"Coyote"

Recently finished this coyote and have been letting it 

sit for a while to make sure I didn't need or want

to tweak it somewhere.

8" x 10" palette knife oil on canvas panel

Here's the photo I worked from.

I've decided I want to do another, larger,

painting as well. Enlarged the coyote and have it 

set up on a 10" x 10" canvas panel, with 

less background. Can't wait to start. 

I saw him again last week on my walk, 

but my camera was in the shop.

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Windy Point Paint-Out

Windy Point Paint-Out

I was back at Windy Point toward the end of May for another attempt at these wonderful rocks. The first photo is the view I chose. I just loved being up there painting. My eye traveled up and over the edge to the far distant mountain - it felt like I was at the top of the world.

Here is my plein-air study. It was not finished, just a rough-in of the scene. I worked on it more once I got home. However, unfortunately, I really messed it up, so ended up scraping it all off. 

 

I loved the scene so much though, that I decided to go ahead and do a larger painting from my photos. The wind and water does strange and beautiful things to the stone - also to the sturdy juniper trees scattered about the area, twisting them into odd shapes. Life feels clean and new in such a place - no sound other than the wind, distant traffic, and the occasional bird song.

This was the beginning. Hmmm, I wasn't sure what to do next, so let it sit on the easel for a week or so, then ...

... got rid of that small cliff at the very bottom, and now it seemed there was too much empty space and the left side of the lowest rock looked really boring.

After some final pondering, a bit of advice from fellow artists, and determined tweaking, here is the final painting. The entire process took me almost two months - lots of thinking, and sporadic bursts of painting. It is the first time I've painted this large in quite some time which might have something to do with all my procrastinating. I'm not sure, but I'm finally satisfied.

© Susan Woodward - "Windy Point #2" - 12 inches x 16 inches on stretched canvas.

Plein Air Study

© Susan Woodward "Windy Point"

6 x 8  inch palette knife oil on canvas panel

Click to Purchase

On an early May morning, a friend and I drove to this wonderful setting, Windy Point, about 2/3 the way up Mt. Lemmon. We painted for about 1-1/2 hours, and by then the wind was about to blow over our easels and send gear flying. I finished this in the studio. I became entranced by the rocks and the view, so plan to go back again.

I love to read. As a matter of fact, that love wars with my love and desire to paint! Recently I read a book that sort of blew my mind and thought it was worth recommending:

“Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think” – Hans Rosling

Although there are real, serious, concerns, it seems that the world is in far better shape than we think. Our belief about how things are is skewed by our instincts.

How would you answer the following question?

In the last 20 years, the proportion of the world population living in extreme poverty has…

A: almost doubled

B: remained more or less the same

C: almost halved

The author poses simple questions about global trends like the above, and has tested audiences from all over the world, highly educated people, even senior policy decision makers. A stunning majority of them get it wrong. The correct answer is C – so if you got it wrong (I did) you’re in excellent company.

The book examines each of our instincts – shows us how to recognize when our thinking is being warped by it, and then gives us guidance as to how we can control it.

A fascinating and moving read that will change the way we see the world. If you take my advice and read it, please let me know what you thought.

Through Gates Pass

Gates Pass is one of Tucson's most-visited parks, and we 

often meet to paint there. This view is looking back at Tucson 

and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Painted from plein air 

studies and photos.

Palette knife oil on 6 x 8 inch canvas panel.

"Palms at Agua Caliente"

SOLD!

From a morning of plein air painting with friends

at Agua Caliente park in Tucson

Palette knife oil on 8 x 6 inch canvas panel

#ArtWorkLivingChallenge

Day #1 of the Challenge

Palette knife oil on 6 x 6 inch Arches paper for oils

The challenge is to do a daily painting for five days, completing in

20 minutes. This took me 45 minutes so I have much practice ahead.

Painted from a photo of Powell Point in Southern Utah.

"Sunrise"

Palette knife oil on 6 x 6 inch Arches paper for oils, mounted

on Crescent mat board - $75

My cat Bijou wakes me at 5:00 AM. The ONLY good thing 

about that is that I get to see some of the most awesome sunrises during 

our Arizona monsoon season. I'd really rather sleep some mornings, 

but if I have to be awake, this is a pretty nice way to start the day. 

