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Firsts in My Career

3/14/2023 10:33:08 AM | By Susan Blackwood OPA AIS AWS NWS MWS | 3 Comments

Firsts in My Career

These two paintings are two of my very first oils. They were painted back in the summer of 2003. It was my 17th year as a successful award winning watercolorist. I was passionate about my love of watercolors and still feel and paint that passion today.

It was also, the 5th year of our marriage. For more than 5 years, as I was creating watercolors, my husband, Howard ( Friedland) was creating his oil paintings. His magic brushes pushed and stroked the thick paint, letting them slide the oils over canvas. (I love his oil paintings.) His brush strokes and colors were so different than watercolors.

Curiosity got the best of me…

What if I picked up those stiff heavy bristle brushes with the huge long handles…

Could I paint vertical?

What would my brush strokes look like?

What would my paintings look like in oils?

Who would I be as an oil painter?

So, I made a decision… For one year, I would lay down my beloved watercolor brushes and only paint oils. If I decided to enter a show in that year…. it had to be with one of my oils.

Thus, I entered the dark and mysterious world of thick gooey brush strokes and ridges in the paint.

Pots of Pretties 14 x 18 oil By Susan Blackwood OPA AIS

It was the spring of 2003 I bought the little pansies in a “six Pack” at the local nursery. Eager to start painting the little pansies and fearful they would wilt, I did not even plant them in the pot. Instead, I gently set the “six pack” (container and all) into the pot, set up some low exciting lighting, grabbed my brushes and the oil paint started flying. This painting was accepted into the CM Russell Museum Show that year and sold. It was my first oil painting in a national show. I was hooked on oils.

Planted First 16 x 18 oil by Susan Blackwood OPA AIS

Howard and I were at the florist looking for cut flowers to paint when this little begonia plant looked up at me. It was love at first sight. First I planted her into this big pot…. Then she had to be painted!

Now I will remember her always.

20 years later and…I have continued to win many awards for my paintings, both in watercolors and in oils. Like having two very different children, I love them both and continue to paint and teach both mediums, watercolors and oils.

Let’s discover the magic in Your brushes.

Come Paint with Howard and me in June in Tuscany, Italy…. in the beautiful rolling Chianti Hills, rich with quaint villages, vineyards and yes, of course, flowers. We will be teaching you the love and passion of painting and sketching plein air. It is a trip of a lifetime!

Susan

www.susanblackwood.com

Blog about our Move

12/16/2018 7:19:12 PM | By Susan Blackwood OPA AIS | Comment on this

What’s up? !!!

December 16, 2018 - Week 8

So much has happened in the past 8 weeks! It is all happening fast and we want to keep you in the loop.

So, I thought I would do a blog about our moving to Arkansas…what???

Maybe you didn’t hear, yet. Howard and I are packing up our easels ( and a lot of other stuff ) and moving to a new location.

Guess the first thing I need to tell you, please don't worry, this is an excellent decision, made with lots of deep thought and we are thrilled.

I moved to Bozeman ( my nirvana ) in 1992. One of the reasons I came to Bozeman was to ski, cross country ski and ice skate. That was close to 30 years ago. Howard and I are no longer doing the winter sports ( slipping on ice and shoveling snow don’t count ) and we are wanting to paint more on location year round.

Time to relocate.

Because we have traveled all over the country teaching workshops in wonderful places, we had lots to think about, compare and explore. In the end, charming Bella Vista (means Beautiful View), nestled in the gorgeous Ozark’s in the northwest corner of Arkansas has won our hearts. Think lots of trees, waterfalls, lakes, creeks, 50-100 miles of hiking and biking trails, good international airport, etc. Like Bozeman, the area is very excited about the fine arts and even has the world famous

Crystal Bridges Art Museum

Plus they are now building a 3 billion dollar art museum for their Collection of Living Artists.

Bella Vista has 4 seasons, 221 days of sunshine, milder climate AND only 11 inches of snow per year.

Looking down our check list, it has exactly what we are looking for now.

Check

Check it out…. Click here to read all about Bella Vista.

We made this decision in mid-October…. and have been doing the 3 P’s ever since…

Purging, Packing and Planning.

So far we have filled up one large storage unit and rented a second one today.

….Boxes packed yesterday….

Is this stressful… is the world round?

Oh my gosh! YES, it is very stressful! but one day, one box, one room at a time and it is slowing happening.

Do our backs hurt, well, yes, they do.

All worth it. All really worth it. Do we have wonderful friends that are cheering us on! Yes, we do!

Are we very sad to be leaving this wonderful area, Absolutely!

And what about leaving our friends…

well, that is one hurt that will never be healed by a new location.

We will miss everyone so very much.

Thankfully we have the internet, FaceTime, cell phones and all the other wonderful ways of communicating and staying connected.

Our future plans include:

Coming back to Bozeman in the summer and teaching a workshop….

More painting workshops to Europe ( think about joining us!)

Our online classes and private critiques will continue at Jade Street Art Academy online.

By the way....Beginning watercolors is now 50% off

Click here for the special price offer

Interested in other classes?

Click here to see all the classes that we offer online

Our plans also include future

live classes

on the internet for anyone, anywhere.

