art MRKT San Francisco

Last weekend was artMRKT San Francisco, held in an old warehouse in Fort Mason.  16 years ago I lived in Fairfield, CA, a 45 minute drive from San Francisco...half way to Sacramento, so I always love returning to the Bay!
Driving into the city is always a thrill for me....maybe because I am from a small town in WY, but I love the sights of the city crossing the Bay Bridge!  What a view!  What a city!

The opening was Thursday night, and after a day of walking in San Francisco, in what I thought were comfortable shoes...but they weren't, I was looking forward to going from door to door as our taxi picked us up at the Union Square Marriott, and dropped us off at the art market.......well, he dropped us off all right, about 5 blocks from the actual building.  The wind was blowing, and it was cold, but eventually we made it to the event.

 

Shane and me at artMRKT San Francisco

 

We met up with my niece Mackenzie, and her friend Stephanie, and headed in to the fair. There was a lot of incredible art, and after we got a glass of wine, we headed for the Modernism booth.  There were many beautiful distractions along the way, and many amazing galleries from around the country represented, but we eventually made it to Modernism.  Martin Muller (Modernism's owner, and prestigious dealer) was there, along with Danielle and David.  There was a Mel Ramos hanging as you walked into the booth, with an incredible Gottfried Helnwein as the main attraction.  Then I saw my painting on a side wall....it was small, but to be hung along side the other Modernism artists was an amazing feat for me!

 

 

Martin Muller and me

 

I felt like the event was a success, so we left happy, after going through almost every gallery, and went to Lori's Diner for a late night meal.

 

The next day we went to some of my other favorite galleries on Post Street and Geary, and saw some more incredible art, by some of my favorite artists! 

 

A perfectly beautiful afternoon of clear skies, wine and cheese, and I'm sure, some of the most beautiful views of San Francisco, the city has to offer, followed.  From Alcatraz to the Golden Gate Bridge, sitting high above the city, we enjoyed the perfect setting, and talked about art.  I don't think life gets much better!

 



 

 

Back to painting!

Since returning from my father's funeral, I have started 4 paintings, and not finished one....yet.  They will be finished, but are each in various drying stages.  I have begun painting a "Circus" series, which promises to be interesting and exhilarating!  Until then here is a glimpse at a painting that is close to being finished.....no name yet.....will probably work on the hair some more...it didn't photograph too well.

My dad....

Because this blog recounts not only my life in art, but my life as a person in the world, I wanted to write about my dad; David McGonigle Lockhart, who passed away one month ago today.

My dad was a large part of who I am today, and the hardest part of losing him, is that as a daughter, I knew he always had my back, and now he is not there.  (I do believe he still has my back, but in a different way.) 

Portraits...

 

"Bohemian Rhapsodies"

 

  

"Sara"                

 

As I continue to finish paintings that have been in the works for awhile, here are two more that are close to being finished.  I still may refine the hair, especially in Sara, but overall they seem finished.  I am still considering titles for the "Art Nouveau" painting, and I still can't decide whether or not to add a black velvet choker...which she was wearing when I took the photo.  Any suggestions?

More Cakes!

I have noticed, looking through my blog, that I have posted many photos of this painting in progress, but here is the final finished painting.  I have made a few revisions, and I think I am happy with it now. 

"Reverie"

 

I have finally gotten this painting to a point where I want to post it.  I really like it! Although that doesn't mean I won't work on it some more if I feel it needs it.  (Sometimes after a painting sits for a while, I see things that I don't see immediately after I "finish" the painting.) 


To me this painting has a spiritual feel to it, I think because of the circle, and the way my model is holding her arms.  I especially love my model's face!  What a beauty!

Close up photo.

I have been working with my new camera, and editing, but think I may need to take a class...I keep thinking my focus seems a little off, so here is a closeup at Vivid setting, to see if this looks more like the actual painting...or more how I'd like it to look...lol

"Frosting"

I am still trying to finish up some paintings that I have been working on for awhile.  I paint the figure first, then the background, and then do it all over again.

Time to repaint the background, making it brighter and with thicker paint.  Then when the background dries, I will loosen the hair up a bit.  Getting closer to being finished!  Yay!!

Painting Update.

I have been posting a lot of unfinished paintings on this blog, and then I see them on other blogs in their unfinished states, and cringe a little.  Anyway, I am finally at the point of having so many unfinished paintings, that I am buckling down and working on finishing some of them.

This painting; "Gumballs with a Prize" has been blogged (by me) quite a few times, but I knew the back wasn't quite right..so I have revised it once again...and hope this is finally the finished painting.

International Artist Magazine Article

 

A few weeks ago I got an email message from International Artist Magazine that they were going to print my article "Recreating What You Find to be Beautiful".  I was a little confused, because I had written an article for the magazine two years earlier, but with a different title.

