Just an Update

I have been busy preparing for a trip to Frankfurt, Germany and to Prague, Czech Republic! Haven't had a lot of painting time, but I am currently working on another small 5"x5" painting for my kitchen. It is going well so hopefully I will finish and get it posted before I go. This is a spur of the moment trip for me and all that is stopping me at this point is I have no passport. Last report from the US passport people (everyone of them I have talked to has been very nice and helpful)--It is almost done, you may have it tomorrow morning, but no guarantees.

During my trip sadly I won't get to use my oil paints (I love how they smell!) So during the trip I will do lots of sketching and take lots of reference pictures for future paintings. I am debating on whether or not I take my watercolors. I am horrible at watercolor (it has a mind of it's own) so either it will be a time to practise it or be terribly frustrated by it. I will post any good sketches I make in the mean time.

www.susanmortensen.com

I have a new website! It is still in the process of being refined, and it is a bit early to start one considering my level of expertise, but it makes me feel more like an artist. I also feel a bit of pressure to put more on it and that will take more painting. So the pressure is on.(I should paint a pressure cooker--I wonder if I could borrow one from someone?)

Anyway, I know I write with run on sentences and lots of parenthesis and I was trying to refine my writing and make it more refined but that takes too much time (that I need for painting!) I hope that you will read anyway and check out my website susanmortensen.com and leave a message!

Leave a message here too!

My Two Latest Paintings

These two paintings have been done after my trip to Art Boot Camp.

For the peaches I was trying to use more greys because I tend to go for higher chroma colors which then looks a bit garish. I think that I went too far into the grey area and lost the nice color of the peaches. I also have not tried to paint glass before--it looked too hard-- but this is something else I learned about at Boot Camp and it was a lot easier than I thought.

I am really pleased with the heirloom tomatoes. Painting the stripes and yet making it look like a smooth round surface was challenging. It is interesting to see how my perception of color is changing. I tried very carefully to choose my colors before beginning painting and then realizing after getting the basic colors roughed in that the color was off. It took a lot of adjustments to finally figure it out. I think it would have been easier without the stripes

Pomegranite

Pomegranite--I hope I spelled that right. I thought that this one turned out well. This is another one done earlier this year. I am beginning to see some progress in my work. I am trying to get caught up so I can post the latest one that I really am pleased with! So stay tuned--they get better.

Lemons and Orange

Thought I would add another painting to try to catch up. I did this a few months ago. I was trying to do a bit more with the composition than just one fruit in the center of the canvas.

Eggs in carton

I haven't added any pictures for a while. Here is one I did earlier in the year. It was a challenge because I had to get the values down in this almost monochromatic painting. I am pleased with how it turned out. Like the others it is 5"x5" I am liking this size because I can get them done. Not to say that I am quick at them. They do take me a bit of time, but I am getting a little faster! (Art Boot Camp gets the credit for that)

Art Boot Camp

I have been so busy lately that I have completely forgotten about this blog.

In June my daughter got married and we are very happy about that! In July I went to Art Boot Camp !!! (not even 7am and I have learned something--how to do a link, I am so computer illiterate) Boot Camp was great, I learned so much that I plan to take the Portrait and Tech classes as well. Now I just have to work harder at getting to the easel and just paint something, . . . anything. I do have a few studies that I will have to post. I have bought a Photoshop program that I need to learn how to use so I can edit photos for posting. So much to do, so little time.