tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62217240203144306892024-03-12T18:42:24.860-06:00Susan Fahrni emerges from the Columbia ValleyLandscapes of the Rocky and Selkirk Mountains, Columbia Valley and Wetlands by emerging artist Susan Fahrni.Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-64983293731104096222014-09-21T13:24:00.002-06:002014-09-21T13:24:39.521-06:00Turtle Time<div style="text-align: center;">
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I was able to finish this small painting in time to include it in my show at Pynelogs Cultural Centre this week and next. </div>
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I love the way the little guy is trying to join the others on the log. Is he asking if he can join or apologizing for being late? Whatever it is he's determined not to miss out on his time in the sun with the others.</div>
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Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-23265628658311152592014-07-27T14:58:00.001-06:002014-07-27T14:58:56.209-06:00Pond Royalty<br />
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The day that I visited little Dorothy Lake to check out the turtles, I was fortunate to encounter this wonderful Great Blue Heron. Having completed "The Gossips of Dorothy Lake" I was eager to try to capture the regalness that is this heron. It seemed to command its place with a quiet dignity.</div>
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Pond Royalty</div>
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8 x 10</div>
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acrylic on gallery canvas</div>
Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-77378657631034143842014-07-27T14:53:00.000-06:002014-08-04T11:51:31.599-06:00Another Painted Turtle<div style="text-align: center;">
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Having completed Turtle Tales for the Pynelogs 100th Birthday Gala I found myself drawn to painting another turtle. </div>
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While visions of Dr. Seuss' Yertle the Turtle" sprung to mind, I could help hearing those childhood chants of "I'm the king of the castle!"</div>
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This little guy seems to shout "This is MY log!".</div>
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King of the Log</div>
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8 x 8</div>
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acrylic on gallery canvas<br />
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Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-9639496023121513662014-07-27T14:47:00.000-06:002014-07-27T14:47:06.681-06:00Song of the Forest<div style="text-align: center;">
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I so love creating these magical places on black canvas that I was inspired to do this one. I can hear the soft tinkle of the water and smell the sweet air in this one. When I'm hiking, these little places capture my attention and draw me into their magic. While my husband rushes to the mountain tops, I pause to savour these little gems and find myself loath to move on.</div>
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Song of the Forest</div>
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16 x 20</div>
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acrylic on canvas</div>
Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-75150950108480429862014-07-07T10:31:00.001-06:002014-07-07T10:31:43.887-06:00Turtle Tales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Turtle Tales</div>
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12 x12 acrylic on canvas</div>
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This is the second painting I completed to donate to Pynelogs for their fundraising efforts at their 100th Birthday Gala. I had so much fun working on these little guys! I'm even thinking of doing another turtle one on a smaller canvas.</div>
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I love turtles. They have such an ageless aura to them. Every time I visit Pynelogs I scan Dorothy Lake for a glimpse of them. For me they are an integral part of the Pynelogs experience.</div>
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It seemed like the perfect image to capture as belief has it that the Painted Turtle is able to teach you the power and use of colour. I like the way they seem to enjoy each other while getting some “r and r” in the Sun.</div>
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The delicate stripes of cadmium yellow on the turtles’ outstretched necks and the pyrrole red of the undershell are highlighted by the ebony background. The use of black canvas is a departure for me. It is a great backdrop for adding dramatic emphasis to a subject matter.</div>
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Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-6240050885211489832014-05-27T20:36:00.001-06:002014-05-27T20:36:28.864-06:00The Gossips<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
I created this painting for a fundraising gala for Pynelogs Cultural Centre in Invermere. Pynelogs is celebrating its 100th birthday and a hundred artists were asked to create a work of art for donation. </div>
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I walked from my daughter's house down to the small lake adjacent to Pynelogs in search of some inspiration and to see if the Painted Turtles had come out of hibernation. </div>
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Indeed they had. One log was covered by twenty of them basking in the sun's warmth. I was delighted to notice a Blue Heron fishing for lunch. As I made way closer to the water's edge to get a better look at the turtles out on the lake, I looked up to see the heron had landed on this log with a solitary turtle sunning himself. A spot of whimsy had me imagining the heron and turtle having a rather chatty time gossiping about the upcoming party and Pynelogs. I couldn't help but smile to myself and think what a perfect image to capture on canvas.</div>
