tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-358818112024-03-13T14:07:54.765-07:00The Capricious Muse - Paintings by Susan Martin SparI'm a recent graduate of Georgetown Atelier in Seattle, Washington and have just started to compile a new body of work. Much of what you see here prior to 2022 is older work and hopefully you'll note an improvement. Because I paint both in Contemporary Alla Prima (fast small and larger works) and polished realism, both categories are listed as tabs beneath this section. Stay tuned. I'm a work in progress.Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.comBlogger414125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-28715928687804663502023-05-12T10:09:00.000-07:002023-05-12T10:09:31.628-07:00Join me and 23 other great artists at Ft. Worden in Port Townsend, WA<p></p><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">I'm proud to be among some of the best artists on the Olympic Peninsula. We'll be strutting our stuff at Ft. Warden Park in the Commons area of July 14th and 15th. We have painters, sculptors, jewelers, ceramicists and gourd artists! </span></h2><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbP5bkVLNduyez1s7DQN0iUteVzorzGC87HUlkRZNB8REPDwg_gTpvsLg39sExWmvXSH2sT8c0X3_Z7S7HjcEnDWMfrVqhPNhMDuI0m5f0gaUHbY-QszV5peeGxSfwfa7jSi8FNtxXyCE0a047fcCPLSwnTFviSgDDuNix5Xafowo_UOgDgcM/s1216/ArtWorks2%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1216" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbP5bkVLNduyez1s7DQN0iUteVzorzGC87HUlkRZNB8REPDwg_gTpvsLg39sExWmvXSH2sT8c0X3_Z7S7HjcEnDWMfrVqhPNhMDuI0m5f0gaUHbY-QszV5peeGxSfwfa7jSi8FNtxXyCE0a047fcCPLSwnTFviSgDDuNix5Xafowo_UOgDgcM/s320/ArtWorks2%202023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-85877906258973199322023-02-10T16:46:00.000-08:002023-02-10T16:46:39.507-08:00Expressionist Painting of WA Tree of Life<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi-eK5q7EFcJ1rqTp5Ds0_Ei8mrIdNun8AxuZ_2uee4svSrKlTX_RVThuLoHyVtmskM8slJ_8OMFXFQybbbylCVKXBhofGjdYyZGed9wmGoYZI92z3FpP7exq1r4-Kz_w0qIPk2Bc_3HOgd6_JRGqxGen6T-_4ahV6C_SC6YcIH-v0UTlKyI/s3701/Tree%20of%20LIfe%20Painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2876" data-original-width="3701" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi-eK5q7EFcJ1rqTp5Ds0_Ei8mrIdNun8AxuZ_2uee4svSrKlTX_RVThuLoHyVtmskM8slJ_8OMFXFQybbbylCVKXBhofGjdYyZGed9wmGoYZI92z3FpP7exq1r4-Kz_w0qIPk2Bc_3HOgd6_JRGqxGen6T-_4ahV6C_SC6YcIH-v0UTlKyI/w400-h311/Tree%20of%20LIfe%20Painting.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Tree of Life</span><br />21" x 31"<br />Oil on Canvas<br /><br />This tree, dubbed "Tree of Life" by many who live on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, grows on the coast of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The rocks and earth have been washed away by rains and storms and it appears to be hanging by a thread (or many). We don't know how much longer this beautiful tree has to live, but artists and photographers have ensured that it will live forever in their work. I'm happy to have finally joined their ranks. <p></p><p> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0Washington, USA47.7510741 -120.740138619.440840263821151 -155.8963886 76.061307936178849 -85.5838886tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-46577358704951448702022-06-20T15:36:00.000-07:002022-06-20T15:36:10.485-07:00<p> </p><h2 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Contemporary Painting of White Egret</span></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: 400;">Great Egrets are a favorite subject. I love their beautiful white plumage and graceful movements. This painting was a bit of a departure for me and a direction I feel myself moving in. It has a great deal of energy and spontaneity. There is a subtle abstract feel to it without a full departure from the representational aspects that I love.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WlpVGU7j1jAwgjnsM_GOd2PBYctW5rfbnNYwDVFwQ7OnlYrwdaj82MIxMzP4xJEkE_t26tenBLkrJZF7VPeVH9UiY8pqwHqjfm1Af1va1x9JEVZUzINz4zxSDjQd2SQEr_w1IjYlnFwmmaO50jAGknY8qmbjLWqEcjDbaX8caLa9lzRTG0E/s600/The%20Dance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="600" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WlpVGU7j1jAwgjnsM_GOd2PBYctW5rfbnNYwDVFwQ7OnlYrwdaj82MIxMzP4xJEkE_t26tenBLkrJZF7VPeVH9UiY8pqwHqjfm1Af1va1x9JEVZUzINz4zxSDjQd2SQEr_w1IjYlnFwmmaO50jAGknY8qmbjLWqEcjDbaX8caLa9lzRTG0E/w400-h288/The%20Dance.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />"The Dance"<br />32" x 23" x 1"<br />Oil on Panel</span></h2><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-5743738478392104602021-09-01T16:11:00.002-07:002021-09-01T16:11:56.491-07:00Painting of Hanging Copper Pots<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #38761d;">"Hanging Pots"<br />24" x 36"<br />Oil on Linen Panel<br /></span><br />I like to sit in the mornings in a chair in my living room, cat on my lap and coffee in hand, stealing myself for the day ahead. About a month ago, my gaze fell on my copper collection which hangs above my kitchen island. Diffused, early morning light mixed with some sun coming through the skylight lit them up and I found myself studying the composition that they made. I usually paint from life, however, I wasn't about to put hooks in my studio ceiling and move this collection within sight of my easel. So I took several pictures and chose the best of them for this.