Susan Blackwood

Friday, October 18, 2013

Vatican

So today was the day for the Vatican tour and that included the Sistine Chapel. Wow! They now include the Vatican museum, amazingly beautiful! Here are a couple highlights from the day!

Here are a couple photo highlights from the day!

Weather continues to delight and food continues to be extremely tempting! Just found some non dairy gelato !! I am in heaven!
Hugs,Susan

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Rome is Magnificent!

Wouldn't this fine fellow make a great model! Giunluiggi was our very informative guide this morning on private tour of the major ruins in Rome.

I was here in 1969 and again in 1972. I was amazed at the ruins then and flabbergasted at them now. Between the early 70's and now, they have excavated much much more! The ruins have come to life, all of the many many layers and layers of history! I am amazed and dazzled!

Rome is incredible!

Fabulous weather! Incredible food, great people, tons and tons of history!

Did I mention that Rome is Wonderful!

Monday, October 14, 2013

First Italy Post

Buon Giorono!

Right now...Howard and I are in New York, on our way to teach painting and drawing in Italy, Tuscany to be exact. This is an artist's paradise. The light is heavenly, the little red roofs delightful and the food incredible. 17 artists and 6 non- artists will be meeting us in Siena for a 10 day painting workshop. We can't wait to share our joy of Italy. For months Howard has been brushing up on his Italian!
First question for artists, even before we think of "what is the weather like there?" Is... "What do I pack for art supplies??" I always suggest as little and light as possible.

This is a very simple watercolor set, complete with some drawing tools.
On our trip, Some will be painting in watercolors, some in oils and some will be drawing.
Word to the wise....Always pack your tubes of paint in your checked luggage.

As for clothes, bring as little as possible, dress in layers and for me I bring lots of scarves to make me feel like I have variety.

So, here we go, I will attempt to keep you up dated as we explore the vineyard and villages of autumn in Tuscany! Thanks for coming along as readers on this adventure!

Wish you were with us,
Susan

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Fire and Art

What is on my mind today….Fire….and art….

Around here the summer season cannot be complete without the good….and the bad….company and forest fires. This year is no exception; we have had wonderful visits from friends and now we have smoke. Last year, Bozeman was basically free of the smoke, but this year, the smoke is worse that I can ever remember and closer to us. There are fires all around Montana.

Tuesday August 28^th a fire started from a lightening strike about 18 miles from our home and studio. Now, that sounds like a long way away, doesn’t it. No, actually a fire can travel miles in a single afternoon if the wind is blowing. Today, Friday, August 31^st, the fire is only 8 miles away or less. The beautiful forest right behind our house is now empty of campers. All the trails and campgrounds and canyons are closed, evacuated. The fire has dipped down into Cottonwood canyon west of us and those homes have been evacuated also. It now threatens to extend into the Hyalite Canyon, creek and reservoir. Our canyon, Leverich, would be next.

We first noticed the new fire while driving home from town, I was admiring the billowing clouds in the south, when I suddenly realized that those pretty clouds must have been directly above fire. FIRE! My head went into a tail spin! That fire is really close to our place! Oh no! Flash backs of other times in my life that were dramatically traumatic, threatened to engulf my emotions: the 2009 explosion of Montana Trails gallery in Bozeman resulting in 28 of our large paintings destroyed and the death of our dear friend, Tara Bowman; the 1978 war and bombing in Afghanistan with 200 students and 40 teachers fearing for our lives; Pakistan’s revolution in 1976, again being fearful and scared for my life and the life of my students and friends. These are times that I experienced as major fear factors in my life and these memories tend to come flooding back when I get scared. It is Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, my dear artist friend and excellent Counselor, Dorothy Dacar, assured me. Just knowing that, calmed my nerves and organized my thoughts. Start packing.

Fire is beautiful when contained and controlled. Wasn’t it our first light in the dark, our first way of controlling our heat and the first way of cooking our food? Fire is good…. Right? It is the most basic of instincts to love fire and fear it as well.

Our Campfire

Watercolor by Susan Blackwood

Well, ironically, (prior to this fire starting in our forest so close to our house), this year I have been teaching workshops on painting the expressive glow of flames from a candle, lantern, or campfire. I have another one scheduled for October 4^th and 5^th, 2012 in Greeley, Colorado.

Demo on the flickering flame.

