GEYSERVILLE ART BY SUSAN MOORECopyright Susan Moore

GEYSERVILLE, MY KIND OF TOWNCopyright Susan Moore

Art in the Redwoods

This is a shot of me and Mother Nature.
Copyright Susan Moore

Hibiscus & Crab Claw Dark

My friend Judy brought a bunch of flowers to play with on the scanner, after she left I did a couple of her hibiscus blossoms, and a crab claw my art teacher, Andre, loaned me.
Copyright Susan Moore

Just Hibiscus, Light

This is my favorite, so far. Delicate and subtle.
Copyright Susan Moore

Scanning stuff from my yard.

First pair of images are some colorful things I grabbed from my yard. I am really having fun with the concept of scanning things and discovering how they look, playing with composition, colors and textures. This media was introduced to me by Peter Krohn, a master of this art form. His images are so inspiring, and his enthusiasm for the process is wonderful. If you have the opportunity to see his work, by all means, do so. He is doing demos at his open studio this weekend through Art at the Source, in Sebastopol. He is Studio #47.
Copyright Susan Moore

Blossoms and Leaves

Narrowed image, a bit more interesting.
Copyright Susan Moore

Light Tomato Paisley

Heirloom tomatoes from Trader Joe's, arranged in a paisley design, some leaves and blooms from my hedge, scanned in daylight. They look good enough to eat, but not yet. A few more shots.
Copyright Susan Moore

Dark Tomato Paisley

Third scanned image, I wanted it dark to bring up the rich color of the tomatoes.
Copyright Susan Moore

Dark tomatoes

The 4th new image, this one with a dark scarf.
Copyright Susan Moore

This was a fun experiment inspired by an art demo by Peter Krohn. Peter creates gorgeous images and he is demonstrating them in his studio June 4th, 5th, 11th and 12th, through Art at the Source, in Sebastopol. If you are in the area, don't miss his studio, #47 in the catalog, available at Sebastopol Center for the Arts. This is the best year so far for Art at the Source.
Copyright Susan Moore

View of Fitch Mountain Through the Railroad Bridge

Healdsburg Center for the Arts, Members' Show this year was going to be views of Fitch Mountain. Since it has been raining non-stop and I couldn't paint outside, I scurried through all my old photos and found this view. It is Fitch Mountain, perfectly framed by the railroad bridge. Meanwhile they have broadened the scope of the show, but I'm glad I did this painting. I don't usually deal with so much structure, and it was a fun challenge. It will be in the show at HCA through April.
Copyright Susan Moore

Snow on Pine Flat

It snowed here last month. This is the wine country in Northern California. It doesn't usually snow here, but there it is, so I had to paint it, plus there was mustard, and a red barn (always a favorite with plein air painters). This one will be in a show at Healdsburg Center for the Arts through April.
Copyright Susan Moore

Talk to the Hen

I love this couple. What are they looking at? I feel like there is a story here. Did they just have a disagreement? Is one of them a bit passive-aggressive? Hmm.
Copyright Susan Moore

Pick a Little, Talk a Little...

One of my newest paintings, this is inspired by Heifer International. The local group is having a barn dance/dinner as a fund raiser and they have invited me to show some of my paintings to decorate the barn. I had paintings of cows, sheep and llamas, but no chickens. Until now.
Copyright Susan Moore

Gus and Jenny

Gus and Jenny were two of our very favorite dog friends. They have been gone for quite a while, but we still think of them every day. I painted this for my husband, any dog's best friend. In my next life, I think I would like to be Ed's dog.
Copyright Susan Moore

Sammy at the Center

I don't do many abstract paintings. I like abstracts, but it's not in my nature to let go and paint abstract. I think I'm too much of an explainer. As you can see, this isn't very abstract, but it is for me. I borrowed the technique from Beverly McChesney, and I'm happy with how it turned out.
Copyright Susan Moore

Paintings at the Citrus Fair

These are two of the paintings I entered in the Cloverdale Citrus Fair this year. Local fairs are always fun, especially if it's not raining. It's often raining at the Citrus Fair. Late February. Go figure.
Copyright Susan Moore

Lyin' on a Rock

This lion, by contrast with the Phantom Lion, is young, smooth and started out on a fresh white canvas. He doesn't have the lumps and bumps and colorful "experience" of the Phantom. Just a lazy, innocent, lay around in the sun kind of guy. A little curious, a little bit bored. Maybe it's time for a nap.
Copyright Susan Moore

