Posted in Abstract Art, Nature, Painting, Poetry, tagged #forestspirit, #Suzannebelair, acrylic painting, forest, forest spirit, mistakes, Painting, Poetry, rabbit on July 8, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Forest spirit
@2017 Suzanne Bélair
Acrylic and Ink on canvas
12 X 12 in
The rabbit jumps
Unnoticed
Behind the trees
It runs
Hidden from me
Disappearing in the hole
Creature of the earth
Down his tunnel he goes
Reaching his burrow
By another opening
He knows he can escape
If someone sees him
But quick he is
Running and jumping at dusk
When no one is watching
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Posted in #painting tips, Art, tagged #art tips, #arttips, #Suzannebelair, art workshop. Mixed media, Painting on May 12, 2017| 4 Comments »
I recently attended an art workshop in Montreal. I don’t attend a lot of workshops anymore, preferring to explore solo in my studio and perfecting my own techniques but every now and then, I try one.
In the case of that particular workshop, we explored image transfers, collage, multiple mediums to give special effects and mix with acrylic paints, stencilling with spray paint and resin application. It was a good blend of mixed media techniques.
I had already tried some of the techniques before, some were new to me and the atmosphere and the group were a lot of fun, the instructor knowledgeable. I am not particularly happy with my piece, especially for the fact that it would be difficult to modify anything at this point after the application of resin which I wanted to try.
My Art workshop experiment
But that’s OK because the point of attending an art workshop is to learn something new, be it a new medium, subject matter or technique. You have to go into a workshop with an open mind and should not be expecting to come out with a finished piece ready to hang on your wall. That is not the point of a workshop.
Often, workshop attendees are afraid of making mistakes, are feeling watched by the others and want to perform. They want to come out with an artwork worth keeping (after all, they paid for it) but this is not what workshops are for! Workshops are meant to take you out of your comfort zone, to let you experiment with the curiosity of a child, without expectations. It is the perfect place to watch what happens with whatever new thing you are trying. It is also the perfect place to learn from the other attendees’ experimentations and to share your discoveries.
The goal is to listen to the instructor, take notes and experiment just for the joy of it. Relax and enjoy the moment without expectations and you’ll really benefit from the workshop. Always walk in with an open mind.
Later on, if you enjoy the results, you can implement what you have learned into your own work or continue pushing what you’ve learned to the next level. A workshop is a starting point, not an end. It opens up a new door in your artistic mind.
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Posted in Abstract Art, Art, LIFE, Nature, Poetry, tagged #goldenwatch, #Suzannebelair, abstract art, acrylic painting, forest, nature’s laws, Painting, protection on March 24, 2017| 2 Comments »
Golden Watch
©2017 Suzanne Belair
Acrylic on canvas 30 X 30 in
From the corner
Golden warmth is keeping watch
Over the forest and its inhabitants
Have no fear
There is protection
For all that live within
Its boundaries
As long as you submit
To nature’s laws.
©2017 Suzanne Belair
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Posted in Abstract Art, Art, LIFE, Nature, Painting, Poetry, tagged #indomptable, #Suzannebelair, abstract art, acrylic painting, forest, Painting, reliving, resilience on March 17, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Indomptable
©2017 Suzanne Bélair
Acrylique sur toile 30 X 30 po
Man wants to subdue the forest
To his power, to his needs
Man wants to tame the forest
But the forest is fighting
Each time it resists
After each attack, it regenerates
Indomitable, secret, new
Each time it reveals itself
Despite the assaults
Every time it relives
©2017 Suzanne Belair
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Posted in Abstract Art, HAPPINESS, LIFE, Nature, Painting, tagged #foresttravels, #Suzannebelair, acrylic painting, fear, forest, mistakes, Painting, travel on March 11, 2017| 1 Comment »
Forest travels
©2017Suzanne Belair
Acrylic on canvas 30 X 30 in
Today I am sharing a new painting finished in January. Forests are one of my favourite subjects and I really enjoy painting this new series.
