Heads up, y’all. I’m giving away some art. But you’ve got to indulge me and read the post first.
Fair enough? Okay, then start reading.
Once upon a time I had this blog (yes, THIS blog) and I wrote a post every single day for something like a year. Every day. Whack me upside the head, I did little else. I wrote about art and the family and food and all sorts of crap good stuff.
And then life got in the way. Art. Web design (how many new looks has Arty Life had recently?) Eventually I started slacking off. Three days a week. Then two. Then one. And then…(drumroll please) three weeks rolled by without ANY posts or any excuse. The site wasn’t down, the internet connection was up–I just was doing other stuff.
I was PAINTING. Like a madwoman, a woman possessed. Mornings before work. Evenings after work. Taking vacay days just to hang out in the studio and slap paint around.
And then I painted over everything I did. More. Than. Once. I was ‘sperimentin’, going through a heckuva lot o’paint. It was all part of the learning process as I took a class with Pauline Agnew, SEE. FEEL. PAINT. Great class, great teacher and tons of challenging content. I’m not sure whether it was Pauline, the energy of the other students or the self imposed challenge to push myself but I became damn near manic.
A good creative shake-up, something every artist needs once in awhile.
I ended up with a few finished pieces, several works in progress, a whole bunch of ideas sketched out on the ipad and new life given to some old canvases. But most of all, I ended up with a passion for contemporary landscapes.
I’ll give you a sneak peek at one. Just one. The rest I’m going to dole out in future posts.
Autumn: Lake Harriet, acrylic on canvas 24 x 24 inches
2014 Susan Lobb Porter
This is taken from a photo I took last autumn at a little oasis in the Nevada desert. If you’re familiar with my work you’ll know that I’ve painted a lot of abstracts with a landscape feel. But I haven’t taken an actual for-real landscape and abstracted it. Much to my surprise I found out it’s entirely different.
And a whole lot harder. But I’m getting there.
And now about that arty giveaway I mentioned up above…it’s something I first read about here, via Michele Bergh’s blog. She found out about it from someone else who found out about it from someone else who found out about it from someone else. Get the picture? Here’s how it works, paraphrased from Michele (who got her info from Deborah Weber):
I promise to send a small work of art to the first five people who comment on this post and say, “YES, I want in”. You must in turn pay it forward to the first five people who comment on your blog. If you don’t have a blog, a facebook post will do. The rules are simple: it has to be your work, made by you, and the recipient must receive it before 2014 ends. It can be anything art based: a drawing/painting/photograph/knitted item or however else you express yourself creatively.
I’m going to add print to the list because maybe I’ll send a print. Or jewelry. Or something.
This will be fun! I can’t wait to send my little gifts out. Remember, if you want in you have to say so in the comments below. First five who say, “Me! Me! Pick Meeeeeeee! Pretty please!!!” will get a little something from moi.
And in case you haven’t told yourself this today—
Me! Me! Pleazzzeeee me please!!!
❤️
Gotcha! I’ll be contacting you for your addy, Amie.
“Me! Me! Pick Meeeeeeee! Pretty please!!!”
I just wanted to be sure I said the correct thing because I really, really want in!!
Double dippin’, Amie? Hmmm…tapping lips with finger…I seem to recall you had a thing about Women in Red…
Me! Me! Pick Meeeeeeee! Pretty please!
Yes, YOU Aarathi! I’ll be contacting you for your addy shortly.
Just a note to say I think you’re awesome. 🙂 I too used to blog every day, then three days a week, and now I’m down to two. I wonder if I’m seeing my future? I would really like to get busy in the art studio.
Naomi recently posted..I have succumbed to the kindle
Awesome? Aww shucks (rubbing toe in the dirt) thank you m’am 🙂
Now go in your studio and make something!
Love, love, love that the Muse kept you locked away in your studio for an creative intensive! Not that I don’t thoroughly enjoy your blog. But a creative shakeup is indeed a wonderful thing. Autumn Lake is gorgeous! I can’t wait for the reveals of the others.
And how fun you’re playing along in the Pay It Forward party.
Deborah Weber recently posted..Let’s Have Some Friday Flowers
I guess I have you to thank for the Pay it Forward party, Deborah. Do you want in from this end? Let me know if you do.
