blossom. It's been beautiful for WEEKS!
14) that Todd's (potentially) Giant Pumpkins are growing.
15) THAT OUR WEB-SITE IS FINALLY GETTING RE-DESIGNED!!!!
16) that American Pharaoh won The Triple Crown.
17) for Coconut Rough tea that friend living in New Zealand sent .
18) for friend who lives in New Zealand.
19) that I am not dealing with ambulance situation being heard in the background. (Thoughts and prayers going out to those who are.)

20) because I DO have more than enough art supplies!
21) for people wanting to buy the things that I create. THANK YOU!!!
22) for the NBA Play-off Series.  Sigh.
23) that we have more than enough food in our home.
24) that, as far as I know, both grown "kids" are doing O.K.
25) that Sir Todd gave me a good back rub before heading out for his day.
26) knowing I have more than 30 things to be thankful for.
27)  for Mozart and Bob Marley.
28) that I am in control of the big TV for a few hours. No, I probably won't watch - but I could!
29) because I can HEAR the kettle whistling through the tinnitus whistle. Nice Harmony this morning.
30) that this moment of blogging went quickly and easily.

Back to Reality!



Fare-thee-well,
Sue

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

This and That

The days are again hinting at Spring. Compared to the past two years our April and May have been almost balmy and snow-free, but lately lots of windy grey damp and dreary days are laying the spirit low.

Baby basils and tomatoes are doing their best to raise up my low soul. Weeding and raking in the vegetable garden help, too. And today I type while looking out at BLUE skies. blue skies are not to be taken for granted, nor are the mild, wild-weather-free weeks our part of the Upper Midwest is experiencing. Thoughts and prayers go out world-wide to the folks dealing with weather conditions way beyond their control. Mother Nature is often cruel and humbling. "No wire hangers!" "No thinking you're free from earthquakes (blizzards, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc, etc.)!"

Maybe this why the latest "goofing off" pastel is called "Dancing in Edges." Our days can seem to be as smooth as glass, when, CRACK, all underfoot is splinters and shards.

Decision time. I, of course, step baby step by baby steps through the sharp edges, wishing I had steel-toed boots on. Others say ,"Woo hoo! Time to dare cavorting in the beauty of the cracks, refelctions, and refractions!"

     

  "Dancing in Edges" (work in progress - but almost finished)

I often ask my bears to do what I dare not. Dancing bits of chalk across some Canson paper is so much easier than trusting that my own arms and legs might  find some sense in musical space.

It IS odd that a person can be BRAVE in many instances,  yet totally insecure in others. I chalk it up (haha) to Human Nature, and though I have tried for years to understand the Brave versus Fear I have yet to crack this code. If any body has a clue, feel free to type!

I will go bravely and wimpily on - and, No, not doing the Best that I can do. A major flaw in personality. But fumbling forward and groping and stumbling. Not giving up, but not feeling much forward progress. Dreaming Tiny Dreams, or no dreams at all.

Weird. Yup. But aware of the weirdness.

Thanks for letting me ramble. It's time to get back to filling greeting card orders,  and, perhaps, dotting a few more spots on the above piece.

If I knew who I was perhaps I'd know what to do. Lalalalalalala.

On to the second half of May, 2015.

Good Luck with yours! If you see somebody muddling through the month, that muddler might be me!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

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

Another Attempt at Happy.

Some times you just have to start.
The bruins have often not been "happy" of late - and bitching grumpy looking bears can be as boring as we whining humans. Time to attempt Change! Think Happy. Think Hopeful. Happy. Hopeful.  Let the Scribbling begin!

Hmmm. Made an outline area. Sometimes creating a boundary helps an idea to come. This time - not so much. So get that Ultra Fine Point Sharpie Marker going.

 Trying to make a relaxed yet controlled series of lines isn't always easy. Not in this case anyway. But "Keep the pen moving" is good advice - whether on is writing or drawing. Scribble scribble. Hmm.... this is not going well. So much for those 10,000 hours. Not happy with results. But this is only a page in a small sketchbook. And there are "trys" to be tried. Art supplies are close at hand. Time to change plans in mid-bear? Yes, I do  -  early and often.

Concentrate on getting other than sad or angry  expression with those eyes. Don't worry about correctness of anatomy - that's for another days' practice. Scribble scribble. That poor Sharpie Marker is getting quite a workout.

Unfortunately,  much evidence left by poorly drawn Sharpie lines cannot easily be "erased," but these lines depict the trial and much error going on. Folks think that we artists most often whip things up surely and well. Umm.... This drawing proves otherwise. But now the eyes are starting to say SOMETHING if not much....

On to some color. A bag of Prismacolor colored-pencils is almost always with arm's reach - though not always filled with the colors one would would wish. Today is no different. There are also a variety of soft pastels on the table - still not put away from commissioned project. Hmm. I like goofing off with sketchbook pieces. Note to public: "No real bears were harmed in the making of this only-O.K. drawing." Scribble. Light and dark; define more shapes; try to remove some lines. Hmm. Failure on several fronts. Think and do. Grab a piece of white pastel. Please note that I NEVER use soft pastels in sketchbooks.But this a day for not giving up. Try Anything! Hmm.. It sort of works in somewhat hiding lines around nose and mouth. And the paper is rough enough for the particles to hold. Huzzah! Now to remember not to plow Sharpie through pastel. One trip through pastel powder can kill the line of almost any type of pen. But... colored pencil moves over pastel area peachy keen. Glimmer of Hope? Maybe. Print REMEMBER to WONDER because the words showed up in the brain. If this is not a Happy Bear, it is, at least, a Wondering Bear.