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I am having so much fun working on black gessoed canvas that I felt compelled to paint 'the gossips' on black. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gossips of Dorothy Lake<br />12 x 12<br />acrylic on canvas</td></tr>
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<br />Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-8701182610197594422014-04-27T17:35:00.001-06:002014-04-27T17:35:38.517-06:00More Black Magic fun!<br /><br />
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After completing Forest Magic I decided to continue the fun and created these three small paintings. I love using the black gesso of the canvas as part of the image.</div>
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My apologies for the lack of imagination in the naming of them. I tried very hard to find out the proper Latin names but it seems that is a job best left to experts. I don't have enough information about the underside of the caps, the gill and their attachment to the stem, nor the spores to make any conclusive identifications.</div>
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All three paintings are done in acrylic on 5 x 7 gallery canvas.</div>
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Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-62398034060170834532014-03-14T16:50:00.000-06:002014-03-14T16:50:45.639-06:00Forest Magic<div style="text-align: center;">
I loved working on this painting. It was a totally new venture for me in that I not only moved away from the larger landscapes that I have been doing but I decided to try something new and worked on a black canvas. </div>
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It was as if the mossy rocks and stream arouse out of the darkness that was the canvas itself.</div>
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It truly felt like magic.</div>
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If fact, the scene itself makes me think of magic - forest magic. Can you hear it? Can you smell it? I feel drawn into the secrets of the forest. As I pause here absorbing it all the solace of the forest seeps into my soul and I am at peace.</div>
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Forest Magic</div>
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20 x 16</div>
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acrylic on cavas</div>
Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-54560167160742304932014-03-09T19:27:00.001-06:002014-03-25T13:13:24.376-06:00A personal favourite<div style="text-align: center;">
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I love this painting. It brings back so many wonderful memories of a trip my husband and I took a number of years ago. I've wanted to capture this image on canvas ever since.</div>
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One of the few items on my rather short "bucket list", visiting the Netherlands in the springtime was very special. The day we rented bicycles and rode along the canals amid the windmills of Kinderdijk was especially memorable.</div>
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Kinderdijk Moment</div>
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10 x 30</div>
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acrylic on gallery canvas</div>
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Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-25841231552326117332014-03-09T19:18:00.000-06:002014-07-29T14:56:28.911-06:00It's been a while...<div style="text-align: center;">
It's been quite a while since I took time to post to the blog. After completing the mural for Edgewater Elementary we were extremely busy assisting our daughter with her house. Then we had a wedding in the family. </div>
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It was well into the autumn before I made time to get back to painting. I got Lake of the Hanging Glacier started before I got sidetracked with an incredible four day workshop with Mike Svob.</div>
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I learned so much but it also seemed to mess with my head and painting for a while. Between life and the dark gloominess that is our valley, I was unable to get much done for the next few months.</div>
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I was finally able to complete it in February. </div>
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Alpine Blue<br />
Lake of the Hanging Glacier</div>
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30 x 24 acrylic</div>
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Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-15900094473298987512013-06-21T15:09:00.003-06:002013-06-21T17:55:38.354-06:00Installed!!!<div align="center">
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Hurray! The Edgewater Eagles now have their new home. </div>
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I can't believe it's done. The mural and I have been together for what seems like a very long time.</div>
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I rode the three blocks to the school with the heart in the back of our truck. It was almost too large to fit so I needed to sit and stabilize it.</div>
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I arrived early at the school to find the maintenance men already there to install it.</div>
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It was so heart warming to hear the students say "I know where that is!" They recognized it as being a view of the pond on the north end of the school property.</div>
