Sue Grilli

Blissfulness

2012-02-05T15:48:00.000-05:00

I'm linking up today to share some of the Bliss I'v experienced this week.

1) Meeting some wonderful people online through Liv Lane's e-course, Build a Blog you Love. It is so refreshing to find such upbeat and helpful people in the world. I've truly enjoyed sharing and working with them online.

2) Have we not had the greatest weather here in Atlanta this past week or what? I am just loving it. It is 67 degrees today and I am writing this post on my sunny porch. The reason this is so amazing to me is that I'm originally from NY and you don't get this kind of weather in Feb.

3) Skype- it is Blissful- since it allows me to see and talk to my daughter who lives in Amsterdam. I've seen her new apartment and her new haircut, how great is that. And we get to discuss our joint exhibition we will be doing in June. Oh my, a year ago it seemed so far away and now it's only 4 months and I still have quite a few paintings to complete.

4) And of course, it is always blissful when I get the brushes out and mix up some paint! Here is a sample of my original paintings inserted in a Starbucks Coffee Mug. I made one for a friend's birthday and she loved it!

Artist?

2012-01-31T21:14:00.003-05:00

"Everyone needs an identity of their own, not in relation to someone else... someone's

daughter, sister, mother. "Artist" is mine alone. " (Janet Badger)

I think I have always been creative, at least in one form or another. Using my hands, arts & crafts, sewing, decorating, you name it I probably tried it. I have the art supply closet to prove it.

Even though I had began college as an Art Education major, a lot of my artistic endeavors had been put aside to take care of my very young family as a single mom and delve into the business world. And boy does time slip by there. Before I knew it I had re-married, my kids were grown, off to college and moving out of the house. Holy cow!

My desire for being creative started to slowly creep back into my blood. The paints came out and I began taking some workshops and weekly lessons and it felt great! I began to get involved in the local community arts organizations and I truly felt more connected to my inner muse.

So, you're probably thinking "oh how nice, what a lovely story". But I keep wondering, who I am?

Dare I be called Artist ?

What makes you an Artist?

Who bestows that title on you?

If I say I'm an artist does that make me one? Do I have to win an award? Do I need a college degree?

I guess no one can answer those questions for me. All I can say is that there is something inside of me eager to come out. I know it's there, I can feel it bubbling up, just waiting for a small crack to come exploding out. And I'm so excited to be on this journey to find it!

What is Bliss???

2012-01-29T20:54:00.000-05:00

I have been taking this fantabulous ( yes that is a word, at least in my vocabulary), e-course with Liv Lane over the past three weeks on how to build a blog you love. Oh, the things I have learned! But what scares me is that there is probably so much more out there that still needs to be squeezed into my head. I'm excited though to see where this leads me.

This week Liv started a blog hop where we each list blissful moments in our week. Wow, that's not really something that I normally think about. Yeah, I'm grateful for all of the wonderful people in my life, but never considered bliss.

But here goes, who knows maybe I will become more aware of all the wonderful blissful moments around me...

1) Super tight hugs from the grandsons- it doesn't get much sweeter than that.

2) Driving with the top partially down on the Mini, in January ~ gotta love the South

3) Having the best hubby who is remodeling our master bath

4) Getting some time to paint, this is always BLISS !

From the Sketchbook

"Savannah Inn" © Sue Grilli

A simple tip to get the creative juices flowing

2012-01-22T21:35:00.001-05:00

Do you ever just sit there staring at that big, white, blank piece of paper not sure where to begin?? Well, I think that happens to all of us, especially me. My painting time is somewhat limited and on occasion I feel almost forced to sit and paint but I'm just not in the groove, so what is a girl to do??

Here is a quick and easy tip to get you going. Plus it is also great for beginner artists to practice drawing what they see.

I use my watercolor sketchbook but you could use any type of drawing pad.

Pick any object and place in front of you. In this example I used some dried hydrangea flowers I had in a vase. Now with your pen choose a place to start drawing but do not look down at your paper. You want this to be a blind drawing. Just follow along the outside edge of the shape. No going back and erasing either! Yes, it will look a bit crazy, especially at first but the more you do it the better it will look. And the whole idea here is not to make a beautiful drawing but to get your mind switched over to the creative side! It's funny how that actually works.