The traveller is moving towards the other side of the trees, towards the future. So it is in life, where we are forced to move constantly and become someone new everyday of our life.
Change is constant and our travels through life are life changing. Learning something every day, being kind to others, progressing, building, changing ourselves or something.
Painting and writing are metaphors for life. We strive to do our best, we have to confront our fear of committing to color and shapes just as in life, we often fear committing to something, we fear making decisions.
A good example is related in a book I have been reading authored by Joseph T. Hallinan, “Why we make mistakes”. The author relates a scientific study that concluded that when faced with the choice, students prefer not change an answer on a test (i.e. prefer doing nothing) rather than make a decision to change their answer even when they suspected the change might end up being the right answer. In follow-up interviews, it was revealed that it is the notion of regret that influenced the students most. They were afraid of regretting taking the wrong action and they regretted less not taking action and leaving the wrong answer.
So often, we get stuck in this way in our life, being afraid to make a decision we might regret, we prefer not to do anything which in itself is a decision but is not perceived as such by the brain.
In conclusion, be bold, dare to step over the threshold into the unknown, for this is what life is all about. Travel fearlessly through your life’s forests.
Ref: Hallinan, J.T. 2009. “Why we make mistakes”. Broadway books. New York.
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Posted in Abstract Art, HAPPINESS, LIFE, motivation, Painting, tagged #Suzannebelair, #thelightwillfindyou, acrylic painting, breath, hope, mindfulness, Painting, sadness on January 27, 2017| 4 Comments »
The light will find you
©2017 Suzanne Belair
Acrylic on canvas 30 X 30 in
Today I am sharing a new painting recently finished. It speaks of the light that is in everyone’s life and that will come out after any episode of sadness.
When you are feeling sad, discouraged, in a rut, it is better to stop and take a few moments to think about it and feel it fully, than to keep on going, making believe it is not happening. It is important not to run away from your feelings.
Here is something that I do and that makes me feel better every time.
When you get a chance during your day, stop what you are doing, sit down or lie down and feel these feelings fully. It might feel like heaviness in your chest but it could also be the panicky sensation we get when fear wants to insert itself into our life, when indeed it has. What can we do to help this? It all starts with mindfulness and acknowledging what is happening inside you.
Breathing slowly and becoming aware of the physical feelings and calming these, is essential. Here’s how I do it. I sit down and close my eyes and I imagine a beautiful space surrounding me like a lush garden or a deep blue sky. My own preference is I see myself sitting in a forest beside a tree near a small river, and I hear the water flow and it is very calm. Once the image is clear in your head, start breathing mindfully.
Breathe slowly through your nose. Breathe in your sadness, feel it in your body, around your heart, and then release it with the out breath, feel the sadness get out of your body with the breath and vanish in the forest (or whatever space you created). Continue this for a while until you truly feel the release (minimum 10 breaths).
Continue the slow mindful breathing: Others are also feeling sad, so think of them also, feel their sadness at losing a loved one or at their situation. Breathe in their sadness through your heart and breathe all this sadness out toward your beautiful image surrounding you, toward the vastness it, feel the sadness dissolve around you. Visualize your out breath carrying the sadness away from you.
While you are doing this exercise, be present to how you feel when you release the sadness in the nature surrounding you. Be present to your feeling of compassion for others and your feeling that you are not alone.
Be aware that all in temporary, life is impermanence and your sadness is also temporary. The light will find you.
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Posted in Art, exhibit, Painting, tagged #art semi-abstract, #circuitdesartsmemphremagog, #studiovisits, #symposium, acrylic, Art, circuit des arts memphremagog, Oil painting, Painting, Suzanne belair on July 24, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Tomorrow, third day of the Circuit des Arts Memphremagog !
Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to meet us and discover the artworks of area artists!
What beautiful encounters during these last two days ! Thanks to those who travel to our studios, encourage us and give us a reason to continue!!
I feel very blessed !
Suzanne
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https://enviroart.wordpress.com
