The December Greeting Card Give Away Winner

Congratulations go out to this month's winner

Nellie Krams

from Wilmington, Delaware

When I spoke to Nellie this morning to let her know she was the lucky winner of the

December Give Away she told me she is also a watercolor artist with visions of

painting portraits of her grandchildren.

I predict she will be very successful in her pursuit!

Congratulations Nellie! Enjoy the assorted Christmas Cards.

Happy Painting and Happy Holidays!

Susie

12/11/11 Watercolor DEMO @ Daniel Smith Seattle

Calling all Watercolor Artists!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Two FREE demos -  12:00 noon and 2:00pm  - Daniel Smith Seattle Store

You are invited to join me, as I unravel the mysteries of Watercolors!  My "Short-Cuts" include my special tips, tricks and techniques as well as sharing ideas for repairs and fixes for your paintings.  Come and find out more ideas for unique approaches for painting watercolors with tips for executing both basic and advanced techniques in both traditional and experimental watercolor!

If you have ever attended one of my demos or workshops, you know that I always has lots of tricks and new things to share!

This is a great demo for all levels of watercolor painting so bring your watercolor questions and join me!!

A few of the supplies I'll be using at these FREE demos:

DANIEL SMITH Watercolors

Susie Short Watercolor Brush

DANIEL SMITH Masking Fluid

DANIEL SMITH Watercolor Ground

Series 23 DS Platinum Brushes

Double Ball Stylus:

1)  Small - 125 130 002

2)  Medium - 125 130 003

3)  Large - 125 130 004

Stephen Quiller WC paper

The December Give Away is almost here!

HURRY!  Only two days left!

Register for the 

December Give Away 

before 12:01 December 1, 2011.

Just in time for sending to your friends and family....the December Give Away 

is nine of my most popular watercolor Holiday/Christmas Cards.

As a reminder: The names are cleared after each drawing. 

You must re-register for each months give away. 

Thanks for your interest!   Good Luck!

Enter now.

NEW DVD! Release date 11-11-11 PREORDER NOW!

Release/Ship   Date 11-11-11

Pre Order the latest DVD! (click here)

List Price $34.95  $29.95  Save $5.00

Winter Creek DVD Workshop

Techniques for Painting a
Winter Landscape Greeting Card
in Watercolor

"This Winter Landscape Card has been one of my most popular eLessons on my website. I've received many requests to make a DVD to show each step...so here it is!" ...Susie Short

Along with the DVD I'll include the written guidelines and tips along with the painting layout guides and pattern from the original 5 x 7 greeting card e-lesson. I'll also include a copy of the original card used for this e-lesson plus a copy of the card I painted while filming this DVD.
See a Preview Clip of this DVD

Holiday/Christmas Card WORKSHOP @ Daniel Smith-Seattle

Join me for two HOLIDAY CARD WORKSHOPS

What:   Holiday/Christmas Greeting Cards
Where: Seattle Daniel Smith Art Store
When:  Saturday, November 5, 2011  Winter Landscape Cards
             Sunday, November 6, 2011  Winter Bird Cards
Time:   11:00 am til 4:00 pm  (either day)

Cost:     $75/day

There are a couple of seats available....HURRY!


Call Daniel Smith to register
206-223-9599

October/November Give Away Winner!

Congratulations!

The October/November Give Away

winner is

Jean Brooks

from Wellsboro, PA

Jean will receive a boxed set of

Autumn Leaves Notecards

To see more Fall/Thanksgiving notecards

visit my Gift Gallery

The next Give Away is Assorted Christmas Cards

Click Here to Register

Holiday/Christmas Card DEMO @ Daniel Smith-Seattle

2 FREE DEMOS

 Sunday, October 16th   

12 pm and 2 pm  
Come see a demonstration and

watch me paint a few of these

Christmas Cards!

Winter Birds and Winter Landscapes

make beautiful cards that everyone on your list

will enjoy receiving.

I'll share tips on painting individual cards as well as tips painting a special card for reproduction.

I hope to see you Sunday at the

Daniel Smith Seattle Store

Call 206-223-9599 for more details

Workshops for Painting Winter Landscapes and Winter Birds -- November 5 & 6, 2011
See my next post for more details!

