Creative Spirits Soar!

September 2019 "Wet Paint" Newsletter and Calendar of Painting Classes and Art-related Events

Monthly Newsletter directly to your inbox, simply email susan@susanejones.com and request to be added to the list. Enjoy!

Painting with Susan ~ Beauty, Joy, Light, Magic

I am a treasure hunter. 

I'm a treasure hunter, and always have been, though I didn't recognize it enough to put a label on it.  Just recently I adopted the slogan "Beauty, Joy, Light, Magic." These are the beguiling treasures I seek.

And just today, I've defined it further. I am driven by a passion to search and seek out the exquisite.  And I'm not talking about big-ticket luxury items, like the perfect, feminine, red Kate Spade handbag, though I do find them marvelously exquisite.  It's not much of a treasure hunt when you can pop in to any Macy's with a credit card and purchase a Kate Spade handbag. For treasure hunters, our tribe can appreciate the beauty of the Kate Spade handbag but to own one, it must be discovered, hiding among the many stained and abandoned castoff purses at a thrift store and for sale for only $3. This is the heart-racing, soul-warming, squeal-with-delight thrill of a successful treasure hunt of the exquisite. 

In Jessica Kerwin Jenkins' Encyclopedia of the Exquisite, she says the word exquisite "comes from the Latin verb exquirere, to search out, or to seek. It means uncommon delicacies, carefully selected, and the kind of beauty that can "excite intense delight or admiration," as explained in The Oxford English Dictionary. 

"To excite intense delight" are the treasures I seek, the ones that emit an aura of wonder or curiosity... a heart-shaped rock, a perfectly formed shell undamaged by its crashing against the beach on the incoming tide, the intense color of blue of an Indigo Bunting that may or may not borderline on purple. Beautiful treasures have so many facets!!

Many times the delight is not necessarily in the object itself, but in it's interesting history or it's relationship to yours. 

While researching my family's genealogy, I became fascinated with all the castles one ancestor or another was born in, lived in, and/or died in and decided to search for photos until I could visit them in person. What would not have caught my eye as a particularly attractive castle suddenly became exquisite when I knew the soul's of dead relatives once called it home.  They don't all look like Balmoral, although that one is on the list and equally loved.  Many of these castles are no more than large, stone boxes (not just the ruins, but the artist rendering of what they looked like when they were built centuries ago.)

Vintage cookbooks are exquisite and hold a special fascination for me. I never fail to find captivating recipes gracing their pages. Many are simple recipes but with the most exquisite of ingredients. Others are unusual or particularly meaningful.

My father found a treasure trove of old family letters from the 19th century between family members in South Carolina written to the family members who had migrated to West Tennessee. One letter describes how the family survived the winter eating nothing but cush and buttermilk.  I had never heard of cush, but the sound of it didn't conjure up visions of a delicious feast.  Later when the recipe emerged, it didn't seem quite as bad. And I bet it was positively delicious to a hungry farmer and his family. I now hold a special gratitude for cush and it's vital role in my family's survival during harsher and leaner times. 

Cush 

Ingredients

• 2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup water

Directions

Mix cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and water, being sure that the mixture is not too dry. Add more water if necessary.

Place mixture into hot oil and cook in a cast iron or heavy pot. Let the mixture form a "crust" at the bottom of the pot.

Stir well and then lower the heat to simmer.

Cover and cook about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve with milk and/or syrup and/or figs and/or chopped pork cracklings.

Sometimes words or phrases capture my fancy, and I want to collect them, as one might collect stamps or picture postcards. "Joie de vivre" is such a phrase. "Pillowbook" is such a word. Have you ever heard of a pillowbook?  It's a diary or book of personal musings kept hidden under your pillow.  I didn't have one yesterday, but I do today just waiting for bedtime when just before falling asleep, I can jot down more words or phrases that are exquisite or amusing. Or write down lists of things that I find lovely or charming. Quail eggs, perhaps?  Peony blossoms? Figs, green and purple on the branch, just waiting to be picked? Does coffee made with a french press really taste better or is the process of making it just that much more fun?  Or how colorful and charming the zinnias are in late summer though they are reckless and unkempt in a neglected part of the garden?  

Are you a member of the Colorful and Charming tribe? Thrilled and delighted by the simple, yet exquisite treasures found in the most unexpected of places? What is one of your most strange, surprising, or thrilling finds? Hard to pick just one, eh? You may be in the tribe. 

Happy Adventures and Treasure Hunting....

Susan

PS.  Please forward this newsletter to a friend and share the fun!

 

* Monthly Calendar: A few of these dates and locations were tentative at time of newsletter publication.

For more information on classes and workshops, call or text 615-668-8263.

 Yes, the calendar is too small to read, so place your cursor on it and right-click. Now save it to your computer and enlarge it for better readability. Or click here.