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Staff response was also very touching. A huge "Thank You" to them for their support and encouragement and a special "Thank You" to Sharlene for daring to dream with me and make this a reality. Let this be a legacy for all for your wonderful years of service and the incredible community that you nurtured in our little school.</div>
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I am so glad to be able to have done this for this delightful little school. <br />
A huge "Thank You" to my husband for his patience with me and this project and all the support he supplied from cutting out the native animals, trimming the heart, creating a way to hang the heart on my easel for painting, and all the myriad of details involved in the final preparations for hanging all the items. You Rock, dear!!!</div>
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Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-67357798912283550002013-06-21T14:59:00.002-06:002013-06-21T15:10:33.896-06:00Final preparations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My genius of a husband, spent several hours strengthening the back of the large heart; stabilizing the joints; trimming down the wood used to hold it on my easel; and attaching the hanging brackets. In our tiny house that meant working on the kitchen floor as there was no other space large enough to lay the heart flat. </div>
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When he was done preparing the heart for hanging, he turned his attention to modifying the backs of the eagles, beaver, and salmon before attaching the hanging brackets onto them.</div>
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Next step: installation!!</div>
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<br />Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-81340161006299398592013-06-18T16:48:00.001-06:002013-06-18T16:48:10.077-06:00Nearing Completion<div align="center">
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The large painting for Edgewater Elementary School is almost done. I'm just working on the reeds and the foreground. I'm feeling the pressure to get this completed this week and it's not helping the creative juices.</div>
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Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-63559547475292491832013-06-11T22:03:00.001-06:002013-06-11T22:03:41.127-06:00At Last I Can Share ThisI created this little painting as a wedding gift for our nephew and his new bride in Switzerland. They were here two years ago and for a couple that has most everything, it seemed the perfect little gift.<br />
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Castle Mountain, Banff National Park, AB</div>
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8 x 8 on gallery canvas</div>
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I am thinking about creating a few cards from this although I shall need to look into different sized cardstock. </div>
Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-22581481376561707342013-04-24T22:05:00.004-06:002013-04-24T22:05:42.955-06:00Flipped!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ALQ1VlSCmc/UXirGM8tcoI/AAAAAAAAAVA/XTLBn6474O4/s1600/28+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ALQ1VlSCmc/UXirGM8tcoI/AAAAAAAAAVA/XTLBn6474O4/s320/28+web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was able to flip the large heart around and support it on the easel so that I can now work on the reflection. It makes <strong>such</strong> a difference!</div>
<br />Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-83317234712982160002013-04-24T22:03:00.000-06:002013-04-24T22:03:16.805-06:00Beaver and Salmon are done!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The students did an amazing job painting these! I did the black lines and now they await the mounting hardware and completion of the pond mural before going to their new home.</div>
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Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-60715573722522984642013-04-21T21:44:00.000-06:002013-04-24T22:00:01.957-06:00Working on the Smaller Figures<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13298544941441972325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-47362222761218534032013-04-14T11:54:00.000-06:002013-04-14T11:54:30.352-06:00The Next Phase<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've taken to painting in my sleep. I wake up and am surprised to not find more done. It's okay though, as I am ready and eager to get going on the next phase. I've blocked in the water and reflections and am just waiting for the paint to dry so that I can work in some of the details. I used a lot of retarder in order to blend the paint well in such large areas and it is taking a longer to dry as a result.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13298544941441972325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-33885955175975975922013-04-13T15:00:00.001-06:002013-04-13T15:00:37.731-06:00Moving on!<div style="text-align: center;">
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I am finally happy with the forest, etc. and am ready to move on to the reeds, reflections, and pond. This puts me just a little ahead of where I had hoped to be by now. Maybe, just maybe, this will get done before the end of June. </div>
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On Monday I am heading back to the school to involve more students in painting. We will work on the native american images and, if all goes well, I hope to get them completed this coming week.</div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13298544941441972325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-16643618396417023552013-04-06T14:32:00.000-06:002013-04-08T19:22:19.569-06:00Work in Progress<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Been spending many hours working on this the past week but as always it's slow going.</div>
