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| Kristi / oil on toned board / 9x12 |
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| Kristi / oil on toned board / 12x9 |
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| Kristi / oil on cardboard / 10 x 8 |
A family emergency that necessitated a long trip to Florida has kept me from painting for the last several weeks. Just prior to that trip, I received some very good news from Jason at the Reinert Fine Art Gallery in South Carolina - both of my large paintings sold within a week of their arrival at the gallery! That was some very exciting news! Here are the two SOLD pieces:
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| A Haze of Possibilities / 16x20 |
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| Galloping With the Light / 18x24 |
The quick sales got me all fired up to finish the new steeplechasing painting that I had on my easel at that moment - about 50% done. But before I could even pick up a paint brush, I had to drop everything and leave town. Getting back a few days ago, I found I just could not recapture the prior excitement that I had about the partly done piece and ended up ruining it in grand fashion! Sadly, it was unceremoniously consigned to the trash heap. Normally I would be kind of upset about something like that happening but I made up my mind to just begin again. Hopefully this time I can carry it through to completion.
Yesterday morning was life painting at the Reno Portrait Society - the first time I have been able to attend in weeks and weeks. As our model for the day, we were fortunate to have Kristi, who agreed to pose in the nude. She is so professional, researches her poses before arriving, needs very little direction and gives us a quite a challenge. She provided us with three different poses - each about 40 minutes - and the above three efforts are my results.
Over the next few days I intend to visit my favorite blogs and make my presence known once again - it feels like I have been away for such a long time and I have a lot of catching up to do!
Susan, I am so happy for you about the sales! Good for you! I hope all was resolved in Florida. Your "life" works are superb. I especially like the profile pose - such warm, beautiful and definitive colors.
ReplyDeleteKathryn
Thanks, Kathryn. I am now trying to get back in the groove after such a long hiatus. I am finding out that it's not quite like riding a bicycle!
DeleteCongratulations on the sales! That's awesome news! I can empathize with your frustration too... there is nothing worse than investing time into a canvas only for it to be a scraper - I think my latest on the go might me heading for the same fate... I'm hoping I can rescue it! But all unsuccessful pieces arm us with new knowledge, so I suppose we have to focus on that don't we? :0)
ReplyDeleteI do hope you rescue yours, Sandra. There is a moment in time when I recognize that no amount of fighting with the painting is going to rescue it - that is when I give in and give up. Usually I am glad I did as my paintings tend to loose spontaneity when I struggle with them for a long time.
DeleteWonderful life paintings. I find I like studying the colors you use for skin tones--the hot tones and the cool purples. Congratulations on your sales!! I'm not surprised!
ReplyDeleteThere is something so renewing and refreshing about painting from life. Kristi has agreed to pose for us about every six weeks and I am looking forward to that. Thank you for the congratulations - interestingly, the sold pieces both just seemed to flow effortlessly off my brush. How I wish that would happen all the time!
DeleteFirst of all Susan, congratulations on your sales, and all your paintings are fantastic. All the best Susan.
ReplyDeleteVic.
Many thanks for your kind words, Vic. I am looking forward to visiting your blog soon to catch up!
DeleteHello My Dear Art Buddy Susan!
ReplyDeleteSorry I haven't been posting comments as of late! Still mending my stupid shoulder and not making much art lately!
Congratulations on your sales! Both to you and the clients!!!
Of course I love all you work! You use color,movement, excitement, skill and so much more so very well!
(Hope to be back painting more and posting!)
Your Happy To Be A Susan Smolensky Art Lover Buddy!
On The Mend Michael
Oh, my dear Michael - how terrible that your shoulder is still bothering you after all this time. I am sending you good vibrations for complete healing so your can get back to your easel. I miss your vibrant works as they always make me happy. Thanks for your well wishes and encouragement, Michael.
DeleteCongratulations on your sales, Susan! I love the profile painting of Kristi especially!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Judy - I am thrilled about the quick sales! I like that profile piece as well. The model has great skin color and a very stately nose. I was dismayed that her hair completely obliterated my view of her eye but decided to just go with the flow!
DeleteCongratulations Susan on your sales and these life paintings are amazing..
ReplyDeleteI love the second pose....beautiful!!!
That was a difficult one to capture - but I always love a challenge! Thank you for the congrats!
DeleteAll three are great but I love the middle one the best. I guess it gets an emotional response from me.
ReplyDeleteGreat news about the sales. Congrats my dear...well deserved. Even if they did flow effortlessly off the brush! Now that part makes me jealous! Mine are all work!
Bonjour ma chère Susan,
ReplyDeleteJe suis désolée d'apprendre que des soucis familiaux aient perturbé ta vie. Il n'est jamais agréable de vivre ces moments-là. J'espère que tu reprends, comme on dit chez moi, du poils de la bête !
Je comprends aussi ton ressenti concernant ta toile en cours. Tu ne retrouvais plus tes marques. Je pense que tu as très bien fait de recommencer. Je suis certaine que tu te sens mieux avec la nouvelle à présent.
Toutes mes sincères félicitations pour la vente de tes deux sublimes oeuvres. Je comprends aisément qu'elles aient très rapidement trouvé des familles. Elles sont si merveilleuses...
J'aime beaucoup le travail que tu as produit en peignant ce joli modèle. Kristi doit avoir un bon sens de l'esthétique.
Les trois me plaisent beaucoup... Des peintures pétillantes. Je suis admirative.
Je te souhaite un excellent weekend.
Gros bisous ☼
Bonjour ma chère Susan,
ReplyDeleteJe suis désolée d'apprendre que des soucis familiaux aient perturbé ta vie. Il n'est jamais agréable de vivre ces moments-là. J'espère que tu reprends, comme on dit chez moi, du poils de la bête !
Je comprends aussi ton ressenti concernant ta toile en cours. Tu ne retrouvais plus tes marques. Je pense que tu as très bien fait de recommencer. Je suis certaine que tu te sens mieux avec la nouvelle à présent.
Toutes mes sincères félicitations pour la vente de tes deux sublimes oeuvres. Je comprends aisément qu'elles aient très rapidement trouvé des familles. Elles sont si merveilleuses...
J'aime beaucoup le travail que tu as produit en peignant ce joli modèle. Kristi doit avoir un bon sens de l'esthétique.
Les trois me plaisent beaucoup... Des peintures pétillantes. Je suis admirative.
Je te souhaite un excellent weekend.
Gros bisous ☼
Hallo Susan, men zegt hier : na regen komt zonneschijn!
ReplyDeleteHet zijn mooie werken, proficiat,
groetjes van Simonne
I'm totally with you on the catching up with blogs ... life keeps getting in the way.
ReplyDeleteThe images above are brilliant ...I like the middle one of the model best.
So pleased about your sales, but I also read what you said to Linda about having to paint for others rather than yourself. It was that,and the deadlines that came with it, that forced me to 'retire' from it in 1987, and work for myself again