Once I had the pen work done I added some very loose watercolor paints. Lots of drips of water and then drop in a bit of color. Keep thinking loose and luscious, a lot of detail is not needed.

Here is a photo of the hydrangea's I did. If you give this a try, share your photos- I would love to see them!

Lisbon, Portugal

2012-01-18T22:14:00.000-05:00

St George's Castle, Lisbon, Portugal © Sue Grilli Studio

I was going through my sketchbook the other day and came across this watercolor sketch that I did when we were in Portugal. It was a fabulous trip and going through the sketchbook reminded me of this sunny day as we stopped for a break and I had this great view of the castle.

It has become one of my great joys of painting to carry around my sketchbook on my travels, take the time to actually paint the scene and then to be able to truly remember the details when you look at that painting later on. It is so much more than a snapshot.

Stay tuned as I share more paintings from my travels from around the block to around the world.

Quotables

2012-01-17T07:13:00.000-05:00

Laughing is the shortest distance between two people.

Victor Borge

Shared from www.gratefulness.org

I'm finally back!

2012-01-14T07:48:00.000-05:00

Whew! what a whirlwind of a Holiday season this had turned out to be. There were all sorts of events and activities swirling around, art festivals, parties, commissions to be painted, oh and my regular day job of course! Let's not forget that.

Now, don't get me wrong, I loved all of the hustle and bustle and actually sometimes that keeps me motivated and focused but unfortunately with all of that some things just have to be put aside and the blog was one of them.

So pardon my absence but I'm back, yeah!! And I'm hoping to bring lots of creative inspiration to you (you know how I believe that EVERYONE has something creative inside of them), info on my current work and shows and I would love to start hearing about your creative endeavors too!

One of the things I just started to help me keep on track with my blog was this Super e-course "How to Build a Blog you Truly Love" with Liv Lane. So stay tuned for some fun stuff!

Well, I gotta run for today, I am off to the High Museum in Atlanta to see the Picasso to Warhol exhibit with friends from the Monroe Art Guild, I'm so excited to have a fun art day planned.

Just want to leave you with a photo of a painting I did for Lindsey at the Judson House- Coffee and Gift shop in Bethlehem, Ga. It is a great new shop with Southern gifts, antiques and the Best coffee around. Stop by and see them.

Judson House ©sue grilli stud

A special doorway

2011-09-04T18:23:00.000-04:00

Cartersville Doorway ©Sue Grilli

For those of you who might not know me well, I just love doorways! I'm not quite sure where that all came from but I found myself taking lots of photos of different or unique doorways, especially while we were on vacation. Sooner or later I began incorporating them into my paintings. I found the architecture so interesting and then I began to wonder what stories could be told from behind those doors. As I painted I would imagine a family's history.

I was given a photo of this doorway by my good friend, Debbie that she took in her travels in Cartersville, Ga recently. I loved the stained glass window and the hand painted sunflowers. I'm sure the owners have a creative heart! It sparked some inspiration in me so I had to do a quick watercolor sketch of the door. How cute is that? I am wondering though what style or period of architecture the doorway is, I will have to try to look that up. If anyone knows please send me a message.

So if you find any unusual doorways in your travels take a photo and share, you might just find a painting of it here on the blog!

Georgia Watercolor Society Member Exhibition

2011-08-13T19:23:00.000-04:00

Simply Southern- Watercolor© Sue Grilli

I had been waiting for the mail to arrive with news about my submission to the Georgia Watercolor Society's Member Exhibition. As an artist, I've submitted many paintings into juried shows and it never seems to get any easier waiting on the replies. Not quite sure why I put so much stock into whether I get in or not. I'm supposed to be satisfied with my work as it stands, which I am but there is something about getting recognition from your peers that seems to validate your work.

When the letter finally arrived you can imagine I was a bit hesitant about it's content. Will it be a "thank you very much but...." letter? Well this time it was a "Congratulations" letter- yeah!

I can't say how excited I was to be juried into this show. I know in previous years there had been exceptional work at this show.

So, today I actually dropped my painting off at the Lyndon House Arts Center in Athens, where there exhibit will be. What a beautiful venue! I truly hope that anyone in the area has an opportunity to go see it. It will be there from August 20 - Oct 15, with the Reception being on Oct 15. And you can bet I will be there!!