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This painting will be shown in<a href="http://www.rivergallerywa.com/" target="_blank"> River Gallery</a> in Mt. Vernon, WA starting on September 18, 2021 for the fall show. Stop by if you have a chance. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O63K0oN7kpo/YTAGjWP742I/AAAAAAAACis/8yLlLtU-KKwpO4bW05ig__nuwzEmoDFUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s480/Hanging%2BPots%2BWeb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="480" height="422" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O63K0oN7kpo/YTAGjWP742I/AAAAAAAACis/8yLlLtU-KKwpO4bW05ig__nuwzEmoDFUgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h422/Hanging%2BPots%2BWeb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-53348443919159291042020-07-18T14:48:00.001-07:002020-07-18T14:48:47.563-07:00Red Riding Hood Illuminated<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Red Riding Hood Illuminated<br />Mixed Media with Gouache, Oil on Panel and Faux Gold Leaf<br />12" x 16"<br /></span><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_5f13696b46e378116044824" style="display: inline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Since the beginning of time, humans have been telling stories. From cave paintings to modern times, artists have been story tellers. As a child, my favorite books were the ones with beautiful illustrations that augmented and brought to life the written words on the page.<br /><br />I have long been fascinated by illuminated manuscripts. Perhaps it's my design background or maybe my fascination with detail <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">(I'm a reluctant Virgo afterall.) But the brightly painted curving lines and gold leafed illustrations just plain delight me.<br /><br />About a year ago, I became interested in book binding. As is typical of me, my first bound books were anything but simple.<br />"You never do anything the easy way", my mother used to say. True. These two bound books were in leather and all the pages were designed and printed in color using designs taken from illuminated manuscripts. They were journals of a metaphysical nature and gifts for two dear friends. I'm working on a another for myself.<br /><br />I found myself, about a year ago, becoming a bit burned out. I grew tired of the same old thing and was searching for some fresh inspiration. It was these books and my playing around with my Tarot cards that started to form an idea. I flirted with the idea of bringing words and images together and produced a couple of paintings along that line. Eventually, that idea found more fertile ground and took root.<br /><br />In the panting below, a sort of prototype, I combined my love of realism, illustration, illuminated manuscripts and story telling and combined them. This painting has all the elements I was looking for. The floral design surrounding the image is painted in Gouache and acrylic gold metallic paint. The image itself is on a gessoed background surrounded by faux gold leaf and is painted in oils. The type is on archival paper. It's all carefully coated in varnish appropriate to the two mediums.<br /><br />The image itself is an old one I've painted before from a photo session with one of my models. She was handy and the story quote was easy to come by. It served the purpose. I have another in the works but this one and several to follow will be based on various images from the Major Arcana of the Tarot. So one more aspect of what I love will be added to pot.<br /><br />These, of course, are not my only projects. I have another bird image on the easel which is part of a series. But these new pieces are my new love and I'm enjoying the hell out of them. And that's my story.</span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-40350066632206716542020-01-17T13:31:00.002-08:002020-01-17T13:31:28.167-08:00Original Oil Painting of Sweet Peppers<h3>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Sweet Peppers"</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oil on Panel<br />
8" x 10"<br />
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Finished this little gem this morning for my upcoming show at the River Gallery in Mt. Vernon in April of this year. Really love those reds - and the peppers too!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-48590067606225196342019-07-30T14:36:00.000-07:002019-07-30T14:36:05.826-07:00Still Life of Alabaster Vases against Egyptian Background<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="fia2n" data-offset-key="e0ued-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span data-offset-key="e0ued-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">"Out of Egypt"</span><span data-offset-key="e0ued-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Oil on Panel</span><span data-offset-key="e0ued-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">13" x 19"</span></span></h3>
