Inspiration

I'm often asked where I get my inspiration from.  The answer is simple - everywhere.  I live in a beautiful mountain valley in northern Utah so just looking out my window can be inspiring but actually inspiration comes from within.  What I mean is we can get inspired by a garbage can or a torn piece of paper if we are in the frame of mind where we see beauty wherever we look.  The opposite is also true.  Our mental frame of mind influences how we react to the world around us and also how it responds to us.  Or better yet, how we think it responds to us.

Another View

This is another view of Lake O'Hara in the Canadian Rockies.  I would LOVE to go back there again!  I feel peaceful even when painting from photos I took.  The water is this amazing color of green with bits of the sky reflected into it.  I'm told the green comes from the minerals in the water.

"Another View"

20"x16" oil on board

Fall or Winter?

"Season's Change"

11x14 oil on board

This is the time of year that Mother's Natures seems unable to decide if it is autumn or winter.  Some days the temperature drops, the winds pick up and the snow begins to fall and I'm convinced it is winter.  Other days I look around and discover some trees are holding on to their leaves as if they too don't want winter to begin.

Lake O'Hara

There is a pristine lake hidden on the back side of Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies.  A number of years ago a good friend invited me to travel with her through the northern Rocky Mountains into Canada and back to Oregon.  We were on the road just shy of a month and that trip was amazing.  Although I had heard of John Singer Sargent, I was not familiar with much of his work.  I know!  I missed out big time.  Little did I realize the history behind where we stayed.   We were fortunate to stay in a ranger's cabin right at the very spot that Sargent painted many years before.

"Sargent's Point"

20x16 oil on board

Oil or watercolor?

People ask me what I prefer, oils or watercolors?  I love both.  I truly do!  Each have their own unique characteristic.  I never know when I wake up whether I'll feel the urge to paint with oils or watercolors.  Here is a watercolor that I'm entering in the local chapter of the Utah Watercolor Society.

America West Heritage Center - Another View

"Man With Cart"

11"x14" oil

This past weekend I did some plein air paintig at the American West Heritage Center here in the Cache Valley  The top painting was 90% finished on location before the sun became too flat.  After I got back to my studio I added the man and the handcart.    The second painting was done from some photos I took of children playing at the center.  It was hot enough where I wanted to go over and stick my mouth in there too and get a cool drink of mountain water.

Springtime

Spring has finally arrived here in the Cache Valley.

I love the way our mountains hold on to the snow while the fields are a study in abstract patterns.

There is never a lack of inspiration when you are living in a lush, green valley surrounded by mountains.

And spring is not spring without flower!!!!

Watercolor's bad rap

I have to admit that I love painting both in oils and in watercolors.  Luckily when I started painting I had no idea of the reputation that watercolor had for being hard to work with.  If I had, I probably would have steered clear of it but I didn't hear that it was supposedly the hardest medium to work in until much later.  By then, I realized the reputation was not earned.  Sure, you can't scrape everything off at the end of the day if you don't like your painting but you can take it to the nearest sink and wash almost everything off.

You don't have to paint from light to dark as most people think.  You can lift the darks and add light paint at another time.  You can erase only it is called lifting.  You can also get muddy colors but as one who enjoyed mud, I don't mind when colors get muted.  Mother Nature doesn't mind either.  Just look out any window on a cloudy day.

This painting was lots of fun to paint and I intentionally tried to use a muted palette.  I especially loved the way the sky came together.

Zoning out

It's been raining today with some pretty mild temperatures so I opened the window of my studio and started a painting.  After awhile, I began to wonder what it was I was feeling.  It took a bit to register.  It had started to snow and the wind was blowing it in the window and falling onto my canvas.  I know I often lose sense of time and space when I paint but this is the first time I got snowed on and didn't realize it.

"Golden Sky"

16x20 oil

Artistic Liberties

Like most artists, I will often take some artistic liberties with my paintings.  I will add something like snow on a mountain long after the last of the snow melted.  Or in some cases I will take it away, using my memories of greener times to influence my work.  I will often do a quick study while outside then work on a larger piece in my studio using the original study as my inspiration.  Light changes quickly so I will take photos to help remind me of what it was that captured my interest in the first place but photos never come close to capturing what the naked eye sees while out in the field.

Cache Valley - Enjoying Summer

I love getting outside to paint.  Everywhere I turn there is something new and different to paint.  The sun falling on a barn- the new growth on the trees - the snow lingering on the mountains - the newly plowed field.  I am never for lack of subject material.

Before I started painting I think I just wandered through life not noticing the shapes, colors and patterns that were all around me.  I saw trees, barns, houses, man, woman or child.  I labeled what I saw but it wasn't until I took up painting that I really began to think and see in shapes and values.  My family will laugh when I get all excited and say "Look at the wonderful dark shape and how it intersects with that light shape and how it connects and flows over to there!"  I wish everyone could sample seeing the world through the eyes of an artist but then maybe that's why I and others paint.  We want others to share in our experiences.

Second Cutting

16x20 oil on panel

Late Snow


18x24 oil on canvas

Any excuse will do

I fractured a couple of ribs on Saturday and am limited to what I can do comfortably.  Sneezing, hiccuping, coughing or cleaning the house are not on the list.  Painting, however, is.  So, I'm enjoying the luxury of painting without experiencing the normal "guilt" that goes along with taking long days for myself.  Here are my latest creations.  The aspen trees are getting their new leaves and they inspired me to recapture a taste of autumn.  The paintings actually have richer darks than the camera has picked up.

