boo !

Monday, October 31, 2011


guess who ? uh huh it's Boo ! - - - from the 2012 owls mini wall calendar available now

the next thing

Sunday, October 30, 2011






from sketch to final piece. I always scan as I go because I'm never sure which I'll like best

Amazing Swedish artist Camilla Engman is holding an open call* for illustrations of her sweet, best gal pal, fox terrier Morran for an upcoming book. I could not resist submitting my version.

I'm really into black backgrounds at the moment which is why I chose that version as the final, the one that I ultimately submitted, but honestly the jury's still out on this one. All three versions, even the sketch, have their own appealing qualities. Oh well, no brooding allowed ...
I'm happily on to the the next thing. Do you have a favourite ? Would love to hear which one ?

Dog & cat portrait commissions welcome !! ... email me

noon update - I took Chickory's advice (top version) & used my black acrylic ink to make the black more opaque & velvety - much, much better I think. Thanks Chick !!

* the deadline is October 31 if anyone is interested in submitting a portrait of Morran

some things gathered

Saturday, October 29, 2011


ah autumnness - from the vast & tres plentiful iphoto archives here at 29 black street

As an artist, it is central to be unsatisfied !
This isn't greed, though it might be appetite.

Lawrence Calcagno





mrs. delany

Friday, October 28, 2011







current bedside book The Paper Garden just arrived yesterday from the library - amazing

from the book's inside front flap

Upon her second husband's death (after 23 years of marriage) she arose from her grief, picked up a pair of scissors &, at the age of seventy-two, created a new art form, mixed media collage. Over the next decade, Ms. Delany created an astonishing 985 botanically correct, breathtaking cut-paper flowers, now housed in the British Museum and referred to as the Flora Delanica.

corvus

Thursday, October 27, 2011


omg - love this crow from tastes orangey - when my ship comes in I want it in a big size

coffee in bed with my journal
steaming hot facecloths
bundling up
fleece mitts & headband
the smell of woodsmoke
frost in the air
blazing leaves
a steaming harbour
golden early morning light
sweet D & I stroll the village streets
to the sounds of morning crows


& this raven from bird in hand when my ship comes ... I'm buying art & lots of it

anoesis

Wednesday, October 26, 2011











scenes from our early morning walk on the 24th - my best girl D & me

an·o·e·sis
- a state of mind consisting of pure sensation or emotion without cognitive content

beautiful things

Monday, October 24, 2011


beautiful water colour chair painting by Kate Lewis - her's is this weeks blog of the week

inspired by my next Get Your Paint On Course, which begins today
practicing not being attached - I always forget to practice that
enjoying livin' in my own beautiful little world
loving being loved ... just the way I am
determined to let go ... if necessary
appreciating all the goodness surrounding me
& switchin'
my power back on

steam & guts

Sunday, October 23, 2011


no words needed other than love, love, love - my best office mate & cheerleader Oliver

I started feeling anxious the other day, a few days ago, after breezing though weeks - months maybe of anxiety, angst free living. When that darn beast rears it's ugly head, seemingly from out of the blue & after being away for so long, it's hard not to instantly begin analyzing the shit out of it. And of course that's just what I've done. I even have a pain in my stomach - that's the oh ! oh ! ultimate warning sign that's somethin' up. Something hidden is bothering me. The alarms are going off, the gates & doors to my ever active & imaginative mind are all on lock down - giving me plenty of space to pick, pick, pick at this yucky feeling until I uncover it's source.

I stepped out a little this week guest posting over at Deanne's blog, & as much as yada yada yada - I know ! it's-good-for-me-to-step-out-every-now-&-again I swear it just feels counter to my spirit, to my soul. I will to do it again (frequently) with enthusiasm but that doesn't mean it's easy. The very next day I stepped out again, this time for an innocent little coffee date at our local cafe & hot spot (directly across from our world famous fantastic tiny post office where did ya know ? I am now a part-time/casual employee ;-). I enjoyed the coffee date immensely and ended up interacting with oh ... half a dozen people I know. That night, Friday night, I stewed, fretted, worried & felt self conscious endlessly. So here I am Sunday morning, a big ol' knot in my stomach and I'm beating myself up because I know (my brain does anyway) that it's silly to let these things, these social interactions, bother me like they do, there is no need to feel these yucky feelings but apparently my brain still isn't speaking to my gut.

