Bumping along the backroad frost heaves on the drive to my art studio, I grapple with an idea for a new abstract painting.
charcoal • pencil • paint
My planning quickly gives way to more loose, vague impressions of how I might use these materials in ways that please me; with complete freedom to do as I wish. Abandoning expectations. Experimenting. Following creative instinct. Embracing an organic process. Being unconventional.
tubes of rich pigment • old wooden floors • an imperfect pottery vessel
Objects and artwork I encounter as I meander the old mill’s artisan studio floor are potential inspiration. Like a library of shapes, shadows, and color swatches. I pass by them as I walk the way to my own studio, but I don’t pass them by. I notice. I photograph them.
•••
My studio is quiet. Waiting. Inviting me to dive in and make a creative mess. I start with a splash of hot pink paint on the palette. Just because. Maybe because it was Monday.
I pause for a sip of coffee and the opportunity to space out on the meditative view of the deep, flowing river beneath my windows. The black water is laden with chunks of floating, melting ice; last traces of a cold Maine winter (at least one can hope, as it has snowed here before as late as May).
It’s hard to pull my attention away, so I don’t. Instead I linger. The relaxation that sets in when I’m with nature is delicious and addictive. A good kind of craving to have. I observe the reflections of the clouds and the trees in the water and marvel at how their shapes shift as the water moves.
I in turn feel a shift inside.
I feel softer.
Lighter.
Roomier.
Illuminated.
•••
I sit down and paint something I need to feel.
XO, ~Susan
A Big, Vulnerable Share:
Unveiled. My new website. You may have noticed the transformation of my online space here, which has unfolded over a period of several weeks after going live with the bones of it. There were lots of kinks to work out… both technical and aesthetic. I did the work myself as I have the skills to do so and I wanted full artistic control. This new website is responsive, in that it will adjust to any device you view it on. Essentially, I have created four different versions of my website in order for that to happen (for desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone).
A few fresh things on the site that I am smitten with (in addition to lots of new design factors). A map of sorts…
• a palette of silver and gold mixed in with hues of violet and moody blacks
• Parallax, which works on desktop and laptop versions. Notice it on the home page, where you get a peek of me in the woods… the effect is like a window into that world, which opens and closes as you scroll.
• a more attractive newsletter form visible throughout the site
• a nifty memo-style contact form on the Inquire page. Lines instead of boxes for the fields!
• a new header image on the blog page (It’s kind of long, so hopefully you’ll still find the actual posts with ease; if you’re reading this, I guess you did!)
• newly refurbished galleries under the Work link in the main navbar. Here’s the iPhoneography one. Click on the gallery thumbnails for full-window viewing.
• an About page which I hope will allow you to better-get-to-know the person behind the art.
• a new section called The Painting Studio, which also includes a peek into my studio via parallax. Yup, I do love to paint abstracts in addition to my main love of photography. Intuitive painting is a form of meditation and release for me. I’m discovering an organic approach that works well for me. One that involves a lot of water, patience, imperfection, and trust.
I think it’s time to pause, pop the cork on a little bubbly and celebrate the new site! Cheers! Happy Spring, Lovelies!