Addendum

Oops! I hit the “enter” key and published before I was ready. Well, I’m almost ready.

I’m working on three things this week: shadow strength, stroke direction and quality, and brush work. All stuff I should know, but need to be strongly reminded of. I’ll give you all the details as the weeks progress. But suffice it to say, I’m putting tape around all my brushes to remind me not to let my hand slip below the tape. Seems a good idea. I generally hold my brushes at the ends but forget a lot during the initial layin. David says it’s important to start finishing a painting from the first stroke. Now that’s something to think about.

More later. I need a shower and some sleep.

Day Three David Leffel Workshop

I’m pooped. I’ve been painting since 9:00 am this morning and my brain feels like mush. I’m definitely in workshop curve curse. I forgot how to paint fruit. Fruit!!! I totally forgot how. David said I’ve been going “down hill” all day. Certainly feels like it. At least it’s not a surprise and it means that I’m trying to unlearn old habits and learn new ones. Of course I forgot how to paint fruit – he does it so differently than I do!

Day One of David Leffel Workshop

Aaaagh! I forgot to bring the gizmo for my camera that downloads the photos!!! But take heart…I’m taking tons of photos and lots of notes. I promise you all I’ll start posting the workshop stuff as soon as I can following my return on Friday.

All my fears are put to rest. David Leffel is an incredible, humble, beautiful human being and an incredible teacher. We spent the first half of the day in a demonstration and the second half setting up and starting our own still life’s. It’s very exciting! There are about 20 students in the workshop and everyone is very intense about the work. Everyone is on a different level but it doesn’t seem to matter – David meets everyone on the level they are working on.

Just as I feared, I’m in workshop mode. But David said that my set up was great and the painting is coming along great so I shouldn’t worry. However, I’m attempting to do the entire panting in hog bristles which is a huge change for me. I generally lay in the painting with bristles and then switch to sables for the rest of the work. I feel like I’ve spent the day fighting the brushes. But so far I’m resisting the temptation to switch to my regulars. The palette is also a bit more limited than the one I generally use but so far that doesn’t seem to be too much of a problem.

I’m pretty beat tonight and I’m going to hop in the shower and then snuggle into a comfortable bed for some reading. I’ll check in with you all in a day or so.

Pastel Painting of Green Crystalline Tea Pot and Peony with Grapes

“Green Tea”
SOLD

Here’s the last of my old pieces. I’ll be turning out new ones from this point on. Thanks for your patience everyone.

Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.

Pastel Painting of Silver Bowl with Fruit

“Silver and Satin”
SOLD

Part of my Trompe l’Oeil collection, I truly love this little piece. Although my style has changed quite a bit since I painted this, I still enjoy looking at it. This painting was quite small. I remember when I was at LaQuinta Arts Festival in California and they had used this image in the guide book for the festival. A woman came racing into my tent and asked, “Where is this painting; I want to buy it!” When I pointed to it on the wall, she was so disappointed because she had thought it to be an enormous painting. She had a large space to fill and thought that this painting was fill the niche, so to speak. We were both disappointed. But I got a good chuckle out of the experience.

Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.

Pastel Portrait of a Man with Boy and Dog

“Warren and Family”
SOLD

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Many of my portraits are done in Pastel because clients like the soft look of it. Warren came to me and asked if I would do his portrait along with his son and dog. It took a lot of photographs to get that dog to hold still. Naturally, I couldn’t work from life on this one.

Today is day one of my workshop with the famous David Leffel. Check out my other blog for updates on this experience.

Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.

Pastel Painting of Lemon and White Pitcher

“Lemonade in Blue”
SOLD

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This pastel was one of the first Trompe l’Oeil that I did in the series. It was scooped up by a collector. I still use this vase in many of my still lifes, only because I paint more flowers now, the top is hard to see.

Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.

Floral Oil Painting of Mixed Bouquet, 24" x 36", Oil on Canvas

“Floral en Trompe l’Oeil”
SOLD

I’m headed to a week long workshop in Fall City this week so I as I won’t be able to publish regularly, I thought I’d run a sort of slide show of some previous work. If I get a chance, I’ll publish what I’m doing at the workshop and maybe get to post one or two for sale, but this is a week of study. Something I desperately need to do for myself. It will be refreshing to work with other artists instead of in isolation and I’ll get to sit at the feet of the Master, David Leffel.

This piece was one from my Trompe l’Oeil collection (pronounced tompe loi – at least I think so. The French would argue with that or so says my friend Jackie – oh, excuse me – Jacquie). I actually painted the frame into the painting. Something I did on a lot of pieces in those days.

Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.

Learning with David Leffel

I’ve been rather busy the last couple of months and things aren’t going to settle down anytime soon. My studio is undergoing re-construction this month and I’m taking a David Leffel workshop in Fall City starting this monday through Friday. I’m very excited. If you don’t know who David Leffel is, I suggest you Google him. He’s considered a living Master and his work has influenced every stroke of paint I’ve made in the past two years. He, above all, is considered one of the great teachers of our time. Here’s a comment on someone’s blog about him.

I consider it a great privilege to take a workshop with this painter and at the same time I’m terrified. I understand completely what my students feel when I approach their easels during a class. On one hand you are so hoping to get a kudo from the teacher, terrified they won’t say anything (what’s wrong with it????Is it that awful??? What am I paying you for?) and at the same time worried that they will. What I have resigned myself to being in “workshop curve”. I seem to forget everything I’ve ever known and everything I’ve ever studied, my hands become absolute paddles, my brain gets addled and I totally do a brain freeze on mixing color. What is that anyway? Sigh. But I’m still excited to meet the Master. I’ll be trying to post a few things to this blog during the week, but forgive me if it doesn’t happen. I promise to share everything and anything I learn with you all. Many thanks to Rosa for calling me about this workshop. I didn’t think at the time that I would be able to do it. My husband convinced me otherwise. What a gift.

Original Oil Painting of Red Roses and Tea Pot, 11" x 14"

“Tea and Roses”
Click here to inquire about purchasing this painting.

I guess I’m just in a Rosy sort of way this week. I snapped up this little tea pot on a recent shopping trip. It seemed to go well with the roses. Busy day today. I taught a class in the morning and painted in the afternoon, helped a friend with their blog in the evening and now I’m off to make dinner. Phew!

Old Master Paintings with an Expressionist feel by Susan Martin Spar who creates original oil paintings every day. These daily paintings consist of still life, figure art, and landscape art.