"Buttercups" oil 6"x8"

Frederick Olmsted, landscape architect, designed our village in the forest way back when. "Buttercups" was painted in an area he left so that when the Des Plaines River overflows, our little village would be safe. After our recent flooding, buttercups rapidly sprouted up making a beautiful sea of bright yellows.
($178.)

studying background

Leffel's workshop was divided between figure studies and still life studies. During the 1 1/2 days we had with still lifes I focused on "background." David defines "background" as everything not in the light. This definition simplified things for me and helped me focus on creating a solid support for the "light."

12"x16" oil on Claussen #13ddp linen. Still life studies never to be finished because I got what I wanted from these studies - a better understanding of brush strokes and background.

figure paintings

8"x8"
oil on linen



12"x12"
oil on linen

This past month I've been having fun creating lots of messes in my studio while preparing for a couple of group shows opening in June. Posted is two examples. I ended the month taking David A. Leffel's workshop at the Palette and Chisel. It was another great experience with this master so my next posting will be examples of his demonstrations.

Caldwell Lily Pond

"Lily Pond" Oil on Linen 24"x24"

Over the past four years, Caldwell Lily Pond has become one of my most favorite places to paint in Chicago. I find it amazingly beautiful even in winter although difficult to get into during the off season. This painting is made in my studio using a few plein air paintings made at Caldwell for reference. I decided to pull into the scene and make it a close-up and amped up the color intensity.

etc. again

So I'm really enjoying my little pochade box. Besides being so handy that it can easily fit into any small bag/purse since it's only 5"x7", it gets me out of the studio faster and allows me to paint more inconspicuously while jotting quick color and value notes in oil. The second photo shows the pochade strapped to my leg instead of hand-held. I came home from work and saw the beautiful shadow crossing my neighbors side door and had to try to catch it.

I'm still obsessed with poppies and thought I'd post a few more of my efforts. The close-up is 8"x8." The last painting, but not the last in my poppy series, is my attempt at inventing a flowing and slightly rolling meadow punctuated with mostly poppies. It's 24"x24," love that square format. If you go to my Etsy site you'll see a few more example of my poppy paintings that I favor. (http://www.susanhongsammons.etsy.com/)

eventually's a myth, just do It

my newest mantra, "eventually's a myth, just do It." Thanks Ellie, you got me out of my procrastination mode/fear of ??? and back into the studio,... although now the laundry is piling up again.

untitled so far
20"x10" oil

Merry Christmas!!!!

Peonys in Buds

"Peonys in Buds"
14"x11"
oil on linen

Over the weekend I was finishing several different still lifes and also repairing this painting which I liked but not quite, know what I mean? I really wanted the peonys to pop and didn't feel they were as strong in the original painting as they could be. So what I decided to do was compress the value in the background as well as go a bit darker and cooler. Also I was more decisive with the lighting on the surface which the vase sits. Now I'm happy with it. Which version do you prefer?

oil sketch

12"x9" Oil on linen mounted on hardboard

This is an oil sketch I did for my class to demonstrate a way to begin using a more alla prima method. I didn't intend on finishing it but now that I see it posted I think I will. I'd like to play up the contrast between the onion skin and the smooth metal surface.

Today is the opening for the Palos Plein Air exhibition at the McCord Gallery in Palos Heights, IL. So if you're in the area, hope you can stop by - www.mccordgallery.org. They will be showing three of my plein air paintings painted in different Palos forest preserves.

"Black Plums"

I have post-ums all over my studio with scribbled reminders. Thought I'd share a few of my favorites. Most are from various art teachers and art friends from the past ten years.

*Paint the light and shadow

*See it, mix it, put it down

*Color temperature is relative to other colors

*A painting always has movement, find it

*Open edges continue, hard edges stop

*Simplify everything into shapes and value

*step back and observe

*fewer values=greater impact

There's so much to think about when your painting. It's nice getting lost in all that.

8"x8" oil on gallery-wrapped linen

another animal painting

If the heading doesn't make sense to you, "another animal painting," please read yesterday's blog.

