tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75779255109240632862024-02-02T04:49:27.227+00:00SUSAN JANE LEES AFCChitchat from the canvas
of a
Wildlife and landscape artistSusan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.comBlogger209125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-50551042719898632402017-08-20T22:46:00.000+01:002017-08-20T22:51:17.196+01:00Continuing from my last post…<div class="p1">
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So was I ready? Well.. I didn't get to actually paint, but I planned.... and feel inspired to paint. That's a huge step forward.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I walked to the studio (6 minutes away) and faffed about a bit doing a few little unimportant jobs to start with.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the studio wall…. hanging there for two years is a blank box canvas that I had ear-marked for an elephant painting that I never got to do for the 2015 exhibition. Whilst coming up with ideas for the show paintings, I had been inspired by a photo I had seen on the internet. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately I cannot credit the photographer as I do not know who it was. But the image made me think of a particularly rambunctious young bull I had seen in the Okavango Delta back in 2011, on my exhibition reference gathering trip. I had seen him on one of the dry areas of land; but wouldn’t it be great to paint him in a water setting, being all ‘teenagery’ and full of attitude with something….. as a kind of homage to the older bull in that photograph.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That was the ‘spark’ for the painting, but it never progressed beyond the initial concept idea, roughs and reference gathering, as I ran out of time in which to do it back then. But now as I looked at the canvas and computer print out I had stuck to it to remind me of that idea… I thought… now is the time to finally paint it. All the initial planning is already done… it’s just tidying ideas up and changing a few details and we’re ready to go… Let’s do it!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And as I looked over my roughs, references and played with a few changes and additional ideas I thought… hey.. I haven’t done anything on my blog for ages.. If I’m gong to paint this, how about telling the story of its concept and production? And rather than feeling that ‘anti- art’ thing emerge, at the thought of that, like it has for the past couple of years.. I felt good about it…. almost like it is a natural part of the process of getting this painting done.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So this is where we find ourselves now…. We begin the journey of this painting with no finished product in sight. I don’t know if it is going to turn out well or not… I guess we’ll just have to trust that it does. I hope you'll enjoy the posts I do following my progress on this piece.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So how about a little more background on the inspiration...</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had seen how young bulls, like the teenagers they are, sometimes act like they are taking on the world… full of their growing sense of strength and boldness. That one bull I have already mentioned<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>was one - standing tall, head up high and posturing with all the bravado of one who is acting maybe a little bigger than his boots, whilst at the same time being confident his boots were a lot bigger than ours and so he could get away with his elaborate gestures. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Who’s to say that on another day he could chose to aim his rambunctiousness at one of his fellow Delta neighbours instead of nosey human researchers and tourists. What if he chose to chase off another smaller species, not with any malicious intent, but just for the sheer hell of it… just like young calves do.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I had toyed with this idea and plumped for a large wading bird as the 'victim' of his boisterous mood… something he could shoo away from the edge of the water with no threat to himself. There were an array of egrets, storks and herons to choose from, but I decided on a saddle-billed stork,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>as that would add a nice bit of colour.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">With that concept in mind I had looked through my landscape images from the Delta for ideas and references for the scene I had in mind. I wanted a setting that had a backdrop line of trees, a stretch of water midway and a foreground of sandy soil and grasses… this would be where the elephant would be and from where the stork would launch itself from.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I found two images from my trip that I can pick elements from to make my setting for the painting.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">This one has the layout I’m thinking of, but it's not quite right for the painting. And yes.. it is a blurry photograph.. that's fine... I don't need high detail. I want to do a loose-ish background and if I need details.. I have a myriad of other photo's to look to.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">This one has plants and trees that I want to swap or add in to<span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: start;"> </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">the layout of the one above... it gave me ideas about what to do with the sky too.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I want to create a setting to suit my idea, but that is also true to the area. So whilst the basic layout of the top image suits… I will move trees and plants around to a composition that I like, mixing elements from both to hopefully come up with something that is different from the photo’s but the same layout and feel. The same but different… that makes sense, right?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the young bull in question… as you can see by his posture, he was quite full of himself and although he was a youngster, he was still a sizeable animal and could do a lot of damage, if he chose to. Luckily for us his initial startled reaction, when we happened upon him in the bush, was short lived, and he carried on his way not looking to tangle with us pesky humans.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That’s the basic elements - setting and story.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the rough I’m did, pulling my references together. Roughs don’t need to be detailed or precise.. they’re all about ideas, and as I thought about what I wanted to do with the panting, the story I wanted to tell, I added some more ideas to the rough - like having the dust around his feet to create that sense of drama as he pulls up short in the dry sandy soil. Also choosing that one of the two storks to be lower than the tops of the long grasses/reeds at the waters edge… creating some depth in the image. My original idea had it higher and clear of any foreground vegetation. I’m sticking with a line of egrets flying over the water away towards the back of the scene (depth and movement) but have yet to work up their flight positions.. I just know I like the idea of them skimming low over the water’s surface.