Big Sur

The fire in Big Sur up in back of me here on the Central Coast is 65% contained this morning. The smoke and ash has lessened a great deal. We are so relieved. Highway 1 is opened and the news has brought a lot of people to town here in Cambria. I understand too that businesses are opening back up in Big Sur.

The condors have survived,we have a very large area that is a sanctuary for them and the young were air lifted out. The older followed their instincts and prevailed.The firemen , heroes all, beat back the fire and saved our historic structures there. So much loss in homes, wildlife and majestic pines. Thankfully no lives lost!

The Big Sur is spiritual, nature at its most pristine. It will most certainly return to it's magnificent grandeur.

A heartfelt thank you to all of the brave heroic firemen and so too the many courageous workers and volunteers.

God Bless, XO Susan

TREES "ACEO" # 28

2.5x3.5 aceo abstract painting. a/p Painted on water media paper varnished with a high gloss.22. susanjenkinsart@charter.net

TREES "ACEO" # 19

2.5"x3.5" a/c abstract aceo "trees" Painted on archival water media paper and varnished with high gloss. Another is my series of trees. Really loving these. Love the color. 22.
susanjenkinsart@charter.net

RAKU PEAR

This new pear clay raku piece is 6"x4". Hand built in white stone ware clay.Taken out of the kiln last night. I have made more pears, just love the raku finish on them. I have to decide if I want to stay with the white or try some yellow. I think the next one will be a deep yellow!!

Floral Demo

Kind of dark but this is a demo I did yesterday for some dear friends in their studio.I am in the process of working on it here, What a fun day! Lots of great snacks and coffee and a beautiful arrangement that had great meaning to our hostess. A fun day had by all ! Thankyou Ross and Hedy!

Floral aceo

2.5x3.5 aceo acrylic painting on archival water media paper. 42.

CROW aceo

2.5"x3.5" aceo a/p Painted on archival water media paper and varnished with a high gloss 42.
SOLD!! Thankyou Lynn!

Clay and Glass show ,Palo Alto

What a fabulous day! Yesterday Gayle and I went to Palo Alto to the huge Clay and glass show.

Incredible work, miles of it!! Alot of Gayles artists from her gallery were participating and that was fun. A wonderful demonstration on the wheel. Throwing off the hump which I had never seen, (Nichibei Potters)all of you potters out there know what that is!?
The most beautiful glass work and huge clay pieces, thrown and hand built and sculpture. All of it just blow away! I didn't leave with out a little something!
Gayle met up with many of her artists and I was so fortunate to be introduced to some of these extraordinary glass makers and potters.

It was a beautiful day, a bit of smoke from the fires but not too bad. Nice for the artists and a wonderful turn out. If you ever get a chance to go it should not be missed!!

Highway 1 is open to Big Sur!! We are so happy to hear that. God Bless the Fire men, real heros!

ACEO Trees #15

2.5"x3.5" acrylic on archival paper. 22.00

Raku sheep

Another view of the sheep.

Betsy's Sheep

SOLD! Well this is the hand built sheep finally done ! I rakued it at a friends house with her load of firing! We had fun and I love the way it turned out and so did Betsy!! I am still looking for a kiln and have decided on a new one! Will get that shortly. Being with out one has not been fun!

TREES "ACEO" # 16

2.5"x3.5" ACEO abstract of trees/ acyrlic on archival paper with a high gloss varnish. 22.00 Yes, another one, loving this sooooooo much!!!!
susanjenkinsart@charter.net

Seascape ACEO # 2

2.5"x3.5" a/p 42.

Seascape ACEO # 1

2.5"x3.5" a/p ACEO "Pocket Art" $42.00

Abstract Trees #6

2.5x3.5 acrylic on paper. As you can see I am having a really good time with these little abstract paintings! I have been working all day! This weekend I am going to paint something new, have to tear myself away from these abstracts, I have some little sea scapes sketched out. I have lots of ideas!! These are very fun. If you paint, try these!! Highly collectable too!! $22.00
Susanjenkinsart@charter.net

ACEO Abstract, Pink Trees

2.5x3.5 small ACEO painting on 140lb archival paper with high gloss varnish. 22.00+2.00 shipping. If you have any questions about any of these small paintings or wish to purchase ,please contact me at susanjenkinsart@charter.net SOLD!!

ACEO abstract trees #4

2.5"x3.5" small abstract painting.Acrylic on archival 140lb paper, varnished with a high gloss.
22.00 + 2.00 shipping SOLD!!!

ACEO abstract trees # 2

2.5x3.5" small abstract of trees. Painted in acrylic on archival 140 lb paper and varnished with a high gloss varnish. 22.00 + 2.00 shipping

ACEO abstract Trees #5

2.5x3.5 small abstract of trees. Painted with acrylic on 140lb archival paper and varnished with a heavy clear gloss. 22.00 + 2.00 shipping.

