Working on a painting series – part 1

I have been working on a series for a special exhibit that will take place in November. I need to paint 12 profile canvases sized 10 X 10.

Instead of painting different subjects, I decided to paint all of them of the same subject and with the same primary colors, in effect creating a series.

I am painting contemporary forests. I started a larger series of these in January and I am still fascinated by the effects and the look of each different painting. Starting with a loose background of warm colors, I play with the paint until I am satisfied with the result. I let this dry and put the canvas aside until I start to see things surfacing.

In some cases, it is almost right away, sometimes, it takes weeks and the canvas sits waiting.

This is good for a medium to large canvas, but I have found working on smaller canvases to be a challenge. The surface is too small for the paint to move the way I like it, it reached the edges too rapidly and the subtlety in color and value is often lost and needs to be rebuilt.

Over the next few weeks, I will present the first six completed paintings of the series. I must say in tackling numbers 7 to 12, I find myself getting bored with the subject and already running out of design ideas.

To start the first six paintings, I observed the designs of some larger paintings I created over the last months and looked at how I could improve on these concepts.

So this is the first painting that was completed:

Veille dorée II / Golden Watch 2
©2017 Suzanne Bélair
Acrylic and Inks on canvas 10 X 10 in

Over the next few weeks I will post the other paintings along with my thoughts about painting a series.

 

Site web Suzanne Bélair

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Invitation to Art by the Lake Event

This is an invitation to come and admire the works of close to 40 professional artists, members of the Lakeshore Association of Artists, on the shore of Lake St-Louis during the week-end of September 9^th and 10^th, 2016 during the “Art by the lake” event.

I will be happy to welcome you on the beautiful site that is Stewart Hall, where I will be exhibiting some new 2016 works as well as other favourites. My site # 31 is located on the higher part of the grounds, near the front parking area.

 

A portion of sales will go to On Rock Community Services and Food Bank.

 

The show still goes on even if it rains. The exhibit will then take place inside instead of outside.

 

Please forward this invitation to your family and friends.

 

I hope to see you there!

 

Suzanne

 

 

Site web Suzanne Bélair

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In production mode

Well that’s it, summer is nearing its end and for us here is Montreal, Qc, we are still waiting for it to arrive. June and July were atypically rainy and cold, August being out best month so far and the leaves are already turning in certain areas.

 

The last few months have been really busy with family gatherings, friends, entertaining and a short beach vacation. We also went through major renovations outside and landscaping work.

Art wise, I kept on painting but at a much reduced pace. I participated in the Estiv’Arts Symposium in Magog during the weekend of August 5^th and 6^th, a nice experience even if Saturday was hit by a violent storm halfway through the day which pretty much ruined it for us outdoor artists, but Sunday was glorious. Here are a few pictures from that week-end.

 

 

Anyhow, for the last couple weeks, I have been working on a series of small formats 10 X 10 inches for a special exhibit coming up in November (more on that later). Pictures are needed early on for publicity. I have been exploring these semi-abstract contemporary forests in acrylic for a while now and don’t tire of it. Here is a photo of the first 6 of the series in progress.

 

I enjoy working with this limited pallet, strictly primary colours plus white and black or brown. I make a wonderful rich black with Ultramarine blue and Vandyke brown, but also use Oxide black on occasion. Most of the trees are worked with various palette knives.

 

 

In approximately two weeks will be the Lakeshore Association of Artists outdoor exhibition, more on this on a later post.

For now, the focus is on painting, painting, painting, to get ready for all the exciting upcoming events.

 

 

Site web Suzanne Bélair

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I like this quotation

“Artists are mystics rather than rationalists. They leap to conclusions that logic cannot reach.” — Sol LeWitt, printmaker, photographer, painter, draftsman, conceptual art, minimalist art

via “Artists … leap to conclusions that logic cannot reach.” — Art of Quotation

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Last week at the Studio and Paintings of the week

Probably because the sun and heat have stayed away from us during the month of May, I spent last week continuing my series of forests in warm yellow and orange tones, finishing two paintings started in early April.