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here’s a couple of ref images I have for the birds…. again photo’s taken by me in the Delta on the same trip. I might add some distant birds to the tree tops at the back of the painting… representing open-billed storks. I had thought about having a few francolin’s running for cover at the front, back in 2015, but had soon discounted it at the time thinking that it might look too busy with them in. But that is open for change… I’ll see how the painting progresses and whether it could cope with them as an addition to the fray.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As for the elephant… I’m going to use one image as the basis for his posture, but I have been playing about with his head, trunk, tail and leading foreleg. I need to ramp up his intent, so will bring his head up higher, put more emphasis in the trunk curl, bring his tail round to add to the tension and lift his leading foreleg slightly.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> I don't think I have got it right yet.. so some more adjusting to posture to come.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sometimes, to help me visualise where I am going with a piece in the planning phase, I will use the computer to piece the elements together and then print it to get a clearer picture of how it all comes together, where I could go with it and what doesn’t work. This is what I had put together back in 2015 and what has been on the canvas on the wall reminding me that it could be a painting to do someday.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well that day has come and the inspiration still feels fresh… I’m just ready now, I think, to paint it.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I have to wait until Friday or the weekend now… back to work at the zoo on tomorrow (Monday) where I have an epaulette shark to illustrate.</span></span></div>
Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-74022365188159344132017-08-20T17:10:00.006+01:002017-08-20T17:12:29.284+01:00Leave of Absence<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">It has been a long time since I last updated you on my work. I apologise to those who</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">have been popping in to check now and again and found nothing new, if you are one of those people I thank you for being here now. If you are new to this blog.. Welcome, thank you for your interest, I hope you will enjoy my scribblings.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So.. to explain my absence...</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To be honest, I struggled after the exhibition in 2015… having put my ‘all’ into preparing for, and being at the show for the three weeks it was on, I was left mentally and physically exhausted. I was so happy, proud and pleased as punch that it was so well received and did so well for the conservation research charity it was supporting, but the stress and effort of the 8 years it took to see the project through, took its toll and I think my mind and body had a little something to say on that. Once it was all over, all manner of health issues raised their ugly heads (as is often the case after the body relaxes after a prolonged period of stress) and have pestered me ongoing since then, one thing after another. I am hopeful that my present condition of a frozen shoulder is the last for a while…. it’s really not funny anymore.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On top of that there was the added worry and involvement with my mother’s dementia, trying to help her and Dad in the ongoing slow progress of her deterioration. She was diagnosed some 18 years ago… and in the last few years been getting noticeably worse quicker.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Sadly in June, after suffering a very bad fall, she passed away nine days later.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know, perhaps on blogs and such, one is supposed to appear invincible and at the top of one’s game… but truth is I see no point in hiding it when things get tough. I have friends in the art business who seem to thrive and be inspired when things are tough. Me? Not so much.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After the exhibition I could not face picking up a pencil or brush, thinking about art or dealing with the business side of things made me angry (Don’t know why, it just did)…. so I let things slip for a year… giving myself that much needed break, particularly as I seemed to have other things to deal with like my health and my parents situation. My mindset could not handle any thought of art or any of the peripherals of the job like promotion (blogs, Facebook, Twitter), sketching days out, workshops, demos, talks... even just speaking about art to friends. I had to step away to give myself time to come back to it. That year turned into two and only in the last month or so have I warmed to the idea of painting again.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To be honest I did think about stopping painting for myself altogether… and that thought lasted a long while. The whole business of art… Was it for me?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I’m not ‘<i>into</i> art’, I don’t consider myself ‘arty’ and as a job, I felt jaded by all the business side. I was just lost and fed up, questioning everything and wanting to spend my time doing other things.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So after two years of relentless consideration it comes down to this... My interest in art is based mainly on the fact that it is a way to connect to that which <b><i>does</i></b> inspire me. Through painting or drawing I have that vital connection I need to the Natural World where I can recreate and tell a story about those precious landscapes, species and individuals that I have seen and that we share the planet with. And I want to continue doing that… so that means continue painting. Maybe I just need to change, re-evaluate some aspects of the business side for a while, or indefinitely.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So here I am, two years on since the exhibition and finally thinking about painting again. Having said that… I have continued painting at the zoo where I work, but it was a struggle (concentration was difficult to keep a reign on.. I found lots of other little jobs that needed doing when I could, but the workload is high, so I had to force myself to paint - not something I usually have to do. That feeling of forcing myself, didn’t help me be inspired to do my own art… and it certainly didn’t help me create work I could say I was particularly proud of. But that has improved, and it helps that my work at the zoo is different to my own work; it is much more straightforward (less to plan and compose) and doesn’t involve any of the ‘officey’, business side of things. So I didn’t stop altogether… just my own work.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">At the beginning of this year I decided I would play with my art… not set myself deadlines, goals etc.. just try and find the joy in the paint again. Gradually I began dropping by the studio, sometimes for a brief visit of about 5 mins, sometimes just to sit and think about things, sometimes I played about like a kid doing speckle patterns that I could use maybe as greeting cards (don’t know if I will, but it was fun to do), putting colour in designs in a colouring in book… silly little things that meant nothing, other than finding a bit of fun.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> I haven't finished with this approach.. there's loads more I want to play with.