And they just beg to be painted.

"Clouds Building"

"Clouds Building" - All Arizonans look forward to monsoon season during the summer. 

The rains are more than welcome, and the skies are amazing. 

Not so easy to paint, but well worth the effort.

Palette knife oil painting on 6 x 6 inch on

Arches paper for oils. 

"D'Anjou Dance" 

SOLD

 This one is a little wild, and was lots of fun to paint.

Palette knife oil painting on  6 x 6 inch Arches 

paper for oils, mounted on Crescent mat board.

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

"Red Anjou Arriving"

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"Red Anjou Coming" - decided it was about time for a color change.

 It's always fun working with reds - so vibrant. 

I did this using the "destroy & rebuild" technique.

Palette knife oil on Arches paper for oils, mounted

on Crescent mat board

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

D'Anjou #4

SOLD

Day 11 of the 30/30 Challenge - seems like I'm on a roll with pears at the moment. 

This is a "destroy & rebuild" technique. I paint the pear with my trusty 

palette knife, then pull a brush through it in every direction. 

I always have to take a deep breath and hold it when I do this. 

Then I pick up the palette knife again & rebuild it, just somewhat. 

If I'm lucky, it works; if not, I scrape. 

Palette knife oil on 6 x 6 inch gessobord.

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!

D'Anjou #3

SOLD

Palette knife oil on 6 x 6 inch Arches paper 

for oils.

I just knew there were going to be more pears!

More to come - I'm behind on posting.

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!

"Wallflower"

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As I was painting this, it occurred to me that two of 

the pears were quite cozy, while the third was kind of

separate, leaning against the wall in a corner. It

reminded me of dancing class all those decades ago!

Day #1 of the 30 in 30 Challenge: 

6 x 6 inch palette knife oil on Arches paper for oils, 

mounted on Crescent mat board.

EXPERIMENTING - Part 2

  

                     

       

My lovely cat, Bijou, again

I liked the result in pastel, so figured I'd try the same idea in oil.

#1 - top left: I did an under-painting in pale green, and tried some 

colors in the other areas,

#2 - top right: Painted the cat, but too dark, I think. Should have matched

the value of the under-painting which is now showing up

just as whitish spots, so ....

#3 - bottom left: ... I covered up the under-painting completely. Well, that's 

better, but it lacks the punch of the pastel version. So ....

#4 - bottom right: .... proceeding with the advice & encouragement of my 

friend Linda, I made a really thin wash of sap green and painted 

it over everything, but the cat. Better - at least it looks like it

all belongs together now. 

Result: I learned something new. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

D'Anjou Pears - Another Series?

D'Anjou #2

SOLD

6 x 6 inch palette knife oil on Arches paper, 

mounted on Crescent mat board.

Ah! Another pear. I guess the series is really underway. 

I really like the blush of pink on this one.

D'Anjou Pears - Another Series?

D'Anjou #1

SOLD

Palette knife oil painting on 6 x 6 inch Arches paper

for oils, mounted on Crescent mat board.

It appears I may be starting another series. I'm not sure how

far I'll go with it, but it is so much fun to paint these

small pieces, playing with color and technique.

Sometimes, I just can't help myself!

STARTING OVER, Minneola #4

Click to Bid

Minneola #4

Palette knife oil on 6" x 6" Arches paper for oils,

mounted on Crescent mat board.

This is the "destroy and rebuild" version.

Taos Mountain

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Plein air oil painting on 11" x 14" stretched canvas
Painted during a plein air workshop in Cristobal, NM.
Such wonderful views everywhere!

STARTING OVER, Minneola #3

Minneola #3

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A bit of rule-breaking in this marbleized version, which

allowed me to splash the colors around a bit.

I really like the result!

6" x 6" on Arches paper for oils, mounted on Crescent mat board.

STARTING OVER - Minneola #2

Minneola #2

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Here we go again. A mosaic-style treatment, 

holding to just three values. Boy, I love doing these!

6 x 6 inch on Arches paper for oils, 

mounted on Crescent mat board