Preparing for New Bern - by North Carolina Painter Sue Scoggins

Fairfield Harbor

It may be far off, but November is actually just around the corner.  November 9th, 2018, in fact, is the opening.   To prepare for a show takes months. First of all, I have to collect my thoughts which is a huge task...like herding cats. What will be the theme? A theme?  You mean I have to have a theme?  A press release?  You mean I have to write a press release?  Update my mission statement?  What mission statement?  Guest list.  Wall space.  Guest list. The list goes on.

I've painted nature for so many years.  I've tried to deviate but it keeps crawling back. But how do I do this one different than the past.  At first I thought I'd go live on a houseboat in Beaufort, North Carolina for a week.  Collect all the energy from the activities that are going on in that little town.  Paint like a mad dog the entire week and call the show, "HOUSEBOAT".   Long and short ..it's not happening.

So, I thought.  What do I do in this life I've been given?  Where do I spend most of time besides the studio?  Hello!  On my bike, cycling the countryside. Cycling is ingrained.  Painting landscape is ingrained. So, for now, my theme will be sites and sounds of the road.  Roadtrip.  Maybe that will be the name.  Maybe I'm getting somewhere. No pun intended. (or maybe it was intended.  You decide.)

First painting. Fairfield. A ride over the New Bern bridge brought me to a beautiful little riverside boating community and marina.