IPAP Worldwide Plein Air Painters 9th Annual Paint Out - Day Three

Sunday, September 11, 2011
Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden, SeaTac, WA

Susie Short and Ann Breckon painting watercolors .

Today is day three of the WORLDWIDE Paint Out.  My painting partner for today is Ann Breckon. We enjoyed the sounds of songbirds and water falling gently over the rocks in the little stream while we painting our watercolor skeches. The weather (sunny 86 degrees with a nice cool breeze) was perfect!
As usual, I visited with the guests in the garden as much as I painted so my sketch of this little waterfall and water lilies still needs some finishing touches.

________________________________________________________________________

Today also marks the 10th anniversary of the attack on America on 9-11-2001. As we listened to the airplanes taking off and landing at the nearby SeaTac Airport, we were reminded of the changes that day made in our own lives.

We are so blessed to live in this amazing country and have to freedoms that the brave men and women in our armed services fight and give their lives for us to enjoy.

THANK YOU!

Words not quite adequite for all the represent, but sometimes simply the best way to let them know they are appreciated. We will never forget the sacrifices made on 9-11. 

Watch for the scans.....I'll post them in the next few days.
Till then...keep those brushes wet!  
SUSIE

IPAP Worldwide Plein Air Painters 9th Annual Paint Out - Day Two

For day two of the paint out weekend I chose the Soos Creek Botanical Garden in the Auburn/Kent area. It was a solo painting day so I looked for a spot close to home.  I have to admit the day didn't have as much time for painting as I would have liked but I did get in some quick sketches and took several photos. I've never visited this garden before today so it was an adventure! This is an established private garden that only recently was opened to the public. This lovely garden is more of a strolling garden. While quick sketches from the paths are possible, painting for several hours in a single spot could prove to be challengeing. 

I need to scan my sketches so I can post them. 

SUSIE

The WORLDWIDE PAINTOUT is happening simultaneously in international locations and I am proud to be a part of this 9th WORLDWIDE group event hosted by International Plein Air Painters.

International Plein Air Painters (IPAP) is a blanket organization created for the sole purpose of advancing the execution and enjoyment of plein air painting without the restrictions and limitations of borders or regions. IPAP's members are the quiet activists in the ongoing environmental struggle.

More about IPAP:
They call attention to the threatened urban scene and the vanishing farmland for history. 
IPAP members share inspiration and encouragement both on the Internet and at "paint outs".
They encourage other artists to get out and do it, to paint with other artists and share ideas.
  

You can join or show your support for IPAP or learn more about the group and see some of the many events happening posted on the website www.i-p-a-p.com 

IPAP Worldwide Plein Air Painters 9th Annual Paint Out - Day One

Friday, Sept 9, 2011 -- Day one of a three day weekend of Plein Air Painting

Woodland Park Rose Garden, Seattle, WA

My painting partner joining me for the day was plein air artist Mike Mallory of Everett, WA

Susie Short and Mike Mallory - Charter members of IPAP 

The weather was warm and sunny and the location was the perfect setting for painting on location. Mike selected the sunny lily pond as his subject, while I found a shady spot with a great view of the quaint gazebo.  It's always fun to share our joy for painting with the people who stop by to see what we are doing. It goes without saying, compliments and encouragement is always welcome, but for most of us who paint on location it's rewarding to be able to freely express our impressions of an inspiring spot and use the talents we are blessed with. And having a nice painting pal to share the day with doubles the pleasure!

Thanks for joining me Mike! It was fun and we both ended up with good paintings to boot!




  

Demo to benefit Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden

Plein Air Demo @ Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Even though I'm a little late with my post, I want to report on the fun day at the 5th annual Ice Cream Social and Plant Sale at the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden. This year's Celebrity Guest was Ciscoe Morris, who hosts "Gardening with Ciscoe" on KIRO 97.3 FM radio and KING 5/NWCN television, and is the author of the best-selling garden tome, "Ask Ciscoe", as well as a weekly column in the Seattle Times. As always Ciscoe was very entertaining and loaded with information on plants and gardening.