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13298544941441972325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-29619701351569142322013-03-29T15:43:00.000-06:002013-03-30T17:47:15.882-06:00A Slow Start<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has been slow to get going on the actual painting. First the paint order took longer than expected to arrive. I am also a little concerned that I did not purchase enough paint or the all the ones I need. It is so difficult to guess in advance what and how much will be needed especially for a project of this scale.<br />
I had decided to test paint a section to see how it would work to have students help with the painting. Well! All I can say is that it's a good thing I tested. Painting on the wood is difficult even with the coat of gesso. I tried a number of combinations of plain paint, paint with retarder, paint with polymer, etc. I found that the paint still slides off the surface if the slightest bit too thin. The problem is much worse than when working on canvas. It took multiple layers to get the sky right as the paint went very streaky.<br />
I have come to the conclusion that the rest of the work on the heart will be up to me.<br />
Fortunately, students should be able to handle the native American figures of the beaver and the salmon with a little supervision. Perhaps I will create more figures - something to think about.Susan Fahrnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908565033127285322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-72762660824910164102013-03-23T17:10:00.001-06:002013-03-23T17:10:19.403-06:00The Elephant in the Room<div align="center">
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Covering the primed wood with a thin wash of gesso was the answer to the adhesion problem. Thank goodness!</div>
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My husband worked patiently with me as we decided how to assemble the giant wooden heart so that I can work on it. It took the better part of a day to come up with a solution that allows me to 'hang' it from my easel. It has now completely taken over the studio end of our kitchen like an elephant in the room. </div>
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With it being so large in such a small space it is difficult to be able to step back and see the whole picture. The other challenge will be working with the light. Mornings should be okay but as the day progresses the light moves behind. I may have to take another stab at rearranging things. Large plants, furniture, and the peninsula of the counter make for limited options.</div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13298544941441972325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-19320081572666203142013-03-18T12:49:00.002-06:002013-03-18T12:49:48.292-06:00A Hiccup<div align="center">
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In preparing for the painting of the beaver and salmon I decided to test paint a small area. What a good thing that I did. It seems that the acrylic paint that we used to prime the wood is not allowing for a good adhesion and coverage of the art acrylics. Yikes.</div>
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Plan A was to try covering the primer with a thin coat of matte medium but that didn't seem any better at all.</div>
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Plan B was to mix some GAC 200 with the paint which is supposed to help the paint adhere to nonporous surfaces. Nope. If anything that made things worse.</div>
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Plan C is to cover the primed surface with gesso, let it cure overnight, and paint. Well, the test areas are painted with gesso and now to be patient.</div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13298544941441972325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-32045830325386731902013-03-16T13:32:00.001-06:002013-03-16T13:34:10.338-06:00Phase 1 Complete<div style="text-align: center;">
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With the help of the students, the preparation of the large heart and the two Native American figures is done. I have brought all the pieces home and the next step is to get things drawn onto the primed surfaces. My biggest challenge will be figuring out how to work on the heart here in my tiny house.
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13298544941441972325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221724020314430689.post-61345607018431322432013-03-09T22:39:00.001-07:002013-03-09T22:39:56.681-07:00The Planning<br />
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I've made templates of the components of the mural in order to work on the scale. I really want things to look balanced and connected. I also want to incorporate some native style figures to celebrate the native members of the school community.</div>
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The next step involves creating the native style figures out of board, getting students to sand them, and then get them primed. I will then sketch out the design during Spring Break so that some of the older students can paint them in April.</div>
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I also need to figure out how to draw/sketch the scene on the three pieces of the heart. Working on the floor is extremely difficult. I am hoping that my husband can help me figure out how to connect the three pieces and perhaps hang them from my easel. My plan is to also get the pond scene drawn onto the wood so that after the Break some of the students can help with the underpainting.</div>
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Everything takes so much longer when it has to be worked around school schedules and teaching the students how to do their parts but it will be worth it if they feel ownership of the finished project. Despite moments of feeling overwhelmed by the scale and timeline of the project, I remain excited and eager to pull it all together!</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13298544941441972325noreply@blogger.com0