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Finished. Spent this morning tidying up. I concluded the salt cellar lid and glazed shadows to neutralize some of the blue. I did this to the background as well though it may shop up that way in the photo. I toyed with the cast shadow on the wall and lightened it by scumbling a bit but didn't change it by much. Highlights on the small vase in the background brought it to a finish. It will be on display at Gallery-9 this Saturday. Come take a gander. </span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-54784128214214341212019-07-22T18:38:00.001-07:002019-07-22T18:38:38.313-07:00Still Life of Alabaster Vases with Egyptian Background<h3>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Out of Egypt" - On the Easel</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This summer has kept me pretty busy with travel, home improvements and sick cats. The latter have kept me hopping with medications and special feedings. I'm happy to report I'm back at the easel - in between taking sunshine breaks.<br /><br />On a recent trip to Ellensburg, WA, I picked up three Alabaster vases that I fell in love with. After prepping the background, I set them up together with a salt cellar I've painted many times and proceeded to work. Here's a step by step on what I've done so far:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Day One: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now on the easel. I recently purchased several marble vases. I’ve painted objects like these many times and enjoy the challenge of the swirling colors and the translucence of the marble. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400;">This time however, instead of a plain background I was inspired by some Egyptian imagery and decided to try something new. The background is archival paper mounted and sealed on a cradled panel. The shapes of the vases were transferred from a drawing and painted with gesso to allow for a more translucent effect once they are painted. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400;">As you can see, the foot of the largest vase and the tile on which it sits have been given a first pass. Yum! I’m having fun and the paint is so delicious I could eat it! More later as the painting progresses.</span></span></h3>
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<br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve matched the background and continue to lay in the large Onyx vase. This takes careful observation and, as always, this close looking, examining and considering brings on a meditative state. The swirl of color, the translucence of the stone and the rosy color of the light are hypnotizing. I know some of the values will need to be adjusted. Even the north light from my window shifts as the day progresses. Tomorrow is another day.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Day Three:</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YiltQBlrOoc/XTZieZdgLvI/AAAAAAAACbc/SlvMwjhzCF4QMwb6i3rX7yypvwQY5bdIQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_3545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YiltQBlrOoc/XTZieZdgLvI/AAAAAAAACbc/SlvMwjhzCF4QMwb6i3rX7yypvwQY5bdIQCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_3545.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The first pass on the large vase is completed. I can see that there are still more value adjustments to make. The light at this hour in the studio is quite magical but eludes me. The vase in the front will also need adjustment. I’m pushing the background towards green. The cool offsets the warms in the vases and pushes them forward. Still much to do.<br /></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Day Four:</span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1c1e21;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1c1e21;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I took some time off on Saturday to enjoy the beautiful weather. But kept visiting the painting like a sick patient. Today I took to it again. The vase was off kilter so I took out my plumb line and redrew the thing. It sits better now. No longer drunk. I adjusted and conserved values on the vase in order to have highlights show up. Warmed some of the glow with a glaze of coral. The small</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> vase in the foreground also needed adjustment and it too was off center. I needed to make a decision in favor of losing an edge or letting it show. I decided in favor of a slight contrast in value because the asymmetrical design of color created the illusion of it again being out of balance. Same for the smaller vase. I finished the day by laying in the smallest vase in the background. It will need a second pass perhaps tomorrow. I softened edges and toyed with the background and table top before closing. The horizon line needs fixing. The salt cellar and I are old friends. It will go easy and I anticipate being done either tomorrow or Monday. I am, though, considering adding another element. Something living?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1c1e21;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-35579824883706114562019-01-25T18:05:00.002-08:002019-01-25T18:05:53.436-08:00Still Life with White Lace - New Beginnings<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Since my beloved uncle passed in November, I have been unable to get into my studio for anything other than teaching. First grief and then the time consuming chores of closing out his apartment and assisting the executor in aspects of his estate have kept me in a state that swung from sadness to confusion to numbness. Then came the holidays. I don't need to explain what that was like.