Fearless

I spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Dog Beach here in San Diego and took 98 photos! Rushing home, I used 5 reference photos to paint this alla prima study. 12x16 oil on canvas panel. The fearless  little dog who has been caught in the midst of launching a surprise attach is the Yorkshire Terrier belonging to my daughter and son in law and she is fearless!

Steeplechase Once Again

And a final few tweaks added today (Tuesday March 8th) and I am calling this one done.

18x24 oil on canvas board. The top photo is the final picture and next are two close ups. 

The series of photos above show the process of this painting from the original oil sketch with  a few strokes of color through to the final piece and two close up shots to show detail. The canas was toned with burnt umber plus thalo green and the original oil sketch was done in burnt sienna with some burnt umber for the darkest darks. In the second shot, I am massing in broad areas of color using thin paint and paying close attention to areas of shadow and light. I love how the horse is leaping into the shadow. The third shot shows the background added and the 4th is the final picture. All comments are greatly welcomed and appreciated.

Bathing Beauties

I had a good time painting this little a la prima study. I am not sure of the crop or the composition, but it makes me happy. Its 12x 16 oil on canvas panel.

Ponies in the Snow

Ponies in the Snow - oil on canvas 12x16

Trying to loosen up today with big thick juicy paint and bold color.

Memories of a Childhood Winter - Going Sledding

A small oil on canvas - 11x14 titled Going Sledding. This painting is no longer available for purchase.

Reno and the Sierra Nevada's

I just got back from a short stay in Reno, NV. I was suprised at how little snow was capping the Sierra Nevada's for February. Apparently there has been very little snow for the past 5 weeks. I think the mountains had at least this same amount of snow when I visited there last June. I took a few photos from the airplane window and they turned out well even though the flight was very turbulent and at times, heart stopping. I thought they would be blurry and out of focus but was nicely surprised. I kept thinking about how many dinosaur bones must lie undiscovered under these massive mountains. From the air I could almost see the way the Ice Age glaciers sculpted the earth.  What a beautiful, breathtaking and fascinating planet we are privileged to inhabit.

Flat Out

Only had time for a quick small study before heading out to Reno for a few days of cold crisp air and snow capped Sierra mountain beauty. This little one is 8x8 and I call it Flat Out.

The Aiken Horse

The February/March issue of The Aiken Horse magazine was published today with this ad on page 36! If you follow the link, you can flip through the pages - an amazing magazine! I am so happy to have my steeplechase painting featured in this ad. This painting is 16x20 and is one of the pieces on display this month at the Willcox Inn courtesy of The Chisholm Gallery.

Portrait Study Alla Prima

A few refinements and the final portrait

A quick alla prima portrait study 12x12

Aiken Standard Article February 4, 2011

The walls of The Willcox are beaming with equestrian pride this month, as the Chisholm Gallery,
a leading international dealer of sporting art, has brought an exhibition of more than 20 artists from
all over the world. Paintings, drawings, sculptures, needlepoint collections, vintage photographs, pearls, botanical water colors, lithographs, caricatures and more are on display and sale throughout the hotel for the rest of the month. Chisholm Gallery owner Jeanne Chisholm said, in her business, she strives for a
mix of fine art from new and established artists in a variety of media and subject matter. One of Chisholm’s favorite exhibits in the gallery is that of Susan Smolensky, an artist who depicts Steeplechase horses and scenes. “She has captured a dynamism that nobody else has,” said Chisholm of Smolensky. “The elevation, the angle at which she depicts the steeplechase horses jumping – she really makes you feel like you’re right there with her, right there in the moment of the jump or landing.” Many thanks to Ashleey Williamson, Aiken Standard writer.

Quantum Poetry Finished and Close Ups

Put the finishing flourishes on this picture today and I am happy. It took me a while to realize where I wanted to go but once I made up my mind, it all came together. I am especially pleased with the  jockey and his bold brushwork. I like how he seems to be disssolving into the atmosphere as he strains to keep his seat aboard  this soaring black beauty.You may be able to see that on the close up photos.  And an update on the Willcox Inn exhibit - the crated paintings arrived safe and sound 3 days early! I never heard of that happening before - lol! Did I tell you that I have had a case of severe separation anxiety since shipping them? I wonder if other painters feel that way - but I almost called up the shipper to tell him to ship them back to me. I was able to restrain myself but I do miss them terribly.

Chaos Theory Two

18x24 oil on canvas panel

I love painting horse anatomy and this composition certainly presented a challenge!

Marketing Cards and Sheepish Feelings

I wonder if any artist in the world loves their gallery like I love mine! Jeanne Chisholm of Chisholm Gallery is a marketing goddess and ever since I met her last October she has presented my paintings to the world so enthusiastically and in such high style. I am so grateful to her for her energy and unflagging efforts. This is the marketing card she has developed for the Aiken Willcox Inn exhibit. I love it! I adore it! I think it is absolutley perfect. But I must say I feel ever so slightly sheepish. Upon seeing this I suddenly realized I am the featured  painter in this exhibit - I had no idea! In any case, I am extremely thrilled and  can only say that I was so focused in getting ready for this show - framing and shipping and getting a decent portfolio pulled together - that I must not have been paying quite enough attention. Anyway, there is also a sculptor in the exhibit, Patsy Davis,  and you can find her lovely whimsical bronze sculptures on the Chisholm Gallery site as well.  I hope some of my readers and blog followers who live close by will get a chance to visit the Willcox Inn during this exhibit. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Look Out Aiken, South Carolina - Here I Come!