</span><span class="s1"></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I plan to take things slowly… rebuild my enthusiasm… get my painting mojo back! 2017 I was gonna paint again… at some point.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a break in 2016 of being Artist in Residence at Nature In Art, I was delighted to be asked back for a week in January at the beginning of this year. It was perfect timing… just what I needed to spring me back into the idea my own work again. Surrounded by enthused people and wonderful other artworks and surroundings… it was the perfect place to dust off and try out the old painter in me again. I worked on a pastel piece, a commission of some hens. Surrounded by the arty atmosphere helped and I managed to get some work done and the piece almost finished… that’s a start!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then later I was invited to exhibit a piece in the TWASI 25th Anniversary Early Founders Exhibition. Now I know I said I wasn’t going to be doing any shows etc… but I couldn’t say no to this particular one, as it felt like a debt owing… I learnt much from my years as a member of that society… particularly in the early years, so I was happy to be asked and support them. But I needed a new piece of work… so... I managed to finish the giraffe piece I started (but never had time to complete) for the elephant exhibition, shown below.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was a pastel piece that was half done in 2015… I only had the other half to do…. easy, right? Ha! Suffice to say; I had to do short sessions, as my concentration kept ‘switching off’<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and wandering. I did finish it in time… just (by the skin of my teeth); it was good to get it done… could I do it again? Only this time start from the very beginning… not just pick up on a piece where I had left off.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A few more months pass and suddenly yesterday my brain said. “Let’s go to the studio and see about starting an oil painting. Now that would be something wouldn’t it Su.. huh? You ready?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-68226105546385543392015-08-12T21:08:00.001+01:002015-08-12T21:08:09.357+01:00Exhibition<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don't forget, for the latest news and info on my forthcoming exhibition, read my In The Footsteps Of Elephants blog page. There is a link to it on the right hand side of this page - under the Artists For Conservation logo,</span>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-73673552644366432172015-07-11T15:35:00.002+01:002015-07-11T15:35:32.059+01:00Art in Action 2015<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />I am proud to say that I shall be at Art in Action next week as one' of Nature In Art's artists this year. Every July up to 400 artists, crafters, performers and musicians are part of a big visual arts event in Waterperry Gardens, near Oxford UK to demonstrate their skills and show their work.<br />I shall be taking a few pieces of my exhibition work to show and promote the exhibition in September. I shall also take a few non exhibition works that will be for sale, along with some cards and prints.<br /><br /><br />To find out more about the event click on the link below. If you wish to find out more about the artists under the Nature in Art 'umbrella' click on the link below and then move your cursor over Demonstrations and select Nature in Art in the drop down box.<br /><br />Please come and say hello, if you visit this event.</span><div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 21.466667175293px;">
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Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-21686576338571454972015-06-26T11:49:00.001+01:002015-06-26T11:50:40.987+01:00AFC Artist of the Day<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am a member of Artists For Conservation and they feature one member each day on their website. Today, 26th June, it is me. This link will take you to the Home Page of AFC where you can see me in the Featured Artist of The Day box and from there you can go to my profile home page. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.natureartists.com/">http://www.natureartists.com/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After today there will be a different artist featured each day. So if you missed seeing this post on the 26th June 2015 and you wished to see my </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">AFC profile please use </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">the following link - it will take you to my Home Page on their website. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.natureartists.com/artists/artist.asp?ArtistID=1609">http://www.natureartists.com/artists/artist.asp?ArtistID=1609</a></span>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-59098953466037758812015-06-26T10:38:00.001+01:002015-06-26T10:38:04.080+01:00Catch up<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have to hang my head in shame... it's been far too long since my last post. Life has charged along apace this year and I confess that the inability to post to my blogs on my mobile has meant I have favored posting to my Facebook accounts instead, which is so easy and quick to do. Which I realise, quite avidly, is of no use to those of you without Fb accounts and prefer to visit here. For you I apologise and I will do my utmost to find the time to keep this blog up to date.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So a quick reprise.. basically it's all been about the exhibition this year with little time for anything else. Family, friends and life in general are for the most part on the peripheral of my tunnel visioned world at the mo. Hopefully I can get back to normal after September and catch up with everyone and get out and enjoy the weather and their company again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I still have the rented studio space, which is proving invaluable in the run up to the exhibition. I haven't done any workshops, demos, talks or other exhibitions this year as I have to be focused on the job in hand; so there's nothing really to report on this blog. However, I shall be doing an update on my exhibition blog very shortly, so do pop across and have a look there.</span>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-33358765443956518542015-01-10T22:10:00.002+00:002015-01-10T22:10:53.822+00:00Happy New Year<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous year ahead,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even more so than last year.. this year, I shall be concentrating on preparations for my exhibition in September. So my other blog http://inthefootstepsofelephants.blogspot.co.uk/will be busier than this one again, as almost all the work I shall be doing will be for this show.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have no workshops, demo's, talks or other exhibition/shows planned this year, as all my time needs to be devoted to the exhibition. It's all exhibition, exhibition, exhibition now. However I shall be at Art In Action in July as one of Nature In Art's artists. I feel very honoured to have been asked to be with them, under their umbrella and I am really looking forward to the weekend.</span><br />