Christmas in July

2011-07-24T08:39:00.000-04:00

You probably think I'm crazy even thinking about Christmas when the weather here in Georgia has been in the 90's for 5 days straight. Well, I decided to take an online workshop with Laure Ferlita to get in the mood for some art journaling and sketching so that I can actually get planning on my Holiday cards this year. If any of you know me, then you know that each year I design and create a painting that I use for my own Christmas cards, it has become a sort of tradition now. Usually I am down to the last minute rushing around to come up with my painting so this year I decided to plan ahead. It has been great getting those juices flowing with all sorts of holiday and winter thoughts. I'll post a few of the possibilities for the cards this year. Feel free to let me know your favorites or even if you have some suggestions of your own!

And while we are thinking of Christmas, holidays and gifts, now would be a good time to contact me if you are considering a home illustration as a gift for someone this year. It tends to get busy the closer we get to the holidays and I wouldn't want you to be disappointed if I couldn't fit yours in this year. I can add all of the holiday decorations so no need to wait till you have them up on your house!

Crabbing

2011-07-09T14:26:00.000-04:00

Summer is probably my favorite season. I love the warm weather, even if it does get pretty hot here in Atlanta and I love going to the beach. The past few years we have been making a family trip to the beach with all of the kids and grandkids and sometimes even the great-grandparents too. I am soaking up all of the memories and stories to tell when I get old ( well even older!)

So, this Summer I wanted to do a few watercolor sketches that were fresh and bright. This one of the crab of course reminded me of the ocean. I kept the background white for a clean look. Most of the mixing I do is right on the paper with the water and paint. Not much mixing of colors on the palette, that helps keep that fresh feeling.

Can you see him smiling right back at you???

Happy Summer!

"Oh,the places you'll go"

2011-06-20T21:56:00.000-04:00

June typically marks the time of year for graduations and this past month I was proud to be able to attend two graduations. One was for my grandson’s kindergarten graduation (can you believe that I have a grandson and that he’s 5!) and the other was for my niece’s high school graduation.

As in most graduation ceremonies both of these had speeches but the ironic part is that both speakers quoted and read from the same book. Now you wouldn’t think that kindergarteners and high school seniors would have much in common but after I read the book I felt it went beyond age by relating to life itself.

This remarkable book is “Oh, the places you’ll go”, by Dr. Seuss.

With it’s ups and downs and cute little rhymes it reminded me not only of life in general but of how our creative lives go through their own ebbs and flows. We try to find what works and what doesn’t , how to find our muse or dust our self off after a disappointing review.

“So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act”!

“Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!”

Arts in the Park, Suwanee Ga

2011-05-18T20:56:00.000-04:00

I've been getting ready for the festival on Saturday at Arts in the Park in Suwanee, Ga., sponsored by the North Gwinnett Arts Association. You can't imagine all of the planning that goes into one of these events. But maybe it's just that I'm still new at this that it seems like there is so much to think of. Of course I have a list, many lists to be exact. It just keeps growing.... I've been adding some new prints, there are new designs for my handpainted art cards and I also have a brand new magnet display for the ACEO's. Oh, do you know what that stands for?? It is an art industry acronym for Art cards, editions and originals. All of these original paintings are sized exactly the same, 2.5 x 3.5 inches. I have them matted on acid free card stock with coordinating colors, then they slip into an acrylic frame with a magnet on the back, Viola! instant art!
I will also be demonstrating my watercolor painting during the festival so if you've ever been interested in the process of painting please be sure to stop by. Or just stop by to say hi!, I would love to see a friendly face.

New Years Resolutions ??

2011-03-05T17:23:00.003-05:00

"1843 House" watercolor © Sue Grilli

You're probably wondering why I'm writing about New Years Resolutions when it's already March. Well yes, I've been busy and haven't been posting here and I know I needed to get back but more important I wanted to share this idea with you.

First- I don't do New Years Resolutions, never really did. They just didn't seem to work. After a few weeks everyone forgets about them anyway so why bother.

But then last year I came upon a blog from an inspirational coach who was talking about a Word of the Year. Well that intrigued me! Basically you do some soul searching on what direction you want your life to go into the coming year and you use this word to remind yourself throughout the year of your goals. I'm sure I'm not explaining very well so I've attached a link to the original post "Resolution Revolution" by Christine Kane. Check it out, I think you will like it and it's never to late to choose a word.