SPRING HILL, TN

Painting with Susan" Painting Workshops and Weekly Classes in Evan's Park

I teach the noble-hearted to develop their creative spirits and use their artistry to enjoy the richness of life and sprinkle joy wherever their daily adventures take them. Join me, won't you, for Painting with Susan and attend painting classes offered in acrylics, oils and occasionally in watercolors at our Winchester location in Spring Hill. Help your skills catch up with your creative vision, have some laughs, make new friends, and create a colorful legacy!

Beginners are welcomed. The only requirements are passion for painting and curiosity for the joy that only comes from creating. I want to help every student discover his or her individual artistic personality and learn to build a personal process for painting.

Whether you choose a workshop or the on-going weekly lessons, claim your artistic license let me help you paint from the heart using logical steps to create paintings you'll be proud of and will help you paint your artistic vision.  Anyone can paint. All it takes is a knowledgeable teacher with a heart for students and a little practice. You'll get both in any of my classes.

Painting classes are offered in the lower level of the Winchester Building located at 563 Maury Hill Street behind Spring Hill Elementary in Evan's Park. Please call 615-668-8263 to register or for more information. 

 

1.  CREATIVE SPIRITS CLASS will study LINEAR PERSPECTIVE in LANDSCAPE in September

Own your AWESOME and come learn the basic skills to painting. Give the space in your heart a place in your life and join other artists on Thursday mornings from 10:00-11:30am in August for pursuing your artistic vision and growth. Students will learn Linear Perspective in landscape.  

Offered by Spring Hill Parks and Rec and taught by Susan Elizabeth Jones, learning Linear Perspective in landscape will truly enhance your painting abilities. All skills levels are welcome. The class emphasizes the use of acrylics, but water-soluble oils and watercolors are welcome.

Class fee is $100 for 4 sessions ($75 for 3 sessions in September only). Students bring their own supplies and a supplies list will be provided at registration. Call 615-668-8263 to register today and learn what all the fun is about!

We will meet September 5, 12, and 19. We will not meet on September 26.

In September we'll study and practice Linear Perspective.

You have FUN AND CREATIVE FRIENDS you haven't even met yet!!

      


ART DATES:

In September, the students of the Creative Spirits class and the Creative Horizons class will enjoy an art date to Amish Country in Ethridge, Tennessee, and lunch in Mt. Pleasant. 

2.  CREATIVE HORIZONS CLASS of "DAILY PAINTING"

Beginning September 12 at 2pm, the Creative Horizons painting class will be offered. This weekly class will focus on smaller, simpler paintings based on the national trend started back in 2004 by Duane Keiser, the father of "Daily Painting."

We will paint for an hour a small (6 x 6 up to 10 x 10) painting with a simple subject comprised of basic shapes using my 5-Step process. It's light, colorful, fun, and stress-free. Perfect for advanced students wanting more painting time or beginner students who want to learn creating easier paintings of simpler subjects.

It's called Daily Painting because the trend sparked a movement among artists who challenged their discipline by painting and completing one painting a day. Several websites popped up to host the onslaught of miniature paintings and galleries began hosting Six Squared and Miniature shows. People who would have never considered investing in original art found where they could love and afford these miniature beauties which are priced between $10 and $1500. But more about all that in class. 

Of course, you don't have to commit to painting daily... class is only meeting twice in September, so it's a great time to get started. 

Join us won't you?

Reserve your easel by calling 615-668-8263.

3.  ADVENTURE AWAITS! WORKSHOP, September 14 10am-3pm

Adventure Awaits! is a new, full-day Illustrated Travel Journaling workshop that will stimulate the imagination and inspire the creativity. I am offering at beautiful, historic homes and gardens, vineyards, and other fun locations in and around middle Tennessee. 

On September 14 we will be painting at the Columbia Athenaeum from 10am-3pm. Students are welcome to bring their lunch to enjoy on the gallery or join me for lunch around the block at Red 7 Pizza. The workshop fee is $65 + site fee*, and students will bring their own supplies (digital camera, blank page journal, travel watercolor set with brushes, paper towels, pencil with eraser, black ink pen, carrying tote. Picnic blanket or old-fashioned "sitting squares" optional). Remember to pack light and wear comfortable clothes and shoes. 

And just for fun, students will receive an Adventure Awaits! Passport which we can get stamped on location and at every future location in the series. For more insight into the concept, click here. 

Your Passport awaits! Just call 615-668-8263 to reserve your place in the workshop.  

You may choose a $5 admission fee for the day or what I recommend is the $25 APTA Annual Membership which will give you admission for the entire year to all 14 APTA properties.  We will enjoy the day at this beautiful historic home as well as a short walking tour to the Gallaway House where General Forrest headquartered during the Civil War. However this house is also known as Phil Everly's home where he lived until his death in 2014. Phil and his brother Don were best known as the Everly Brothers, a rock and roll duo in the 1950s and 60s. 

 

 

4.   ILLUSTRATED TRAVEL JOURNALING OPEN STUDIO, September 5 at 2pm

Can't make it to an all-day workshop? Or want more time and guidance to paint illustrations in your travel- or nature-journal? You may want to consider attending the Adventure Awaits! Open Studio for Illustrated Journals. Offered on September 5 from 2-3:30, you'll have an hour and a half to work in your journals using your photos from your travels, and I'll be available to assist you with any questions you may have or help you need with your illustrations. 

