Remembering Ruth

This post is dedicated to Ruth (I am withholding her last name to protect the privacy of her family) who passed away on Christmas Eve.  Dr. Marjorie sent me this photo from a trip they took together this summer.  As you might tell from the meal, they were in Nantucket.  Dr. Marjorie has been in my Wednesday night class for over four years.  She is the one who brought Ruth to class for just about a year before she became ill.  They were friends for over thirty years.  

Ruth was a lot of fun to have in class because her humor kept us all laughing. She was quick with the wit but warm with her heart.  We also have teenagers in the Wednesday night class and Ruth had a genuine interest in what they were doing with their art and with their lives.   


Ruth spent the past year painting portraits of her family.  What a wonderful gift they will always have from her.  

My dear Ruth, we will miss you!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

© 2010 Aspen Trees In Snow by Jill Saur, all rights reserved

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

For those who celebrate Christmas, I wish you a wonderful Christmas!  Today is a day of both joy and sadness for me.  Tom and I just returned from attending our Christmas Eve service.  The music was just wonderful, the ambiance was perfect, and the message was powerful - Joy.  However, at 4:00 this morning, one of my students from Wednesday night, Ruthie, passed away - Sadness.  

Ruthie was diagnosed with lung cancer just two months ago!  Doctor Marjorie, one of her best friends who brought her to class, told me tonight that Christmas Eve was her favorite day of the entire year.  She said that Ruthie probably held out until today on purpose.  It's just hard to believe that she is already gone.  She made us laugh with her spry quick wit and now she has made us cry with her sudden departure.  Ruthie, you will be missed!

Jill

"Chattahoochee River"

© 2010 Jill Saur Fine Art, all rights reserved

Those who know me, know that I am passionate about painting trees. I wonder if I caught the bug when I was just a little girl watching my mother breath life into her trees as she painted them.  Either way, I began my love affair with painting trees over thirty years ago.  


I have several favorite trees along different sections of the Chattahoochee River.  Recently, I took a long hike along this beautiful river in search of one of my favorite trees.  When I finally arrived at my destination, the clouds overtook the sun, and all of the shadows that I love to photograph had vanished.  So, I returned the next day, walked down the huge hill and hiked back to the same place.  With great joy, I found the sun at just the right place and the shadows were perfect!  This photo is from that day, but not of my favorite tree.  I will share that after my painting is completed.


If you haven't figured it yet, the point of this post is PASSION and
DETERMINATION.  Passion without determination is like having a great car with no gas in it.  I would have gone down to that river every day if need be just to get the shot that I was looking for.  


When you find what you are passionate about, stay with it, cultivate it, watch it grow, and watch yourself grow with it!


Jill's Website:  www.JillSaurFineArt.com

Sketchbook

© 2008 Jill Saur Fine Art, all rights reserved

My daughter and I were watching television several years.  I did a quick gesture drawing of her and later on I transferred the drawing to  watercolor paper and added some paint.  Why not keep a sketchbook in your family room and do some drawing while a show is on. You never know what you might come up with!

Jill's Website:  www.JillSaurFineArt.com

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Cecilia is working on a pencil drawing 

Dr. Betty was finishing up her landscape painting.  It has

such a beautiful glow!  Underpainting always pays off!

This is the finished result.  This acrylic painting is just stunning!

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Wednesday A.M. and P.M. Class Jill Saur Fine Art-Roswell GA - Art Classes

These photos are from my morning class and evening class.  I just love seeing what my students are doing.  They are such a joy to be around and so encouraging to one another.  I love what I do!

Carole is working on a palette knife painting and

I am really loving it.

 Pat is working her magic with the palette knife

and a angel emerges to delight us all.

 Dottie painted this today for her home.  I

can't wait to see what is next.

Sabrina finished her first painting in color tonight to

rave reviews from the me and the class!

 Doctor Marjorie working on her first snow scene. It

is just lovely.

 Anna is trying her hand at some pastel and colored pencil.

 Doctor Marjorie and Pam 

 Ray and Linda working side by side

 Alex is working on an impressionistic piece.

 Sabrina's finished painting!

 Pat finished this piece today. It has

rich texture from the palette knife!

 We were so happy to get Jim back today.  He

has been in California for the month.

Emma Rose is finally getting to paint her tree painting.

This is one of her first color paintings and we are marveling

at her progress at such a young age!