There are many beautiful paintings of glowing light that tug at our hearts. Several artists have powerfully portrayed the controlled burning of the prairies. I have seen wonderful paintings of forest fires that put an ache in my heart. Art to me needs to communicate emotion; flame and smoke really do that.

Many great current artists come to mind. Brent Cotton has captured the fine art of glowing light in many of his paintings. I am reminded of other paintings that I have seen: The beautiful portrait by the fireplace; the young woman with a lit candle; the translucency of our skin as it glows when close to a lantern. Morgan Weistling has painted powerful paintings of people with candles. Artists for years have been looking at flame with awe and art in mind. The knowledge of how to create that glow on paper or canvas can be transferred to any subject from landscapes, cityscapes, people, animals, florals and still lifes.

So there it is, art and fire. Now, I will get back to my packing in preparation for the possibility of evacuation and I may even do some painting today. Stay tuned.

Monday, July 30, 2012

My Dog's Art

As you might know we have a dog named, Zoey who is a 40 pound part Golden Retriever and part American Eskimo.

She is a grazer; she likes to take her time eating and often goes back to her bowl several times during the day to finish her food. For years we noticed that she would eat

in a perfect straight line, like eating rows of corn. Whenever she stopped eating, the food left in the bowl would be neatly eaten up to a perfect line, the rest of the food would be untouched. This in itself was fun, amusing and amazing. An organized dog; is that possible?

To catch you all up to date on her progress, here is an update and a bit of a review.

This is the straight line pattern of eating that Zoey has done for nearly 12 years of her life….. This in itself is unusual for a dog.

But lately, I have been noticing that her pattern has changed.

Sure once in a while she still likes to eat in a straight line, but suddenly I am noticing a more creative side.

First it was abstract with a nice pattern.

Next, I noticed that her creations were getting more representational

Basic Sun Fish

THEN!!! I noticed this and how much it looked like a face!

So, it is titled "I Love People" and she does.

WOW, to my surprise and delight I found this in her bowl!

I am sure it is a self portrait, since she is an orange dog with pointed ears like a fox. Or it is a portrait of her cat Rocky… This was done on my Birthday…. Thanks Zoey.

I know what you are thinking…. no, I did not touch these little masterpieces and no, neither did Howard. I am having fun finding art in her bowl!

These are photographed just as she left them. I stand right by her as she is eating and when she walks away from her bowl, I quickly take it up before Mack, our other dog can gobble it up.

Mack is a great appreciator of Eatable Art.

I must admit, Zoey is curious as to why I get so excited about her food bowl and show Howard and anyone else that is in the house at the time.

Some artists just don't know how good they really are!

Here are the latest works of art.

Although my favorite is still her self portrait above, these are pretty cleaver also.

This one is complex. It is either the Lockness Monster rising out of the water, or a sail boat with an anchor. I am not sure and Zoey is not wanting to discuss it.

She figures, if I can't see what it is, then why bother talking about it. Artists are so sensitive.

An easy shift from her straight line art to…… The Man in the Moon surrounded by little tiny stars. Art done simply is often, like a poem, the most effective.

This one is very easy and clever! It is obviously a fish with air bubbles. This fish is probably a bottom feeder.Very good Zoey!

Several of our neighbors now have chickens….Zoey was obviously inspired by all of the chickens and so she created a chicken that is running….. probably away from her!

Notice that she gave the chicken space to run across her bowl.

Below is a close up.

Note the excellent way that she did the face, the beak, the comb on top, the tail feathers, the eye and the cute dot that represents the colored tip of the wing. And the chicken is running! Amazing!

At first I wasn't so sure what this was, but Zoey was patient with me. Then upon close inspection I saw it! It is a flower with leaves!

Here is a close up. Notice the excellent way that she did the petals! It must be a Blackeyed Susan flower because the bud, just below the flower, is black. I think she did this just for me!

Note: Just in case you are all worried….I am not going crazy, nor am I in the early stages of Alzheimer's. I must blame this on my parents, they taught me to find art in everything! Zoey's art in her bowl is like looking at clouds and finding figures and animals. Join me in the fun…..be a child again and Enjoy!

What's in your pet's bowl????

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Connection

As artists we are so connected to those people that love and collect our art. When they respond with their hearts, it is a connection that fuels our fires and drives our spirit to

create at deeper and richer levels. Thank you so much, all of you that love art and all of you that love it enough to bring it home.