My donation to the event was to paint a scene from the garden on location (en plein air).  I started my demo around 11:00 am and completed the painting in the photo above by 3:00 pm just in time for the silent auction. I enjoyed meeting so many nice people while sharing the art of painting on location in such a beautiful setting.

Wendy Morgan from SeaTac had the winning bid and proudly took my watercolor painting to its new home.

Thanks to Laura Sweany and the nice folks at Highline Seatac Botanical Garden for inviting me to participate in this fun event! I look forward to doing it again!

Susie

Plein Air Weekend - Day 3 - Sunday

Day Three of my Plein Air Weekend
Woodland Park Rose Garden, Seattle, Washington
July 31, 2011

Yesterday's sunshine is hiding behind the clouds this morning.  But the lighting is good for photos.

I wandered around the Woodland Park Rose Garden taking photos and deciding where I wanted to set up my easel. About 15 minutes after I got everything set up it started to drizzle. Drizzle turned into rain and so I sat under my beach umbrella like a mother hen with all my painting gear stashed under my chair. From my sheltered spot I could still see some lovely rosebuds so I started a rosebud sampler page in my sketchbook.

Below I'll share photos of both my painting spot and my Rosebud Sampler Page

Later, the sun did break through  and I was able to move around and paint some of the roses.

The gazebo I wanted to include as a focal point in my painting (below) will have to wait

until another visit to be completed but I did get it started!

Thanks for looking at my report on my Plein Aire Weekend.

 If you live in the greater Seattle area I hope you will consider joining me for one of my plein air adventures.  There are so many beautiful gardens to visit and paint...just not enough time!  

Until next time ...Keep those brushes wet! 

Plein Air Weekend - Day 2 - Saturday

Saturday July 30, 2011
Pt. Defiance Rose Garden, Tacoma, Washington

Susie Short painting at Pt Defiance Rose Garden

For Day Two of my plein air weekend my destination was the beautiful rose gardens in Point Defiance Park. Accredited by the American Rose Society as an All American Rose selection display garden, Point Defiance Park has more than an acre of rose gardens, the oldest of which was established in 1895. The site includes a garden of miniature roses, arbors of climbing roses, and a quaint gazebo encircled by fragrant rose bushes.

After walking through the garden and taking some great shots of the beautiful roses I selected a seat in the shade of the gazebo and painted this soft peachy colored rose named Summer Dream.

"Altissimo" is a very tall bright red rose that always catches my attention. This quick sketch catches this beauty as it appeared against the clear blue sky. Too bad this rose doesn't live in my own back yard so I could see the rest of those little bud open and bloom.

My selection for the afternoon was this stunning bouquet of  bright yellow orange roses named "About Face."
The variety of colors in this grouping was fun to paint and kept the painting interesting. The sun moved quicker than I could paint and visit with those passing by. As you can see the shadow of the gazebo started to block the sunshine and remind me that my time was running out.

About Face  Sketch by Susie Short

Day Two was a success. Ahh, I'm happy!
Tomorrow is another day...... to paint!

Plein Air Weekend - Day 1 - Friday

Since my plein aire "Short Trip" to Mt Rainier was postponed due to the weather, I decided to take advantage of the time I'd set aside for painting and visit some wonderful gardens in the area. Roses were my intended target but at these gardens there are other attractions that can be very tempting to paint too.
Friday July 29, 2011
Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden
Say Hello to Madeline! This adorable little artist painted along with me in Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden. Madeline will celebrate her seventh birthday August 5, 2011. I hope she gets some painting supplies for her birthday, she's got talent!!!

This is the spot in the garden where I painted with Madeline during the morning of July 29th.  I was having too much fun chatting with the people visiting the garden and didn't finish my sketch before the light moved changing all the shadows. At the right is the sketch I painted before the light shifted, as you can see it remains a work in progress. If I can't make it back to the garden soon I'll finish it in my studio from the photos I took or better yet, paint the rest from memory. The sketches in my sketchbook are basically my "notes" to remind me of the colors, textures, and mood I experienced while on location.

Friday afternoon I moved to a shady spot with a good view of the water fountain near the heart of the rose garden. The fragrance in this area was heavenly! On the right you can see the first stages of my sketch of the fountain with the purple clematis climbing on the trellis in the background.
As you can see the sun was brightly shinning and the cast shadows made my subject even more intriguing and challenging.