Quantum Poetry 24x36 oil on stretched canvas

I spent this past weekend framing and printing out marketing materials for the exhibition hosted by the Chisholm Gallery next month at the Willcox Inn. Its a GORGEOUS place and has a pretty interesting early American history. Apparently notables like  Winston Churchill, Harold Vanderbilt, Elizabeth Arden and Count Bernadotte of Sweden have all stayed there at one time or another - how fun is that! I am so thrilled to have my steeplechase series hanging out there for a while! Tomorrow I will take a grand total of 11 paintings to be crated and shipped off. This has been a real learning experience for me and I am super excited about it.
In between all this hectic preparation, I had a little time to paint and what I did was take a painting I thought I had finished a couple of weeks ago and repaint the entire thing! I dont think I have ever done that before.  I liked some things about the painting but the color was not working for me - which was odd because I loved it at first. I changed pretty much everything about it and like it much better now - it feels right. I still have a few final highlights before I will call it done but its 99% there now.

Finished, Neutrinos and all!

                        

  

Put on the finishing flourishes and touches and I am happy! I loved painting on the linen as it gives so much texture to the brushstrokes - I could get used to using linen and think I should make it a habit.  Have posted a couple of close ups as well.  I still dont have a title for this painting but I think its the closest I have come yet to my goal of engaging the viewer in a reality that is beyond perceptual appearances and expectations. I will keep on trying and it is facts like these that spur me on:  "Neutrinos are the most abundant particles in the Universe and our Sun produces over two hundred trillion trillion trillion neutrinos every second, sixty-five billion of which speed through every square centimeter on the Earth's surface. They pass through the Earth. and us, without disturbing a single atom."
I must say I find this to be extremely fascinating and hope to give my viewers the feeling that there is more going on than meets the eye - no matter what subject I am painting! In any case, I hope you enjoy this picture as it is one of my favorites to date!

Work in Progress

I spent today working on this 24x18 piece. I think its about 80% done now - needs refinement here and there. I really like the composition, the subject (unusual as it is) and the hint of the jockey rolling free. I will post the next update when its done. I call it Chaos Theory! All comments are appreciated!

Steeplechase Series

 This is a 36x24 oil on oil primed linen panel. What a luxury it is to paint on oil primed linen. I love the way the texture of the linen grabs the paint off the brush. The Chisholm Gallery is working on a show for me in February at the Willcox Hotel in Aiken, South Carolina. Its a gorgeous place and I think my steeplechase work would be well displayed there. I hope all the arrangements can be worked out. If it happens, I will be looking for a company to crate and ship the framed pieces - what fun! Here is a link so you can see this glorious place: The Willcox Hotel.  I am very excited about this unique opportunity. Apparently steeplechase season is coming in South Carolina!

Self Portrait and a Lovely Day

A 12x12 oil on canvas board self portrait done rather quickly alla prima this afternoon.

This morning I took my 8 paintings all dressed up in their fine frames over to the San Deigo Hospice Gallery 4311. I must say I am very impressed by the organization of the drop off. There was a team of white gloved volunteers who met the artists at their cars. They carried in the paintings and handled each one as if it was a Picasso or a Matisse or a Van Gogh!  I feel totally confident that my paintings are receiving the best of care. The reception is a week from tomorrow and the show runs through  March 4th.  After the drop off, I drove to the Blick Art Store downtown and treated myself to some new brushes and a disposable palette called Grey Matters by Jack Richeson. The paper is a medium grey tone and advertised as just right for mixing color of the correct value. I am excited to try it. Afterwards I had capuccino and a toasted bagel in an outdoor cafe with my daughter and her husband. What a wonderful day!

Gallery 4311 Show

This week I am busy framing 8 paintings for the San Diego Hospice Gallery 4311 Show that runs from January 9th through March 4th. It is a juried show and this is the second year that I will be participating. The facility is a beautiful place with plenty of parking. Last time the artist reception was very well done with live music, a very festive atmosphere and wonderful food and wine. I hope you can all make it! The best part of participating in this particular show is that a percentage of each sale goes directly to San Diego Hospice - a most wonderful and caring institution.

These two burro pieces will be included in the show. They were both painted of wild burros that were auctioned off here in San Diego at the BLM Auction last July. It was a hot, day with hard brilliant sun and strong shadows. The people from the BLM told me the burros were rounded up from Gala, Arizona. They were beautiful and a little shy but warmed up to me when I fed them slices of apples. I think they wanted to come home with me as much as I wanted them to!

Please come to the show and see all eight paintings and the art work of 12 other very accomplished artists. The reception is Sunday, January 16th from 2 to 4 pm.

Sketching

I only had time today for some sketching  - a very quick ball point pen sketch of Emily Carr, Canadian artist, and a quick soft pencil sketch of George Bernard Shaw. I used old newprint paper that already had other pencil drawings and scribbles on it - you can see some of the those lines. The pen sketch was a warm up of about 10 minutes then I switched over to pencil. My frustration with the George Bernard Shaw sketch is that I could not find an eraser which I would have used to soften some edges and put in some highlights. I searched my entire studio and could not find an eraser! Imagine that!