Here is a beautifully expressive poem written by one of our collectors, Judy Bowman from Great Falls. She feels our paintings so deeply. This poem really expresses her heart as she made a decision to purchase one of my husband, Howard Friedland’s paintings at the Western Masters Show about 2 weeks ago.

Our home is warmed by your art;

Each piece hits a different chord -

All music to the ear unsung,

But to the heart....concertos, sonatas, chorales.

Stories behind each painting:

Delight and surprise with three.

Betty's Coop? Susan's mom was dying.

Mother had gone home in February.

The fellas are a blessing.

Are they brothers on opposing sides?

Should a cello accompany their visit?

We praise God this with us abides.

And Howard's? We've longed to own one.

Sunlit Pasture's harmony struck separately.

Gary said, "Judy, buy it."

God shines through........I weep.

By Judy Bowman

This is the painting of Howard’s that she and her husband Gary bought.

Sunlit Pasture 12 x 16 Oil by Howard Friedland

Sunday, February 19, 2012

My Gosh, I love to teach!

My new classes started recently and I am thrilled to be working with so many wonderful artists, new and old friends. But I didn’t always want to teach. Actually, originally, I was terrified of teaching. I find it so interesting that the very thing that you feel so afraid of….. one day stands up and challenges you to try it. God is like that! That was how I ended up teaching artists and absolutely loving it.

Years ago in 1975, I followed my former husband to the exotic country of Pakistan. (Yes, the world really is my play ground ). The Lahore American School had hired my husband and I knew that I could find a way to be useful, too. In the meantime, I had great plans of painting and sketch my way through the country. Ha, the school had other ideas. They knew that I was an artist and figured they could talk me into teaching once I arrived. Little did they know that they would have to work for it. Once I got wind of the plan, I avoided them all. One day at a Friday night party they cornered me.

Three days later I was the new art teacher for Junior High, High School and Adult Educational Classes for Lahore American School. I knew nothing about teaching, just loved people and loved art. The Superintendent of the school handed me a stack of useless books on making lesson plans and said that I started on Monday at noon. That was the longest weekend of my life. I agonized over what and how to teach. Finally I devised a lesson plan that centered around the concept that art was all around us and in all of our daily lives from the clothes that we wear, to the magazines, tools, etc. From that point on, everything we did that year was centered around that concept. Sure they learned to draw and do lots of artsy stuff. But what was really happening to them….. their fear of art and fear of lack of talent disappeared.

As they melted into artists, so did my heart. I fell in love with helping people find their artist within themselves. I was so hooked and still am to this very day. Those kids, from all over the world and their parents that studied with me at night, opened a world to me that is incredible. Through teaching I learned to express the inexpressible world of art. I brought all of my learned art training from the deep subconscious up to the verbal conscious. No longer would I stand in front of art and say I like it or not like it. Now I can expound, in great length, on the whys and why-nots of a painting. Thank you Lahore American School for pushing me off the safety zone. Thank you wonderful students for helping me become a teacher and loving it! I am so glad that I took the challenge, it has changed my life and my career! From that time on, I have taught all over the country and the world and loved every minute and every student!

And it keeps getting better!!!!

This year my artist husband and love of my life, Howard and I will be teaching workshops

separately at the Fredericksburg Artist School in Fredericksburg, Texas! We both have taught classes and workshops for decades (giving away my age again) and love it. We will never stop learning and passing that on to other artists. This time we have an exciting opportunity for our students to attend either of our workshops and also attend the Opening Reception of the incredible Salon International Exhibtion at the Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio, not far from Fredericksburg. Artists from all over the country and world rendezvous each year at this Opening Reception to swap stories, ideas and admire the masterpieces selected for the show. We meet new artists and old friends, magazine editors and publishers. What an amazing event to tie with our workshops.

Oh, and by the way, I did paint in Pakistan! While I lived there for 3 years, I had a terrific studio, painted every morning for 4 hours and had three solo shows of my paintings. The last show was a complete sellout! Now that is a great memory!

Teaching is exhausting. It takes tremendous energy to give to my students all that they deserve and more. There was a time in my life that I leaned so heavily into teaching that my painting time was almost snuffed out. Then there was a time in my life when I stopped teaching. Neither was a good plan…..Through the years I have learned that I can balance my painting time and my teaching time. Both are necessary in my life. I love giving back what I have been given for all these years.