So, what's my word you ask? Well it's actually two-" Grounded Growth". To be able to grow not only on a personal level but to continue to grow my art business. But sometimes growth is overwhelming. The end of 2010 was filled with many projects and the stress was building up. I've added "grounded" to my growth to help keep me focused and more in tune with my personal goals.

So what will your "Word of the Year" be??

Missing in Action?

2010-11-04T06:43:00.005-04:00

No I haven't been missing... but I have been "in action". Just busy painting I guess, which is a great thing. Sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day to do all of the fun things we like to do. So unfortunately, I hadn't had time to post any work here. I figured I better stop for a minute and give you a peek. I've had the pleasure of working on several home illustrations and would love to share them with you. It has been quite different painting commissions rather than painting for myself, new challenges but that's what makes us grow. Each home is unique and I try to bring those qualities out in their paintings.

Well, back to the Studio- more paintings to come...

Lisbon

2010-10-03T21:12:00.002-04:00

Well, vacation is over and all that is left are the photos and the memories. And of course several sketches along the way. This little scene was from Lisbon. We had stopped for a cocktail before dinner and sat at this modern outdoor cafe. They actually had sofa's to sit on! There was a beautiful view of the ocean but then to the left on the hillside were colorful houses all stacked up. I just loved the red tiled roofs. I worked quickly so that I could get as much done of the sketch before it got too dark and I just couldn't see any more. I think it was just enough to remember the feeling of the evening.

"Simply Southern"

2010-09-15T22:00:00.003-04:00

"Simply Southern", Sue Grilli

Although I am not originally from the South, ever since I have moved here I have loved the Magnolia flower. That large bloom was captivating even though it was short lived. I remember one of the first painting workshops I took where the instructor cut some blooms right before the class for us to paint. The room smelled wonderful the entire time. But you had to paint quickly because by the end of the sessions the white petals were already beginning to turn brown. This painting was done several years after that workshop and proved to be a real challenge for me. I actually started this painting 3 times before I got the feel I really wanted.

Tools of the Trade

2010-08-29T09:40:00.003-04:00

I've added a new tab to the blog called Tools of the Trade. You can find it at the top of the page. After giving a presentation at the Monroe Art Guild a couple of weeks ago, I had lots of questions on the materials and tools I used in my watercolor painting. I thought that this would be a great forum to post info on these items, what I use and like, why and where you might be able to purchase them. It's all about sharing!! Hope you find this helpful. Let me know if there are specific questions you might have.

I made the Papers!!

2010-08-14T08:09:00.007-04:00

Ok, it' our local newspaper but what the heck! Here's the article that was written for the Sunday paper in The Walton Tribune for the Art Talk series that I had presented at the Monroe Art Guild this past Thursday. We had a great turn out and it was a wonderful experience for me to be able to share by love of watercolor with a group of interested people.

ps:double click on the article to enlarge it.

2010-08-08T15:20:00.002-04:00

A View from Coogee, Australia

I was going through my sketchbook today as I was getting ready for my Art Talk at the Monroe Art Guild on Thursday and I came across this sketch I did in Australia. It was a trip I took back in 2005 to visit my daughter who was living there at the time. This was painted from her kitchen window overlooking the rooftops to the ocean. Although you had to stretch your neck a bit it was a wonderful view, especially if you had to do dishes! I was thinking of her today as she is making a trip for work back to Australia. She was so excited to be returning. And with views like this it's no wonder.

Brannen-Heard House Art Show

2010-07-03T07:35:00.004-04:00

The First Art/Craft Show

I’ve been absent from the blog for a couple of weeks since I was getting ready for my first Art/Craft show this past Saturday and there are only so many hours in a day. I couldn’t believe how much time went into the preparation for one of these. But perhaps it was because it was my first one and there was that much more on the “to do” list. Of course having the original paintings finished was # 1 on the list. Oh yeah, I was still finishing up a couple at the last minute and then having my husband make the frames too. Then comes the printing of the prints and cards, matting them and putting everything in plastic sleeves with labels. My parents were visiting that week and I put them to work in a little assembly line, what a team! So after we got all of the products together I had to decide on how the display would look. One of the extra rooms in the house became the display room set up with the lattice stands and tables so that I can move them around until they looked just right.

