Do you journal?

Many of us write when we travel. I do, sometimes. It is a great way to record, not only the events, but also my feelings as I experience new people, new land and new cultures from New York to Nepal. As an artist, I also record expressions in drawings and paint. I love to chronicle those unspoken pings, pokes and thrills from my heart. My senses come alive when I visit a new environment and I interpret that into the way that I paint.

Coming home from France last Saturday, I brought not only memories, but a few treasures. I also locked into my consciousness a deeper sensitivity to life. It happens every day to all of us, but when I travel, the awareness is so much stronger and deeper. Once I am home, I paint and allow those fresh feelings of travel translate into a work of art.

On Sunday (with my luggage still missing and our friend Dorothy bringing us flowers from her garden) the mood was set for swinging my brushes on home turf!

This is the result, full of feelings and joy.

on the street in France

Painting on the streets and vineyards anytime, daytime or nighttime, is always a challenge, no matter where you are in the world. It always helps to have an admirer or two or four to cheer you on.

Here I am in France with some darling young eager artists watching me! It turns out that their father is a chef for the Prince of Monaco and cooked for his wedding! When I travel , I always meet the most wonderful people in all sizes.

Bon Jour!

flowers in Vence

Here I am in Vence! France is ablaze with flowers. Summer is alive and well here in Southern France. Everywhere that I turn, there are paintings waiting to be put on canvas.
No wonder the impressionists were so in love with the light and subject matter here. Even though I have traveled to France more than 14 times, this country still has the ability to take my breath away. It is more than the light and the flowers, it is the gentle joy that history has laced through every village.

On my first painting day, a lovely couple from the Lake District in England fell in love with the painting that I was doing in St. Paul de Vence..... and bought it! Now that is a nice way to start the trip!

Today we were in Villefranche, a charming little port, full of boats and lively colored buildings. Visiting the nearby Rothchild Massion, put "the icing on the cake" to a spectacular day!

The sun has been following us around, but tomorrow it may rain. That will make for a perfect day to stay inside and touch up our paintings. Several of us have been creating nocturnal paintings under the moonlit skies. It has been a challenge to start as the sky is still light, guessing and anticipating what our subject will look like as the night turns quickly to dark. Then adjusting as we finish our paintings. Great fun! My eager students are painting flowers and cities by day and the villages with stars and moon at night. Wonderful!!

Fountain in Vence at night

Painting on the Go

Starting in 1969, I started traveling the world. At first I thought that traveling to Europe was something to do and “get the wanderlust out of my system”. However, after 7 weeks in 9 countries in Europe and England, all that trip did was wet my appetite for new cultures and wonderful countries all over England and Europe, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, New Caladonia, Tahiti, and more. In 1994, I decided to share these trips with artists that wanted to paint in excellent locations. First I ventured with my students to the Bahamas, next trip was Tucson ( it really is exotic and a great place to visit ), soon I ventured over the ocean to teach in England, France and Italy…. Many times. In 1997, my husband, Howard Friedland, started traveling, teaching and painting with me!

So, summer is here and I am once again on a painting adventure. This time I am in France with my dear friend, Sunny Reeves, for 12 days of painting and teaching in the villages of Provence. She has designed and organized a knock out trip for 16 lucky people, artists and non-artists.

Many artists have asked me what supplies I bring to paint and draw when I travel. Here are two photos showing the minimum equipment that I recommend. Personally, I usually expand this a bit, more colors, more panels, larger panels, a tripod, artist’s umbrella, etc., but this is the bare bones for travel. With the little 6 x 8 pochade box, I still can paint 8 x 10 or 10 x 12 paintings.

This is the minimum equipment for sketching and watercolors.

For those that want to also use oils, the following photo has shows the minimum equipment that you would need:

All of this fits into a rolling backpack that doubles as my carry on when I fly. Just don’t plan to have your tubes of paint, palette knife, palette scraper, Murphy’s oil soap, vasaline, or brushes in your carry-on luggage when you fly. Pack those things in your main suitcase that you check in.

Do NOT bring solvent of any kind. Once you arrive at your destination, if you are near an art store, you can purchase your solvent then. If there isn’t an art store near by, you can purchase mineral spirits at any hardware store. One other idea is to switch to walnut oil, olive oil or sesame seed oil. But that is another blog for sometime…

From Tucson to New York, Montana to Florida, Europe to China, I hope this helps all of you artists out there that are wanting to travel with your paints, but are completely baffled as to what to pack. Yes, I know, many times you pack your equipment, and hardly have time to touch it. But, bring them anyway, you never know when the moment appears and you will be ready to swing those brushes!

