Watercolor on Canvas

 



Last Fall I took a 2 day workshop with Bob Yonke.   Most of Bob's watercolors are on canvas.   I had played around with the technique a few times but  in this workshop I just seemed to "get it".

Since November I have done several watercolors on canvas and really enjoy the process.

This was one of the first ones I did.   The texture in the piece is from the undercoat of gesso that I apply to the canvas before painting.  

 

Leota's Window

 



Last week I went up to Leota' house to buy some rugs to sell in the Loft Shop.   She lives at the top of a mountain in a stone house that dates back to the 1700's.  It is  beautiful up there and her window sill is always worth a few photos.    This is a favorite.

 

Western Maryland Watercolor Society Annual Show

The Western Maryland Maryland Watercolor juried show is now showing at the Saville Gallery at 9 N. Center Street in Cumberland.   Each member who qualified to show their work was allowed to display 3 pieces.   This is one of mine.   I did it this winter when I had hit a wall and could not come up with  new subject matter.   One day  I noticed a geranium that I was wintering over in the studio.  Sometimes subject matter is right in front of us.  

Beginners workshop

For the last few years the Garrett County Arts Council has been offering a workshop called "So You Think You Want to Learn to Paint".   It is designed for people who have never painted. . . . no experience.    It is a fail safe workshop because I don't let people fail. The first day, we begin with "this is paper, these are brushes, this is paint", explaining each as we go.   We mix watercolors. 
On one day I do a demonstration and the students paint along with me.  This is one of the paintings from the class.   

 

The class is being offered July 8-10 at the Discovery Center on Deep Creek Lake.   For information call the Garrett County Arts Council at 301 334 6580.

Farms and Barns

I continue to be in love with the farms and barns of Garrett County.   The Plein Air painters arrive tonight for Mountain Maryland Plein Air event.    I am always curious to see where they paint and what they do with our beautiful area.   Their work will be at the Saville Gallery in Cumberland from June 1 - 14.  
I did this one early in the winter. I think of it as a "typical Suearnson" landscape.   They are still fun to paint.

Collage

I have spent some time this past "creative season" venturing into  areas other than watercolors.   I  saw a beautiful koi piece done by a member of our critique group.   I haven't done koi for a few years and suddenly wanted to try to do fish with collage.  I stain rice papers with watercolors creating a palate of differing values of each color.

Graphite

I bought a piece of graphite that is about 6 inches long and 2  inches thick.   It is a fistful of graphite.   Then  I got a large sketch pad (18 x24).  I stand and do large drawings, forcing myself to work large and loose.  It is great fun, tho the product isn't really terrific.
o yeah, the graphite is water soluable so I can go in with a wet brush.   Every day when I go to the studio I pick up the graphite and do a quick sketch.  Here is one. . . . . .

I'm Bacl/

 

 

 

Hurray!!!!  I think I have done it. . . finally. . . downloaded a picture.   I am sure I have lost my fans during these past months of not being able to post, but I will start all over and , hopefully, get some people back on board.       FYI:  It has been a busy winter in my studio.   I have finished many paintings, learned to draw with a huge piece of graphite, done some papier mache mobiles,and worked on collages.    I have had great fun but now the unfun part starts. . . . matting and framing.  

This sunflower piece, was done in the dead of winter when I really needed the hope of summer.  Maybe the title is "Hope".   It certainly gave it to me.

 

I do need to mention that I am on Facebook as Sue Arnson and have been posting stuff there for the past few weeks.    I will continue with the blog. . . .why?   It is fun.

Please feel free to drop me a note at suealoft@aol.com .

Apparently blogspot has changed the way to upload pictures.  I couldn't figure it out, but my friend Brad came by and mastered the problem.   That is why I haven't posted an entry for a while.

Hopefully the problem is solved.

Every year I plant amaryllis blulbs to brighten our world in the dark of winter.   This one was particularily cheerful and pretty.

Alan's Newest Bowls

When hurricane Sandy hit us, we lost many trees (20+) in our yard.   One of them was an old cherry tree that was in our yard.  Alan has begun to use some of that wood to make bowls.  Here are  two that he has made in the past few weeks.