And of course we have our teaching DVD’s that are always available at

Bella Muse Productions

- by the way, there is a 30% discount right now

Use code

Holiday2018

at checkout and save 30%

Click here to save 30% on our DVD's

So that brings me to our paintings.

Our available paintings that are in our studio right now are

on sale for 50% off

Why? Because we would love for you to have them.

Click here to find out about our available paintings in our studio!

Now is the time to add one of our paintings to your collection!

It would also make a terrific present that will last for generations.

Our Bozeman house and gorgeous studio

is now posted For Sale on Zillow

Click here to view our home and studio on Zillow.com

We will be listing it shortly it with our realtor Dan Reddick. If you know of anyone wanting lots of wonderful space for a studio or what ever…. let them know. This kind of house, with this kind of space, in this incredible location, in amazing Bozeman is very very hard to find.

As for a house for us in Bella Vista, after visiting the area, looking at houses there and then over 100 houses on zillow.com ….we are getting close… about to put an offer on one … let’s see what happens. I will let you know.

Oh, and a huge thank you for your prayers and thoughts, we appreciate them so much.

So, stay tuned for the blog update!

Big Hugs, Lots of Love and Happy Brush Strokes,

Susan and Howard

Come Experience Croatia with Your Brushes

1/21/2018 6:50:27 PM | By Susan Blackwood OPA AIS | Comment on this

Wait,

have you ever vacationed with your brushes and a group of equally excited painters? Well, since 1993, Howard and I have been taking artists all over the world painting and studying the fine art of capturing memories in oil, watercolors, and sketches. Each trip has been life changing for the artists!

Join us for this Painting Holiday Workshop!

If you tired of painting the same old, same old subject matter, this workshop is geared to shake up your creative inspiration. Painting in this beautiful new environment, with new food and new light, stirs up your senses and stimulates you in ways you have never explored before. Let's make your brushes happy!

Put on your seat belt and click on this link!

http://p0.vresp.com/VC01ky

September 18 - 27, 2018

Call us if you have any questions! Don't miss this experience!

Susan and Howard

Have Easel Will Travel!

6/26/2017 6:07:05 PM | By Susan Blackwood OPA AIS | 2 Comments

I am still thinking about painting when traveling.

In my last Blog

“Don’t Forget Your Paints”

I wrote about how to bring your paints with you when you travel. Keep it as simple as possible.

However, some of you may want to expand.

The following photo shows and describes the basic supplies, plus a folding stool, hat, and paper towels.

It is still a very basic simple system and extremely portable.

A. Foldable stool (optional) if you prefer to sit when you paint-
B. Mini pocket watercolor set with cakes (not tubes) for quick color or ink sketches on days that you aren't painting.
C. 1 Pigma permanent fade proof black ink pen #03 fine point- (see close-up photo below)
C. Mechanical pencil - with extra lead .05 – cheap – can be bought at the grocery store and a large eraser! (see close-up photo below)
C. 1 Black Prismacolor PM-98 Pen (Broad tip on one end, fine tip on the other end) (see close-up photo below)
C. 1 Cool Gray 50% Prismacolor PM-112 Pen (Broad tip on one end, fine tip on the other end) (see close-up photo below)
D. Watercolor postcards (Strathmore or Canson)
E. Sketchbook / journal book - small and light to carry in purse or day bag...etc. Use this everyday for journaling your sketches and your thoughts.
F. Paper Towels
G. Eight plastic grocery bags with handles to hang on your easel- for dirty paper towels
H. Hat with a wide brim
I. camera or cell phone for photos
(not shown in photo) sun screen
(not shown in photo) artist’s white tape
(not shown in photo) small container for rinsing watercolor brushes
Small bottle to carry water to painting site, for rinsing brushes

Close-up Details of pens and pencil (seen above) for all artists:

However….

Now you have decided you want to travel, paint watercolors

AND

you want to use an easel to support your painting and paints.

You know that means more “Stuff” to pack, right?

Yep, so how do you keep it

simple,

lightweight

and

take up as little space as possible????

No Problem!

I have the perfect solution for you!

The Valpod Artists Easel

I have used it for years and it still is my favorite for when I travel with watercolors and want to use an easel to support my paint and my paper.

Yes, there are lots of systems out there, but when I want a lightweight system that takes up very little space. This is the traveling easel that I use and love.

Here is the web site.

http://www.artisteasel.com

I agree, it is not a fancy web site, bare bones actually.

But what counts is the system.

It is terrific!

Norm Kramer (bless his heart) designed this system years ago

to fit the needs of watercolorists that want to go outside to paint

and sometimes hike and/or travel to get there.

Thank you Norm.

This system also works great for painting n the studio or in the classroom or at a workshop.

Through the years, my Valpod and I have become good friends. I like to take it where ever I go.

Like old friends, we have adjusted to each other.

Now, when I take my Valpod out for an adventrue on a trip or a hike,

using Norm’s suggestions, I have simplified the system even further.

Here is how I adapted my Valpod to fit my needs as a traveling watercolorist!

Note: the easel is the Valpod Artists Easel

The following photos will explain the above equipment

You are probably wanting to see all the supplies together that have been mentioned so far…..Adding the minimum required supplies to the Expanded watercolor supplies, this is what all of those supplies would look like. It all easily fits into a rolling backpack with room to spare for a jacket, your bottle of drinking water and your lunch.