ACEO

Good Morning!
While I am waiting for the batterie to charge up in my camera I thought I would tell you of a movement that is afoot. I am so excited! Have you heard about ACEO's? They are very small paintings or collage, or anything in the artworks that is done in a 2.5 x3.5 format. The size of a playing card.
Originating during the Impressionist period they were called ATC's, art trading cards. Traded and collected by artists who wanted to have a sample of another artists work. Also called "pocket art."
ACEO's are "art cards editions and originals". These small cards are now being done by artists and traded and sold. The price varies depending on subjects and time involved.
I am enthralled! Loving abstracts as I do I painted several of these small pieces and am going to offer them for sale. I will be painting all kinds of subjects, some more detailed than others and priced accordingly.
I will be adding them to the blog later today and adding them to my FAA site too. I hope you like them, it is a fun and affordable way to collect art!

XO Susan

PEARS

6x6 oil on board. I always think pears are beautiful in still life. The golden yellows and reds and oranges. I have set them against a soft grey background. I love the cool of the grey with the warm color of the pears! 125.

View From The Villa

18x24oil on canvas

I'm Back!

Hello!

I hope you all had a great fourth! My family was here, my grand daughter Elizabeth and great grand daughter, Tilly! What fun we had. Of course all the family here to see them too. Fire works at Shammel Park with fog but it worked. Beautiful!

I am back to work this morning. Finishing up another painting for the work shop in Washington.Bev will be putting them on soon. Please go to http://www.bevelar.com/ and you can see the paintings when they are up and also all of the other workshops that will be coming.

Putting the new painting on this morning. If you want to contact www.susanjenkinsart@charter.net

More later, XO Susan

Luxembourg Gardens

5x7 oil on board The beautiful Luxembourg Gardens of Paris, France where I spent alot of time sketching . This is a painting done from the garden. 125.
susanjenkinsart@charter.net

LILY POND

6x6 oil on board Always fun to get back to painting lily ponds. I just love them. 125.

Copper Tea Pot and Apricots

5x6 oil on board/ I decided to paint the apricot painting in oil after an email from my friend Barbara. A little different in the lower key values. Her suggesion was to have a mate to the other copper tea pot painting with onions. I think it works! 125.

Water Color Still life

14x18 water color on paper NFS Alot of grapes!!

Still Life Teapot and Apricots

15x15 water color on paper. NFS
Way too hot today here on the coast to oil paint! Unbelieveable to be so warm here. Anyway, this is my mothers old tea pot, fun to paint. Apricots are from the inland valley.

Tea Pot and Onions

5"x6" oil on board 125.
Yesterday morning I made chilie. I had the most beautiful bag of onions. Inspired by them I decided to paint this little oil.I think the colors are so lovely. This is an old copper teapot I have painted many times. Putting onions and copper together just causes an intense glow that I love!Hope you like it too! XO Susan

Apples in a French Bowl

16x20 oil on board mounted to stretched canvas. 625.
I am done with my work for the work shop and now will be concentrating here and on my website at Fine Art America. There is always so much to do as you all know too well!!

Blue and White Vase

18x24 This painting is one for the workshop in Vancouver WA. It is a pulled together version of the small 5x7. I will be shipping this when it is dry. Think I may do a street scene next. See you maybe tomorrow! XO Susan

Workshop coming up!

Hello! I am going to be working the next few days on paintings for my workshop in Vancouver Washington. I will post them when they are done. The workshop isn't until October but the paintings have to be done and delivered waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy befor.

So I will be posting again in a few days. See you then!

XO Susan

Roses and Red Berries

6x6 o/b Pink and green with a dash of red, love it!! 125.
susanjenkinsart@charter.net

Blue and White Vase

5x7 oil on board I always love adding fruit and cheese to a stil life ! 125. SOLD!

susanjenkinsart@charter.net

Beautiful Sea

6x6o/b I painted this yesterday, this is is how the ocean has looked for the past few days here with all the wind and bluster!!!! 125.

Pink Vase Still life

24x30 o/c this pink vase is really fun to paint. The reflections are always terrific.

Workshop and classes coming up!

8"x8" inch shell frame by Amber Waltz

I was in Fresno over the weekend for my grandson Kalens graduation. Wonderful! I am so proud of him! Lots of family, really fun!

I was talking to my daughter about teaching. She makes sea shell frames and mirrors. Lovely! She sells them in a furniture gallery there .She gave me several and I suggested she teach them in a workshop here. She said she would love to.You could bring your treasured seashells or she would have shells there, frames too or you could bring something you have.

