drawing

It is still winter in Garrett County Maryland.  Yesterday and today we actually saw the sun and blue sky.    It was quite gorgeous .   One of my goals for the winter is to learn to draw differently than I have been doing for the past 15 years.    I am using a carpenter's pencil, holding it loosely and at the back.
It is quite a challenge for me.    I try to do at least one drawing per day, often while sitting at my desk.

Pencil holder on my desk

Pot of flowers

 

Row boats

suealoft@aol.com

http://www.theloftshop.com/

'tis the season. . . .

                        Merry Christmas

End of Year New Stuff

It is cold (5 degrees today), blowing, and snowy, which means I go to my studio and play with my paints.
Garrett County (and particularily Bittinger) is not for the faint of heart.    Even skiers have to be hearty and strong to ski in a -17 wind chill like today.   But, fear not, I know how to entertain myself.  
I am really focusing on trying to be loose, using a big brush and great colors. 
Check these out. . . . .

Early winter

The view from our house to my studio.

Welcome to Bittinger, Maryland.   It is a snowy wonderland, having snowed every day in December. 

The WISP ski resort opened Thursday, Dec. 9th and Alan was there for the first runs of the year.

He reported that it was veeeeery cold on the mountain.

We are expecting another storm over the weekend.  It looks like it will be a white Christmas.

Frankly, I was not "dreaming of a white Christmas" after last year's 280 inches of snow, but it is pretty and it means we will get to ski in December.

Looking off the back deck into the woods.

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http://www.theloftshop.com/

Winter Scenes and Wooden Things

The Backroom at the Garrett County Arts Council will present a show called Winter Scenes and Wooden Things. Several wood workers will display their work. The "winter scenes" have been done by the artists who display at GCAC.  The Gallery is located at 206 E Alder Street Oakland, Maryland.   There will be an opening reception Friday Dec. 10 from 5-7.  This exhibit will be up until January 15th.
Alan has been working on some new items to put in the show, I present them to you.

cherry burl weed pot

2 drawer cherry box

box a la Clewes

3 drawer cherry box with bark on the back.

suealoft@aol.com

http://www.theloftshop.com/

Yonke Workshop Student Work

The ladies in the recent Yonke workshop produced a lot of work.   Here are a few of their pieces

                                     

Pretty cool stuff!

suealoft@aol.com

http://www.theloftshop.com/

Show Time

On Saturday the Allegany Arts Council had a call for entries to their annual show.   Their were over 160 entries. 49 pieces were juried in to the show.    The reception for this show will be held at the Saville Gallery at 9 N Center Street in Cumberland Maryland on Saturday the 27th of November from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.  The public is invited.
This year my monotype with copper was accepted and will hang at the Saville.  It is an honor and privelege to be juried into this show.
 I am thrilled. 

November I

19" x 24"

Bob Yonke's Watercolor Workshop

The Garrett County Arts Council sponsored a watercolor workshop by Bob Yonke at the Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park these past three days.   The focus of the workshop was "style" or in my case "change style".  Mr. Yonke had strong feelings about my excessive use of "small" brushes and busyness in my initial paintings on Tuesday.   The goal was to "loosen up".   

Bob instructing Jan as Leslie painted .

My favorite field

Dark  Forest

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http://www.theloftshop.com/

  

Week # 2 of Artists Studio Tours

Such a fine weekend for studio tours.   The weather was just fabulous on Saturday and most of Sunday.  We had several long time friends come by to see how we make art, share some cider and join us for lunch.   We also met new people who were interesting to meet and curious about how we make art. .    All in all we had a great time with the 65 people who found us.  
Alan did a great job of explaining how he makes his boxes and natural edge bowls and the visitors seemed to really enjoy his shop.  

Alan's Shop

Alans boxes, a bowl and weed pot.

suealoft@aol.com

http://www.theloftshop.com/

The Studio

Allegany Arts Council's Artist's Studio Tours were this past week end and will continue next weekend, November 13 and 14.    The folks that came to see us were interested in what we do and how we make our art.  I  gave a brief demonstration of making monoprints from a gelatin plate.

The Gallery/framing room in Sue's studio.

The "dirty" room of Sue's studio.

Samples of monoprint demo.  The original is on the left, the "ghost" on the right.

suealoft@aol.com

http://www.theloftshop.com/

Artist Studio Tours

Colorful sky

watercolor

by Sue Arnson

Allegany Arts Council's Artist Studio Tours are the next two weekends.   We participate in that event and have my studio and Alan's workshop open for visitors.   I will be demonstrating watercolor painting and making monotypes from a gelatin plate.   I don't do both at once, but kind of move around the studio working on projects as time and people allow.   It is fun to show people how art is actually made.
We will be open Nov. 6,7,13,14 from 10a.m. until 5 p.m.  Come on by and chat with us as we "make art".