The Open Studio fee is only $25, and students can register by calling 615-668-8263.

5.   PAINT-ALONG "MAKE & TAKE" CLASSES 

It's a messy, beautiful creative life and the best way to embrace it is to grab your friends and schedule a Private Paint-Along Party at your location or at the Winchester Studio in Spring Hill. Great for Church Groups, Book Clubs, Reunions, Team Building for the office, and Birthday parties, you just need to gather a group of at least 12 of your closest friends to schedule.  All supplies and instruction are included for $50 per student.  Please call 615-668-8263 for more information. A wide selection of reference paintings are available to choose from.

 
6.  PRIVATE PAINTING LESSONS

Never painted before? Not sure which class is best for you? Want more individualized instruction? Scheduling a private lesson may be the choice for you.

Private lessons are offered by Spring Hill Parks and Rec and taught in the Winchester Studio. Students bring their own supplies and reference photo. You'll enjoy personal assessment of your work and specific instruction for improvement. Private Lesson fee is $149 for 2-hour lesson and you may bring a friend at no additional charge. For three or more students, please add $50 for each additional student. 

Private lessons are an excellent choice for college prep. 

Call 615-668-8263 to reserve your private lesson. 

7.  NEW!    "ASPIRING MASTERS" Painting Classes for Teens ages 11-16

Aspiring Masters Painting Sessions I

 

The Aspiring Masters Painting Session I is designed for young teens, ages eleven to sixteen, who have shown artistic ability and passion for learning creative concepts. Throughout the semester we will be studying a variety of painting concepts, including:

 

• Mixing colors from a limited palette,
• Evaluating values,
• Learning when to paint local color notes, highlights, and shadows,
• Turning 2-D shapes in to 3-D forms,
• And completing multiple paintings using the 5-step process, all while cultivating the joy of painting!!!

 

The two-month semester fee of $160, payable in two installments, includes weekly class periods full of instruction and demonstrations, as well as individual attention with each student, plus two showcases.  We will be painting in acrylics, and a supplies list will be provided upon registration.

 

Class meets Thursday afternoons from 4-5pm September 12- October 24, except for September 26 and October 10.

8.  "PINK BICYCLE" WATERCOLOR PAINT-ALONG at SOUTHERN SPRINGS

 

Join me at the Lodge, the new recreational facility at Southern Springs off Kedron Road in Spring Hill for the Pink Bicycle Paint-Along on September 20 at 10:30am. I'll provide all the supplies you'll need for a morning of colorful, watercolor painting. I'll even pre-sketch the basic shapes so you don't have to do anything but paint beautiful colors until your heart is content. 

 

To register, call 615-668-8263.  Beginners are welcomed and encouraged!

(This class is also available in Franklin on September 6 at the home of Dianne Tant.) 

 

AND IN COLUMBIA, TN         

NEW!    "ASPIRING MASTERS" Painting Classes for Teens ages 11-16

at BUILDING BLOCK ARTS ACADEMY

 

Aspiring Masters Painting Sessions I

 

The Aspiring Masters Painting Session I is designed for young teens, ages twelve to sixteen, who have shown artistic ability and passion for learning creative concepts. Throughout the semester we will be studying a variety of painting concepts, including:

 

• Mixing colors from a limited palette,
• Evaluating values,
• Learning when to paint local color notes, highlights, and shadows,
• Turning 2-D shapes in to 3-D forms,
• And completing multiple paintings using the 5-step process, all while cultivating the joy of painting!!!

 

The two-month semester fee of $160, payable in two installments, includes weekly class periods full of instruction and demonstrations, as well as individual attention with each student, plus two showcases.  We will be painting in acrylics, and a supplies list will be provided upon registration.

 

Class meets Monday afternoons from 4-5pm September 9- October 21, except for September 23 and October 7.

 

To register your Aspiring Master, contact Building Block School of Art at 931-442-5007 or go online to buidingblockarts.com.  Building Block Arts is located at 1309 S. Main Street, Columbia, Tennessee.

In Aspiring Masters Painting Sessions II we will further our studies and introduce the elements affecting Landscapes. Session II will begin January 6.  Special consideration will be given to accepting students as young as ten, if they show proficiency in basic painting skills and the desire to further their studies. 

AND IN FRANKLIN, TN 

 1.   PHOTOGRAPHERS AND PAINTERS ART SHOW at GRECIAN FAMILY RESTAURANT, SPRING HILL

Make plans to grab your friends for a delicious meal at the Grecian Family Restaurant and Bakery at 2003 Wall Street in Spring Hill and also enjoy the newest exhibit of Photos and Paintings by Maury county and Spring Hill photographers and painters. Exhibit is scheduled to be available to the public the month of October. 

