the art blog
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Who doesn't love roses? I don't know anyone, though originally I didn't. (Until I had a mystical experience one day in a public park - it was the Flagstaff Gardens in Melbourne - now sadly with barely a rose in sight). Initially, I got the creative spark to start this painting - 'Roses by the Sea' last summer. Our backyard rose bush was the inspiration - its deep red roses in full bloom against a cobalt blue sky. Stunning. Firstly I thought - realism. That is, the roses would be part of a bush that was growing out of the ground. But not to be. Even in the first stage, there was no bush or vase. I tend to work from inspiration - so I try to let things happen. (That is, I try to ignore my mind when it says - this is not logical Susie!) But that's not to say that, at the very last stage, branches may have been painted in. But I wasn't inspired to do that, so I didn't. It ended up as roses floating before a pine and sea landscape. A love symbol. Eternally alive.
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I really hadn’t done portraits for a long time, but I was asked the last couple of years to do some portraits which got me started again with the challenge.
Over the years I drew my mother’s portrait a couple of times with her sitting as a model. But how do you paint your mother now when she’s on the other side of the world? Using a old photo of course. But the photos have their challenges too. Often they are not in very good lighting and often you can barely see the eyes. And this is the case with the photo I’ve been using as a reference. You can’t see the eyes at all. But the 'issues' are not about the eyes in this case. I’ve actually begun about 15 different sketches and paintings - trying to find the materials and methods that, to me, would convey the most truth about her as an individual. It’s ongoing. But here’s three process sketches I’ve done. They're unfinished but I'm getting closer. You're invited to check out some recent seascapes here It was freezing, (minus 6) when we were in Tartu, Estonia this Christmas.
So, of course, you spend a lot of time indoors. I did about 20 sketches. Mostly abstract colour sketches- testing my new paints - but some were plein air. We were staying in a fourth floor apartment, which had large open windows, affording a view of the surrounding trees and buildings. It really made you feel so warm and cozy looking out over the snow capped trees and buildings in magical Tartu. Today we went to the Stockholm Aquarium. I just wanted to get into a tropical environment and be surrounded by fish. And it was a magical escape from the grey days. Three manta rays, 2 male and 1 female whizzed around the large tank, their faces pressed against the glass like cartoon moons. Along with an assortment of pink and purple and blue and yellow... and grey sea creatures - large and small. While we were standing there, one enthusiastic young keeper started giving a talk, as it was feeding time, and asked if anyone spoke english. I put up my hand and she asked if I wanted the talk in english, instead of swedish. Well there were about 100 swedes, adults and children present whom I'm sure wouldn't be amused. But how polite she was. She gave her talk in swedish, while Hiie translated in my ear, sotte voce. She eventually got into the tank, in her waterproof dungerees to feed the water creatures, stroking the wings of the mantas, as she dished out the crushed shrimp. The tank was in a whirlpool of excitement. It was too much for one little boy who got quite angry and pushed over his tiny 2 year old sister and then the screams started. The mothers of the world. How incredible you are. On the way out we stopped at the fluorescent sea anemones. Refugees from the tropics, just like me. Now living in their tiny tropical paradise in freezing Stockholm. There's always hope they said to me. |