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When I firs</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">t got the phone call from his guardian that said he was in the hospital, I was in my studio engrossed in a painting that I had envisioned for a long time. I put my paints away, cleaned my brushes and immediately left for Seattle. I was with him for three days in the hospital before he passed. And since that telephone call until two weeks ago, I was just unable to get back to the painting.<br /><br />When I finally did, I was sure that I had gone cold on it and would not be able to finish. But I persevered and I'm glad I did. As the work progressed, I found myself pulled back into the canvas and in a dialogue with the painting that pushed and pulled me in a new direction. I insisted on painting it one way and it insisted I try another approach. We compromised and the final result is a kind of detente.<br /><br />I hope you like it.<br /><br />"White Lace"<br />Oil on Canvas<br />40" x 30"</span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-15126749191640340562018-10-06T11:35:00.000-07:002018-10-06T11:35:01.635-07:00Angel Tree<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Magus"</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">30" x 40"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In North Carolina there is a tree named "Angel Tree". I've always found trees to be glorious, majestic sculptures. Each one has its own unique character and personality. I am especially called to Oaks. When I lived in California I spent a lot of time on the Santa Rosa Ecological Plateau. Contrary to its name, this beautiful preserve is located off the I-15 somewhere between Lake Elsinore and Temecula and not in Santa Rosa.<br />
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The park has hundreds of 400 year old California Live Oaks dancing on grassy hills with walking paths winding through them. There are mysterious shady dells and sunlit patches and knobby areas everywhere with boulders, blue skies and seasonal ponds. The trees dot the landscape like so many dancers celebrating their freedom and the endless horizon.<br />
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I spent many hours there hiking, painting and photographing those trees. But now I live where Oaks are rare things and fir and pine dominate the landscape. Although I had hundreds of photos of trees to choose from to assist me in bringing my vision to canvas, I chose the image of "The<br />
Angel Tree" because its reaching branches made me think of a great magician raising his arms to manifest something beautiful and mysterious into the world.<br />
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This painting was in a way a bit of breakthrough for me in that instead of my directing the brush, the painting took over and directed it. It was a kind of push/pull because I don't relinquish control easily. Still, I think the painting won. I called the painting "Magus", because for me, it's magic.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-69892432452373157482018-02-08T15:49:00.000-08:002018-02-08T15:49:30.100-08:00Still Life Painting with an Abstract Feel<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 1.7em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new year started with a whimper for me. I had all kinds of plans to do all kinds of new stuff but it all just seemed to evaporate with a puff of smoke. It may be that I have been focusing on my Magick stuff too much these days. My brain seems to be someplace else and despite lots and lots of meditation and other good mind stuff, my brain seems to have taken a vacation. I believe my teachers would say I need to work on grounding. OK, OK, I’m listening.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Cityscape", 20" x 31 1/4", Oil on Linen</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">True, I had a video to produce on my Atelier class and that took some time and energy, but hey, I wasn’t the one editing it. My videographer was. But that’s another story. I’ll post the video after this post. I did manage to start another painting for the new year and I’m pretty satisfied that I came close to my vision for it. Lots of ideas are swimming around my head so maybe all that meditation did something after all. I wanted to do a still life that had a feeling of abstract work. Well, not fully abstract. I am a representational painter after all. But I always say that a good realist painting has at it’s oily heart a good abstract design. So that’s what I was aiming for. I made the objects larger than they are in life and the painting measures 30 1/4″ by 20″ which is big for a still life. Anyway, here’s the painting and I hope you like it as much as I do.<br /><br /></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-56058281411910931152017-11-26T12:44:00.001-08:002017-11-26T12:47:42.805-08:00Marine Painting<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every time I paint a new marine painting, I'm reminded of why these can be so difficult to do well. Although I had the background for this piece worked out, finding the right resource for the water and the sailboat became a great challenge. I needed to find one where the waves, water, wind and light all worked with the reference photo of the clouds. Basically, I needed three photos. Actually, that's not as many as I used for my large marine piece, "Before the Reef". But still, even with finding photos that worked for all those factors, I was still confronted with the color issue. How to make all these disparate factors come together for a harmonious painting.<br /><br />I find in these cases the best thing to do is to put it all together on Photoshop, work on getting the light and values to work together and then changing the whole image to black and white. Then I can use what ever colors work best for the piece without being influenced by what I see in a photo. That's what I did here. I may change things a bit later on. I sometimes do. But I think it's OK for now. Anyway, it needs to go in my upcoming show at Gallery 9 in December. Wish me luck.</span><br />