The show was at the Brannen-Heard House in Cumming, Ga and was sponsored by the North Georgia Etsy Street Team. What a great group of people to be associated with. They were all so helpful on my first run out.

And I just have to take a minute to thank all of my friends, family and supporters who have stood behind me through all of this. I couldn’t have done it without you!

This was such a good experience that I am looking forward to more shows in the near future, stay tuned!

The Gulf Coast

2010-06-12T21:55:00.006-04:00

"Beach House Row"

One of my most relaxing times I get to paint is when we go to the beach. We have a great little place on Navarre Beach, Florida. The house is right across the street from the ocean so it is so easy to carry over your paints in your beach bag with a towel and chair. Most of the time it is pretty quiet on the beach, especially in the late afternoon, my favorite time. Listening to the repetitive sounds of the ocean puts you in that zen state of mind and the colors in the paint start to flow.

Aside from the huge effect the oil spill in the Gulf will have to the environment and tourism in this area the thought of even the possibility of losing these beautiful beaches to the oil spill is personally disheartening.

The painting above is one from a recent visit to the beach. I loved the different colors of the houses as they line the coast. So bright and colorful.Can you imagine the stories these doorways have?

Let's hope their is a resolution to this oil spill soon.

A Day in the Garden

2010-05-31T09:19:00.005-04:00

"Into the Garden"

Watercolor 10x14

Back in April, I had the opportunity and pleasure to be a featured artist in the Tour of Gardens sponsored by the Monroe Art Guild.

The garden that was selected for me was at the home of Art and Angela Williams on McDaniel St. in Monroe, Ga. As I drove up the winding driveway to the home on “The Hill” I was in awe. It reminded me of a true Southern home, with stately columns in the front, the home dating to 1832. Well, the front of the home was just the beginning. The seven acre property has a boxwood garden with a fountain, pool, herb garden and azalea trails. This was a painters delight. Deciding on a location was going to be the most difficult decision of the day.

The weather was not as cooperative with us this day so I choose a spot that was covered by the pool house. I was looking out through the entrance to the pool and a trellis that had some lovely vines growing around it. Green was going to be the color of the day and there would be a vast variety since everything was beginning to bloom.

Despite the rainy weather that day there were still several visitors to the garden and I enjoyed chatting with them about the gardens.

The photo above is my finished painting of the garden. I am looking forward to having this opportunity again as I truly enjoyed the day in the garden.

Every Doorway has a story...

2010-05-15T16:27:00.004-04:00

If any of you have purchased a home then you can understand all of the trials and tribulations of finding just the right home for yourself and your family. I know my husband and I had our mental list of items that we were looking for but yet still wanted to be flexible. We searched for quite a long time, just not finding the one that fit. If it had the space we wanted then the location wasn’t good. If it had a great yard the inside was too small. When we stumbled upon the house we now live in everything seemed to fit just right. There was a good “feeling” in the house. I couldn’t quite describe it to friends but I knew this was the house for us. So we moved in and got to know the neighborhood. To my surprise I found that there was an Art Guild in the town, Monroe Art Guild. Who would have guessed! I met the director and introduced myself. While we chatted and I described where I lived she asked if that was our previous owner’s house. A bit perplexed I said, “yes”. Well, she said that she was one of her favorite artists, a photographer!! So that’s why there was a room with no windows and why I had such a good feeling about this house that is now our home. It had the "artist" vibe. The painting above is our front door dressed for the holidays. So that is this door's story, what's your story?

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Watercolor

2010-05-08T12:36:00.009-04:00

"The Red Door"

Watercolor 5x7

$50

Alright, I know that title sounds corny but I guess it describes how I feel about my painting. First of all, Welcome to my blog! This is my first post and I hope you will enjoy visiting here often. My hope is to share my love of painting, views of art and travel and general happenings. Watercolor is a great medium! It is amazing to watch the paint mingle with the water on the paper. Every painting is a surprise!

Some of the paintings I would like to share are of doorways and entryways that I have been working on. My theme of "Every Doorway has a Story" really holds true. How many homes have you passed by and wondered what has happened behind those doors??? I have translated those thoughts into paintings that are fun and vibrant. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

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