More daring is coming up. Time to bring out the Big Gun. Ignore the above sentence concerning markers. This Fine Point (ha ha) Sharpie Marker fears not! I wanted to define areas around eyes and head. If using this sort of tool you cannot afford to be tentative. Even your mistakes will look as though you intended to make them.

Draw draw; back to more pastels and colored pencils. Have "fun" coloring in The Words. And REMEMBER them. Scribble scribble. This drawing is far from being one of my best. But it taught me to try Something New. And it reminds us all to Wonder. Thanks, Bear, for the thoughts you forced me to think, and the marks you allowed me to make. I hope that you're  a wee bit Happy.

Fare-thee-well, and may this be the start of Reasonably Happy Holidays!
 - Sue

Exhibition info:
This Saturday (Dec. 6) finds us vending at Color Crossing in Roberts, Wisconsin.
 Sunday (Dec. 7) we'll be  attending exhibition reception at Stillwater, MN's Artreach St. Croix. We put the Bears (most of them) in the current "Horses, Bees, and Bears" show that runs through early January.
Next Friday and Saturday we will be vending at "The Very Merry Holiday Fair" in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

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

Clean Hard Fast:7

CLEAN: the dishes in the dishwasher.
HARD: to realize the number of items we must number for up-coming boutiques. But thankful we are IN  these holiday events! I am "80" for everything. A few years ago we did other venues that required different number. Needless to say this eventually drove us crazy - not a HARD thing to do - and we gave up those events. Simply not worth the effort. Not that we "work smarter, no harder" all the time - haha - but being artist/craftsman "80" makes life a wee tad easier this time of year.
FAST: how I drew today's bear. Grabbed the first piece of colored paper from the bag in Junk Drawer, sectioned off a four by six inch area, motioned to the pastel pencil container (Friendly Farms Small Curd Cottage Cheese Low Fat) to attend to duties, and started in to the mystery of creating Something quickly.

This fuzzy, perhaps dangerous, quirky bruin appeared. Nano-seconds of tiny decisions go into drawing quickly. Yellow pastel ears and curvature of head were the beginning. Next, with black pastel, eye area next blocked in, but no eyeballs. A dark blue pastel teddy-bear "stitched" nose next,(oddly, most of my bears' noses are indigo blue - no, I don't know why), and mouth that demanded to be drawn smiling.

Yellow fur with bit of orange followed, and body contours were outlined in black. (It's taking way longer to type HOW drawing was created than creating the drawing.) Eye decision made - hmm - instantly forming personality. White highlights here and there. More yellow to tone down black.

Still deciding on possible text, or leaving space blank, or putting color in spaces... I think this piece will stay as is for now. I don't know if the world needs another being possible up to no good, but this little guy was fun to draw and now he exists.

As long as we exist we can make the effort to create that better world, town, home we wish and hope for, so -  done with the dreaming and on to the doing!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue
Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios

Play Time - 30 Seconds

Greetings -

It's Friday already. I haven't sent the weekly bear card to Mr. Colbert, there's a basket of laundry within touching distance, and the possible tasks for the day are too many to contemplate. But I WILL be able to cross off "blog" from invisible list.

Yesterday there was no time to play either - but a quick grab in the paper drawer and 30 seconds in the studio brought a simple, yet, graphic design - and some words that will be used in the future. Woopee!
Just from grabbing a flawed piece of card-stock, 3 possible pastels - out of hundreds nearly, and the ever-preent Sharpie Marker. I do "heart" those Sharpie Markers.....

All you need is a sheet of paper. Don't worry about Quality. This is about getting some marks down just to see what comes. You could use crayons, water-colors, markers. It doesn't matter. I made two broad blue lines and two squiggly green lines - with a space in-between each area. Hmmm. Summer colors? So it seemed. So grab one more color. Yes, it had to be yellow. Four smooth yellow lines and the colored part was complete. All this was done far more quickly than the time it's taking to type this. Whoosh whoosh squiggle squiggle whip whip whip whip. Done.

The center white cried "Use me, too!" Time to trust that Sharpie Marker. Ponder colors. Ponder shapes. First thought into mind? So, when is Summer over? As good a thought as any.
Write 'er down. Yup. So, when is Summer over? Well, with all the garden and art fair photos taken this year I'm planning on keeping it around through Winter and back in to Spring. We need all the blue and green and yellow we can get!

Once again - no excuses. If you don't have a box of crayons lying around -  treat yourself. Or grab a brush, three tubes of paint, paper, and put down six shapes of your choice. Add some words, or don't.

You may create an instant "ah ha!" Or a gift for a friend. Or a new ball of paper for the waste-paper basket. It doesn't matter. Your hands and mind will have had a play half a minute or hour or, if you're so inclined, day. Hooray!

Facing up to Fall - Bayfield Apple Festival, Red Wing Art Fair, & several boutiques. Check our Sue Rowe Studios Facebook page for updates.
Fare-thee-well,
Sue