Monday, July 20, 2009

Ouch! This little bird has had a broken wing

Hello Everyone!

It's been a long time since I posted on any of my blogs. I've been busy doing what I do and trying to keep up with everything I had scheduled in May and June and now almost through July while I was healing from a broken arm.
Yes....as much as I hate to admit it I preformed a very clumsy one point landing face forward outside my studio on May 16th. It was a very pretty sunny afternoon, I'd been to the grocery store and was walking outside of my studio when I stepped off a little 2 inch sidewalk onto the asphalt parking lot a lost my footing. I had my arms full so I was unable to break my fall and when I hit the ground my right elbow found that 2 inch sidewalk. Kerplunk....no it sounded more like a loud "thud" as I recall. All I could do was blink away the stars and the tears while I tried to determine if I could even get up.

(Don't make fun of that commercial ..."I've fallen and I can't get up!......... it could happen to you :).
My husband was with me so he helped me get into a chair inside the studio until I decided if I was going to live or not. I decided it hurt too bad for me be dead so he began a search for an emergency room with a short line ahead of me. We found one close by and after a trip to the Kent Urgent Care Clinic and a couple of x-rays I found out I had a radial head fracture ( the small bone in my forearm where it connects to my elbow.) and cast would be required. Ugh! A cast meant limited movement. How was I going to paint with a cast? It could have been so much worse....I'm very thankful that my injury was such a minor one.
I would need to wait for the swelling to go down before they could apply a long term cast to my arm. After a couple of days I went to get my cast and I had a choice of colors so I picked purple.
The cast went from the palm of my hand to mid upper arm above my elbow.
I couldn't do anything! I couldn't even hold a paint brush or write my name! Forget about typing on a computer! I felt so useless. I did allow myself a couple of days to mope around the house then I realized at least I could still talk! (grin)
Fortunately, I wouldn't require any surgery to repair anything. So all in all I was very blessed as things could have been much worse.

I wore the pretty purple hard cast for a couple of weeks....talked my way through my weekly classes, then moved into a half cast (splint) with ace bandages to keep my elbow immobilized.
On June 25 I got the release from my doctor to resume my daily life as long as I took things easy and wouldn't try to over do.

This bright yellow iris is the first painting I did with my fixed wing. Sigh..........things were going to be ok. (Very Big Smile!)

So that's my story, I'm getting stronger every day and I promise I'll never take being well for granted. Thanks to all of my sweet friends, family and artbuddies who sent me "thinking of you" and "get well soon" emails. You don't know how I appreciate your love and care!


I love you all! Keep those brushes wet!
SUSIE

PS. I haven't decided if I want to leave the left top corner of this painting light or paint it dark like the right side. What do you think? Please let me know by clicking on the word "comments" below. Thanks!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Tulips at Windmill Gardens, Sumner, WA


The afternoon was just perfect for painting... a cool breeze, not too windy, birds chirping, partly cloudy with intermitten sun breaks to expose those illusive shadows that were playing hide and seek with me.

To be honest I spent more time taking photograph than painting. There were a couple of weddings in the garden so I tried to stay out of the way and off the beaten path.

This is one of the little sketches I painted while I was at Windmill Gardens.

It's in a 7x10 sketchbook filled with 140# CP paper. No drawing for this little treasure, just painted free handed with my Niji water barrel brushes.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Sunday en Plein Air @ Windmill Gardens - Sumner WA

Hi all!
I'll be painting en plein air at Windmill Gardens in Sumner tomorrow Sunday April 26 (good weather or not) Join me at the Gazebo if you can come paint!Wear your jacket!
Susie Short
PS. I'm planning more plein air outings for this summer; most are for the last weekend of the month.
Let me know if you are interested in joining me!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Monday, March 9, 2009

Painting Geraniums - March 2009

My Tuesday Afternoon Watercolor Class will be painting geraniums during the month of March. Shown is an example of what happened on my paper last week. The blooms were painted freehand without drawing them first. And then I added the leaves... and they weren't drawn first either! Focus was placed on seeing and painting the shapes. Not only are we learning the anatomy of this pretty flower we are also learning how to use a variety of reds to create drama and interest and how to mix a bunch of luscious greens. This week we will try painting geraniums as potted plants. Come back to see the results!

Upcoming Seattle Class- Butterflies,Dragonflies, & Bees


BUTTERFLIES, DRAGONFLIES, & BEES
Seattle Watercolor Class @ Daniel Smith Classroom
March 20, 2009 10:00am - 3:30pm $55 pia - $60 atd
Call Susie to Register 253-859-1111
Register Online

Monday, February 23, 2009

A Rose for Lenora


I always think of February as a time for roses. I guess it could be that Valentine's Day is on the 14th. Here in the Pacific Northwest (where I live) roses still have a few months to wait before the sun comes out to give them the exposure they need to bloom. But I do love roses and I love to paint them.

This pretty pink rosebud was painted for Lenora, my SWAP partner. SWAP stands for Sharing With Artist Partners, an international group of artists who share their watercolors with each other quarterly.
I was pleased with the results of this 5x7 painting. As with most of my watercolors, I prefer to paint without a drawing and work out the shapes with my paintbrush as I paint. For this painting I started with the background. I wanted a cooler background so I could play up the warm backlit leaves in the foreground. I used a mixture of Ultramarine Turquoise and New Gamboge for the green background color charged with Carbazole Violet for the darks around and behind the rosebud.
About the rain drops… There are several prestigious rose gardens in the Seattle area. Last year I planned several “outings” to photograph roses and when the day arrived it was raining again and again….yep…that’s Seattle! So after 3 tries I went anyway. Got my umbrella out to protect my camera and came home with a ton of Raindrops on Roses photos.
Let me know if you like this one.

SUSIE