So I got out the article I had written, and realized that it probably was the same article.  I wrote the magazine, and sent them newer photos/paintings, to supplement the article .....but alas, when I found the magazine at Barnes and Noble, while in Phoenix last week, it was basically the original article I had written.  I'm not complaining, but it did take me by surprise.  I had assumed that they were not going to run the piece.

 

The article is 8 pages long, the figurative pieces seem a little orange, and they printed two paintings in progress that are almost the same.  I thought they would run one of a figurative painting in progress, or a flower painting in progress, but not two white floral paintings in progression.....

I guess the lesson learned is that the magazines will print what they want, so only sent what you really want to see in print.

In the end it is a privilege to be in the magazine, and a wonderful way for people all over the globe to see my paintings!  To see the completed pieces, go to my website www.suzysmithart.com .

 

Painting in progress continues...

I have continued to paint  on this painting, and have added and adapted an Art Nouveau design to the background.. I still hesitate posting the entire painting, although I have posted it on my facebook Suzy Smith Art page.  I still haven't resolved and completed the whole painting, but love where it is going!

Blogs...a thing of the past....already???

My son has informed me, through articles, that blogs may becoming a thing of the past, and that Tumblr and Instagram are the way to go.  Another article commented on how most bloggers now are middle aged women or young mothers......probably true.

Having said that, I still write on my blog, although not that often, and I use it almost like a journal.  I also keep a journal, but find I am writing less and less in it, (more personal stuff) and instead post on my blog.  For my Tumblr and Pinterest accounts, I use those mostly for finding ideas and fashion that I can use in my paintings.  Whereas I used to have to pull out all the images I wanted to use as a "jump off" place, (for a photo shoot) in folders of images torn from magazines, I now just go to my ipad, and pull up the beautiful visions, and multitude of ideas.  As far as Instagram goes, I am just getting started on that.

I think blogs are still a good thing, and I go to many art blogs that are amazing.  Also I noticed that on Pinterest, many of the food pictures link to food blogs, which is where you can find the recipe for the wonderful dish.  The same goes for crafts.  I find I need to buy fewer magazines.  Maybe blogs are just evolving with the culture.

"Gumballs with a Prize"

As I continue to work on the painting from the previous post, I am not ready to post it yet.  (It is looking amazing though!)
I recently posted a photo of my painting of my model with gumballs on facebook, and then realized that it was not the finished painting, so I am posting the finished painting here.  (Although I am going to do a little more work on the lower back.)
As a side note, I just read an article in the Artist's Magazine (Sept. 2012) www.artistsmagazine.com, titled: Back to the Garden. It talks about nude versus naked, and interviews Juliette Aristides, Anthony Ryder, Sharon Sprung, Costa Vavagiakis and Mary Beth McKenzie.  These artists are all exceptional figurative painters, but what interested me most was their thoughts on the "model as muse".  Because I have been painting Harmony for so long, I can totally relate to what they are saying. (This is my latest photo of the painting, and it is a little shiny on hair, upper right....will rephotograph.)

Aristides says: "The idea of a muse encapsulates a real phenomenon: meeting someone who captures your imagination. A particular model can physically complete an artist's thoughts and give clothing to an idea--it's a real collaboration and not something you can set out to make happen."

Sharon Sprung says she feels fortunate that she can work with the same model over time.  "It's woman painting woman; the model feels safe," she says.  "The picture is a portrait of me, as well as the model."

Then Costa Vavagiakis, goes even further by saying; "There's a level of detail that's developed over time. A model makes a commitment.  "It becomes symbiotic," he says.  "You (the artist) are a vessel, and she's a vessel.  There's a receiving back and forth."  He also says: "Nothing presents the human presence as much as the gaze back."

 

I agree with all those statements and feel that finding a model that you can work with, get to know, and paint over and over is one of the pleasures of painting figurative paintings.  Hopefully when you find that connection, the emotion, feeling, and beauty come through in the painting.

Painting continues...

I have "laid in" the first layer of paint on the figure, and think it is looking amazing!  The figure is very pale, which I really like.  As my work has evolved over the years, my palette has changed, and I now use much less orange, or color in my skin tones.  Also I have noticed a trend of pale skin in fashion and make up.

After I add the background, (which I have already started), the figure will probably have to be darkened, and refined, of course, but for a first layer of paint, it is looking good.  I will post pictures of the painting with the background when I am further along....

Day Two....

Yesterday I worked on the hair.  Blocking it in, and then I'll go in later and refine it...probably more than once. I have been adjusting the face color as I go along, and once again think I prefer my old camera's photo of the painting.  The new camera seems too light, and when I put it on vivid it turns too orange and green.  When I darken it, it somehow lacks definition???  (Still working it out.)