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"Running with the Wind"<br />
17 1/2" x 23 1/2"<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-48535674840682457862017-11-14T13:47:00.000-08:002017-11-14T13:47:50.808-08:00Painting Nature, Quail's Nest<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have several pieces done but this was my favorite. I just love the way the feathers curl around the nest in a little protective embrace. So I was looking forward to displaying this little gem at the gallery and last night a good friend came by for dinner and bought it! So the gallery loses the commission but I gained another 20%. And really, although I would have enjoyed showing it off, it sold and that's the point of these little pieces, isn't it? So I did a little happy dance and put it aside for varnishing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I enjoyed this little painting and think I might like to explore nature a bit more. For someone who lives so close to it, I don't get out as often as I'd like. I'm pretty sensitive to the cold and now that winter is here, I spend less and less time out of doors. Maybe I'm missing something?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> P.S. I'm now entering my work onto Art Work Archive. Here's a link to my </span><a href="https://www.artworkarchive.com/artwork/susan-spar" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Public Page</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Still have a ton to put up there but at least things are getting organized.<br /><br /><b>Quail's Nest<br />5 7/8" x 6"<br />Oil on Linen Panel<br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">SOLD</span></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pi2iQ1W5hfs/WgtcNU_7fzI/AAAAAAAACVE/Lotqn52t8roov_HLd0hv8n0KH3VgXLfBwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Quail%2527s%2BNest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pi2iQ1W5hfs/WgtcNU_7fzI/AAAAAAAACVE/Lotqn52t8roov_HLd0hv8n0KH3VgXLfBwCEwYBhgL/s400/Quail%2527s%2BNest.jpg" width="398" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-8101145074901836472017-10-10T16:05:00.001-07:002017-10-10T16:05:43.050-07:00Miniature Painting of Tin Measuring Cup<h3>
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6" x 8", Oil on Panel</span><br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="340" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1k-uOv0kVCM/Wd1QzDNPb8I/AAAAAAAACT8/HNSO4zqDVCYqtaTNjgPQBZkVoftUiUpVACLcBGAs/s400/Cups.jpg" width="305" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the months of October and November, Gallery 9 in Port Townsend, WA will be featuring a 100 under $100 sale which will include small art works, jewelery and miscellaneous items for sale under $100. I just whipped this little piece out in anticipation of the event. Be sure to come by and check out the sale! Lots of great opportunities for Christmas presents and other holiday gifts. </span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-39837973750707092242017-09-25T12:30:00.001-07:002017-09-25T12:30:52.538-07:00Marine Painting of Ship in Storm Tossed Sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WXsiTS6vWVE/WclX66a0K5I/AAAAAAAACTA/8pHdFO1I_BgZxablR2jv-KxaKAIxUoZHACLcBGAs/s1600/Before%2Bthe%2BReef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="600" height="296" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WXsiTS6vWVE/WclX66a0K5I/AAAAAAAACTA/8pHdFO1I_BgZxablR2jv-KxaKAIxUoZHACLcBGAs/s400/Before%2Bthe%2BReef.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Done! Lots of time went into this piece. I've learned a lot. I've gotten some good advice from other painters and plenty of advice from sailors. There are one or two things I would have done differently here but otherwise I'm satisfied with this piece.<br /><br />I'll be giving a talk at the Olympic Peninsula Art Association this Thursday on the making of this piece. But it won't really premier until the beginning of December when I can put it in the window of Gallery 9 where I'll be featured artist for that month. Stop by if you have a chance. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-90881560517602165372017-09-17T17:38:00.000-07:002017-09-17T17:38:35.272-07:00Ship on Stormy Sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2fWIMTbXt90/Wb8JlgTcmrI/AAAAAAAACSc/qmllyMdQIMEjVtCizvvLxjZ8LaiqoS_ZQCLcBGAs/s1600/ship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2fWIMTbXt90/Wb8JlgTcmrI/AAAAAAAACSc/qmllyMdQIMEjVtCizvvLxjZ8LaiqoS_ZQCLcBGAs/s400/ship.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the fourth or fifth iteration of this painting. It's had more work done before this stage and some after. I'm nearly finished and will post the fnal piece in a couple of weeks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here I've painted in the rigging as well as the seams on the sails. I made some changes to the hull as well, removing the gun ports as they were empty and I didn't have good photo resources for them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wave in the front has been worked on more as well as those in the background. Stay tuned for the finale!