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<br />Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-81140583768854800832014-10-15T15:49:00.003+01:002014-10-15T15:51:03.266+01:00Shop now open<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have recently set up a shop, on a website called Tictail, through which my prints are available to buy online. This is my first endeavour on such a site and so I would appreciate any feedback on how easy it is to use etc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have put a direct link to my shop at the right hand side of this page listed as Susan Jane Lees Art under the header 'My Print Shop'. I do hope you will take a look and you never know, you might find an ideal Christmas gift for someone there. </span>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-45556352873288925122014-09-23T22:39:00.001+01:002014-09-23T22:42:56.208+01:00Silk painting day 25th October<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project (based at Bristol Zoo) is having a day of silk painting inspired by Autumnal treasures found within its area of interest.... The Downs. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I shall be heading up the arty side of this day, where after a short walk to collect some lovely seed heads, leaves and other Autumn treasures for inspiration, the rest of the day is spent making a lovely simple design as a silk painting.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are just a few spaces left on this course so if you are interested, please contact Mandy Leivers for more information - contact details below.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">Autumnal silk painting (Course)</span></b><span style="color: black; text-transform: uppercase;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let the colours and shapes of autumn inspire you! In this workshop, Su Lees, Bristol Zoo’s Wildlife Illustrator, will show you how easy and fun it is to create silk paintings. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">10.00am - 3.30pm £25.00 (includes materials).<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Suitable for everyone, including the artistically challenged!<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At Bristol Zoo Gardens and on the Downs. Book with the Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project, at Bristol Zoo, on 0117 9030609 or e-mail <a href="mailto:mleivers@bristolzoo.org.uk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">mleivers@bristolzoo.org.uk</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="mailto:mleivers@bristolzoo.org.uk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: large;">The Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project is working to secure the outstanding wildlife interest of the Bristol side of the Avon Gorge and Clifton and Durdham Downs and to raise awareness and understanding of this unique location and its importance for people and wildlife. <a href="http://www.avongorge.org.uk/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.avongorge.org.uk</a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/avongorge" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/avongorge</a></span></i></div>
Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-65591693757855565332014-09-22T16:38:00.001+01:002014-09-22T16:46:03.104+01:00My week at Nature In Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At the beginning of this month I spent a week at the fabulous Nature In Art Museum and Art Gallery in Gloucestershire. Each week between February and November a different artist of group of artists set themselves up in the studio space in the grounds of this wonderful place... so this was my turn. I have been very lucky to have been an Artist in Residence here once (or sometimes twice) a year since 2000 (except for one year) either going solo or with one or two other artists.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The museum is closed on Mondays so this is an ideal opportunity to set up and usually I get there just before lunch so that I have the afternoon to get the job done. However, due to various hold-ups, including trying to catch a baby house mouse at home that one of my cats had brought in alive and abandoned for me to take care of! Consequently I did not arrive until mid afternoon and was there until 7pm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This actually tied in nicely with a Wallsworth Art Group (WAG) meeting, so Simon, the Director, collared me to pop across to the main house to show my face and tell them briefly what I was up to this week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I finished the final touches of setting up through most of Tuesday. I had set the space up into different zones - a place for me to work at an easel, Botswana work, other work, zoo work and merchandise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The main focus of the area was across the room from where I sat at an easel... this was my Botswana exhibition display. Next year I shall be having an exhibition at Nature in Art which will be an awareness and fundraising exhibition for Elephants For Africa. This is a small conservation research charity that focuses on bull elephants, in particular the transition period of young bulls from when they leave the natal (mother) herd and join adult bull society. This isn't the only work they do with regards to elephants... for more information of them please visit their <a href="http://www.elephantsforafrica.org/" target="_blank">website</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had some of the paintings I shall be exhibiting, along with my sketchbooks and information about the exhibition, on display.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Two batiks I shall also be exhibiting were displayed across the room along with some of my other framed paintings and prints. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">More examples of my work along with several 'step by step' presentations for paintings and portfolios of more work and articles published in magazines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">More framed work on the wall just in front of my easel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the little room that is first entered when visitors come into the studio, I had a display of some of my zoo illustration work. I like to show this as well as it is different to my other work as an artist. There were examples of original work, a work sketchbook, a practice sketchbook, portfolio's showing a range of the animals I have to paint and draw and one showing examples of the signage that the illustrations are ultimately used for. My 'work' sketchbooks are purely for working up ideas, information and drawings towards the goal of producing a finished drawing or painting for a sign. My 'practice' sketchbook is one where I sketch whatever I want in the zoo for no other reason than to practice sketching. I am allocated a half day a fortnight for this practice sketching, although I sometimes miss them as the work load requires me to concentrate on that. However, the half day free sketching sessions are invaluable to me as self imposed 'on the job' training.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then there's my table of merchandise - mainly small things like cards that are within easy reach of most budgets as a little something to take away. But I also have a small range of art and photographic prints usually in browsers in between the tables. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And finally there's where I work... Here I am working on the first piece I did during the week. I started this one Tuesday afternoon and finished it Wednesday afternoon. It is one of my loose style pieces... I start by sketching the animal's form in paint straight onto the canvas using a fluid mix of paint and Liquin with a rigger brush. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I started doing these mainly as a challenge to myself to loosen up, to prepare for the time when my eyesight can no longer cope with detail work, as I am aware the old eyesight is going that way... but it is also a useful exercise to 'try out' an idea for a more detailed piece. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is a young bull I had seen in Botswana and he was very much showing off as if to say "Hey! I'm all that and more, you know!" He was not threatening, just curious and animated. I have him in mind to be in a painting I am planning of a bull by water. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This piece is a little different to most of my other work. I have seen in some fund-raiser exhibitions that there is often a 'message' piece. So for want of a better phrase... this is intended to be mine... if it works. I have been planning and thinking on this one for some time and decided this week was an ideal time to start it. Partly as I wanted to see what people's reactions would be to it... and I was very pleased that it got very positive responses. I shall explain the thinking behind this piece in a future post on my <a href="http://inthefootstepsofelephants.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">In the Footsteps of Elephants</a> blogpage. I was working on this piece from Thursday until stopping on Saturday when it was at the point you see in the photo. I did not want to pack my car and drive home on Sunday evening with the paint being very fresh and wet. So I put it aside and started a pastel drawing on the Sunday, which I have since finished.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since doing Spike the lemur earlier this year on a sandpaper surface, I want to keep on using this type of surface for my pastels. I love the amount you can work into it and will never return to that stuff they call 'pastel paper' in most art shops. You know the pads of coloured paper specifically marketed for pastels... I always used to use that... but not no more. I have seen the light! Or sand, in this case. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So this guy is done on a very fine dark grey sandpaper finish.... I am thinking of doing another specifically as a pairing for this one. And then lots more!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The week was brilliant weather wise, lovely and warm and though the Museum was quiet (possibly due to a big wildlife photography exhibition being round the corner there - so folks were perhaps waiting to visit when that was on) I had plenty of people coming through to chat to me and see what I was up to. There was great reaction to the Exhibition work and hopefully many will return, as they said they would, to see it next year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thank you to all those that did come in to say hello or just to look... it was lovely to meet you all, some for the first time, many from before. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am there again next September as that is when my exhibition will be on (3rd - 20th) and during that time I will be artist in residence for one of those weeks.</span></div>
<br />Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-6353702281621276142014-08-22T10:29:00.001+01:002014-08-22T10:29:42.600+01:00Artist in Residence week fast approaches<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am looking forward to my Artist In Residence week at <a href="http://www.nature-in-art.org.uk/">Nature in Art</a>, which is coming up very soon - 2nd to 7th September. It is always a pleasure to visit there for a day, so a week is a real treat. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At the moment I am busy getting projects ready to do whilst there and a gathering a few bits and bobs to have available to sell. I will be showing some of the work that I have been doing for the exhibition (which will be at this venue September next year) as well as other work such as some examples of what I do as Wildlife Illustrator at Bristol Zoo Gardens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Nature in Art is a lovely place to visit and they have a great little coffee shop serving lovely lunches and super cakes and puds. If you are in the area, please do pop in and say hello... I shall be in the studio out in the gardens.</span>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-82415272618052702482014-06-26T18:20:00.000+01:002014-06-26T18:20:42.228+01:00Summer School Batik workshop<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Time has rushed around and it is fast approaching the time of the Gloucester Arts & Crafts Summer School again. This is the 7th year I have a workshop at this event ... as long, that is, as I get enough students. It is always a nail-biting time waiting to hear if the workshop has been booked by enough people to make it viable for the organisers to run.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I believe there are still some spaces on my course, but I need a few more to reach that magical 'ok to run' number. So if you or anybody you know, would like to try your hand at batik and have a fun week in my class learning something new or playing with a medium you already know, please contact the organiser. This link takes you to their <a href="http://www.spanglefish.com/gloucesterartsandcrafts/index.asp?pageid=553651" target="_blank">website page</a> where you can view details of all the courses available (including mine of course) and the contact details if you should wish to book. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The designs you do on my workshop/course you keep, of course, and some have gone on to make their designs into something decorative or practical like cushion covers, lamp shades and shoe bags. Alternatively you can turn them into wall hangings or put them in a frame to hang on the wall. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is a great week to meet with like minded people interested in art and crafts, with lovely lunches and a great atmosphere. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you are considering joining me this year at Summer School to play with batik... I hope to see you soon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-45226520856504862652014-06-26T17:55:00.000+01:002014-06-26T17:55:18.446+01:00First post since March!!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have been absent from this blog since March... sadly unavoidable as I have had much going on and limited time for keeping blogs regularly updated. I have two other blogs in addition to this one. One for my zoo work and the other for my exhibition project with Elephants For Africa and only the latter has had anything vaguely resembling something like regular attention from me, much as I'd like it to be otherwise. I always hope to post at least once a month, but plans and good intentions are sometimes hard to keep to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The main news to report is the acquisition of a new work space! I have at last got a proper studio. I will do a post all about this wonderful new era in my work very soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have a workshop coming up.. again I will do another more detailed post on here (hopefully right after I write this!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And I have entered two pieces into The National Exhibition of Wildlife Art... it is a juried exhibition so I have to wait until the originals are seen in July before I know whether I have successfully got in the show or not.</span><br />