I will be putting a 2 day workshop together for her soon.Please let me know if you would like to join that workshop! You will be able to make more than one frame and learn her interesting application techniques. 150. for 2 days plus supplies.

I am also going to start weekly classes in oils and acrylics. You may paint any subject you wish.Beginners to advanced.

Once a week on Tuesdays to start. I have found a place here. If you think you might be interested in either the workshop of sea shell frames or the weekly painting classes or both of these , please let me know. susanjenkinsart@charter.net

Thankyou, new painting to be posted soon!

XO Susan

Life Is Just A Cup Of Cherry's

8x10" o/b
I have had this little cup for a very long time. It looks so pretty with the red of the cherry's and of course the wonderful perennial soft grey green back ground I love. 145.

Thankyou!

I so appreciate all of your emails about my kiln breakdown and finding a new kiln. So many of you have suggested Craigs list. I have gone on, checked it out. I will have a kiln soon I am sure!

Just wanted to also say that I am getting emails that my "comments" isn't working?? AGAIN??

Geez Louise, what a day....I am sure it is going to turn, is so gorgeous out...ok, back to the studio and thankyou again so much for your kiln input!!

XO Susan

Clay Work

Well, it finally happened, the dreaded kiln breakdown! Yep, had a bunch of work in side and the element broke apart.....terrible! A set back! Until I can get a new one (this one has been hanging on by a thread) when ever that is, I will have to wait to fire these pieces. Anyone have a kiln they want to sell?? Geez......

I will try to get out of this funk mood I am now in and go out to the studio and paint!
So see you soon with a new painting!

XO Susan

Memorial Day May 26, 2008

On this Memorial Day weekend I want to thank our military and remember those that serve and have fallen on behalf of and in the defense of our country and for the sake of others.

God Bless Them, God Bless the American Flag and God Bless AMERICA!

Have a Glorious Holiday!!

Color Mix Pansy Still life

6x6" oil on board. I am just loving pansies and I love putting them in a glass bowl. 125.

Word Blocks

These are my word blocks! Just took them out of the kiln this morning.They vary in size from 1x1" to 1 and1/4" there many different words,I am delivering 50 today .They are fun on a book shelf,coffee table , anywhere you want a little reminder. They make fun gifts too! They are hand made of white earthen clay, and glazed. Each letter is individually stamped to make the words. They can be purchased at the Chambers Gallery for 6.50 ea.

Hand Built Sheep

6"x9"x3" clay hand built sheep. This is the hand building done in clay,finished today. I have to wait for it to dry and then fire it. When it is fired I will be glazing it with black for the head and legs and white for the wool. This is a big piece and is a commission work. Betsy if you are looking it is on it's way to the next step!

I have several things being fired in the kiln right now. I am doing word blocks for the Chambers Gallery, I will post a couple for the blog tomorrow.
See you tomorrow! XO Susan

New Work

Good Morning!

It is a gorgeous morning here on the coast and I hope it is where you are too!

I am getting ready to go out to my studio and work. I have a commission in clay to start today and I also have some small pieces to make for the Chambers Gallery.
How ever, I feel an abstract coming on! Must not be deterred but I am inspired! I was reading this morning of something called Yupo. It is a plastic paper primarily used by watercolor artists. Have any of you painters out there experimented with it?

I did read of one artist who used oils on it, that is what I want to try.Apparently the paint doesn't absorb, it has a degree of difficulty because putting on layers isn't possible! It just moves what is already underneath! That can be frustrating to say the least!There must be a drying technique...hair dryer for water color...well anyway, that is my next experiment!
Please let me know if you have tried it, I would love to have your input!

More on this later! XO Susan

The House In The Grove

6x6 oil on board I love eucalyptus groves, we have many here along the coast. Many of the groves have a house right in a cluster of trees, Wonderful!

ROSE BOUQUET

6"x6" Roses are in bloom and just delightful in all their lovely colors! My mothers garden is just bursting with pinks and reds and whites and yellows. Extraordinary!! How lucky I am that she is just down the street!! Enjoy!! 125.

Pansy Bouquet Still life

6"x6" oil on board. Pansy Still life. Sweetest little flowers aren't they? 125. SOLD!!

Still Here?

I have been erratic with my blog posts! I am so sorry. I know many of you have told me you come in to Morning Paintings with your cup of coffee and there are no new posts! I seem to be all over the place.
I am painting this morning and getting back to a routine hopefully.The wind had kept me from my studio (impossible out there) so painting was not fun!
This time of the year there are so many wonderful things calling to me! Potting new plants, dabbeling with clay again, working on mosiacs and visitors!! I am sure you are very busy too,traveling, playing in your garden, painting, crafts and many of you are off to work!
So, I am off to work too! I will have a small painting up this afternoon! Promice!

I hope you are "still here!"