Last night I jumped outside to tackle The Beast, cityscape's once again. Wow, what a totally different feel you get painting in the dark. The dark rather insulates you from the craziness and tones down the city clatter. I wish I had more time to resolve more issues in this piece but mostly I just wanted to blop in some temperature notes. Now I can't wait to get back outside and do more night paintings. (used a book lite to illuminate my canvas and palette.) 12"x9" oil on linen

"Filtered Lights"

60"x36"

Oil on Linen

Here's my shameless plug for the art competition http://www.artprize.org/ which opens on Wed. It's quite unique in that it is a peoples choice award only art competition. So please, go to the website (under search type my name or title of my painting) or openings and look for my painting. I'll be in Grand Rapids, MI this coming weekend to do the meet and greet thing.

This painting was created in my studio and is the direct result from numerous plein air paintings of my neighborhood's sugar maples. I used a bakers spatula and palette knife.

A different kind of animal

This morning was my second attempt to paint in a section of Bucktown called six corners. This is the loudest place I've ever tried to paint. I can not express strongly enough just how loud painting at this intersection. I spent half the time with my fingers in my ears because the sirens combined with motor vehicles, subway and general hustle of a day sounds hurt my head. After a second attempt, I realize this animal had me and I didn't care. Time to pack up and find another location to paint. Someday I'll be back but not until I'm better equip to mentally and artistically handle "the animal."

p.s. I called it "the animal" because Karen Phipps best put her finger on the situation. We were discussing what went wrong and what went right and why it was a tough experience. Wisely she said, "Cityscapes are a different animal."

8"x8" untitled oil painting

After watching Michael Van Zeyl demonstrate four different still life block-in ideas I was excited to make a new still life painting myself. Michael is an amazing artist and a wonderful teacher. I recommend that you check out his art.

Painting in my studio is such a different experience from plein air painting. There are no distracting city sounds or people stopping to admire or harass you as you paint. But I work from life and today used natural light so I still had that pressure of a limited amount of time to paint. My focus was on the shadow and light, so hard and so challenging.

I think this will be one for the "Adornments Show", a fundraiser for the Hinsdale Art Center in Illinois.

"Pond Gazing" (Caldwell Lily Pond, Chicago)

Caldwell Lily Pond is another favorite retreats of mine, not just for painting but for day dreaming too. The textures in this smaller city lily garden always change and the sounds of the city itself is greatly muffled by the thick grasses, shrubs and trees. So this morning I headed here to paint and also, to embarrass myself. I'd been painting about an hour totally focused on my work and enjoying the secluded little nuck I had planted my easel when I heard a group of people approaching, loudly. It was so out of place because people always are so quiet when wandering through these paths. Of course they parked themselves as close to me as possible all the while talking excitedly. Before I knew or even thought about it I "shhhhed" them all in this awful snake-like sound. I was immediately ashamed and apologetic but one can't take back a shhhh. It's just out there. Fortunately after a quiet moment they started to laugh and apologise back and so, all ended well. But I'm still really embarrassed that I did that. They were just so happy and excited to be there together in this beautiful place.

As for the painting, the lily pads are almost all gone. Some remain in almost a skeleton form floating on the surface. But I felt the colors were more varied than in the summer when the lily pads are dark greens and cover the water almost totally. This one is larger, 8"x10." Also painted on oil primed linen mounted on board and created with a palette knife.

Anyone else willing to share an embarrassing plein air moment???

"Tranquillity" (Savanna Oaks Forest Preserve)

Yesterday morning I had planned on returning to the city to finish a street scene but I woke to a beautiful misty fog. So I switched gears mentally and ran to a neighboring forest preserve. I was anxious the fog would burn away before I had a chance to paint. Well, the whole experience was soothing to the soul. I didn't see anyone or hear any traffic and even though the fog was quickly disappearing, within the woods it lay heavy enough for me to paint.
So I like this painting but maybe because I so enjoyed the whole process. I like it because I feel I captured a tranquil mystery that is present with mist as well as a sense of depth to draw you into the painting. 6"x8" oil on linen mounted on board. Once again painted with my favorite palette knife. ($145.)

