Butterfly Cream by North Carolina Painter, Sue Scoggins

Butterfly Cream, 30x40 on gallery wrapped canvas

A new twist to florals!  One way to keep florals from being boring is to splash on the color and go BOLD! Every stem doesn't have to look real, and the flowers do not have to have a registered name in the botanical encyclopedia. They just need to give the impression of flowers.  Let the paint shape itself, then surround it with negative painting. Try color that compliments. Try color that doesn't make sense. Break the rules! 

Blue on Blue - an aqueduct impression by Sue Scoggins

Blue on Blue 36x36 oil on gallery wrapped canvas
suescoggins@gmail.com

Lest you think I've gone mad.....I couldn't paint an aqueduct impression without remembering my favorite little one out of Sienna, Italy. Two summers ago was a dream summer when I was honored to teach art at a beautiful Tuscan Boutique Hotel in Palazetto,Italy. Once a week, I would be driven to Siena to buy art supplies at the coolest, most eclectic, little art shop.  Each time, as we rounded the rolling hill and into the valley, my driver would point out the remains of this quiet little aqueduct.  It was out in the middle of no where and was said to have been dated around 4BC.  That is mind boggling! There it was, surrounded by castles and villages, but away and quietly alone, being overgrown by brush, yet it was still standing. 

Aqueduct of Segovia - by North Carolina Painter Sue Scoggins

Flaming Pig 30x40 old on gallery wrapped canvas
suescoggins@gmail.com

Aqueducts are stuck in my head now...and I mean REALLY stuck. There are all sorts of paintings that can come out of this.  Two aqueducts, in particular, bring back fabulous days of new discoveries.  The first, the Aqueduct bridge of Segovia, built some time in the 1st century AD.  I was with a group of peers from the airline days and we were being taken through Spain so that we could sell Spain to travelers. It was a true old world experience, in a seemingly centuries old eatery tucked under the arches of the bridge. We were taken down old red tile steps into a room furnished with a heavy wooden banquet table. The windows were small but we knew we were under the bridge.  It was there that I had my first flaming pig, brought out whole, with an apple in his mouth.  The server proudly placed him in the center of the table, set family style.  Lots of festivity and wine toasts!  It is only appropriate that this painting is painted with vibrant colors to represent the mood.

Aqueducts - by North Carolina Painter, Sue Scoggins

This artist, me, finds it a bit difficult to come up with new subjects. Landscape, landscape, landscape. Pears! Fruit!  I mean how many times can one paint the same "scene" of the water and the sound or of wildflowers.  For quite some time now, I've wanted to break out of my routine and find NEW discoveries.

It takes a lot of thought.  In fact, often, more time is spent in thought BEFORE the painting than the actual process of painting itself. That's why it's hard for me to paint unless I have days of solitude before hand. This summer, when not doing commission work, I've spent time going through my old travel sketches of summers in Italy and France. The first thoughts that come to mind is the old world architecture. Arches and aqueducts have solidified in my head.  They are everywhere and many date back to 300BC.  So aqueducts it is! There is no end to the modern paintings this will bring.

Let's get started.  This sort of takes me back to the color and design days in college.  Believe me...those were ancient days! But, I remember having a project similar to this where I constructed a geometric tree with shapes and colors.  I suppose since math was my thing, the geometry is right up my ally. The supplies are here...orange ink, charcoal pencil, oil sticks, oil paint....here goes.  What have I been waiting for?  (like the frying pan in the sink?)

Artistic Freedom by North Carolina Painter, Sue Scoggins

It's so wonderful to accept commissions, where the new owner gives complete artistic license.  The only parameters were "I love blues, greens and water.  Oh...and I love clouds." So...there ya have it...another chance to paint from the head.  I suppose this scene is pretty much emblazoned in my mind because it's the view of the sound in Emerald Isle.  I see it every day in the summer. I dream it every night. The cloud banks that pile up along the horizon are some of the greatest I've ever seen. They make the car stop.

Water Water Everywhere by North Carolina Painter, Sue Scoggins

Water Water Everywhere, 20x30 oil on gallery wrapped canvas

Almost every painting I paint has water in it somewhere, even if it's a hint somewhere and not obvious.  This little painting was from memory.  A trip made to visit friends on their beloved island. I mean....how could anyone not dream about this place. I can still see it.

Summer Painting by North Carolina Artist, Sue Scoggins

Blue Skies Smiling, 15x30 on canvas

This little contemporary ocean abstract was a delight to paint.  Strictly from an impression in my mind.  Love the size.  15x30.  Not too large that it needs the commitment of a large wall, but still rich in color and movement, full of simplicity and calm.

It's been a "century" since this blog has received a post. What can I say...painting is a priority and admin is uh....well...but I apologize because one wonderful thing about being an artist is sharing.  Sharing art tips and thoughts about what goes on in this artist's mind. In the summer my home is in a beautiful little coastal town in North Carolina.  How fortunate and forever grateful I am.

The summer has been a whirlwind of visitors so painting has been difficult to do consistently.  But, since there is show slated at the Little Art Gallery in September, the brushes had to go into high gear over the last couple of weeks.

Down Memory Lane - by representational abstract painter Sue Scoggins

Part of the job of a commissioned painter is to guide the client and help the determine what they would like in their painting.  For this commission, the client originally said, "All I know is that my favorite color is blue and that I want something fun." As the artist, I had to determine where to go from there.  We sat for a while in the room where the painting (in this case, 2- 3'x5' paintings) would hang.  Whether they would be vertical, horizontal, size, etc. The room was completely blank accept for a sectional sofa, a few pillows, and a rug. This was a large family room.

I asked her what some of her favorite memories were.  Personally, I like to paint emotions/memories for my clients.  Paintings that remind them of pleasant memories in their life. She told me of her travels and I encouraged her to list her favorite places.  She wrote down..France, Germany, Italy, Hungary.....HELP!  Turns out her family had taken a river cruise the year before.  After much ruminating in my head and about 50 photos that she sent me via email, these are composites of European village memories that I came up with.  FUN!  FUN!