Only happens once or twice a year in the Greater Puget Sound area of Washington State…and this one was a big snow fall. Still, my commute to the studio is short….
“The Cloud”, oil on canvas, 20” x 48”
We made a trip to Cannon Beach….to gallery-hunt and have some fun on the beach. JQ brought his drone, and his artistry, combined with mine, resulted in the beginning of a new series of oil paintings. Our trip was in August, and two paintings are done, with two more on the easel.
Emerson got his first-ever kite. He chose one shaped like a black shark, and named it ‘Sharky”.
Sharky was tricky initially…but, not for long!
“The Red Kite”, oil on canvas, 24” x 36”
The galleries I stopped by are the White Bird Gallery and the DragonFire Gallery, Cannon Beach, OR.
And, of course, a Bubble Gum ice cream cone after all that running after Sharky…
We wrap up an exceptional summer of fun, and studio time.
Lake Sammamish…with Mr. Tom Walker! Thank you, Sandy & Marty, for our annual boating adventure.
Our cottage…my studio…and our garden in all its glory.
“Green Umbrellas”, oil on canvas, 24” x18”, SOLD at UGallery in August!
Yes…then, watch this 45 second video to learn more!
Happy Hour in our driveway with wonderful neighbors Drew & Cathy! April, and it is still cold and gray in our State of Washington….hence, the down jackets and neck-scarfs. Sigh.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING…my work was accepted into the premier Online Gallery: UGallery
The UGallery Team! Leah, Alex, and Samantha…
UGallery: …”Browsing our online gallery is meant to feel like a leisurely afternoon visiting local galleries – from the comfort of your home. We believe that good art brings people together, elevates living spaces, and transforms lives. Founded by Gallery Director Alex Farkas in 2006, UGallery has developed a loyal following of art collectors, artists, and interior designers in all 50 states and over 50 countries.
Here is my Susan Walker Page:
Note my first sale happened within a week of going online!
National Nordic Museum, Ballard, WA
Author Julia Cameron wrote the classic “The Artist’s Way” over twenty-five years ago, and I have done the “morning pages” twice in the last decade. One of her great ideas (a homework assignment, really) is the monthly Artist Date. Treat oneself to an enriching & inspirational day away from the studio….
…so, I took myself out-to-lunch at the Nordic Museum in Ballard, and had a cheese plate with a frosty Icelandic Mule. Yum, on both items….
The featured artist is Danish painter Laurits Anderson Ring (1854-1933), in his first solo exhibition in the USA.
I like to get an inch away from a painting by a master artist and look closely at the way he or she handles the brush strokes. In places, L.A. Ring dragged the brush over the canvas and left raw, scumbled edges. I usually try to correct that when I do the same. Now, I see I can leave it. Always learning!
The oil painting is complete…and I’m starting to see some stirring of an abstract point of view as I work with these fascinating drone shots.
“The Barn”, oil on canvas, 30”x48”.
Here is my son, Jaime (he’s an FAA pilot) with me capturing the image on our May trip to Kansas.
“The Road”, oil on canvas, 24”x36”.
I am really exploring abstract elements in this piece.
“Aqua”, oil on canvas, 24” x 24”.
Our garden is in full force and my view from the studio is lovely…
Twice a year, several of us head to the studio of Patrick LoCicero in North Seattle for an Art Critique. (He’s a Picasso addict!)
One inspiration in my studio is the painting I bought, “Thorpe Marshes”, by Anna Macrae. Our work ethic is similar in that we both consistently put in the time, but our process is so opposite! Seen up close, Anna’s piece has pieces of canvas glued or stapled on; ink lines running around; pastel marks in spots…so free & vivid & expressive. I’m all about detail & precision & expression.
Savoring my next choices for painting…all good reference photos from friends & family.
A super gathering at our friends’ house to kick-off summer in the Pacific Northwest!
An annual tennis club jaunt to the grass courts
of the South Cowichan Lawn Tennis Club, in British Columbia,Canada,
inspired this commissioned painting:
And, now,
presenting my new studio steps from our deck….