2.   EXHIBIT AT JUICE BAR-SPRING HILL

A few of my Pet Portrait Paintings will be on exhibit in Spring Hill beginning September 1 at the Juice Bar located at 412 McLemore Avenue in the beautiful and historic Kissing House. The  Juice Bar-Spring Hill is overwhelmingly vegetarian, gluten-free, organic when possible, and always uses 100% whole fruits and vegetables. I love it!

The "Kissing House" is listed on the National Register of Historical Places and is one of the few in the area that feature the Carpenter Gothic-style architecture. It is called the "Kissing House" because in the late 1800s a Spring Hill woman, Sara Odit, was betrothed to Hugh Brown, who was 15 years older than she. Without Sara's knowledge, the man was also involved with several other women. A newspaper announcement in Nashville revealed to her, after their engagement, that he had married another woman in Nashville. She and her family sued Hugh Brown for the breach of promise to marriage, one of the first of such cases. The jury sided with Sara Odil and she was awarded $2,800, or $60,000 by today's standard, with which she used to buy the house. A play has also been written about the story entitled "The House that Kisses Bought."

3.   MAURY COUNTY CULTURE FEST in the ARTS DISTRICT, COLUMBIA on October 5

On October 5 Maury County will be celebrating Culture Fest in Columbia, Spring Hill, and Mt. Pleasant. Come look for me, Robyn Barber and Sonja Rine in the Spring Hill Parks and Rec booths in Columbia in the Arts District starting at 11am. We'll have hands-on activities for the kids in both visual arts and culinary arts. 

The Arts District covers several blocks and starts at South Garden and West 10th Streets. 

4.    CHESTNUT GROUP ART SHOW  at RADNOR LAKE

The Chestnut Group partners with Radnor Lake every other year for good reason. It continues to be one of the biggest and most popular of the Chestnut Group shows. The Art show will is scheduled for November 7-10, 2019. 

 

 

Shop FINE ART AMERICA 

Prints, Note Cards, Cell Phone Covers, Tote Bags, and more depicting images of my paintings are available on Fine Art America.

 

Shop eBOOK "Learn to Paint in 5 Steps"

Available on Amazon, click here

 
 

Photos of precious smiles I got to see while painting in the August Classes, Workshops, and Private Lessons.

                 
             

 

 
 

  
These paintings and many, many more are for sale through Daily Paintworks. If you are local and purchase a painting, please let me know so I can adjust the shipping fee. To see the paintings for sale, click here.

When you commission a Pet Portrait, 10% of the commission fee will be donated to the Animal Rescue of your choice. 

  

      Class sizes are limited, so we ask you give us 48 hours notice if you need to cancel. Cancellations should be made by phone or text, 615-668-8263. This provides us the opportunity to fill the space. No refunds are available, however class fees for reservations canceled at least 48 hours in advance may be credited to another class.

     For inclement weather, announcements on canceled classes will be posted on Facebook. If in doubt, please call us before traveling in bad weather. Canceled classes will be rescheduled.

While on your many adventures, please stop by the shops and galleries that sell my work and tell them I sent you....

Quincy Avenue Arts, Seaside, Florida

Rippavilla Plantation, Spring Hill, Tennessee

Loblolly, Columbia, Tennessee

My French Chateau, Atlanta, Georgia

Rowan House, Corinth, Mississippi

And always on the hunt for more!! Recommendations welcomed!!

Comment Below

Email Me! susan@susanejones.com

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Watch Painting Demos on YouTube

Visit Blog: Charm of the Carolines

Visit Blog: Postcards from the Dimple of the Universe

Visit Website: Susan E Jones Fine Art

List of Favorite Books

 

Pink Bicycle

I love painting with watercolor. It's more hobby than profession, like with oils and acrylics. 

 

I plan to teach this watercolor paint-along twice in September; once in Franklin on September 6 and in Spring Hill on September 20. Message me with your email address if you would like to get the calendar once each month in your inbox or go to paintingwithsusan.com to see the current month's schedule of painting classes and art events. 

 

5 Must-Have Apps for Painting

How did Monet do it? See all that light. And it's reflections. And it's transitions from hour to hour, minute to minute. I'm both overwhelmed and humbled by his talent and that of all the great Masters. Yet eternally grateful to be living in the most amazing age of known to all mankind, the Information Age. 

We can only paint what we can see. And we must train ourselves to see with both our eyes and with our brains. But sometimes having someone point something out and bring it into focus helps us see even better. That is EXACTLY what these 5 Apps do for me. 

Before we get started, first do me a favor. Look at your phone and delete every single app you don't use. For the ones you rarely use, move them to page 4 or 5 or put them in a folder so they don't clutter up the screen with the apps you find most vital. 

Done? Now you are ready. 

Whether you paint from photos or from life, you should always have a reference photo at your ready. When painting en plein air , inevitably someone will drive a truck up and park right in front of my scene or worse, jump in the truck I'm painting and drive away. Happen to you? It will. Photos help plan your composition, put borders to real life that doesn't have any, and can be manipulated with apps to see more clearly the things an artist needs to see to make a magical painting, not just a rendering. 