Winter bird

It is indeed winter in Garrett County.    I was in New England for the weekend before Christmas visiting my grandchildren and their parents.   While I was gone we had a significant (needed to be attacked by the snowblower) snowfall.   Then on the 26th we had another snow event which left us with around 8 more inches of snow.   That afternoon I noticed a gorgeous cardinal at the birdfeeder.   I went out and scattered sunflower seeds on the ground.   Next thing I knew there were 3 pair of cardinals flitting about.   I have never been able to photograph a cardinal.   I sat there in the window and clicked away.  What a treat!!!

Negative Painting

 I few years ago I went on a kick of doing negative painting. I haven't done it in a while and thought it would be fun to give it a try.  The process involves painting the negative spaces not painting positive.   The only thing in this piece that is painted positively is the figure walking into the woods. The rest of it is done by painting around the trees and path.
  I find the process both difficult and challenging and therefore fun.

 

And to you who read this. .  . . Happy Holidays and Thanks for checking in.

Recent Work

 

I haven't been able to paint much in the last few weeks.  I finally went out and threw together this little piece. I certainly had fun   Maybe  I will get out there and get to work on a regular basis.

 

Recycled Art

 

 

 

 

 

The high school students of Garrett County recently entered a state competition with recycled art.  There were some amazing pieces.    This "tin man" was really wonderful. I particularily like the dog.

 

 

 

 

Sunset Moon

A dusting of snow, full moon and a sunset in Bittinger.  

Saville Gallery Reception

The Reception for the Member's Show at the Saville Gallery in Cumberland Maryland was held Saturday night.    I was thrilled to be able to take my grandson, Erik, to it.   We had a wonderful evening looking at the art, visiting with art friends and snacking .   Here we are in with "Copper Beech"

Saville Gallery

The Allegany Arts Council hosts an annual member's show.   This is a juried show which had over 190 entries and took in 50.   I was fortunate to have a monotype of mine accepted into the show.  I always consider it an honor and privilege to hang my work at the Saville.  

Winter Corn

When the storm (Sandy) hit, most of the local farmers had not yet harvested their feed corn.   I was struck by the color of the drying corn against the snowy landscape.    It isn't a scene we usually see around here.     The corn is usually harvested before the first big snowfall.   Not this year.   We got 36 inches of snow to serve as a background for the corn.   I had to paint it.

Back to the Studio

We have spent most of the last 12 days coping with and recovering from the storm.   Today some friends came to help chain saw and clear the yard a so we can get around.   We are grateful to them for their kindness and help.
Life is beginning to be "normal" for us which means that I have actually been able to get into the studio to do some painting.  It seems like forever since I have had the time to actually execute a piece.    I so enjoy the process of getting an idea, doing the drawing, transfering the idea to the watercolor paper and finally getting to actually paint.  
I did this one the other day. It is certainly a "suearnson" landscape.

And so it goes. . . . .

Weather comes, we deal with what it brings and life goes on. . . . .thankfully.    The storm hit Monday evening, the 29th of Oct.    At one point it was snowing 3 inches an hour and then the thunder snow started.   We could hear trees falling and branches popping.  When dawn came we had 29 inches of snow, 15 trees down in our yard but we still had power.    That went out Tuesday evening as a branch came tumbling down tearing the wire out of the house.   
We are very lucky because we have water (the spring in our basement), heat (coal furnace) and can cook on the grill on the deck.   AND  there was power in the guest house , but no water.    We kept the home fires burning in our house during the day, cooked dinner and ate here and then went up to the guest house to read in the light and sleep in the warm.   
They were able to hook up our power Saturday night.    We are 'back to normal". 
We have a lot of snow, getting to fallen trees isn't happening.   Alan and I have been working on clearing up the huge hemlock that fell across the driveway.  
And life goes on.      I am back in the studio painting, Alan is at work and we are really grateful to the friends (from all over the country) who kept in touch with us.    Thank you.

View across our yard Tuesday Oct. 30

 

View from house to studio Tues. Oct. 30.