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<br />Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-26653492561550277172014-03-16T18:26:00.001+00:002014-03-16T18:26:18.734+00:00Dabbling in pastels again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's been a while since I played with my Carbothello pencils properly, so recently I decided to have a dabble. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I started the lion piece back last October whilst I was Artist In Residence at Nature in Art for a week. It was a 'little filler' whilst I waited for oil paint to dry on another piece I was working on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The reference was a badly lit and out of focus image I had of one of Bristol Zoo's Asiatic lion cubs... except they were no longer cubs at the time the photo was taken. They had become juveniles with spiky rough starts to their mane's growth, legs had grown lanky and the head/muzzle had lost that rounded cub look and was elongating to the adult shape. I love this time in a lion's life.. that emerging confidence and energy wrapped up in play. In this case his sibling... another male. Kamran and Ketan.. but I haven't a clue which one this is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had a piece of dark brown pastel paper that I thought would work nicely with the light colours of the young lion. I enhanced the lighting from the original photo and increased the detailing from the out of focus photo. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whilst in the 'flow' of working with the Carbothello's (Schwan Stabilo pastel pencils - I prefer their softness and find I do not get 'scratchy' applications) I set myself onto another piece. Again a simple composition. I have seen neither of these animals in the wild, so I do not have the 'knowledge' to paint them in their native habitat. Also these are both captive animals and the muscle tone and coat conditions would be different to a wild counterpart. So why pretend and try and depict them as if they were wild animals. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Again this ring-tailed lemur is one of the group at Bristol Zoo. The references were taken on a lovely sunny day last year and as ring-tails have a love of doing... this one was sat on a warm stone enjoying the early summer sunshine.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had acquired a piece of grey pastel paper that had a rough but fine grade surface, like sandpaper. My mother had it for many years, as she liked to paint and draw, but for some years now she hasn't done any art. So I have 'inherited' all her art materials etc... and this roll of paper was amongst it. I have no idea what this type of paper is called, I'm sure it must have a name... on the back all it has is Hermes P400 HiCab LongLife. I will investigate on my next visit to an art shop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A 'ring-tail', I thought, would 'sit' lovely on that soft grey surface and I was curious to see how pastels 'behaved' on such a surface. So I looked through my references and saw the series of images I took on that day of the lemurs soaking up the rays. Just what I was looking for!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have to say I really enjoyed working on that surface... the pastels could be worked 'deeper' in layers and still look fresh and detailed. I will be getting more of such paper.. or something as close to it as I can. </span></div>
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<br />Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-66319108116186654262014-01-26T14:52:00.001+00:002014-01-26T15:00:49.265+00:00Drawing Workshop Summary <div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1945035660"></span><span id="goog_1945035661"></span>Picture the Natural World. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was rather disappointing that there were only three people booked for my drawing workshop on Saturday. Both myself and the organisers had hoped for more; we wondered whether being just after Christmas, and the January sales, that it was a case of most people pulling in the purse strings this month and not splashing out on 'non-essentials'. One of the organisers mentioned that doing such events was a new venture for them and maybe they should think more on their marketing of such events. Whatever the reason, the positive to come out of it was that having a small group means I can get round the students more often and if necessary spend more time individually. And I was very grateful to those that did book. They were a lovely little group and it was a real pleasure to meet them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bonnie, the Curator of Natural Sciences at Bristol Museum, was one of my contacts/organisers. It was through her that I was able to borrow 6 taxidermy specimens for the workshop. She was to be my assistant for the day, but as the numbers were low and manageable by just me, she joined the three students to take part in the workshop, making the group up to four.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There was a mix of abilities... someone who was just starting to draw, someone who had done A level art but not much since and was looking to be inspired back to drawing more and someone who drew fairly regularly looking to improve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was a short day, with so much to cover... starting at 11am and finishing at 4pm, so we cut the lunch break to 30 mins giving as much time as possible to the session. I was showing them four of the things I use when drawing, ways in which to get my drawings started quickly and enable me to get proportions and postioning in before I do any detailing. There are of course many things/ways/techniques I use but from experience I have found these four are some of the most useful to beginners or improvers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The first part of the day we looked at basic building up of an animal shape and using 2D reference, including the pitfalls of such references. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then the second part of the day we looked at using 3D reference and sketching from life with exercises to increase speed, confidence and observation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some of those exercises were challenging, yet each of the students applied themselves to the task and could hold their heads high at what they achieved. At the end, to show I wasn't a complete Task Master, there was half an hour of free drawing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The response from the students seems to have been good, saying that they found it enjoyable and challenging, yet positively so. I hope that they each went away with a little more confidence, inspiration and a few ideas to practice to improve their skills at home. At least one of the students asked Bonnie if they would be doing anymore such workshops with me; so I hope that in future I can do more there perhaps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The room we were using at the mShed was a good size with lots of light, especially from the floor to ceiling window that looked out over the harbour area of Bristol. </span><br />