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"Little Boy Blue" Figure Painting by Jill Saur

© 2006 Jill Saur fine Art "Little Boy Blue"  all rights reserved

I thought I would just post this little watercolor that I painted when I was on location in Hawaii a number of years ago.  This is a quick gesture of a little boy that I saw.  I painted a watercolor wash over the ink.  These types of paintings are quick, fun and very doable when you are on vacation.  For those who paint in oil and acrylic, you can just buy a little watercolor travel palette and get by with two little brushes.  This really is worth the effort.  You may discover a whole 
new way to gather subject matter to paint! Happy Painting - Jill
Jill's Website

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"Art Journal" Tree Painting by Jill Saur

© 2009 Jill Saur Fine Art LLC, Tree Art,  all rights reserved

Keeping an art journal can be an important way to connect with the painting that you are about to create.  It engages more of your senses and emotions and is bound to show in your finished piece.  The following words are from my own journal that I wrote before I painted "The Hastening Tree".

"What I love about this tree, is that from a distance it appears to be in its prime.  It continues to enamor its viewers with robust alluring shades of green foliage.  At sunrise, the trunk offers striking contrasts of light and dark.  Even the bark is bejeweled with flecks of rich golds, browns, and reds.

The great surprise comes upon close inspection.  The middle base of the tree is completely hollow!  It is absolutely amazing that the tree is entirely supported by the sides and the few roots that make its way to the soil.  This tree is fighting for its last vociferation, its last great moment.  It is reaching to the light and putting forth its branches for all to see.  It’s death will be swift and sudden.  There is no middle ground for this tree.  It is living in splendor and then it will be gone.  I am moved by the lessons it is teaching me and I am compelled to paint it in all of its seasons.  I have actually been photographing this tree for well over two years now.  I have witnessed this tree at sunrise when the first rays of the sun illuminate its weathered trunk and I have sat at its base in the mist of the afternoon when the only hue is a dull grey.   This is when the tree is most haunting and sullen.  My most recent visit was a week ago when the last remnant of fall glistened on its colorful leaves.

I guess you could say that this is one of my special places to go when I need some time to think, pray, evaluate my life, and listen for answers."   © 2009 Jill Saur Fine Art, LLC    Jill's Website

Saturday

Vanessa finished her dog painting today.  He looks so alive and real.  

This is my new favorite Vanessa painting.  

Rebecca is working on watercolor florals.  

Kim finished her owl painting today.  Pretty cool!

Thursday Art Class - Jill Saur Fine Art

My students in each class often ask what the other students are working on.  Since most of my students know each other from sitting in on other days, I think this is a nice way to show what everyone is doing.

Jennifer is working on a street scene in watercolor.

Tom is working on art for a fundraiser for Habitat Humanity.

Betty is working on the flowers behind her and a landscape in front of her.

Cecilia is working on her hummingbird painting.

Wednesday's Art Class

This is Pat working on her palette knife floral painting.

Below is the finished painting, just lovely!

Below, Carole is working on her shoes.  Love the 

painting and I really love her smile!

Michelangelo

"I saw the angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free"....Michelangelo

What a profound quote!  Michelangelo released David from the stone.  I am no Michelangelo, but I can relate to something here.  I am close to finishing a painting that I have had a vision for in my mind.  I feel like I am just painting until I set it free.  This is something to think about when you have an inspiration to paint.  Painting is like writing a song.  You feel the music when you write a song, and when you paint, you must feel what is flowing through your hand and brush onto the canvas.  Jill's Website

"Gesture Drawing Definition"

© 2005 Jill Saur Fine Art LLC, all rights reserved

Gesture drawings are quick, loose drawings. You don't stop the motion of your hand while doing it. Also, you don't take your pen off of the surface to move it to another point, you just drag it over.  I didn't spend any more than two minutes or so on the drawing above.


The gesture drawing focuses more on the inference of the figure, not an exact replica of what you see.  Practicing quick gesture drawings will train your eye-brain-hand co-ordination to pick up on lines and see where they are in relation to other lines.  Before you begin a fine drawing or painting, gesture it first to get a 'feel' for what you are going to do. Jill's Website

"Color To Black And White"

© 2010 Jill Saur Fine Art LLC, all rights reserved

© 2010 Jill Saur Fine Art LLC, all rights reserved

Tom and I went down to the river today for a walk.  I took my camera with the intent to capture some of my favorite trees.  This is one of my shots.  We have been talking in my classes about value.  You can see the light coming from the right, leaving the left side of the tree in the shade. This makes for an interesting subject matter.  Something you can do, is take your photo and turn it into a black and white.  If it looks good in black and white, you can be sure you have a good study for a rendition in color.  Happy Painting - Jill  Jill's Website

"Great Day"

Mac is working on a tiger.  She started painting it today and it already looks like it is going to emerge right off the canvas and into the room!  Mac has a great loose style. I just love her work.

Serena finished this zebra today and it is just stunning!  She has a fine, delicate touch with the pencil, which translates into drawings that have tremendous depth and beauty.  

Zoe is a new drawing and painting student with me.  She started this hummingbird last week and finished it today.  It is quite lovely!  I can't wait to see what she is going to do when she paints!