I left my bubble, I ventured outside of my little world where I have been kind of ensconced for the last few months, deep & content in both creativity & reclusivity. + it's a busy time of the year for me. Calendar time (note to self begin 2013 calendars in June not the end of September) so ... I've got a lot on the go & a lot of self imposed yet serious deadlines. I feel rushed, I should have begun sooner & some of this yuckiness I know is simple ... I'm running out of steam.

thank you for letting me vent ... be gone freakin' yuckiness & take that pain in the belly with you

recent landscapes

Saturday, October 22, 2011






29 Black Street/silhouette/window box impatience/tansy & the beautiful barn/sweet Miss D

oh hello busy & full, gorgeous summer-like Saturday ... bonjour
hey ! check out chickory - she's been riffin' beautiful birds... oh! oh!

happy, happy weekend

boss cat

Friday, October 21, 2011


constant companion, best friend, excellent assistant to every thing & all round boss cat

inspiration & investment

Thursday, October 20, 2011








an assortment of Gee's Bend quilts - this fabulous huge book recently arrived from the library

Every great inspiration is but an experiment

Charles Ives

Don't these gorgeous quilts look like they could be big, beautiful collages ?

Hey ! I'm guest posting over on world famous rug hooker Deanne Fitzpatrick's blog

I'm feeling very inspired these days ... little nips of inspiration biting at me & from all directions. I'm learning how important it is to take the time to look, to see (I lied I am most definitely addicted to the internet), to sketch lots & write it all down. All these nips of ideas, thoughts, worries, dreams & goals. My new favourite sketchbook pen, my new favourite sketchbook.

Even though my budding* Creative Empire is not yet making me much of a salary, which I need & want as much as anyone - I've decided, I've allowed myself, this year to continue to invest in my dreams. I've just signed up for the next round of Get Your Paint On (after much thought & deliberation) 5 weeks/$139.US it begins Monday Oct, 24th - it's funny because as I deliberated spending a mere 139. for 5 weeks of excellent instruction & loads of inspiration (or 4.00 a day) it became easy for me to say YES to myself because I've learned (from taking the previous 2 GYPO e-courses) that you don't know what the lessons or gifts will be that you take away. I'm no longer taking a course like this thinking that I'm taking it so I can learn to paint (the obvious reason). I'm signing up knowing that I'll meet & be exposed to (albeit virtually) a rich community of creative people, I'll push myself, I'll create new things, I'll force myself to do things that don't come naturally + the opportunities for learning & growth are absolutely endless. I've also registered for a business course The Business Soul Sessions which begins Jan 2012. At this point in my life this is the only thing I want to spend my money on. This is what I want to invest in.

In me & it feels really good !

* yeah, yeah you're all saying - Hey ! Susan ... but it's been budding an awfully long time. I know it's a slow budder what can I say ? but I can see gradual almost imperceivable progress, I honestly believe with all my heart that one morning I'll wake up and this Creative Empire of mine will be in full bloom like some gorgeous giant red amaryllis. Uh Huh !!

Heard on Ellen - one of those songs you instantly love - boppy, catchy, happy - Foster the People

practice

Wednesday, October 19, 2011


Let Your Mind Go Blank - new collage drawing - 7 x 12 - Susan Black - soon in shop

Practice means to perform,
over and over again in the face of all obstacles,
some act of vision, of faith, of desire.
Practice is a means of inviting perfection.

Martha Graham

For a few hours after finishing this piece I felt terrific. This piece turned out almost as perfect as the image that I had in my mind (since doing the tiny thumbnail in my sketch book) and there always is that picture, in my mind, of near perfection anxiously waiting for the final reveal. A better than good feeling. A great feeling. That elusive feeling ... the one I'm always looking for.

While listening to Q (favourite CBC radio 1 show) yesterday Gian interviewed Tom Waites. He asked Tom what were his favourite songs from his newly released album. Tom answered that his favourites were the songs yet to be created, the ones being worked on & the songs that were still just tiny specks of ideas - that once a song is finished & recorded it's done and he's on to new & better stuff. This description so resonated with me as I've so often wondered over the years why it is when I do create something I'm proud of, something I'm really happy with those feelings never last long & are always so very fleeting. On to the next thing for it really is all just practice.

Late to the game I know but I am completely obsessed with this Adele song listening to it makes every little sad cell in my body wake up & start yelling at me ... we've all felt that helpless ache. That ache of wishing & wanting with all your heart that you could have someone, something or sometime - back again.




sketch/in progress/ & 2ft x 3 ft black & white poster hand inked with pale blue - soon in shop