At this point, I start to consider the background.  My husband suggested wings, which would look really cool, if I could get them to look real enough.  (I just don't want it to look too Victoria Secret.)  And while I know "you" haven't seen what the whole image that I am painting will look like, yet, I am thinking of incorporating something I have never done.......but I'm not quite ready to share it.  It could be amazing!!

New Painting!

I have many paintings that need to be finished, but felt like I needed a "jump start", to get me moving forward, so I started a new painting.  My photography has gotten better, and my models have been extraordinary, so here is my newest painting in progress.  It is only a little more than one day's work.  I don't ever post nude photos of my models, but I thought this might be interesting to show a photo of my model; Harmony (head only), next to the painting in progress.

Photographing paintings....

I realize I haven't posted for awhile, but I have been so busy trying to get some paintings finished, and I am glad to say that it is coming along nicely!  If you have read this blog before you know that I love to start paintings, but that in between part, sometimes get tedious. Dealing with background etc.  My favorite thing to paint is the figure, (unless it is a still life painting, lol) so these past few weeks have been a joy, taking my first layer of quickly laid paint, and softening and smoothing it to look like creamy white skin. 

New camera

Old camera

My current muse/model, has the most beautiful fair skin, and combine that with the fact that I have learned how to take better photographs, so her skin doesn't look so orange, I think the combination has greatly improved my paintings!





New Camera


I am still getting used to my new camera, and am learning more everyday.  I cannot seem to get the same look of the actual painting in the photograph.  I have tried changing most all of the settings, so I even tried using my old camera.  I am going to post a few of the different photos of one painting, using different settings and even different cameras.

Old camera

The painting; my "muse" with another Thiebaud painting, (no title yet) is still in progress (left hand still has first layer of paint, and you can see how much more yellow it is), and I can't wait to punch up the background with another layer of thick paint!

Vacation!

It may seem like my posts have been few and far between...and they have!  After I finished "Dessert is Served", (my 6' commission), shipped it off to San Francisco, and waited for word on how my client liked it, my husband and I took a vacation to St. Croix!
It was such a wonderful trip, very secluded, gorgeous scenery, the ocean, no phone service (Verizon), with free wifi at our hotel...on the beach!
To make the trip even better, I got an email from Modernism saying that the painting had been delivered and the client was happy!  Then on the way home from St. Croix I got an email from the client saying he was pleased with the painting!  Nice!

Now, it is back to work!!

My Model/Muse...

I have not known my model for very long, but have photographed her many times, and currently have painted 7 paintings of her.  Two are finished, and 5 are in varying degrees of being finished.  There is something about her face, and modeling ability that infatuate me.
I have a feeling that I should call another model, but can't seem to do it....lol.  I do like to "exhaust" a "theme" before I move forward, so I guess I will see how the path unfolds before me......

Last week my beautiful model came over to have her picture taken with the commissioned painting I painted of her.  My husband was not there to photograph us together with the painting, but I had some plumbers working on our vents, so I enlisted one of them to come in and photograph us....I should have checked the photos before he went back to work, because they are pretty blurred.  But since they are the only ones I have, I am posting some of them.

"Cakes"

If you have been reading my blog posts you know I have been working on a large (72" x 30") painting for the past several months.  I have been hesitant to post work in progress since it is a commission, and I didn't want to spoil the "big reveal". 

Having said that I think I am ready to post the painting!  The whole process, from beginning to end has been pretty much a joy!  My client is the one who came up with the idea for the painting, and it was just such an incredible idea, that I was glad we could bring it to reality.

My client is an avid art collector, and has recently ventured into Pop and Modern art.  He is lucky enough to own a Wayne Thiebaud painting; "One and 1/2 Cakes".  After seeing my paintings that include a Wayne Thiebaud reproduction behind my nudes, he visited my gallery in San Francisco; Modernism, and purchased my painting "Cakes".

I asked him if I could see a photo of his Wayne Thiebaud, and he emailed it to me, along with the suggestion that perhaps I could paint a nude holding a tray with cakes on it, welcoming people who enter his San Francisco apartment, where his painting "One and 1/2 Cakes" is hung.  I said I thought that sounded great, and called my model, baked 2 3-layer cakes to replicate the painting's cakes, and had a photo shoot as a "jumping off" point  Since the real cakes were kind of a mess, (lol) my client suggested maybe I try painting the cakes to look like his painting.

That is what I did, and I am amazed at how it turned out, and without too much trouble....I can say now.  Because the painting is taller than I am, I had to stand on boxes and a board to paint the head, and it was difficult to get a sense of the whole painting when I was painting the lower legs, but other than that, it went rather smoothly.

In the end, I decided to keep the painting in a kind of "pinup" style, keeping the figure light, and I think it really works.  Photographing the painting has proven problematic, in that the head (hair) is photographing dark, and I haven't quite figured out how to shoot it perfectly yet. So now I have to let the painting dry, varnish it, come up with a title, and ship it to San Francisco!