The 5 Apps for Painters that You need to Download Today

1. See Value: To break photos down into Notan and Grayscale. When you paint with me, you'll learn my process consists of 5 Simple Steps, which are 1)underpainting, 2)block-in of shape and value, 3)scrub-in of basic color, 4)the magic stage, and 5)sign my name.  (For more information on the process, please refer to my ebook, "Learn to Paint in 5 Steps and Unleash your Creative Spirit!)  In life and in some photos, seeing the values, how light or dark shapes are, is easy. In others, it's not. the See Value App breaks down your photo into 2-, 3-, 4-, or a continuum of values. And it's free! If you choose to upgrade to the fancy version, it's a whopping 99 cents. 
2. Painting Grid Maker: To apply a grid to your photo to better draw your basic shapes. The #1 complaint I hear from my students is that they are not comfortable with their drawing skills. (Remember, painters come to me, not sketchers, drawers, anime cartoonists, or illustrators.... just painters). And I get it. As a painter, I love color... how it feels going on the canvas, the magic it creates in combination with other colors, the enchanting lines it forms with different brushes and different strokes. Drawing is not my favorite part of the process, but it's not a chore either. I simply block-in the rendering in a very loose way using a paintbrush (not a pencil usually) and using the grid approach. I only use a plus sign (+) or a hashtag (#) dividing my canvas into either 4 or 9 equal blocks, but you can use more if needed. And I don't use a ruler or measure exactly. It's not necessary.                                                               

                       

So instead of painting one big painting, you are in essence painting 4 or 9 and using the grid to monitor where lines cross. This helps you draw an accurate rendering of your subject. In time with practice, you won't even need the grid with simple subject shapes. And this app is also free. 

3.  Brushstroke:     Turn Photos into Paintings.    I've always heard mimicking is the ultimate form of flattery, and that may be true. But not in the Art world. Oh, I get it. You run across a painting that is so beautiful, so captivating, you want to paint it for yourself. You want to copy another artist's painting. I've been there. And yes, I've done it. But in my defense, let me add it was early in my painting career when it was merely a hobby and honestly I didn't know better. Hard to admit I was that dumb, but it's true. And I was threatened with a lawsuit. Social Media is the great equalizer. Nothing is done in secret. You will get caught. Luckily for me, I begged forgiveness and apologized profusely. The artist who threatened me was very gracious and forgiving, and I'm still a raving fan. And as far as I know there are no hard feelings. But what a lesson learned!!  So I beg of you, learn from my mistakes. Do Not Copy other artists' works. Instead, note what it is about the painting you love. Is it the color or color combinations? Is it the subject matter? The edge work? The looseness? The brushstrokes?  Take those mental notes and practice on your own painting with a photo you have taken and apply one of the many filters Brushstroke App can offer. It will help you see your photo as a painting, breaking down shapes, values, and colors.   This app costs $3.99

4.  Waterlogue:  Turn Photos into Watercolor Paintings.  For everything the Brushstroke App can do to a photo to make it look like an oil painting, Waterlogue can do to turn a photo into a watercolor painting. Even if you are not painting in watercolor, just breaking the photo down into it's watercolor parts helps the artist see his or her subject better. This app costs $4.99. 

5. Unsplash:   Copyright-free photography.  When using photographs, make every effort possible to use photos you have taken yourself.  In many art shows and organizations, this is a paramount rule. However, if you are painting on your own and you are looking to paint the Eiffel Tower and you live in Paris, Kentucky and not Paris, France, or you want to paint hydrangeas in December, you may choose to utilize this completely free, royalty-free, copyright-free photography sharing app.  When using the photos, it is customary and polite to share the name of the photographer and give him or her credit for the reference photo. But word of warning, it can also enrage photographers who feel free photography devalues their art and they are not shy about expressing their displeasure on the web. Just saying. 

 

Please know I receive no compensation for recommending these applications to you, and I take no responsibility on whether or not they work on your phone or with your process. They are simply my personally used apps and my personal opinion. If you are an artist who would like to lecture me on the necessity of painting from life only, save your time and your breath. I've heard it before and can only respond with that is your opinion, and I simply don't agree. We are all artists and can pursue our creative endeavors any way we feel inclined, so long as it's not immoral, unethical or illegal. 

More Art is a good thing for all of us, and if these apps can help you with your painting struggles and get you to paint more art, then bully for you for using them. And bully for the artists who choose not to. Can I get an Amen?!

Photo credits: Bundo Kim and Sonnie Hiles from Unsplash

August 2019 "Wet Paint" Newsletter and Calendar of Painting Classes and Art-related Events

Monthly Newsletter directly to your inbox, simply email susan@susanejones.com and request to be added to the list. Enjoy!

Painting with Susan ~ Beauty, Joy, Light, Magic

Sprinkle joy. It's my favorite quote, and sum's up my mission statement more succinctly than the one I wrote. 

"I teach the noble-hearted to develop their Creative Spirits and use their artistry, as I attempt to use mine, to influence the world for good and support a fully amplified life."

Or as Ralph Waldo Emerson would say, 

"Sprinkle joy, and help others to do the same."