I have always felt that the best souvenir that you can ever bring home from your travels is a sketch or painting that you have done right there, locking in your memories. Quietly painting in some corner of this glorious world, listening to the sounds of the village, smelling the food cooking, listening to the laughter of the children coming home from school… all of it becomes captured in your heart as you paint.

Now, Go pack a travel painting kit and keep it ready for the next time you venture far from home. While you are at it…. Get a passport, too! If you have it, you just might start using it!

Hope of Spring

Me and My Shadow

20x20 oil

Okay, so spring is happening all over the northern hemisphere…. Here in the northern mountains, we have a very special kind of spring and I love it. It snows huge, wet, heavy flakes ( yes we are still getting snow). The snow piles up 20 inches or more. Then it all melts off to a bright and beautiful day like today. Then the cycle starts all over again. Each time the sun comes out, the air gets a little warmer and then we, in turn, get more and more excited about the coming warm weather.

Spring is a time of rebirth. Time to let new growth happen in my life and in my paintings.

The past week in my studio I worked on a self-portrait. The painting was inspired by a tiny old black and white photo of me when I was almost three years old. I took the liberty to make some changes, adjusted some values and added our cat Rocky. Because of the high key nature of this painting, it feels full of the hope of spring.

No matter what age, we are like little children, we all have a fresh start each spring, each year, and each day. Looking back on myself, at that tender age, I realize that my nature was already developing into who I am today. If I could… What would I say to that little one from the past? “Love everyone and every moment and know that you have a wonderful life ahead full of creativity and joy, because, with the help of God, you will make it so!"

Focusing on a Theme

Getting ready for shows is like moving, especially for a big one like the Russell Week in Great Falls. It starts next week on the 16^th and goes for 4 days of excitement and fun. Packing for it is our job this week. There are paintings, display panels, lighting, chairs, handouts, and all sorts of stuff. But the real work, of course, starts months before when we start packing up…. Paintings.

For months, Howard and I have been painting and framing. Actually the framing is happening now. Creating a show of a body of paintings is a very interesting process. One painting can set the theme for the paintings to follow. Howard and I both paint all kinds of subject matter, but this year, for this show, we both seem to have a focus to our paintings.

Howard’s paintings have a strong leaning toward light licking the edges of day, powerful landscapes that uplift the heart. I have always been in-love with his use of color, paint handling and light, but even more so this year.

Here is one of my favorites that seemed to set his direction… See what I mean! Powerful!

East Rosebud Morning 22x28 oil by Howard Friedland

So, you are asking, what is my theme? People! My main theme is people. This is the painting that started my focus.

Inner Thoughts 36x24 oil by Susan Blackwood

When I finished this painting, I realized that I wanted to center my show around paintings of people.

I don’t often have a focus to my shows. Typically I have a show that is varied in subject matter and sometimes even in style, because that is what I do. But recently I have been inspired the most by figures and portraits.

I will show you one more of mine that will be in the show.

Neil 10x8 oil by Susan Blackwood

I had lots of joy painting this one and when I get home… I can’t wait to paint some more people!

So, back to the packing….

Wish you all could join the fun in Great Falls at the Russell Week!

Taking a Second Look

Years ago I studied with a wonderful artist named Wynn Jones. I have mentioned him before here. He was my first painting instructor at Northern Illinois University and we were studying watercolors. His paintings were masterpieces of harmony and design and he was a great teacher. I loved watercolors but not the discipline that Mr. Jones required of repainting the painting over and over until it was right. Though it worked wonderfully for his work and many of the students, I had a hard time creating a better painting the second time around. Instead of looking new and improved, my repainted paintings looked less and less inspired. Fortunately my next watercolor teacher flowed with my spontaneous approach and I fell madly in love with painting.

That was over 40 years ago and my pattern of painting hasn’t changed. If my paintings aren’t working out, I don’t restart the painting and try it again. Instead, I switch my subject matter often. A landscape, then a figure, then an animal or a still life, I keep rotating my interests. However, I do circle back around weeks, months or years later and once in a great while, I revisit a specific subject and look for a different approach.

This past month I did just that. A year ago I painted a little girl looking out a window at her own reflection. I liked it a lot and so did the Salon International Exhibition and several clients. Somerset Fine Art even has future plans to print it. The painting sold right away.

Waiting 12 x 12 Oil

A year has passed and I felt that I had one more thing to say about that subject. So, taking a second look, I used a slightly different color scheme, changed the format and the approach to the background. This time the same little girl is actually playing with her reflection in the window. I like this one too and so does this year’s Salon International Exhibition.

Reflections 14 x 18 Oil

Moral of the story, Mr. Jones was right. Revisiting the subject does inspire new insight, creative ideas, sometimes it even helps simplify and organize. My ideas have had a chance to morph into a new concept. Thanks Mr. Jones; you were right!