 My painting style includes a technique that is sometimes referred to as "alla prima."
Definition: ...with little or no preparation...in other words, I don't draw my subject before I start painting. I like to say "I draw with my brush as I paint."
As shown in the second photo  I was able to add some of the roses and background to my sketch before I quit for the day. Again, the finishing touches will be added later. But I did get in most of the details on the fountain and I'm pleased with my little sketch.

These nice ladies were enjoying the garden and stopped for awhile to watch me paint and were kind enough to take my photo while I was painting.

Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden is located next to the community center  north of the airport
13735 24th Ave S, SeaTac, WA  See Map
If you speak to the nice staff when you visit  tell them "Susie sent you!"

August Greeting Card Give Away Winner

Congratulations!
Pat Hinkel

from Maryland

    Pat will receive the greeting card gift set featured

in the August 2011 Give-Away

Ocean Wave #38

Thanks to the 503 visitors who signed up for this Give-Away

Be sure to register for the Sunflowers
September/October Give-Away coming soon!

Enter to Win! All previous entries will be discarded.

New DVD! Painting Fallen Leaves PreRelease Special Offer

ANNOUNCING A NEW DVD!

Painting Fallen Leaves

Simple Watercolor Techniques for

 Beginning Painters

 

PreOrder Now

Expected Ship Date: August 1, 2011

Watch Preview on my website
or use the YouTube video link on the right >>>

This DVD has two painting projects using real leaves
as stamps and stencils for creating paintings
or greeting cards.

 

 Running Time:  Approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

Susie's August Give Away

Please sign up for my

August Greeting Card Give Away

Get three note cards

and

Three 5 x 7 greeting cards

Good Luck!

www.susieshort.net/giveaway

My Final Two SWAP paintings

SWAP is an international group of watercolor artists who have been exchanging small 5 x 7 works of art quarterly each year since 2003. Sadly, our group has run its course and we will no longer trade paintings under the same leadership. It's been a wonderful experience for all of us! We made good friends and shared good art!
The painting on the left is my painting for my friend, Michelle Himes.





The painting of the rose on the right is for my friend, M.T. Cherian who lives in India.

I thought a Peace Rose was a good choice for the final SWAP.

To all my partners and friends at SWAP I wish you well and ask that you stay in touch.
Happy Painting!

Susie

April/May Greeting Card Give Away Winners

Congratulations to the April

Greeting Card Give Away Winner
M.J. McMasters
from Chattanooga, Tenn
M.J. received 6 note cards of this painting
"Birdhouse in the Garden"
by Susie Short

________________________________________

Also.....
Congratulations go to the May Give Away winner
Margie Reyes
from San Antonio, Texas
She gets a gift set of 6 greeting cards with this

"Butterfly on Verbena" painting.

_____________________________________________________________
My apology for the delay in announcing the winners. I appreciate all of the 400+ entries each month. Please remember to register again for the next Give Away.
All entries are removed from the hat and only the new entries qualify for the current contest.
Thanks again for your interest! Susie

Valentine Give-Away winner

The rosebud goes to........

Kim DeLude

Illinois

Congratulations!

Kim will receive the greeting card gift set featured

in this month's Give-Away

Valentine Rosebud

Thanks to the 459 visitors who signed up for this GiveAway

Be sure to register for the March Give-Away coming soon!

Register for the Valentine Give-Away

To express my thanks and appreciation to my students, followers,

and newsletter subscribers

I'm my having my third Thank You Give-Away.

All you need to do to participate is enter!!
ENTER HERE
The prize this month is one of my personal favorites!

The winner will get four 5x7 greeting cards and four 4x6 note cards

of this pretty rosebud painting in a clear gift box.

Good Luck!

Please only one entry per email address.

The New Year's GiveAway Winner is....

Barbara Leech

Benton, Arkansas

Barbara will receive the following 5x7

Winter Landscape Cards

Congratulations Barbara!

Thanks to all the participants! I appreciate your comments

and praise for my website and watercolor tips!

Watch for the Valentine GiveAway...coming soon!