By FAR the biggest influence I've had on the world for good, for joy, for an amplified life has not been my teaching the noble-hearted or my paintings of nostalgic impressionism or anything else I've set out to do intentionally. The BIGGEST by far influence for joy I created started in June 2010 when I was wishing we had a holiday to celebrate in August and starting a campaign to establish National Watermelon Day... a day for parades, and picnics, and watermelon seed spitting contests. I could see it! Watermelon Queens would ride on floats and we would get the day off from work. 

I researched it and there was no watermelon day, but the National Watermelon Growers Association deemed July as Watermelon Month. Not August. So I picked August 1 as National Watermelon Day... a culmination of all the events in July Watermelon month would end in fireworks on August 1-National Watermelon Day. 

All I did was created a Facebook Page "National Watermelon Day" and started posting photos and recipes and silly posts about watermelon. And this lasted about three weeks. And then I forgot about it. Until August 3, when I logged on to Facebook to discover comments like, "hey, it was August 1 and nothing happened." Out of embarrassment, I deleted the posts that brought to my attention my absent-mindedness and changed the date to August 3. 

Happy National Watermelon Day!!! August 3

And for a few years on August 3, several people would post photos and videos of their Watermelon celebrations. Until August 3, 2016, I was sitting at my desk working on something and "Kelly and Michael" were on TV. Kelly Ripa turns to Michael Strahan and says, "Do you know what day it is today?" and then she turns to pick up a Watermelon that she sets on the hosts table and then gets two watermelon martinis to share with him. 

I was shocked!!!

I called Andy and relayed the story. He began to do more research. A website called "National Days Calendar" had picked up my faux-holiday and had promoted it. People AROUND THE WORLD were celebrating National Watermelon Day. It was the #1 trending hashtag on Twitter. The London Children's Museum posted a video of a watermelon party they had that day. Sororities and Fraternities were hosting Watermelon Parties. Senior Citizen Centers were serving seniors with watermelon and wearing party hats. Zoos were posting photos of their animals eating watermelon. I received Tweets and Facebook posts from celebrities and companies, and people in countries around the world with smiling people showing off their watermelon and how they were celebrating the blessed fruit!

I don't know the details on how it went viral. I don't know why it went viral. All I know is because of a silly idea executed on a whim by little ol' nobody me, a special joy rings throughout the world on August 3. Happy National Watermelon Day!!!

Sprinkle joy!

 

Susan

PS.  Please forward this newsletter to a friend and share the fun!

 

* Monthly Calendar: A few of these dates and locations were tentative at time of newsletter publication.

For more information on classes and workshops, call or text 615-668-8263.

 Yes, the calendar is too small to read, so place your cursor on it and right-click. Now save it to your computer and enlarge it for better readability. Or click here.

SPRING HILL, TN

Painting with Susan" Painting Workshops and Weekly Classes in Evan's Park

I teach the noble-hearted to develop their creative spirits and use their artistry to sprinkle joy and live a full, amplified life. Join me, won't you, for Painting with Susan and attend painting classes offered in acrylics, oils and occasionally in watercolors at our Winchester location in Spring Hill. Help your skills catch up with your creative vision, have some laughs, make new friends, and create a colorful legacy!

Beginners are welcomed. The only requirements are passion for painting and curiosity for the joy that only comes from creating. I want to help every student discover his or her individual artistic personality and learn to build a personal process for painting.

Whether you choose a workshop or the on-going weekly lessons, claim your artistic license let me help you paint from the heart using logical steps to create paintings you'll be proud of and will help you paint your artistic vision.  Anyone can paint. All it takes is a knowledgeable teacher with a heart for students and a little practice. You'll get both in any of my classes.

Painting classes are offered in the lower level of the Winchester Building located at 563 Maury Hill Street behind Spring Hill Elementary in Evan's Park. Please call 615-668-8263 to register or for more information. 

 

1.  CREATIVE SPIRITS CLASS will study LINEAR PERSPECTIVE in LANDSCAPE in AUGUST

Own your AWESOME and come learn the basic skills to painting. Give the space in your heart a place in your life and join other artists on Thursday mornings from 10:00-11:30am in August for pursuing your artistic vision and growth. Students will learn Linear Perspective in landscape.  

Offered by Spring Hill Parks and Rec and taught by Susan Elizabeth Jones, learning Linear Perspective in landscape will truly enhance your painting abilities. All skills levels are welcome. The class emphasizes the use of acrylics, but water-soluble oils and watercolors are welcome.

Class fee is $100 for 4 sessions. Students bring their own supplies and a supplies list will be provided at registration. Call 615-668-8263 to register today and learn what all the fun is about!

We will meet August 8, 15, 22, and 29. August 1 is the last class in the July session. The August session of Creative Spirits will begin on August 8.

In August we'll study and practice Linear Perspective.