oil sketch (8"x10")

I love teaching and today was the first day of classes. I'm teaching at a new place with mostly new faces, so fun. We made a huge mess, took lots of chances, and made mistakes which resulted in the creation of some really excellent pieces. By the time for my second class I was out of canvases for their demo. So I took a canvas which I intended to plein air paint on tomorrow. I love plein air painting on top of an old palette knife painting because the paint sticks so well. The surface is really texturally which I think at times is quite fun for a palette knife landscape. I never used such a "textural" surface for a still life but since as artists we're visual learners I like to do mini demos as I teach. Here is the result. Maybe the edges are to hard???

sketching and playing with oil paints

I started painting three fishing buddies on a dock because their reflections were beautiful. Unfortunately shortly after I started they packed up and left for the day. I took this as a sign to focus on just sketching some ideas and not worry about going for a full finish. My premise was to focus on the abstract and simple shapes. But of course I couldn't resist getting fussy at the end. I really loved painting today despite the heat and humidity. I know I'm blessed to have such a supportive and encouraging family.

Quebec, Canada

We had a wonderful family trip exploring Quebec and the surrounding area. I most enjoyed exploring their beautiful countryside. The people were probably the warmest I've met on a trip. So much so I now want to learn French. One very new and different painting experience I had in Quebec city was when I decided to join one of their plein air events. I set up with several others in the old part of the city but saw that everyone was painting from a photo or copying a painting they had already painted. Since I don't speak a word of French I had no idea why this was happening. I was the only one painting the street scene. Anyone out there able to shed some light on this???

The above oil paintings are a sampling of some of the plein air pieces I painted and saved. They are 8x6 oil on linen mounted on 8ply museum archival board.

"Quilt Garden Paint-Out" and McCord Gallery Plein Air Exhibition

"Palos Woodlands" 6"x8" oil on Classens Belgium linen mounted on archival museum board

McCord Gallery is hosting a juried plein air exhibition of anything in the Palos Hills, Palos Park, Palos Heights area. They are surrounded by gorgeous forest preserves so that's where this one was painted. I was very much intrigued by how the warm humid air affected the quality of light and shadow.
I'm going to say it in ink, I'm happy with the balance between representationalism and the abstractness of paint application in this one.

Karen painting at the Quilt Garden Plein Air Paint-Out this past weekend.

The wind was very strong every day we painted and knocked us over a few times. We had all kinds of wild weather except for snow so it was a doubly fun experience. Sycamore Fine Art Gallery did an excellent job of organizing this event and I highly recommend all you plein air painters in the neighborhood to join next summer.

"Avalon Freeze"

"Avalon Freeze" is a 6x8, oil study on linen, mounted on 8ply archival museum board. ($145. framed)

I tore myself away from the beach and missed out on a yummy pancake breakfast with family and friends to paint this little landmark. I find the raw urban-ness of the utility poles a real must to the quaintness of the custard stand. My number one challenge was painting on a bright but overcast day because it lacked the drama of contrasty shadows and lights which I normally would rather paint.

My second challenge was painting in a high traffic area. I had lots of people stop by to chat. It did slow my painting process but I got over my self-consciousness. And I didn't even mind when an excited person knocked my easel over. It was all part of the plein air painting experience.

"Push/Pull" 6x8 oil sketch ($145. framed)

These two paintings were painted at different times of the day and weather. This first piece was painted around 7pm in rather high winds. The waves were really pounding in and pulling out with great power. In order to get the curve of the shore I was in ankle deep water when the waves rushed in. I loved how that felt. I hand-held my paint box because the wind would have blown over my plein air set-up. I went after capturing the emotional feel of the moment rather than worrying too much on the formal issues. Still, a simplistic yet strong composition was very important as I hoped it would help hold everything together.

"Morning Calm" 6x8 oil sketch

This was my first beach scene and morning out to paint. The early morning air held a bit of fog/humidity and was very calm. In the distance I could see just make out Wild Wood, New Jersey. I was trying to capture the expanse of sky, sand, and water. Maybe I should have left out most of the sand???