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-31663358994553687482017-08-29T18:38:00.000-07:002017-08-29T18:38:07.301-07:00Marine Painting - Ship on Stormy Sea <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yl3kfePqfWE/WaYVkJHrtZI/AAAAAAAACR8/MNI2bDRLUwcejxxT8s1k7PKArWTd6s2eACLcBGAs/s1600/Ship%2Bblog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yl3kfePqfWE/WaYVkJHrtZI/AAAAAAAACR8/MNI2bDRLUwcejxxT8s1k7PKArWTd6s2eACLcBGAs/s400/Ship%2Bblog2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's the second progress report on my first marine painting with a ship. I have, of course, lots of photos of this piece in progress but thought better of boring you with too many closeups and small change photos. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The water is nearly finished although I have made changes to the mid-ground and foreground wave not shown here. Also the sky. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ship remains with lots to do. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-6605941429273546282017-08-26T19:37:00.000-07:002017-08-26T19:37:39.295-07:00Marine Painting of Storm Tossed Ship<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clouds and ocean go together like peanut butter and jelly. Or at least it seems so to me. I've been practicing skyscapes a lot over the past year and with them, I've painted a lot of water as well. So after all this practice, I decided to put it all together and drop a ship into that water. Now despite living on the water, or at least close to it, I don't know much about ships and less about sailing. But I figured I could do a decent job of painting one. So in my typical - "let's just dive right in" attitude, I pulled out the stops and started to paint one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The elements for this painting were drawn from stock photos. I pulled separate pictures for the sky, mid ground (er, water) and foreground. Then I searched for a masted ship photo that would serve for my subject. Then I put it all together and Photoshopped the color and values until I was satisfied. So here are the first two iterations. The painting is much further along than this now but I want to show how I have been building toward the final image so stay tuned over the next few days.I've skipped a couple of steps in order not to bore you. </span><br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-6620371660602071682017-07-30T14:55:00.000-07:002017-07-30T14:55:04.006-07:00Wedding Portraits in Oil on Gold Leaf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3OvrKa6UQY/WX5QEjSzrYI/AAAAAAAACRA/ug36n7C8D24g3XQl-SaAB3efKWo0YSOnQCLcBGAs/s1600/Cassidy%2Band%2BLuke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="353" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3OvrKa6UQY/WX5QEjSzrYI/AAAAAAAACRA/ug36n7C8D24g3XQl-SaAB3efKWo0YSOnQCLcBGAs/s400/Cassidy%2Band%2BLuke.jpg" width="326" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently attended the long awaited wedding of my granddaughter Cassidy to her fiance, Luke. Like any grandma I wanted to give them wonderful presents. And I did. My husband and I bequeathed a monetary gift as well as an item from one of her gift registries. But it just wasn't enough. I mean, when you love someone you want to keep on showering them with stuff. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because my granddaughter and her family live three thousand miles from us, it makes showing love in other ways difficult. How many times can you heart someone on Facebook?<br /><br />I recently became interested in doing miniature portraits and paintings on gold leaf. So I went to Cassidy's FB page and looked over all the wonderful pics she had been posting of her and Luke. I really liked this one so I copied it and projected it on my computer to work from. This was the result. I gifted this to her at her wedding shower and she loved it. Turns out that the photo was a popular one and she had used it on the special wine bottles that were gifted to members of the bridal party and family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love doing these. The total size for the entire piece framed is 8" x 10". I can work from any photo you supply as long as it is clean and clear. Old black and white photos lend themselves nicely to a beautiful antique look as I paint them in a warm sepia tone on the gold leaf. These make wonderful anniversary or wedding gifts. Wouldn't you love to gift your parents or a favorite friend with one?<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're interested or just have questions, you can email me at: susanspar@susanspar.com. Check out my <a href="http://www.susanspar.com/" target="_blank">website</a> for other gift ideas. Thanks for reading.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-57928466779517346192017-07-21T18:26:00.000-07:002017-07-21T18:26:12.312-07:00Video Demo of a Pastel Landscape<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gqB2pxOCADk/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gqB2pxOCADk?