A Taste of Autumn

oil on multimedia board 11x14

Sunday Afternoon

oil on multimedia board 11x14

Plein Air

The weather is getting nice here in the Cache Valley so another artist friend and I went out the other morning and painted.  Plein air is a challenge and a delight.  A challenge because the light is continually changing and a delight because you can see more colors in person than you can from a photo.

Wellsville Mountains

oil on board 8x10

It's good to be home

It is good to be home.  Our travels took us in search of warm weather and sunshine.  We spent almost a week visiting with friends outside of Phoenix.  They live half the year in Arizona and half here in the Cache Valley of Utah.  That lifestyle sounds so inviting especially when we are still living with snow.  While there we spent a day (of course) visiting galleries in Scottsdale and enjoying the Celebration of Fine Art 2010 show which is 100 artists busily making great art under big white tents.  20% of those 100 artists are from Utah and each of the galleries we visited in Scottsdale had painting from artists right here in the valley.

Each morning we would awake to fresh oranges and grapefruit from the trees of Barb and Bill.  I don't think I've ever tasted fruit more sweet.  We brought home two lemons to support our tales of how big and delicious the fruit is in Arizona.  This photo is of a sweet lemon NOT a grapefruit.

Our time in Tucson was divided between traveling down memory lane (Bob's parents used to live here), visiting the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum and exploring places to possibly retire or at least spend winters.

Sedona was another trip down memory lane.  The city of Sedona itself has grown into something I don't recognize any more but the red rock formations are as beautiful as ever.

A trip to Sedona wouldn't be complete without visiting Jerome an old mining town turned art town set on the side of a mountain.  The town is filled with art galleries and artist studios.  The old abandoned high school as been turned over to the art community for artist studios.  What a joy!

The Grand Canyon was even more beautiful under a blanket of snow.

Beware of the mountain lions!

Our time in St. George was equally filled with exploring the red rocks and canyons.  The trees were blooming with beautiful spring flowers and the daffodils were in bloom.  What a great time to see Zion we thought.   Once again we were greeted with changing weather - fog - snow and sunshine.  I had never seen Zion with snow and it was as beautiful as the Grand Canyon.  Maybe moving to a warm climate isn't what we are meant to do.  Snow is so pretty to look at.  Too bad it requires shoveling.

While gone our son Scott said it was sunny and warm at home.  Today as I write this it is snowing.  There is no escaping it.  

Be Willing to Ruin Your Painting

Storm Over Zion

oil on panel 12x16

I began this painting in mid-January and just got around to working on it last night.  I'm always amazed at how the colors on the rocks change with the lighting conditions.  The same view can be painted differently dozens of times.  

There comes a time in each painting where you like your painting but know it could be better or you hate it and really know it could be better.  In both situations you must be willing to go ahead and make the changes, taking a risk that you could ruin it totally.  Without that risk your paintings will always fall short of they way you picture it could be.

The painting below is one of those paintings.  I've posted it before but never felt that it was what I wanted.  The main problem is I changed paint brands and have struggled with adjusting to the new feel of the new tubes of paint.   Never the one to want to give up on anything, I got it out and began working it some more.  This is where I am with it right now.  The before and the after.  What do you think? 

Before

After

The before looked very raw and just didn't feel right.  The after is quite strikingly different.  Neither are an exact copy of the photo I worked from.  Photos, I believe, should be a jumping off spot - an inspiration.  The camera does a perfectly good job so I try not duplicate what the camera sees.  Here is the photo I worked from.  I'd like to do this some day in watercolor.  I'm really interested in hearing your comments on these paintings.  Feedback is very helpful.  Feel free to email me with your comments if you don't have a blogger account. My email address is  suenuhn@comcast.net

Painting - A remedy for being discombobulated?

I awoke this morning all discombobulated and out of sorts.  I felt scattered and frustrated.  The last thing I wanted was to have that energy in my painting so I avoided my art studio.  A good friend though recommended I paint anyway commenting that interesting paintings can come from what I was feeling.  Trusting her advice, I decided to go ahead and work on the painting I started yesterday.  Like my other paintings, I will sit with this before considering it done but she was right.  Painting was very calming and healing.  I am so glad that I listened to her.

Wellsville Mountains
oil on panel 11x14

Signs of Spring

Signs of Spring

oil on panel 11x14

The valley I live in is surrounded by mountains and very beautiful.  I got an early start in my painting today and don't want to put my brushes down.  I sometimes feel guilty because I get so much pleasure from painting.  I wish I could describe the feeling inside but it is like no addiction I've ever had including chocolate!

Underpainting

This is the underpainting I started in the little time I had today to paint for a painting that I hope to complete tomorrow.  I didn't get to paint as long today as my husband and I went out for brunch and to get some more art supplies.  Now (late afternoon) we are heading down to Ogden for the First Friday Gallery Stroll and to dinner.

Little dab here - a little dab there

I haven't learned to leave my paintings alone so my usual routine after my breakfast is to look over the paintings I've done in the last few days or those that aren't finished yet.  A little dab here and a little dab there and I think I'm done but can never guarantee.  On yesterday's painting I know I needed to fix the sky and adjust some of the rocks and of course sign it.

Zion Canyon's Majestic Red Rocks

Earlier today I blogged that I love painting people.  That's true but what did I end up painting today?  The majestic red rocks of Kolob Canyon in Zion Canyon National Park.

Standing Tall

oil 7 x 14