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Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-85210023686508793472014-01-24T13:14:00.001+00:002014-01-24T13:14:16.349+00:00Drawing Workshop<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;">There's a few spaces left so, it's not too late to book a place on my drawing workshop at the MShed tomorrow. You can turn up and pay tomorrow, but to guarantee a place, it would be best to book.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;">Please contact the Mshed for more information and to book.</span><br />
<a href="http://mshed.org/whats-on/events/picture-the-natural-world-drawing-workshop/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.940000534057617px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://mshed.org/whats-on/events/picture-the-natural-world-drawing-workshop/</a>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-74877496579685109352014-01-11T17:56:00.000+00:002014-01-13T20:59:41.965+00:00Artists and Illustrators magazine Feb 2014 issue<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Back before Christmas, I was approached by the editor of the A&I magazine, after he saw two images I had posted on my blog '<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_508222697"></span>In The Footsteps of Elephants<span id="goog_508222698"></span></a>'. He asked me to write a short article on how and why I chose to paint the two images at the same time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The article is now published in the February 2014 issue (which is out in January). Due to some editing for the article to fit the space, an alteration was made in the last paragraph that wasn't run by me for approval and as a result it reads... '... and provided the chance for a colour to dry on one painting as I worked on the other.' This would actually be wrong in the context of the painting process I was describing in the article as I was working wet into wet over a very short space of time and as such there would be no time for the oil paints to dry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The following is the wording I sent to the magazine for this article.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Double Trouble. Why would I want to paint these two images
at the same time?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I don’t normally work loosely, but this past year I have
been occasionally challenging myself to do just that. To stop myself from my
love of ‘fiddling’, I work with a time limit (around 4-5 hours) to start and finish
a painting. These two studies of an elephant calf, were one such challenge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wanted two paintings which could be displayed as a pair,
looking ‘the same, but different’. So it seemed natural to paint them together,
to keep a sense of continuity happening between them. If I painted them on
different days I may lose that, so I did them both on the same day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I ‘sketched’ in the two calf poses using burnt sienna
diluted with Liquin to make it flow easily from a rigger brush (size 0), no
preparatory drawing, just straight in with the paint. This gives me a sense of
creating ‘freshness and spontaneity’ and it’s worth getting the proportions
right at this stage, as trying to correct the form latter in the painting can
kill that spontaneity feel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had mixed more than enough of each colour on my palette to
do both paintings; using the same colours on both helped create a natural
connection, along, obviously, with the composition, lighting and setting. Conscious
of my self-imposed time limit and desire to avoid detail, I worked fast, wet
into wet and having the two canvases side by side on the easel made it easier
to keep an eye on how the two ‘sat’ together as they progressed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Using a round size 5 watercolour brush, along with the
rigger, I painted similar elements at a time, such as the grasses, working on
one canvas before doing something similar on the other. The time spent doing
this varied between a few minutes for blocks of foliage/grasses etc to around
an hour for each calf. Switching back and forth like this kept the colour and
brush use almost identical, creating that ‘same moment in time’ feel not just
in the time and location of the subject, but also on a subconscious level in
the actual application of paint. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These two studies are to be part of my fundraising solo
exhibition for the work of a small grassroots conservation research charity
studying young bull elephants in Botswana – Elephants For Africa. The
exhibition will be in 2015 at Nature in Art, Gloucestershire. For updates and
information on this event please visit… <a href="http://www.inthefootstepsofelephants.blogspot.co.uk/">www.inthefootstepsofelephants.blogspot.co.uk</a>
or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FootstepsOfElephants">www.facebook.com/FootstepsOfElephants</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-2513658007585118012014-01-11T16:17:00.003+00:002014-01-11T16:18:53.227+00:00Drawing Workshop 25th January<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Picture The Natural World'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As part of the programme of events held whilst the exhibition of The Wildlife Photographer of the Year is held at the MShed, they are holding a drawing workshop, with me as the tutor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This workshop 'Picture the Natural World', will be showing you how to draw animals and is aimed at both beginners and improvers. Using several taxidermy specimens, we shall practise techniques I will show on how best to achieve a good basic drawing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Click <a href="http://mshed.org/whats-on/events/picture-the-natural-world/" target="_blank">here</a> to go to the MShed website for details on the workshop and booking.</span><br />
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<br />Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-45749430309701331552014-01-11T16:05:00.002+00:002014-01-11T16:06:02.972+00:00MShed and Museum visits.<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yesterday afternoon I visited the MShed for the first time. Shameful, but true. I was there to meet the lady who was my contact for a workshop I shall be doing there at the end of the month. This will be a drawing workshop and is part of their Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition event; I shall write a separate post letting you know about that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The L and <a href="http://mshed.org/" target="_blank">MShed</a>s are the old goods transit sheds built after the second world war (in which the previous buildings had been destroyed) in part of the Bristol Dock area. No longer an area for loading and unloading goods from ships, the sheds have been converted for modern use. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Bristol Industrial Museum opened its doors in M Shed in 1977 and the arrival of the National Lottery in the 1990s offered an opportunity for the Industrial Museum to be revamped and for the city of Bristol to gain a brand new facility telling in one place the complex and fascinating history of one of the country's most important cities, both in the past and currently. the Industrial Museum closed in 2006 and the new museum M Shed opened in June 2011. It's a Museum that is about the people of Bristol, both past and present, with items from the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery displayed to bring their stories to life along with computer screen for interactive contributions from the public.