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was proud to have a one woman show at the Sequim Museum in Sequim, Washington during the month of June. On June 17th I held a demonstration of a pastel landscape. I really enjoy doing demos because it's a great opportunity to meet the public in a way that introduces them to my work and also helps to enlighten and teach others about the art making process. <br /><br />This painting was done from a small oil plein air study I painted a couple of years ago at Ediz Hook in Port Angeles, Washington. It's a long spit that goes out for about two miles into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It was overcast that day and very windy. I actually did this small piece as a demo for the paper and my small plein air class. I used a very limited palette for the oil. I always liked the study and thought it would be fun to try as a pastel. So I used it for the demo.<br /><br />I didn't have a videographer to work my camera so I set the camera up on a tripod and asked a friend to just monitor it and make sure it kept running. Unfortunately, I do step a bit out of the camera range but only for a second or two. It's been edited down and fixed as much as possible. Hope you enjoy it!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-30969327823940061212017-05-24T15:43:00.002-07:002017-05-24T15:43:56.700-07:00Still Life Painting of Fiesta Ware and Two Eggs<h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Since hitting middle age, my favorite color has become red. Hmm. Some folks call it the menopause color. I prefer to think of it as the power color. In any case, I've always gravitated to warm colors. I'm a fall person - or so I've been told.<br /><br />I have a solo show coming up on June 2nd at the Sequim Museum and Art Center. This is one of the pieces created for the show. It will be framed in a cathedral frame that sets it off beautifully. <br /><br />I'd love to see you at my reception which will be held on June 2nd at the Sequim Museum and Art Center located at </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">175 W Cedar St, Sequim, WA 98382. Refreshments will be served. Come and have a look-see and then wander off to view the rest of the Sequim Gallery Walk. </span></span></span></h2>
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-68538430945164423762017-04-29T17:21:00.004-07:002017-04-29T17:21:52.048-07:00Painting of Nesting Egrets on Gold Leaf<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oxTKs1d0nOI/WQUpvpc_VRI/AAAAAAAACPk/d8_JPd8AZpoyal_zf1thSyYlD6vsptCwgCLcB/s1600/Egrets%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oxTKs1d0nOI/WQUpvpc_VRI/AAAAAAAACPk/d8_JPd8AZpoyal_zf1thSyYlD6vsptCwgCLcB/s400/Egrets%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lately I've found myself itching to try my hand at something new. Namely Gold Leaf. Now, if you've ever tried to use the stuff you'll understand me when I say - AAAGH! That stuff is <i>really hard</i> to work with! You literally have to hold your breath every time you try to place a little bit of it. It's so thin and so light that the slightest puff of air will send it flying or rip it to pieces. Sooo... having tried my hand sometime back with imitation gold leaf or metal leaf, as it's called, I decided I'd better stick to the faux stuff until I get a bit more practice. I had quite a bit on hand since my last experiment with repairing a frame so I figured I could do a respectably good size piece. <br />
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I wanted something relatively monochromatic for the main subject. I felt color could come later so I chose a couple of Snowy Egrets for this first experiment. After building and preparing a substrate (panel), I transferred the cartoon to the panel and did a sketchy under painting. I then prepared the area around the birds with adhesive, waited the requisite amount of time (about 30 minutes) and then commenced with the torturous job of laying the leaf. Yes, it looks very silvery in the photo. The light on my easel casts a bit cool. <br />
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The next step was to seal the leaf with an oil based shellac. That was easy and it dried fairly quickly so I was able to proceed with the next step. I laid a coat of Transparent Brown Oxide in small sections (that's a lot like burnt umber) and then started to wipe out leaves and the shape of a tree running diagonally on the right top corner. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mYJTBQqA5YM/WQUqxqfIVmI/AAAAAAAACPs/tXptLQjZ7Nwdt0gODP9i_fjrW436HjxWgCLcB/s1600/Egrets%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mYJTBQqA5YM/WQUqxqfIVmI/AAAAAAAACPs/tXptLQjZ7Nwdt0gODP9i_fjrW436HjxWgCLcB/s400/Egrets%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Once I completed that step, I moved on to the birds. That was a bit more up my alley and so I was able to move fairly quickly through the rest of the piece. I finished up with some details and some darkening of shadows to allow for a little more integration - but not too much. They are, after all, a bit more realistic than the background. I wanted them to stand out a bit. <br />
