Journals

Due to our unexpected situation... Known as the Coronavirus.... Life is a bit out of the ordinary.
Life as we know it has changed. It is important to take note, write it down, draw a picture, and adapt, learn, but do it, write it down.

What are you feeling? Who are you with? What have you planned for the next two weeks? What plans changed, what have you adapted?  What about your friends and family? 

Artistic Journaling is important.  So create a handwritten Newspaper Headline... What might it look like. You are the feature... What is the entertainment? Sports? News!!!

Have fun!!!

Murals! March 15, 2020

It's Almost St. Patrick's Day, and today's inspiration is from the Murals at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago (Thank you Ms. Erin for taking me there with Fiona a few years ago... and Thank you Lisa for sharing this article with me today.)....

It's amazing what Art is around us... and if we pay attention, what ART is, and why IS IT THERE?



Here's a lovely article to read about the Murals, and the Artist, Edward Cox, featured in the Chicago Sun Times.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2020/3/13/21172240/murals-chicago-celtic-irish-american-heritage-center-edward-cox?fbclid=IwAR2k6nqCHvVWBkDnWvelat6_avhKzHoVP-yYlP5Cr3_nmuoOVP42BnW_VHg

Artist Challenge for March 15th... If you could create a MURAL inspired by your own heritage... a favorite story, poem, or written bit of inspiration, what would it be?  Draw it, Paint it, and Share with us!.....

Share your artwork here!  email me here!

COLOR - A FEW VIDEOS that discuss the chemeistry of color and the history of paint.

With the current world health issue...  Coronavirus (COVID-19)…  Let's talk about art, color and painting...  Art lessons and help keep ourselves appreciating what we can be in control of.

So for the next few weeks, cuz my kids are going to be off school for a few weeks, we will be exploring artists, art, paint, color, and so much more.  I might even try to master the "on-line-video" lesson!  Yah, let's get to that later.


Before I go into my own art lesson though, I thought you might want to take some time and learn a little bit about color, and see where and how colors were made and developed through history.

Here's a link to a great Video on the CHEMISTRY OF COLOR!

Here's a great video created by two students, Maggie & Sophia, for a school project.  It is very well done and discusses the HISTORY OF PAINT.   

Self Discovery - 2020

2020!!!  Visions - Clearly!

It's a year full of changes, and it's only February. today is February 21, 2020!

I'm looking towards a bright and fruitful year as an artist, a creative, a teacher,
but also as a Mother and Mentor to 5 bright and beautiful children.


Sculpture Garden 2020 remains as my theme for the year, which began as inspiration from our 2019 trip to Blarney Castle in Ireland, where beautiful sculptures were scattered about the grounds and paths leading up to and around the castle site.  I was intrigued, curious, and wanted to learn more... and create more along those lines.
I want to explore and encourage my students to discover for themselves what they are capable of, and what is possible.  But of course, there's a need to teach some fundamental basics along the way.

So my courses this year are a combination of both... Fundamental Design and Drawings, Structures and Shapes, and Drawing Concepts, Composition, and of course Creative Freedoms.

Questions: What is art, what makes your art? What do you want to see? How can you make that happen?  We will constantly be in a mode of self discovery.


Upcoming Art Programs...  Some are individual courses, and some are ideas and outlines.  All classes are available for children and adults, and can be taken as a single art lesson, or be the building blocks for a more in depth art program.

Art Camps are intended for small groups upto 6 or 8 students depending on the age/skill set.

There's always room for private lessons and art based field trips.

Art in the Garden

Farmer's Market or Fresh off the Vine...  

In the Garden studio we work with Real Things, not from photos.  

Color Explorations and Textures.  

Art in the Garden is a Painting Class, 

Oil - alla prima - (Wet on Wet / in one session)

$25 / plus materials (or bring your own)

Individual, Small Group, or Summer Camps are designed to mix Art and Creativity in a friendly and comfortable atmosphere.  Use of all sorts of materials make it accessible to all students at all skill levels.

Spring Break & Summer Sessions:

MONDAY - APRIL 6 - GET OUT AND PAINT

outdoor painting demonstration, workshop and open classroom

Location (TBD) closer to the date... think "King Harbor / Redondo Beach" area

$25 Pre-Registration (mini-supply kit included)

3 hour painting session - Oil/Acrylic

WEDNESDAY - APRIL 8 - GET OUT AND PAINT

outdoor painting demonstration, workshop, and open classroom

Location (TBD) closer to the date... think "Flowers / Fauna / zoo or aquarium?

$25 Pre-Registration (mini-supply kit and admission)

3 hour drawing/sketching/watercolor pencils

Camp Da Vinci - at Torrance Arts Academy - July 13 - 17

A Full Week of Exploring the Artist and Works of Leonardo Da Vinci

Portraits, Drawings, Inventions and Artworks 

inspired by the Classical Renderings of Leonardo Da Vinci.  

Early Registration Available: Camp Da Vinci with Suzanne

Upcoming Workshops and Camps:

Skylines of Los Angeles: Painting the Urban Landscape

June & July / On Location 

Sunset from Sunset: Hollywood Hills

August: Celtic Art & Calligraphy

Request a Registration Packet, or e-mail me directly to discuss your needs, your student / group, or to join in an art workshop or retreat.