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #515151; line-height: 19.993999481201172px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />I had a quick look round prior to my meeting and spent some time listening to recorded readings of peoples diaries or letters referring to the Blitz on Bristol and also enjoyed seeing some of the old transport vehicles and many other artifacts like paintings, photographs, clothing, etc <br /><br /><br />My meeting was primarily for me to see the room that the workshop will be in and to meet Frances, who is organising the event. I was impressed with the size and light within the room, there is a lovely view over the docks so maybe I could even persuade some to try and sketch the gulls as they bob about on the water outside. We had a chat about basics like room layout and numbers of tables and chairs etc before I then had another longer look around the museum before I needed to head off across the docks and up the hill to the <a href="http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/leisure-and-culture/bristol-museum-and-art-gallery" target="_blank">Bristol Museum and Art Gallery</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here I was to meet Bonnie, who looks after the specimen collection. I was being allowed to borrow some taxidermy specimens for the workshop and was here to pick the ones I'd like to use. Bonnie showed me, in a very quick visit, their scientific collection, which was fascinating. I can see why she loves her job. As I walked around whilst Bonnie pointed out interesting specimens and talked of their history and importance to scientists, and how they prepare specimens for use or display after being stored.. I couldn't help but wish to be allowed a day in there to have a good look at the collection... looking at drawers of beetles, butterflies, skeletons and stuffed animals. In many was quite gruesome as it was in fact a room full of dead things, but incredibly fascinating and intriguing. Seeing the massive skull of one enormous hippo, the old Victorian skeleton of an Asian elephant, a mammoth tooth, a polar bear skeleton etc As an artist the insight into the structure of these animals was fascinating.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From there we went to the educational collection which is where I would get to pick my choices of specimens. I was looking for animals with different features on the bodies.. legs, ears, tails, torso, head etc, but also trying to get bigger specimens so that they could be seen easily in the workshop from across the room. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I picked 3 birds and 3 mammals, everything else would be too small from the choices I had. I left very excited about the workshop and setting folks the challenges of drawing these items.</span></div>
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Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-42526292697158597472014-01-11T15:28:00.002+00:002014-01-11T15:28:15.134+00:00Happy New Year!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know, I apologise, it's a bit late. I have not done well these last few months with posts to this blog... things got a little busy with the family and I just didn't have time to put aside for things like blogs, sadly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I hope that the New Year has started well for you and will prove to be a healthy and happy year for us all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">May all your endeavours and adventures be successful and that there's a good smattering of fun thrown in for good measure, as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My very best wishes for 2014.</span><br />
<br />Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-89502291486591542682013-10-05T13:59:00.002+01:002013-10-05T14:40:10.044+01:00Elephants For Africa<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the small research charity that I am working on a fund-raising exhibition for. They have recently updated their <a href="http://www.elephantsforafrica.org/">website</a> and it looks great with lots of information and links to blogs etc. They have also added the limited edition print I donated to them (ten prints) to their <a href="http://www.elephantsforafrica.org/how-you-can-help/art-for-sale-2/#.UlAMQtKsiSo">Art for sale </a>page. 100% of each of the ten donated prints goes to Elephants For Africa.</span>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-47003301459827993502013-08-26T18:13:00.003+01:002013-08-26T18:18:37.477+01:00Artist in Residence<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's that time of year again when I go off on a busman's holiday.... spending a week at the wonderful venue of <a href="http://www.nature-in-art.org.uk/" target="_blank">Nature In Art</a> as their Artist in Residence from 10th - 15th September. I am currently preparing for this week and hope to be working on at least one painting that will be for my exhibition for Elephants For Africa. However I shall also have other work there and a small selection of work from my job as the wildlife illustrator at Bristol Zoo Gardens. Please do come along and visit me if you can, I'd love to see some familiar faces and perhaps some new ones too.</span>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-12059237837111732812013-08-26T18:09:00.001+01:002013-08-26T18:09:14.467+01:00Exhibition project update<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have just posted a few images on my blog '<a href="http://inthefootstepsofelephants.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/more-batiks.html" target="_blank">In the Footsteps of Elephants</a>' about more work I have done towards the exhibition I am doing for Elephants For Africa. Please do have a look.</span>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-78225729837912594952013-08-17T16:05:00.003+01:002013-08-17T16:05:19.921+01:00New posts - In the Footsteps of Elephants<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Did you know I had a new blog? If you haven't done so already please check out the new posts I have just added to.... <a href="http://inthefootstepsofelephants.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">In The Footsteps of Elephants</a>. A new batik has been done for the exhibition and as well as an image of the finished work, there is also a short video of me working on the batik.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is a permanent link on the right to this blog.</span></div>
Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577925510924063286.post-20471643292039203932013-08-16T12:52:00.002+01:002013-10-05T14:59:46.307+01:00Oil painting workshop<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are just four spaces left for my 2 day workshop at Nature In Art in a few weeks time on Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th September. Wow... that has rolled round quick!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will show you how I paint with oils and the project will be a lion portrait study... sadly due to health and safety reasons, for the lion (and perhaps the students), we will NOT be working from life. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you are interested, please contact Nature In Art on 01452 731422 or click <a href="http://www.nature-in-art.org.uk/courses.html" target="_blank">here</a> to go to their website for details.</span>Susan Jane Lees AFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02047083911783030768noreply@blogger.com0