A few hours late to be Commenter #5! But I’m glad the wonderful Deborah Weber made it on the in-list. 😉
I know what you mean about the near-manic painting. Recently I neglected my blog for almost three weeks as well, as I painted frantically (then would go lie down on the couch, feeling sick). That all came to a crash recently when I discovered that the paints were making me ill. Ah, the tragedy. When I feel a semblance of comfort with the new mediums I’m playing with, perhaps I’ll host a giveaway like this. And if I do, I invite you to join in! 🙂
One more thing — I would just love to know more about the process of abstracting a landscape. How is it different from landscaping an abstract, so to speak?
Harmony Harrison recently posted..My Acrylic Angst: Getting Sick from Acrylic Paints (with a pit stop for cat pee along the way)
Go back, read the rules and count again, Harmony 🙂 Then let me know if you’re in or not!
“Well, then! Well, well, well!” she thought to herself, shaking her head as she looked up at the stage. “There’s room for me up there yet.”
Could she, should she?
Yes, she could. And should. Especially now that she understood the rules of this strange, new, exclamatory society.
She rose, smoothed out the front of her skirt, and walked toward the stage. Then she turned to the audience.
With a stately cough, she cleared her throat, and drove her voice to its highest soprano pitch.
“Me!” she squeaked. She pitched her voice even higher and cried out as loudly as she could. “Me! Me! Pick Meeeeeeee! Pretty please!!!” she trilled, and that trill filled the theater, bursting from its walls.
Glass in the lobby windows flexed and bowed. On the streets, pedestrians clapped their hands over their ears. It is rumored that dogs as far away as Texas rollicked with her cry.
But in the theater, the audience was silent. Only the occasional sniffle rose to break the calm. Then came the sound of damp tissues being crumpled in palms.
That cry, that squeak, that ululation of joy, had indeed been the howling of a sincere heart — one that now knew the rules, and lived by them.
The woman turned and slowly left the stage, her footfalls loud. But with each step she knew: her mailbox would soon lie full, and art would be her reward.
Harmony Harrison recently posted..My Acrylic Angst: Getting Sick from Acrylic Paints (with a pit stop for cat pee along the way)
Hmmmmmmm, I think I see a trend here. I, too, have posted less and worked in the studio more the last few weeks. Thinking it must just be part of the creative process.
Lucky first five commenters!
Linda Watson recently posted..Mixing Colors
Linda, I do believe there’s one spot left. Let me know if you want to join the pay it forward party 🙂
If there’s still room, count me in. 🙂
Linda Watson recently posted..Mixing Colors
Ooooooops! I mean, “Me! Me! Pick Meeeeeeee! Pretty please!!!”
Linda Watson recently posted..Mixing Colors
You! You! Yes youuuuuuuuuu! I’ll be contacting you shortly for your address 🙂
Harmony Harrison, you are tooooooooo funny!
Hi Susan:
The sneak peak at your work is gorgeous- the colors are so beautiful. I want to crawl on in and hang out for awhile. Wish I could join your giveaway- I have not yet discovered enough of my creative side yet to be able to create something fun to give away. 😉
Amy @ItsAMindfulLife recently posted..Exclusive Tiny Prints Deal!
We’re going to have to work on that, Amy! Sign up for my list and someday I’ll be offering classes.
Yes, sometimes you need to change up your artistic process a bit in order to make progress.
I was confused for a moment because there’s a Lake Harriet near where I live. (With “10,000 Lakes” in the state, a lot of names get used.)
SKJAM! recently posted..Book Review: Tigerman
I’m discovering there’s LOTS of Lake Harriets. The old broad sure got around 🙂
Oh how I love popping by here. Laugh, smile and learn. Love the comment section too. Harmony got in! Oh that made me grin! My coming late to the party however is rather a sin. Ah well. Perhaps I’ll go and pour myself a gin …
Kelly L McKenzie recently posted..Top Ten Degrees of Authentic Mommy Fury
That’ll learn ya, Kelly. Don’t come late to my party or you’ll miss all the good stuff!
It’s so nice to see you back, Susan! I still remember your daily self photos! Your art inspires me to pick up my canvases and brushes!
Ruth Packard recently posted..On the Street Where We Live
It warms my heart to hear that I’ve inspired you, Ruth. Now go paint!
Your posts always bring a smile to my face, sorry I missed the giveaway but maybe next time I could plead, pretty pleeeeze! And thanks for linking up with my post as well!
Sue recently posted..Comment on What’s on your easel? by PR Brady
Hey Sue, happy to see you here! Sorry you missed the giveaway but maybe that’s incentive for checking out the blog more often 🙂