E-mail Suzanne!

Sculpture Garden - 2020

During the summer of 2019, I had the fortunate experience of visiting England and Ireland.  Whilst there, I explored historical and monumental sites, with relics, old buildings, churches and castles.  We saw cliffs, and forests, and fairy trees.  Forts and Stone Circles, and sculptures and Plein Air art in the most beautiful and unusual places.  Throughout my journey I sought out new and inspiring art forms that would be translated into new classroom and studio projects.  And this is where the theme of Sculpture Garden 2020 beings.

·       This calendar will shift, adjust and be variable as artists are variable... we have moods, inspirations, and can suddenly be inspired by anything surrounding us.  That's what makes being an artist so fluid and adaptable.  These FOUR artists are just 4 of a list of many, who will be introduced and used to teach and inspire the students in all of my classes... from pre-school to adults, and also into my own body of work which is constantly changing and evolving.  I hope to learn more throughout this year (2019-2020) as this new collection of work is developed.  Thank you for being part of this journey!

Students will create and develop a series of art pieces inspired by the sculptures of a realistic, contemporary and abstract nature.  Styles might vary, individual and group installations will be presented.

·         We will look at, explore, and observe OLD WORLD statues, sculptures and two-dimensional drawings depicting the human form with drapes and costumes.

·         We will explore the organic sculpture inspired by succulents. The art of Nature. Naturally occurring patterns that are repetitive, have shape, form and function.  

We will look at REAL EXAMPLES of current art installtions around the world, like the ones pictured here:

"Cathedral" 15' Stained Glass Window by Kevin Atherton,

 located within the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley, Sculpture Trail, United Kingdom

Mirror Labyrinth by Jeppe Hein (Denmark), location NOMA (New Orleans)

"Quackers" by Mike Dwyer (Colorado) is located in Downtown Mesa, Arizona

"George" by James Hamilton of South Australia

We will explore and learn about our own local artists, sculpture installations and create our own miniature version.  Let's be inspired together!

·         MEET THE MASTERS – GEORGIA O’KEEFE

o    Georgia O’Keefe and the South-West Art Movement. We will create our own oversized drawing and canvas creations on a large-scale format. We will use succulents as our subject matter.

·         We will design and create our own meditation - sculpture garden as a base for our own sculpture project.

o   Inspired by the sculptures at Blarney Castle, Ireland.  Students will create their own sculpture. (Organic or Animal) We will discuss suitable materials, using paper, found objects, metal, buttons, wires, and paint.  We will discuss the location for indoor or outdoor and decide what challenges might be considered in the final installation.

·         MEET THE MASTERS – GEORGES SEURAT

o   We will explore the French Post-Impressionist, the time, the talent the scale and the style of Pointillism.  We will discover various ways to apply paint, in thick, thin, and varied strokes. chromoluminarism and pointillism Thickness of application, and the surface to which the paint is applied.  Impasto, Alla Prima, and Quick Draw will all be explored.

·         MEET THE MASTERS – JOAN MIRÓ

o   Making a Mark on your drawing surface.  Exploring Primary Colors, fun, expressive lines. Visual Movement, energy and abstract art applications.  Kinetic Sculptures and Whimsical Environmental Interpretations of Art, and Movement in Art.

·         MEET THE MASTERS – PIET MONDRIAN

o   Introducing students to the life and work of Dutch Painter, Piet Mondrian

o   We will study and adapt our work inspired by “COMPOSTITION, 1921”

Other Artists who will be discussed and introduced:

Paul Cezanne

Pablo Picasso

Vincent Van Gogh

Claude Monet

Paul Klee

Summer 2019 - Art Camp for Kids, Adults, and Art Retreats

To Register: Send E-mail Request

SUMMER G.U.A.C. 

GROWN UP ART CAMP

6 - 9 P.M.

MONDAY - JULY 1ST 

MONDAY - JULY 15TH 

MONDAY - AUGUST 19TH

Artist Retreat - 2019

October 18 - 19 - 20 - 2019

San Jose, California

Reservations: 

Hotel and Details: Email - Reservations

Silver White Winters that Melt into Spring

These are a few of my Favorite Things!!!!!

We've Passed by Valentine's Day and are on route to St. Patrick's Day, and clearly there are CREATIVE VIBES  filling the air.  We've had rain (here in Southern California) that has perhaps brought us out of drought status, and as a happy result I expect a lush blooming garden.  

Of course, Avocado's are already hanging from the tree and as the ground starts to dry out a bit we'll be hosting G.U.A.C. sessions very soon.  

In April we'll have some crEATive heARTs workshops combining art, food, and beverages.  

Perhaps you will join in a 

"Paint and a Pint" or a "Cookies and Canvas" party?  

Travel Art Journals: Celtic Journeys

Creative Travel Books & Memory Journals

Teacups and Treasures: Teatime

Watercolor Projects

Creative Art Journals and Portfolios

13 - 17 years

Plein Air - Outdoor Painting Workshops

Monthly Paint-outs and Guided Lessons*

Pre-Registered Students / R.S.V.P. 

Drawing & Painting Summer Camps

Check out the Schedule in April.

Pre-register for Early Notifications.

ART FIELD TRIPS!!!  OVERNIGHT ART ADVENTURES!!!

Request More Information: Schedule published in April

email here