Phantom Lion

I painted this lion on a canvas I had been using for a palette. It was thick and crusty with dried paint of many colors. I had barely started to paint in the lion's features when I was advised to stop and leave it just like this, with all the colors and texture showing through. I call it the Phantom Lion because he was for a show at the Phantom Gallery in Santa Rosa.
Copyright Susan Moore

Klamath Redwoods in Fog

Here's another foggy painting. Fog is fun to do, especially doing it in lots of layers, using a lot of medium and just a touch of pigment. This is from a great photograph my friend Patti Ferrera took in the Klamath Redwoods.
Copyright Susan Moore

Falling Apart in the Fog

Painting with a group on a foggy morning at Bodega Bay. When I started, the only thing visible in the fog was the wharf. Soon the fog lifted and the background coastline came into view and changed everything. This painting was selected for a juried show in Petaluma.
Copyright Susan Moore

Llama Hat/Mask

See the previous post for an explanation of this hat/mask, and why I'm wearing it.
Copyright Susan Moore

Chicken Hats

Just being silly, I decided to make mask/hats from paper plates and bowls. These chickens are my favorite so far. My first was a llama hat I made for the gallery reception for a mask show where I had Fernando (down 2 posts) entered. The participating artists were encouraged to wear masks, so I whipped up the llama out of some paper plates I had around the house. I will try to find a picture and post it next.
Copyright Susan Moore

Lauren

Lauren is a sheep mask I made from 100% recycled materials. The base of his face is a plastic laundry soap bottle, grapefruit juice bottle, and his ears are cut from plastic water bottles. His black face is from an old Ralph Lauren sweater from Goodwill, (hence his name) and his white curly wool fleece is from an unraveled old Irish cable knit sweater. Eyes and teeth are old buttons, and the tag in his ear is the Ralph Lauren label from the sweater. This was really fun to do.
Copyright Susan Moore

Fernando

Fernando is a mask I made from paper mache, and yarn. To attach his fur, I knitted a mask to pull over his face to which I could tie the long strands. This is dedicated to Fernando Nugent, a dear friend, and one of the best teachers I have ever known. He was respected and beloved by his students.

Copyright Susan Moore

Lion Show Reception

This is my friend Judy and me at the reception for the Wild Things art show.

Copyright Susan Moore

Lion Show in Healdsburg February 2011

Seven of my lion paintings are in a Where the Wild Things Are showcase show at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts this month.
Copyright Susan Moore

Cows in Fog on Llano Road

I was driving one morning in the fog and saw lots of beautiful cows grazing among huge old oaks. Found a place to pull over and took lots of pictures. These pretty girls were my favorite and I finally did the painting.
Copyright Susan Moore

Apple Blossom Parade

My granddaughter Sydney is the drum major, and the last person I saw in the tiger suit was her sister Madison. This painting is a present for their mom, Laura. The Analy Marching band and the weener dogs in costumes are my 2 favorite things about the Apple Blossom Fair parade in Sebastopol each year.
Copyright Susan Moore

Russian River from Geyserville Bridge

This is the view from the Geyserville bridge. The new one, not the cool old one. We camped right about where the egret is on a vacation before we moved here. The riverbed has shifted many times since then (almost 40 years ago). The house in the background is Doris Brown's, the first Geyservillian we met.
Copyright Susan Moore

Goodbye to Mewsings

This is one of the few abstracts I have done. I call it Mewsings. It just sold to a lady who really likes it a lot. I love when that happens. Sometimes I miss a painting after it sells, but it's always nice to know someone is enjoying it.
Copyright Susan Moore

Painting with Judy

I'm having fun painting with my dear friend Judy. She hasn't painted before and she is amazing. We are painting things she likes, to start off with, like irises and ducks, and we did a frog, also (not because she's particularly fond of frogs, more because it seemed like it would be easier). I'm posting my iris and my frog just for fun.
Copyright Susan Moore

Or..Fred's Llama @ M.P.

See the post below for the rest of the story. Meanwhile, here's a looser version of a llama at Machu Picchu. Fred gets to choose. It's my thank you to dear friends who have provided inspiration, support and shared some amazing photos to paint from.Copyright Susan Moore

Fred's Llama @ M-P

My friends Patti and Fred Fererra came to see an art show of mine and Fred liked my llamas. He asked me if I ever painted llamas hanging out at Machu Picchu. I hadn't, but it sounded like a really good idea. Patti takes beautiful photographs and has been very generous about letting me paint them. Long story short (too late), here is a Machu Picchu llama with a semi detailed background. Just above will be another M.P. llama, with a less detailed background.
Copyright Susan Moore

Patti Fererra's Spotted Owl

I just finished this painting of a spotted owl from a great photograph by my friend Patti Fererra. With all those downy feathers, it looks like it might be a fledgling.

