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/)

Kari (2.5 hr head study)

Last night I joined a figure class at the Palette and Chisel. Romel de la Torre is the instructor. If you're not familiar with his beautiful paintings go to http://www.romeldelatorre.com/. You will not be sorry you spent a few more minutes on your computer. I like Romel's very laid back approach to teaching. He wanders around and gives everyone a few comments but mostly he just watches our results and doesn't rush us. Most of the people have studied with him before but I'm a new-comer to his group.

I did not think I could even get a block-in finished in +2 hours. Just goes to show what can happen when I focus. But I did fail to nail my block-in more concretely/with conviction. I think had I done so I could have ended with a less "spotty" look and perhaps some decent brush strokes. My brush strokes suck, pardon my language. So I can't wait to get to open studio and work on a more confident block-in and BRUSH STROKES!!!!!!!!

just in case you haven't notice my blatant flashing banners, I started an Etsy store (Etsy is an on-line site selling handmade items only) I recently posted some 5"x7" cards inspired by my love of making quilts. I cut fabric, not paint, to create each shape. I'm also showing some smaller paintings. If you've time and need some cards, please consider mine - Thank you http://www.susanhongsammons.etsy.com/

My first painting of cactus.

I never finished this painting because I kept having to scrape away my starts. My values were too dark. I was surprised at how much lighter on the gray sky I need to work. I think in the end I'm fairly happy with my value study.

Notice the blue skies. After painting in Sedona we headed to Scottsdale area, left our winter gear in the hotel and worked on painting light-filled paintings.

These foggy photos means still in Sedona. I was going to paint a vista view of this huge ridge of mountains way in the distance but the fog was rolling in too fast so I just sat munching trail mix, watching the show.

One last posting about our painting trip to Arizona. I quickly snapped this photo during a break from the rain. I love the rich warm colors. This is still Sedona. I took a zillion photos and this is probably the only one that sort of feels like being there. I'm disappointed in my photography skills. I just can't get inspired to paint from them. Oh well, guess I'll just have to sell a few more paintings so that I can go on another fact-finding trip. I would love to paint in/near the Grand Tetons. I've never been there other than in my dreams.

Value & Temperature Studies

Thought I'd post a few recent studies I've been working on inspired by taking a four evening workshop with Clayton Beck at the Palette and Chisel.

Clayton challenges us to pick just one issue to tackle instead of going through our mental list of many art elements which we might personally feel necessary for a good painting. Also, finishing is not important or even on "the list" which is great since the workshop meets for only 3 hours and includes his excellent mini demos as well as lots and lots of information.

For this portrait study of a man I chose to sit on his lit side. The values here were compressed to basically one value. So in order to describe form, I needed to focus on temperature changes but keep the values the same, or very close. Clayton recommended that I find the middle temperature and work out from there. I found this thought processes really exciting and so fun. So of course the hours flew by much to quickly.

This young gal gave me more trouble than the man. I should have just dealt with just value and the temperature issues would have developed naturally. From now on I'll know just to pick one issue to deal with when in open studio. This should have been a value study and not, value and temperature study.

Both head studies are slightly smaller than life size.

If you're visiting Chicago, take the time to stop by the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts and Galleries. It is one of our nations oldest, (if not the oldest) not for profit art organizations. Besides have over 60 hours a week of live model open studio time, which is free to members, it also has a main floor gallery, low cost studios, sculpture house and studios, and workshops all housed in a three story Italianate mansion purchased by members in 1921.

City Art Gallery, Greenville, North Carolina

"From Coast to Coast and in Between"
Opening January 15th.

As I said in my last post, I'm in a show which opens on Friday. So I'm continuing with a few more oil paintings from this exhibition. City Art Gallery will be highlighting over twelve of my paintings. I'll be showing with artists Tjasa Owen from San Francisco, Tim Kennedy of Indiana, and Sallie Benton from New York.
http://www.cityartgreenville.com/

"Shimmering Lights"
30"x24" oil on linen
$1900










"Suspended Animation"
24"x13" Oil $1200.

"Buddies"

12"x12" Oil $845.

"Cascading Lights"

goofing around in the studio with this one from a painting I did at a quick sketch session. Not so fun or interesting to work without a model especially this gal. She's so passionate about dance and has this lively personality. Anyways, my point was to capture the light falling on her.

Sun Catcher

Normally I don't make New Year's resolutions but this year my hope/resolution is to take a plein air trip to some place like the Grand Tetons. Along with that I hope I can continue to study with David Leffel, and two other landscape and figure artists. Ralph Oberg has been recommended as a great plein air teacher and I love his paintings so I may try to study with him. Maybe putting this in writing will help me to make these goals actually experiences. As my wise friend said, "eventually is a myth, just do it." I think that is my mantra for 2010.

This little painting was started from a quick sketch during open studio. I've been tweaking it in my studio by trying to keep with the originally idea of large masses of simple shapes and value. The lighting was wild. There was natural and spot lights which washed out most of her back and side.

8"x6" Oil on Linen

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!!!!

"Brave Heart" 40"x30" oil

My daughter's passion is her love of horses and writing (visit her blog, www.aspiredauthor.blogspot.com). So this painting is for her. She loves this horse called Brave Heart. I think he's quite awful as he has thrown her quite fiercely a few time, once destroying her helmet. But she loves him so what's a mother to do, ...besides move her to a different riding school which yes, I confess I did.

"Hero's at Zero's" 14"x11" oil

Trying to capture a teenage in paint, from life, is like trying to paint a toddler. They are never still even while watching t.v. But just like sketching with charcoal I find it really rewarding to sketch in oils, although it's hit or miss if the sketch becomes worth saving. Here's another in my blop series.

December 5 from 2-7. If you're near Chicago, come to the Beverly Arts Center for a one day art sale/fundraiser. Karen Phipps and I will be their with paintings as well as painting plein air near or inside the center.

Transmitted Light 12"x12" oil on linen

Now that Thanksgiving is over and thanks to my sweet mother-in-law, I've an extra 5 lbs to shed due to her amazing six homemade pies,... it is time to get back into the studio. I'm painting for a three person show which opens 2010 so my postings will be limited until I can finish a few large-scale paintings. But here is what I originally set up as a fabric study but once again realized that it's really all about value. This piece was extra tricky for me as the light flowed through the fabric in many areas as well as picked up various subtle tones from the back and foreground. I used a palette knife for most of the time but grabbed a sable brush in the end to calm down some strokes in the shadow. I think I could have used several more hours to answer more questions but I decided to stop with this one and be happy with what I learned.

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?

"Colors From the Sideboard" 11"x14"

I have several paintings halfway completed and I'm trying not to start anything new. But looking at so much wonderful art creates more ideas which I throw quickly down on canvas in hopes to complete later. Now I'm trying to slow down and smell the roses and enjoy the journey of discovery with paint. For the first time ever, I'm investigating higher keyed still life arrangements. I'm defining high-key as a narrow range of values in the higher end of the value scale.

After starting this still life I realized it really didn't fully stay with my objective which is why I set up another and another to push to high-key paintings. I'll hopefully soon finish those and post them as well. The value variation in my background is very minimal and subtle. This is also new to me but I thought worked well to pop the foreground objects.

A very challenging element was textures. I had to scrape away the porcelain many times because I wanted a distinctly different feel of smooth compared to the other objects as well as I wanted the highlights on the porcelain to cause the most attention. This is an issue I'll have to address again and hope for better success in another painting. I've taken this piece as far as I'm able.