SUSAN'S . . . PLAYING AGAIN!

CLASSES, TEACHING + PAINTING   I have been so busy teaching as well as painting! Above are two abstract pastels created for demos during  two classes at Oasis / ABQ.  On the left was created at the first class in May and the  right was from this past week. The classes were learning  of representational and non-representational abstracts.  They had vases of florals for inspiration.  Now I have upcoming eight-week classes at the New Mexico Art League on the dynamics of strokes and substrates.  Fun, fun, fun!

  BEAUTY - Abstract 2 soft pastel on sanded paper It's been so long since I've posted, so playing catch up now.  I've been so fortunate and awarded a residency in April - more  about all of this later! - had a solo show at Harwood Art Center  in Albuquerque, and classes at Oasis / ABQ and the New Mexico  Art League .  Guess I'll start with that first, so above is one of my demos at the Art League with the class of 3 Stages of Abstraction. Was fun, to think outside of the box with abstracts.  

So what's this?  This is the beginning of an abstract painting. It has been a busy week and hasn't quite ended.  I've  been teaching at three different places with different topics at each.  Above is the start of an abstract pastel that I demo'ed  at Oasis / ABQ, showing the blocking in stage. We  did have three vases of fresh flowers in the room  for inspiration, plus it smelled so nice! Once the painting  progresses, the flowers will not be so noticeable.  I'll post once this is completed, so stay tuned!

 Green + Orange Bushes     Blue + Orange Study             Sanded paper           Canson drawing paper    I always end up working with different techniques  and styles when teaching.  Not that I don't use  mark-making, but tend to get into a 'groove' with  using the same execution. So now I'm doing Southwest landscapes utilizing  complimentary colors and marks. Green + Orange  Bushe s is a completed and framed pastel, whereas  Blue  + Orange  Study is created on drawing paper for  an example to my upcoming class on Friday. Just so much fun!

PURPLE + YELLOW TREE 8" x 8" soft pastel on sanded paper 12" white mat, glass + black frame $275 - tax + shipping inclusive  With the new year, I'm off to a fresh start! I've been absent much on my blog, for life has thrown so many twists on the day-to-day events.  But I've missed all, so this year I'll be more present.  Above, PURPLE + YELLOW TREE is a pastel I've created for my upcoming class at the New Mexico Art League that begins this Friday, the 6th.  PURPLE + YELLOW TREE is a sample of utilizing bright complimentary colors in a scene. Below, is  an image of the 2 pastels I've created with one using  subtle complimentary colors and the same scene with bright colors and a more graphic approach.  And the scene is from the Desert Dairy Farm's oasis where I was so fortunate to have a residency in 2021+ 2022! Love that place!

PINK FIELDS 12" x 9" pastel on canvas panel PRIVATE COLLECTOR I'm teaching "Introduction to Pastels" once again  at UCSD Extension this summer and will be covering  a whole array of techniques from washes, to layering  and strokes and in various genres. "PINK FIELDS" was  the demo piece in illustrating washes on textured panels  in an impressionistic style.  So if you want to learn more on this medium, as well  as have a barrel of fun, please click here to read more  and sign up.

BECCA pastels on Stonehenge paper I know . . .  it's been so very quiet in my corner.  All for a good reason. I've been preparing for a pastel portrait workshop, to be held at the San Diego Museum of Fine Art on Saturday, January 12th.  It's part of the Museum's Second Saturday Workshop  Series, which features adults, one-day art workshops  partnered with an exhibit. In my case, the exhibit is America Behold!, and the participants gets a  docent-led tour before taking the workshop.  Exciting, isn't it?   Click here to sign up and additional information of the program.

FREE SPIRIT The summer pastel class I taught at UCSD Extension was  amazing! Everyone worked so very hard and created  exceptional art. Above, Free Spirit , was one of the communal  pieees. We played musical art to give all experience  working on a variety of substrates. After a set time,  the board was passed to the next person to continue.  And now most of the communal pieces will be  framed and sold for a fundraiser to benefit  San Diego's  Monarch School for homeless kids.  The event will be held and on exhibit at Ray Street Custom Framing & Gallery in North Park.  I'll be posting several of the pieces of the art,  as well as additional information of the event in upcoming posts. Stay tuned!

PINK FIELDS 10"h x 8"w pastel on canvas panel z - i - n - g! experiment . . .  new paths . . . enjoy class!

Abstract Sketch 4 1/2"h x 3 1/2" w pastel Tomorrow evening begins the series of summer classes at UCSD Extension that I will be teaching. Will be covering a huge range of topics and genres, so definitely will be fun as well as challenging for me. The series starts with creating abstracts while learning to handle the stick of pastel. Opposite is a quick small-scale sketch for my introduction. We'll even have a class of stylized landscapes on communal canvases. Now that's going to be fun!

BLUE HAIR 8"h x7"w pastel on canson paper 12" square archival white mat, no glass nor frame $55 + $5 insured priority shipping I just LOVE being an artist, for I can justify everything I create . . .  and just because. And who says I can't make blue hair? Pretty punk, huh? Actually this was a sample for my upcoming classes at UCSD Extension. Blue Hair is an old  sketch which I drew from life, so decided to play  with it. Previously, the features of the young girl  were undistinguishable, so I blended, drew,  washed and stroked for the above piece.  Oh . . .  for the record my pastels I exhibit are  never blended. I create them by extensive layering  and will cover this technique as well.