In Creative Spirits class, students bring their own supplies. We typically paint in acrylics, but some advanced students are exploring painting with acrylics and water-soluble oils. If you don't want to invest in either of these and already own traditional oils, you may use them in class. However, you'll need to bring Gamsol and a jar with a tight-fitting lid in order to take the solvent safely away. I'll provide a list of other items you'll need when you register. Class fee is $100 per one month session (4 classes) and you can take one-, two-, three- or as many months as you like. And plan to join us for lunch! Most weeks we either go out to a local restaurant or plan a pot luck meal at the studio. 

You have FUN AND CREATIVE FRIENDS you haven't even met yet!!

      


ART DATES:

July students in Creative Spirits enjoyed a fun and educational Art Date in to the Frist Museum of Art to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit. The next Art Date will be scheduled for September 13 to Amish country in Ethridge, Tennessee. More details in the September issue of "Wet Paint."

2.  ADVENTURE AWAITS! WORKSHOP, August 24 10am-3pm

Adventure Awaits! is a new, full-day Illustrated Travel Journaling workshop that will stimulate the imagination and inspire the creativity. I am offering at beautiful, historic homes and gardens, vineyards, and other fun locations in and around middle Tennessee. 

On August 24 we will be painting at the Belle Meade Mansion on Harding Road in west Nashville from 10am-3pm. Students are welcome to bring their lunch or dine in the Harding House restaurant located above to the gift shop. The workshop fee is $65 + site fee*, and students will bring their own supplies (digital camera, blank page journal, travel watercolor set with brushes, paper towels, pencil with eraser, black ink pen, carrying tote. Picnic blanket or old-fashioned "sitting squares" optional). Remember to pack light and wear comfortable clothes and shoes. 

And just for fun, students will receive an Adventure Awaits! Passport which we can get stamped in the gift shop and at every future location in the series. For more insight into the concept, click here. 

Your Passport awaits! Just call 615-668-8263 to reserve your place in the workshop.  

* You may choose a $15 grounds pass for your site fee or a $24 full-access pass which includes the mansion tour. What I recommend and is not advertised is the APTA Annual Membership dues of $25 which gives you admission for the entire year to all 14 APTA properties. Students may arrive as early as 8:30am and leave as late as 6pm. Workshop begins in the Education Building promptly at 10am, so you'll want to arrive at least by 9:30 to get your ticket and get to the Education Building. Students may also wish to purchase an additional ticket for $12 to take the Horse-drawn Wagon Ride Tour to see the property and hear more about it's history. 

3.   PAINT-ALONG "MAKE & TAKE" CLASSES 

It's a messy, beautiful creative life and the best way to embrace it is to grab your friends and schedule a Private Paint-Along Party at your location or at the Winchester Studio in Spring Hill. Great for Church Groups, Book Clubs, Reunions, Team Building for the office, and Birthday parties, you just need to gather a group of at least 12 of your closest friends to schedule.  All supplies and instruction are included for $50 per student.  Please call 615-668-8263 for more information. A wide selection of reference paintings are available to choose from.

 
4.  PRIVATE PAINTING LESSONS

Never painted before? Not sure which class is best for you? Want more individualized instruction? Scheduling a private lesson may be the choice for you.

Private lessons are offered by Spring Hill Parks and Rec and taught in the Winchester Studio. Students bring their own supplies and reference photo. You'll enjoy personal assessment of your work and specific instruction for improvement. Private Lesson fee is $149 for 2-hour lesson and you may bring a friend at no additional charge. For three or more students, please add $50 for each additional student. 

Private lessons are an excellent choice for college prep. 

Call 615-668-8263 to reserve your private lesson. 

5.    BASIC PAINTING 101 WORKSHOP,  coming the autumn

Take a break from the Every Day and spend a Special Day immersing yourself in the joy of art. Invest a day to rediscover your Inner Artist and renew your heart, mind, and creative spirit in this Basic Painting 101 Workshop. You'll learn the logical process of painting in five easy steps and the painterly techniques to loosen up and create beautiful, colorful, and engaging paintings. 

The workshop consists of demonstration painting, instruction, critique, and lots of painting time.  Material is presented in a logical, easy to understand manner, along with large doses of encouragement. We are all students at different places along this journey to become the artists we are destined to be. Great for beginners in need of basic skills and self-taught artists looking for a framework on which to apply their skills. 

Workshop fee is $149 and students bring their own materials. Tables, chairs, and easels provided. If you prefer to have your supplies provided, please add $25 to workshop fee. Registration is limited to ensure plenty of individual attention. 

Looking for a date and location for September 2019. More info to come.  

           

COLUMBIA, TN          NEW!    "ASPIRING MASTERS" Painting Classes for Teens ages 12-16

at BUILDING BLOCK ARTS ACADEMY

 

Aspiring Masters Painting Sessions I

 

The Aspiring Masters Painting Session I is designed for young teens, ages twelve to sixteen, who have shown artistic ability and passion for learning creative concepts. Throughout the semester we will be studying a variety of painting concepts, including:

 

• Mixing colors from a limited palette,
• Evaluating values,
• Learning when to paint local color notes, highlights, and shadows,
• Turning 2-D shapes in to 3-D forms,
• And completing multiple paintings using the 5-step process, all while cultivating the joy of painting!!!