Soleil de mai / May sun
©2017 Suzanne Bélair
Acrylique et encre sur toile, 30 X 30 po

 

Congrégation/ Congregation
©2017 Suzanne Bélair
Acrylique sur toile 30 X 30 po

 

As many already know, I like to work on five to ten canvases at a time for several reasons. It could be that sometimes I start a canvas and inspiration deserts me or I don’t like the direction it’s taking, or, especially if I’m working with oils, I need to let the painting dry before moving ahead.

 
I put it aside and let my right brain work quietly on it while I am doing something else, undertake a new painting or work on another. It sometimes takes months before I go back to it, there are things you can’t rush and you have to feel the painting.

 

This week I also had the visit of my good friends Tony and Sandy who came for cocktails and see my space.

 

I also found out I was accepted in the Art Symposium Estiv’Art that will take place in Magog in August 2017. To find out more about this : Estiv’Art

Site web Suzanne Bélair

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Last week at the Studio

My studio is in a building where there is construction and there are two more phases to be completed before it gets quiet in the way that I appreciate.

But no matter, I put my music on and paint ignoring what is going on outside my door. The light that comes in is wonderful and a big reason why I chose this place. For the last four days, there has been a construction strike which means all was quiet around the building site.

 

This past week I concentrated on my two San Giminiano urban landscapes:

Colors and some details are slowly going in.

Travail en cours / Work in progress
©2017 Suzanne Bélair
Oil on canvas 30 X 40

 

Notice how I started to offset the warm tones with more blues and I positioned the trees and some of the greenery. Later, I will add greenery on the other side of the canvas too on some of the terraces and balconies.

The trees are a mix of Ultramarine blue and Cadmium Yellow pale. I don’t buy greens anymore. I always mix a blue and a yellow from my painting’s palette to create the greens.

 

I started painting some of the window’s shutters with a mix of Cerulean blue and Naples yellow.

Limiting the colors will keep harmony in the painting. Notice how the lower corner has been dulled to take the eye away from this area even if it is in the foreground. The deep orange that was painted underneath as a background color keeps the building warm.

 

Travail en cours / Work in progress
©2017 Suzanne Bélair
Oil on canvas 30 X 40

 

For this one, my challenge as I was building the background city, is to keep the colors soft and subdued but still delimit the houses so we can make out the intricacies of the constructions. Most of that area was done with a 10-0 paint brush and I’m mainly working on building architecture at this point.

It becomes a sort of meditation when you are working small details like this and it teaches you patience. At this point , it is long tedious work, like putting a puzzle together.

 

To see the beginning of there paintings and learn about this fascinating town, refer to my previous blogs:
Work in Progress
And Work in Progress (bis)

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Work in Progress (bis)

A second painting started inspired by San Gimiano, Italy- view from one of the towers. It is still untitled – to be followed

Travail en cours / Work in progress
©2017 Suzanne Bélair
Oil on canvas 30 X 40

Like the previous one, this painting is based on pictures I took from the towers surrounding San Giminiano in Italy when we visited a few years ago.

Here are a few more facts about this beautiful town. Its historic center was registered with UNESCO in 1990 on the  World heritage list. Its full name San Giminiano delle belle Torri’ is 56 km south of Florence and used to serve as an important relay point for travellers to and from Rome on the Via Francigena. Some of the towers stood more than 50 meters high.

In San Giminiano, you can find several masterpieces of Italian art, dating back to the 14^th and 15^th centuries.

The town became independent in 1199 and grew around two squares. The towers were built between the 11^th and 13^th Century. The Piazza Duomo, one of the main squares dates back to the 13^th Century. It has an intricate layout and this is where most of the public and private monuments can be found. The Piazza della Cisterna is triangular and has a central well.

It is a beautiful town, still very lively and interesting to visit. Like another one I painted a few years ago, I decided to add colors to the grey buildings to create a dynamic art piece.
 

To view the previous finished painting from 2013 “San Giminiano, revisited” go to my post: Five-Day Art Challenge on Facebook – Day 2

 

To see my other work in progress and learn more about this fascinating town, go to previous post: Work in Progress

 

Site web Suzanne Bélair

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