Nothing quite beats working with another artist, drone photographer, Jaime Quick…
Jaime & I were in Kansas collecting reference photos for my new series. At this abandoned farm house and barn, the hawks were circling the drone. Yikes!
Here is a drone shot of water towers my easel currently. The nature of this series of work is evolving into an almost “abstract art” quality.
Here is another painting inspired by Jaime’s drone shot…
Getting close to finishing two more pieces…both have been an engaging challenge with perspective.
Working title is “Descending Into The Maze”….
And, this one: “Post Alley Glory”….
Lastly, Gilman Village has asked us to leave our studio, so the grand old building can be remodeled for a retail store. We have months (until Nov or Dec) to find a new place. It’s has been a great run for six years to be part of the Village. A new chapter opens up, though, is our attitude.
Good-bye to Studio 26…..
Just was not brave enough to buy this fur coat in Sun Valley, ID…..
my friends kept urging me on so I could wear it to art openings.
But, it is real fur from real animals. Can’t do it.
At the office or at home…choose to let a painting enhance the space.
One collector, two commissions. Both were gifts to others. Sweetness.
Nothing better for me than the feeling of heartfelt joy when a client sends me a photo of my painting in their home…and tells me how much they LOVE it. This is “Taking Cues From Everything”, now custom framed. Wow!
And, here’s another painting in a different clients home…I think I wrote in my ThankYou Card to these friends that a purchase is an affirmation for the artist of the many quiet hours spent alone in the studio. Yes!
A wonderfully written article, a Member Profile, in our Athletic Club’s magazine….what’s missing, and was part of the sit-down interview, is the gratitude I have to my Tennis Tribe, who have been spectacularly supportive of my work. Our tennis community is the sum of relationships with men & women of all ages and professions, that have been forged on the courts as competitors, team-mates, and friends. We take care of each other, through thick and thin.
That’s me at UC Davis in 1970 as an art student working toward my BA in Studio Art. I was inspired by Wayne Thiebaud the moment I met him, and he mentored me until my degree was complete. We also played tennis together!
My show at the Virginia Inn is in its last weeks (through August). It's been a great run, with family and friends joining us at the two Artist Receptions. A batch of sales, too, which offers an affirmation of the hours I spend in my studio creating. The six paintings below found new homes!
Next show is October/November 2018 at Vetiver, in Issaquah....stay tuned!
Recent work to be previewed at the Vetiver Show: 'PLACES for PEOPLE'.
After my video "Here is a moment" launched, people have been sending me photos of a place that holds a moment for them. Here are some of the images that will become oil paintings.
Place: Virginia Inn, historic Seattle restaurant & bar, 1937 First Ave
Dates: July/August 2018
Opening Receptions w the Artist: Thursday July 12 and Thursday July 26, 4:30--7:00pm
Tulips, Daffodils, and Hot Spiced Cider, oil on canvas & hardwood board, 16"x20"
Finding very iconic Seattle scenes with my trusty iPhone and choosing which ones paint...that's how I've spent the last three months.
The Market, oil on hardwood board, 24"x24"
My solo show this July & August has a working title:
I Collect Moments.
The place: the brick walls inside Seattle's historic Virginia Inn.
And, yes, there will be an Opening Reception...date coming soon!
So, I am hard at work getting 15-20 paintings ready for this show. To accomplish that quantity, I am full-time in the studio (except for tennis); this immersive experience has evolved into an "accidental sabbatical", which I am so grateful for. Lots of time to try new techniques and just keep improving my skill-set.
Here are some examples for the VI show...
Stars & Stripes, oil on canvas, 20"x36"
Heather & Mike commissioned an oil painting of the place in Amsterdam where 'He proposed to Her' (...five years ago, so she had obviously said YES). They hosted a Reveal Party (who knew?) and invited lots of our tennis friends from the Bellevue Club. Here we are, moments before they got their first look!
't Smalle Bar/Cafe in Amsterdam. Title of painting: "The Proposal", oil on canvas, 36"x48"