Thankyou as always, XO Susan

Pink and Green Raku

5x8" birdhouse Loving pink and green as I do I just had to make a birdhouse in those colors! I just love the way the glaze crackles in the raku process. Do you Raku??

Colorful Raku Birdhouse

4x12 " I love to work in clay and hand building. I have my own kiln. I love the bright colors of this, the green is a luster and while the yellow is as colorful as sunshine the little pink ball I think sets it off. This was very fun to make and a real wow when I took it out of the kiln!!

Plum and Avacado Still life

20x24 oil on canvas
I love red and green, green and pink. Compliments on the color wheel. The white ironstone pitcher is quite old, from my sisters wonderful shop years ago, "Finnie McCluer" some of you here may remember. Anyway, not a landscape as I had intended but fun!

HOME!!

Got back from my trip late last night.
So much to do today and I want to paint tomorrow! Hope I can! Can't wait to get back to it! I have some ideas for very large work in a landscape type piece. One of my students Sunday wanted to paint a landscape, quite large. It was of Big Sur, beautiful photograph. Big Sur is right up in back of me here on the Central Coast. I have been there many times and it was fun to help her with the painting and made me enthusiastic to try a landscape too. Great thing about teaching, it always inspires me. The inspiriation works both ways.She did a great job too!

I am posting a photo of Big Sur. From a 3 day trip that my girl friends and I took a while back. Such fun!What a spiritual place.

I would like to work up a small floral I think for tomorrow. I made a couple of sketches.

I spent alot of time with my daughter too, and grandson, fun!! Weather was gorgeous! Always great to be back home isn't it?

I cut a big bouquet of Rose Mary, and the house smells so wonderful! It is so uplifting!

See you tomorrow!! XO Susan

WINE BOTTLE

acrylic on 300lb paper /12x15. Fun painting for this morning!

SHOW, Fresno

Hello! I have been getting ready for a show in Fresno the 3rd of May. Small paintings and small things. My daughter Amber will be putting some of her beautiful shell mirrors in too. Should be a fun show. Always nice to see everyone over there. I will also be teaching Sunday.
So next week is a really big working week ,last minute du-das. I will try to get a new painting up for sure befor the week is out.
Hope the weather is nice where you are, we are having a heat wave here at the beach,odd, it does happen sometmes. Great fun to work in the garden at last!
Write me if you have a question, want to purchase or you have news!

susanjenkinsart@charter.net

XO , Susan

PEAR 2

5x8 acrylic on 300 lb paper. Another pear done in the same loose brush strokes. 125.

PEAR

Acrylic 5x7 pear. This little still life is very loose and fun. I like to do these subjects very fast, lots of vibrant color. I usually paint them on 300 lb water color paper cut in 5x7 sizes. A wash of red or orange on the back ground and then the painting. 125.00

Gayle's Red Wall

For the past couple of days I have been going to the Chamber's Gallery to help out with the big re- decorating! It has turned out just beautifully. If you haven't seen it you will have to take a bit of time and go. She has just done a spectacular re-vamp!.
The color is a sort of a burnt Chinese Red. Vickie Greene was in yesterday, a wonderful artist ( a former window display artist in Los Angeles) helping Gayle with displays. Gayle has a wonderful eye and it was fun for her to get another bit of input. Watching Vickie create was a real treat. I have seen pieces that I had seen in the past but in her hands and against the red wall, wow! She and I both have our work on the wall, we couldn't wait to see how it looked. Stunning! If I do say so myself!!

The other wall is going to be a sort of flesh color, very pale, a pink but not really pink. She picked large pieces of potterie from the other artists, in wonderful blues and pinks and found a pink in my large seascape that she sort of matched pieces to.
The wall is soft, compared to the red wall, a gorgeous look with all the red. Cool and calm. Linda Huggens beautiful plein aire pieces are on the wall in their quiet strength.

Paula Teplitz new pottery work is on the red wall and on tall cubes and it just pops! It belongs there. Janette Wolf has a wonderful bicycle painting, very loose and rich with the very same red color of the wall!! It is right by the door as you walk in.

Speaking of the door , instead of being red it is now a rich black! It looks like the doors in France and England and Gayles recent adventure to Ireland.
I have one of my perenial roosters hanging their to welcome guests.

Gayle has wonderful artists and their beautiful work is now displayed a new!! Come see!!

XO Susan

POND 2

24x30 oil on canvas. Abstract expressionist painting. These two paintings of the "POND" actually work well together , I didn't intend for that to happen but because I used the same pallette, pinks and greens they work well as a pair. These paintings are each priced at 1800.

POND

24x30 Abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas. Yep, back to the abstracts for a while. This is an abstracted lily pond. In my favorite pinks and greens with a lovely dash of orange! 1800.