Susan Garrington
CSPWC, OSA, CFS, FEDERATION OF CANADIAN ARTISTS

Newsletter

(posted on 15 Jan 2018)

MY PAINTING PROCESS AND OTHER THINGS:

As is always the case, January's weather this year alternates between cold bright sunny days when the snow squeaks underfoot and miserably grey days of freezing rain, snow fog, whiteouts and storms.

The first sort are energizing, invigorating and full of hope.These are the kind of days I love and they are what makes winter my second favourite season. I clean and organize my studio, take inventory, make lists, make plans, make drawings and paintings.

The second sort lend themselves to sitting by the fire, perusing old sketchbooks and journals, dreaming and recalling fond memories and, alas, worrying and despairing over THE FERN. Many of you who have visited our home have seen the "Monkey Tail Fern" as it was known in our childhood home. More commonly called "Rabbit's Foot Fern", this particular specimen is about 50 years old. I inherited it from my mother and every January since it came to live with us, it begins a frenzy of fern shedding and causes me to worry that I have, at last, killed it. Then I try to remind myself that it does this every year and that some botanists believe this type of fern ( Davillia fejeensis ) predates the dinosaur! Surely if the species has survived this long it can survive life in the Garrington household. Each year when the early spring days lengthen it shoots out lots of lovely new fronds and I breathe a sigh of relief.

In a similar way each time I paint sooner or later I arrive at a place of despair where everything seems wrong and ugly. I need to remind myself just to keep going, to reject the impulse to rip it up and toss it in the garbage, to listen more attentively to what it is trying to tell me. The conversation requires time, patience and above all hope. Like many other endeavours painting needs faith that a good outcome is within reach.

 

In case you are filling in your calendars for 2018, here are a few of the places I will be showing my paintings this year. As the dates get closer, I will provide you with more detailed information in my newsletters.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS 2018

Brush and Palette Show: April 5, 6, 7

London Artists" Studio Tour: April 20, 21, 22

Stratford Studio Tour (Spring) May 19, 20 21

Stratford Studio Tour ( Fall ) Sept. 22, 23

Gallery Painting Group Show: Oct. 18, 19 20