Copyright Susan Moore

Art Show Slideshow Please press the arrow.

This is a slideshow of about 2 dozen of my paintings currently on display at the Sebastopol Branch of the Westamerica Bank.

Harvey: Puppy Posh, Naptime, and Harvey's Haircut.

These three paintings are for my granddaughters. Harvey was a most loved member of their family. He had a big smile, a big heart and the biggest feet I've ever seen on a Springer Spaniel. He loved taking a nap on anything he found on the floor. We all miss him a lot.
Copyright Susan Moore

Daisy and the Purple Ape

Daisy, our Springer Spaniel, is my favorite dog and the Ape is her favorite friend. She loves all of her many many toys, but this guy has been her nap buddy since she was a puppy. Notice his cute white hat (her big floppy lip).
Copyright Susan Moore

Puma in the Mustard

While painting mustard fields recently with the Monday Morning Painters, I thought "what I really need for my painting is a critter". This puma wasn't really there while I was, but there were some really big clear mountain lion tracks in mud on the road right near where we were painting.

So now my painting has a critter.
Copyright Susan Moore

Healdsburg Hilltop Llamas, Zorba and Cancun

Several years ago, I first noticed these beautiful llamas grazing on a hilltop above Hwy 101 next to the Bella Villa Messina, in Healdsburg, CA. I have wanted to paint them for a long time now. I recently got the opportunity to meet them in person. Their names are Zorba and Cancun. This painting is in the current show at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts (formerly the Plaza Arts Center).
Copyright Susan Moore

Parageese

Geese reflected in the lake at Howarth Park, while out painting with a few friends. (me, not the geese) I'm also working on a larger painting of a similar subject.

Copyright Susan Moore

Booneville Sheep

On Highway 128 West of Booneville, I noticed a flock of really cute sheep, so I stopped to take pictures. They were really curious and talked a lot. I was especially happy to see this great back-lit little group of them.
Copyright Susan Moore

Barbara's Yellow Schoolhouse

I finally finished painting this charming place that used to be a schoolhouse, and is now the home of a friend. I started it a couple of years ago, and for some reason, set it aside. I drove by there this summer and all of her flowers inspired me to finish it up.
Copyright Susan Moore

OVO

I painted this using hard boiled eggs to roll the paint on the paper, then I had some fun with a pencil eraser. One objective of this exercise was to incorporate a word into the painting, and ovo seemed to suit.

Copyright Susan Moore

Sunny

Sunny is the cherished cat (and probably a teensy bit spoiled) of my friend, Jan, in Washington. I've seen lots of photos of this great little ball of fur, most of them with an even squintier look on her face. It was really fun to paint her. Yes, her eyes are that blue, and yes, she spends a lot of time sticking her tiny tongue out, so I am told.

Copyright Susan Moore

Ginger

Ginger is a little Jack Russell Terrier who works in Santa Rosa at United Auto Center. Her job is to visit with customers in the waiting room while Walt and Bill are fixing the cars. She does a great job, and so do Walt and Bill. If you want old fashioned great service combined with new technology, this is the place for you and your car.
Copyright Susan Moore

Monday Morning Painters at the M.A.C. Sept.6 to Oct.3

ABRAMSON GALLERY

Monday Morning Painters
Celebrate the Joy of Painting En Plein Air

En plein air is a French term meaning in the open air. At the time when the Impressionists, circa 1870, were first beginning to experiment with plein air effects, Winslow Homer also was discovering sunlight and atmosphere which he thought could be only found in nature.

Monday Morning Painters is a group of plein air painters that was started over a decade ago by Sonoma County artist, Patrick Fanning. The group paints mostly throughout Sonoma County. Inspiration is found in the vineyards, rolling landscapes, barns, cows, cliffs and ocean, among other scenes, which result in works that are varied and seen from each artist's unique viewpoint.

Visit our Abramson Gallery page for more information.

Laura's Tiger

These tiger eyes are going to be watching my grandkids, and their mom & dad.
Copyright Susan Moore

Inauguration

This painting is based on a picture I took while watching the inauguration on tv. The shutter on my camera has a delayed reaction so it went off just at the moment the shot changed from the people to the flag, and caught a wonderful double exposure. Previously on exhibit at the Santa Rosa Finley Center through November '09, this painting is currently on long term exhibit in the library at Geyserville Education Park.
Copyright Susan Moore