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The final result is, I think, respectable. I can see I'll need some more practice with this medium but I'm enjoying the journey. I have a show coming up in June at the Sequim Museum and Arts Center. I hope to feature this piece along with two or three miniature portraits on gold leaf. Now those will <i>really</i> be fun!<br /><br />"Nesting Egrets"<br />22" x 24"<br />Oil on Faux Gold Leaf<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">"Brice"</span></b></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">20" x 16"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Graphite and White Chalk</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JiPrB-01dVw/WKuMEUvAlnI/AAAAAAAACPM/Bi3gDdyINRch5o1IydYQWmt2yC2rXZyjQCLcB/s1600/Brice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JiPrB-01dVw/WKuMEUvAlnI/AAAAAAAACPM/Bi3gDdyINRch5o1IydYQWmt2yC2rXZyjQCLcB/s400/Brice.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Just finished this portrait of Brice, one of my models. It's done on Tan Stonehenge paper which is one of my favorite papers to work on. Unfortunately graphite is a bear to photograph. I tried using my scanner, my good Nikon camera and my iPhone. It either comes out too grainy or too contrasty. Here the lamp on my easel is casting too much light on the image. But when I remove the light and try for even ambient light, that makes things look weird too. You'll just have to take my word for it that this looks much, much better in person. Transitions are very subtle in this piece but the photo just doesn't show that. I'm frustrated enough that this may be the last graphite drawing I post. Really.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-55389715275643994352017-02-07T12:04:00.000-08:002017-02-07T12:04:18.055-08:00Maine Coon Kitten <h4>
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maine Coon Kitten - Misty</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6" x 8"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oil on Panel<br />$85</span></span></h4>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Iktor5y94Y/WJokUSdCPDI/AAAAAAAACOs/2JMvko1qBz8yGBAsVHLCLLFYzk85nn3OwCLcB/s1600/Kitten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Iktor5y94Y/WJokUSdCPDI/AAAAAAAACOs/2JMvko1qBz8yGBAsVHLCLLFYzk85nn3OwCLcB/s400/Kitten.jpg" width="286" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I Love cats! Really love them, I mean. Just check out my FB page and you'll see dozens of cat videos. I particularly enjoy "Simon's Cat" videos. So naturally, my friends and relatives have asked me numerous times, "why don't you paint cats?" Well I've asked myself that too. Mainly it's because I don't paint subjects that are too "sweet". And let's face it. Kittens are sweet. But I couldn't stand the pressure anymore and so I caved. Yup. This is my first kitten. "Misty" was my first Maine Coon and while I did paint her picture in profile years ago when she died, I kept that one to put near her urn. Yes, I had her cremated. But here she is as a kitten. While this didn't provide me with a huge amount of challenge, I did enjoy painting her so I may be doing more of these in the future. And yes, I do paint pet portraits from time to time on commission as well. <br /><br />You can puchase this painting by going to <a href="http://www.susanspar.com/small-works/">http://www.susanspar.com/small-works/</a>. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Enjoy your day!<br /><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35881811.post-40492888747525138512017-01-31T14:36:00.001-08:002017-01-31T14:36:46.823-08:00Miniature Landscape Oil Painting<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Hazy Day</span><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">6" x 8"<br />
Oil on Canvas Panel<br />
$75</span></span></h3>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9F0VTsIcAY0/WJEPAsChLFI/AAAAAAAACOY/05DxmzKBAug__h0v3J7qoJyVfxHkcTlyQCLcB/s1600/Hazy%2BDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9F0VTsIcAY0/WJEPAsChLFI/AAAAAAAACOY/05DxmzKBAug__h0v3J7qoJyVfxHkcTlyQCLcB/s400/Hazy%2BDay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I lived in California, one of my favorite hiking and painting locations was the Santa Rosa Ecological Preserve. It was located south of where I lived on the way to Temecula near Murietta. It comprises 900 acres of rolling grassland filled with </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.4px; word-spacing: 1px;">Engelmann oak woodlands. There are riparian wetlands, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, bunchgrass prairie, and vernal pools as well as more than 200 species of native birds and 49 endangered, threatened or rare animal and plant species. The paths are easy to navigate. No matter how many people you may find there, it is easy to lose yourself in its peace and quiet. I took rolls and rolls of film there (before digital) and still have many of those reference photos. Still, even if I didn't, the place is indelibly marked in my memory. The Oak trees were, and still are, my favorites. Over 400 years old, they stretch wider than their height - which is no mean amount. Many of them are over 60 feet tall. They provide luxurious shade on hot days and shelter from rain in the winter. If you have a chance, visit the Preserve, and send my regards. This small study for a larger piece is a view from one of the trails. <br />
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To purchase and/or view on my website, to go <a href="http://www.susanspar.com/" target="_blank">www.susanspar.com. </a></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.</div>Susan Martin Sparhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05084379619279293914noreply@blogger.com0