Patterns, patterns everywhere!

Paul Klee

The last few months I've been working patterns.  Up until this time, I'd only played with patterns, done small ones, felt like they were insignificant and/or not completely worthwhile - I should be doing "real" art instead.  I don't know where I got the message that patterns aren't as important as realistic art.  There are many famous artists who have worked with patterns, some almost exclusively.  Paul Klee is a good example. He worked extensively to analyze color and shapes and patterns and taught those subjects at the Bauhaus School in Germany.  Lots of other artists have played with pattern as well including Mondrian and Gustav Klimt.  I have always been drawn to this type of work and have always created patterns and doodles of my own.  When my friend Linda Hollett told me about Zentangles a few years ago, I felt like I'd come home. 

The folks who created Zentangles describe them as the following:

The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns.

Almost anyone can use it to create beautiful images. It increases focus and creativity, provides artistic satisfaction along with an increased sense of personal well being. The Zentangle Method is enjoyed all over this world across a wide range of skills, interests and ages.
We believe that life is an art form and that our Zentangle Method is an elegant metaphor for deliberate artistry in life.

When I learned about them, I started filling 6"x9" notebooks full of my own Zentangles which I have started to call Zendoodles.  I teach classes about them at www.visarts.org as well as at my studio.  Here are a couple of my earlier ones...




 Recently I've been creating larger ones on 11"x14" Duralar, a type of translucent plastic paper that can be drawn on on both front and back.  Here are some of those...  (Sorry for the quality of the pictures.  I photographed them with my iPad and cropped them there, but the crop didn't transfer.)  These are done with Micron pens and color pencils which  glow beautifully on Duralar.

Ringdoodles

Figure Drawing 1st, Doodle 2nd

Flight of the Bumblebee

 I had such a wonderful time creating the Ringdoodles that I decided to create one that is much larger - 6'x10'!  I had a piece of canvas I'd put up on the wall several months ago.  I used it as a blow out piece and got all the mileage out of it I could so I decided to use it for this new piece.  I spent 10 hours working on it today.  (I've been busy with Beyond Barbie this week and with finishing up a commission the weeks before that and hadn't had much time to paint, so I've had a great time painting non-stop today!)

I don't consider this piece finished yet, but I made a lot of good progress today.  The background was already done.  I've just put in the rings today.

computer-generate image that stitched all my photos together.

detail

detail

detail

China Wall painting is finished.

I finished China Wall last week.  It's done in pastel on a piece of sanded paper, 19"x27", though the finished piece isn't that large.  The buyer will be able to decide where to crop it, as there are many options - I added rows of stones below which I haven't included in this crop because I prefer this composition, but the buyer can make his/her own decision about it!

This was a very interesting piece to create.  I had tried drawing stones before, but not in a long time, and I was gratified to find that I've increased my skills since I tried last time.  It was fun creating the illusion of the crumbling plaster wall, the wood over the window and the wood bars over the window.  The stones were clearly gathered from the surrounding mountains and had apparently been there for centuries.  This was certainly not new construction!

I took the liberty of adding the Chinese flag to the piece to add to the emotional resonance of the piece for me personally after my trip there.

This image was done from a photograph I took in the village of Cuandixia, a very small town built inbetween two ranges of mountains/hills.  It looks to be as old as the hills.  I've written extensively about it and my visit there in my blog previously if you're curious to learn more..

 Here are some details from the painting.  (Frustration alert!  I work so hard to arrange the pictures pleasantly on the blog, but the software is maddening!  I can't get the images to line up next to each other!  It makes me crazy!  Oh well - there are worse things!)

Zendoodle on Duralar

I've been working in the studio again lately.  It feels good!  Yesterday I did a fairly large Zendoodle on Duralar, a translucent material.  I worked with a grid-based doodle and manipulated it so it would appear to be three-dimensional, curving around. 

I drew the inked doodle on one side of the paper, and put color pencil on the other, helping create the illusion of 3-D even more.

Here's the doodle on different color backgrounds.  Which one do you like best?

Art Classes in Richmond, VA for Spring and Summer

I'll be offering many, many, many classes in the following months.  Here's a list of them in case you're interested.  All classes take place in Richmond, VA.  You can email me at SusanSingerArt at msn.com if you'd like more information, or take a look at my website at www.susansinger.com  for details about the classes.
 

Drawing
Beginning Drawing - Mondays, April 8 - May 20, 7 weeks, $210, at Crossroads Art Center, contact me to sign up.  Most likely I'll offer another Beginning Drawing class in the summer, but the dates haven't been set yet.  Contact me if you're interested.

Intermediate Drawing - Tuesdays, April 2 - May 28, 8 weeks (no class 4/9), $240, at my studio.  Open to all who have had Beginning Drawing or commensurate experience, contact me to sign up;  most likely I'll offer another Intermediate class in the summer, but I haven't set the dates yet.  Contact me if you're interested.
Drawing Fundamentals Intensive - another new class for me - Beginning Drawing all in a week!  Monday, June 17 - Friday, June 21; 9:30 - 12:30; at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org


Zendoodles
Zendoodles for Parent and Child - a new class, by special request - Zendoodles with a special emphasis on kids and their parents.  We'll do some special projects for them to work together as well as teach many of the wonderful, fun patterns which make Zendoodles so special!  Saturday, May 18, 10-2; $75 for parent and child together; at my studio; bring a lunch; contact me to sign up. 
Zendoodles - the regular class for adults (and kids accompanied by an adult), Saturday, August 3, 10-2; at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org

Pastels
Intro to Pastels - Wednesdays, June 5 - July 10, 6 weeks, 6:30 - 9 PM, at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org
Intermediate Pastels - ongoing, Monday afternoons from 1-3:30 at my studio, $30/session.  Minimum 3 students/class; Max 6.  Call ahead to register. OR Wednesdays, July 24 - August 28, 6 weeks, 6:30 - 9 PM, at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org
Pastel Intensive- Friday, April 5 6:30 - 9; Saturday, April 6, 10-4; Sunday, April 7, 1-4.  At Visual Arts Center and en plein aire (probably at the river); a chance to spend the weekend doing art!  Sign up at www.visarts.org
 

Creativity
 Take a Visual Journal to Your Soul - We'll spend a weekend making an extraordinary 64 page bound journal, then will meet 6 Thursdays to fill the journal with art, musings, dreams, thoughts - whatever you'd like.  Classes will offer opportunity to learn art skills; explore personally and spiritually; play, etc.  Saturday, April 13, 10-4; Sunday, April 14, 1-5; Thursdays April 18 - May 30 (no class April 25 - I'll be at Tech Rehearsal for the Vagina Monologues!); $275 + $25 for materials; at my studio; contact me to sign up
Follow Your Bliss - a class designed to help you learn what it is you LOVE to do, to figure out what might be stopping you from doing it, to support you in doing it with vitality and joy, Mondays, July 8 - August 26, 8 weeks, 6:30 - 9 PM, at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org

 
Watercolor
 Watercolor Painting in the Garden - class held at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden; sign up at www.visarts.orgTuesday, April 9, 10-4 OR
Saturday, April 20, 10-4 OR
Monday, June 10, 10-4, OR
Saturday, July 27, 10-4