Weed Pots by Alan Arnson

http://www.theloftshop.com/

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Creative Days

I love this time of year in Garrett County.  The busyness of summer is over, the festivals have come and gone and now I can go to my studio and CREATE.   The first day was not too gratifying, I couldn't seem to do much that was enjoyable or pleasing.   And then the juices began to flow.   After a lovely dinner with Bob Yonke, I was inspired to get going on our Christmas card painting.   At the same time I was making earrings that I have wanted to do for awhile.   Thanks to a great card Alan gave me for my birthday, I was inspired to try making some collage cards.  I have been working on all three projects this week and having FUN.
I present, for your viewing pleasure, a couple of samples of the cards.

Each  note card is individually created with paper, monotypes and a feather.

Sometimes I add a piece of linen line.

(Thoughts on pricing are welcome.)

suealoft@aol.com

http://www.theloftshop.com/

Fall Show at Garrett County Arts Council

The current show at The Garrett County Arts Council's Backroom is a Fall Show.   All the art features "fall" scenes and it is a terrific show. The photos I took do not do it justice.  There were 40 paintings submitted.  Fred Peacock and Madalyn Hoffeditz hung it and did a beautiful job.

                      suealoft@aol.com
                     http://www.theloftshop.com/

Autumn Glory

It is here. . . Autumn Glory in Garrett County Maryland.   The celebration starts tonight with the Fireman's Parade in Oakland.  We will be at Heritage Craft Festival in Broad Ford school.  The HCF is a fundraiser for Garrett County Arts Council and features 70 vendors who are located in 2 schools.    We always have lots of fun being with other vendors, seeing customers and meeting new folks.   If you are in Garrett County this week end come by and see us in the cafeteria of Broad Ford School Saturday from 10-6 or Sunday 10-4.    The weather is going to be perfect (sunny, breezy and coolish) and the leaves  are looking colorful.
                              Enjoy the Fall

Niagra Falls

We decided it was time to take a break from Garrett County and see a bit of the world so we traveled to Niagra Falls.   We went to the Canadian side and had a wonderful time at The Falls.   Our hotel overlooked the falls, giving us a wonderful view.

We rode the Maid of the Mist and saw the falls from below.

If you haven't been there. . . . GO.

suealoft@aol.com

http://www.theloftshop.com/

Gallery Hanging

The day began with 5 of us gathered at The Gallery at 206 E Alder Street, Oakland, Maryland to rehang the gallery.    The walls were bare and there were 60 paintings waiting to be hung.    We contemplated their fate and then snapped into action.    90 minutes later the Gallery walls were hung with some really nice work.
We do this three times a year, and each time we start I am convinced that it is just not possible to have it work.    At the end of the day, it looks terrific.
After lunch, we went back and did some work rearranging the displays on the floor, giving the Gallery a fresh new look.
Thanks to Pam, Fred, Madalyn, Debra for the great work today.
Here it is. . . . .

                                                      suealoft@aol.com
                                                      http://www.theloftshop.com/

End of summer

It truly is the end of summer here in Garrett County Maryland.   The leaves are changing, the nights are cooler but we have had just  wonderfully sunny days.   Last night was the first night of real rain that we have had in months.   
My flowers are still resplendent which prompted me to paint a flower painting ( I haven't done flowers in a long time).    It really captures the colors of the flowers on the deck and at the shop.

suealoft@aol.com

http://www.theloftshop.com/

Art and Wine

The Saturday after Labor day is the Art and Wine Festival held at the Garrett County fairgrounds.  Last year the event raised $33,000 for the American Red Cross.   I would guess that it will be closer to $40,000 this year.   It was a picture perfect day and the crowd was huge.   Last year was the first time we had taken the shop and we had a great time.   This year was even better.   It was great fun greeting friends and customers, meeting new folks and being with fellow artists. 

We finally have a packing system, which certain makes it easier to go to festivals.

There they are. .  . . .The Arnsons

Annie Simcoe's sewed collages are terrific. She recently bought a house near us.

Welcome to Bittinger, Annie

It was a happy crowd.

Remember.  .  .  .  the Saturday after Labor Day

See you next year September 10, 2011 Art and Wine

suealoft@aol.com

http://www.theloftshop.com/

New Stuff

It has been a great summer for painting and a slow summer for The Loft Shop.   The  economy has finally caught us.    Because I have a pretty good inventory of watercolor paintings, I have been expanding my creative efforts. 
I took a collage/watercolor class from Gerald Brommer at Springmaid Beach a couple of years ago and  recently started doing some more collage work.   It is fun to do, with surprise results.   I have many kinds of rice paper which have been stained with watercolors.    I collect the papers according to color, put them in plastic bags, creating a palate of  the papers.   I begin the process as I would a painting, with value sketch and transfer the sketch to a heavy paper. Next I begin ripping, tearing and glueing the papers onto the sketch.   Here are a couple of recent works.

Landscape  5x7

View at Lee Anne's   16x20

Painting Day

Today was the day I invited the members of the Western Maryland Watercolor Society to come out to our house to paint.   Five gals drove out from Cumberland to spend the afternoon painting, eating, chatting, sharing painting information and having a good time.    It was a warm day in Garrett County and all of us sought refuge on the front deck where it is cooler.  I don't know about them, but I am inspired by just being with them. 

  suealoft@aol.com
http://www.theloftshop.com/