 

The four-month semester fee of $320, payable in four installments, includes weekly class periods full of instruction and demonstrations, as well as individual attention with each student, plus two showcases.  We will be painting in acrylics, and a supplies list will be provided upon registration.

 

Class meets Monday afternoons from 4-5pm September 9- December 16, except for September 23, October 7, and November 25.

 

To register your Aspiring Master, contact Building Block School of Art at 931-442-5007 or go online to buidingblockarts.com.  Building Block Arts is located at 1309 S. Main Street, Columbia, Tennessee.

In Aspiring Masters Painting Sessions II we will further our studies and introduce the elements affecting Landscapes. Session II will begin January 6.  Special consideration will be given to accepting students as young as ten, if they show proficiency in basic painting skills and the desire to further their studies. 

 1.  ART EXHIBIT AT TOMATO ART FESTIVAL, EAST NASHVILLE, AUGUST 10

The Tomato..... is it a fruit? Vegetable? Both?  The Tomato.... a uniter, not a divider. Come celebrate Summer, heat, and the Tomato at the 16th Annual Tomato Art Festival in East Nashville on August 10. The morning starts off with a wacky tomato-themed "push, pull, & wear" parade through the east Nashville neighborhood beginning at 9am at the corner of South 12 and Russell Streets and ending at Five Points where you will find booths, bands, costumes, and lots and lots of tomato-inspired art. Fun for the whole family!

 
2.  HERITAGE BANK ART EXHIBIT, COLUMBIA, TN, AUGUST 26-30 with RECEPTION AUGUST 29, 5-7pm

While in Columbia the last week of August, stop by the lobby of Heritage Bank on James Campbell Blvd to see an art exhibit featuring work of local artists. Refreshments will be served in the lobby from 5-7pm on August 29. 

3.    CHESTNUT GROUP ART SHOW  at RADNOR LAKE

The Chestnut Group partners with Radnor Lake every other year for good reason. It continues to be one of the biggest and most popular of the Chestnut Group shows. We will be painting there for the next few months and the show will is scheduled for the beginning of November 2019. 

 

 

Shop FINE ART AMERICA 

Prints, Note Cards, Cell Phone Covers, Tote Bags, and more depicting images of my paintings are available on Fine Art America.

 

Shop eBOOK "Learn to Paint in 5 Steps"

Available on Amazon, click here

 

 

Photos of precious smiles I got to see while painting in the July Classes, Workshops, and Private Lessons.

   

  
These paintings and many, many more are for sale through Daily Paintworks. If you are local and purchase a painting, please let me know so I can adjust the shipping fee. To see the paintings for sale, click here.

When you commission a Pet Portrait, 10% of the commission fee will be donated to the Animal Rescue of your choice. 
 

 

      Class sizes are limited, so we ask you give us 48 hours notice if you need to cancel. Cancellations should be made by phone or text, 615-668-8263. This provides us the opportunity to fill the space. No refunds are available, however class fees for reservations canceled at least 48 hours in advance may be credited to another class.

    For inclement weather, announcements on canceled classes will be posted on Facebook. If in doubt, please call us before traveling in bad weather. Canceled classes will be rescheduled.

While on your many adventures, please stop by the shops and galleries that sell my work and tell them I sent you....

Quincy Avenue Arts, Seaside, Florida

Rippavilla Plantation, Spring Hill, Tennessee

Loblolly, Columbia, Tennessee

My French Chateau, Atlanta, Georgia

Rowan House, Corinth, Mississippi

And always on the hunt for more!!  Recommendations welcomed!!

Comment Below

Email Me!  susan@susanejones.com

Call or Text me:  615-668-8263

Comment on Facebook: Facebook: The Colorful and Charming Art of Susan E Jones

Follow me on Pinterest: charming1

Follow me on Instagram:  susanelizabethjones_art

Connect on Twitter: @susanejonesart

Watch Painting Demos on YouTube

Visit Blog: Charm of the Carolines

Visit Blog: Postcards from the Dimple of the Universe

Visit Website: Susan E Jones Fine Art 

List of Favorite Books

 

July 2019 "Wet Paint" Newsletter and Calendar of Painting Classes and Art-related Events

Monthly Newsletter directly to your inbox, simply email susan@susanejones.com and request to be added to the list. Enjoy!

Painting with Susan ~ Beauty, Joy, Light, Magic

 

“The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose.”

―Charles Dickens

A friend loaned me the book The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer about the five regions of the world where residents live years and even decades longer on average than in areas outside the Blue Zones and the studies done to determine common, underlying habits and lifestyles that may be the contributing factors to the astonishing longevity. Several of the findings were not that surprising-- exercise, eat healthy, reduce stress, consume moderate amounts of red wine. The remaining factors I found particularly interesting-- know your "raison d'etre" (your purpose), find and engage your tribe, learn something new, leave a legacy.

In The Path Made Clear, author Oprah Winfrey says,

"What is my purpose?" is an intimate prayer rising from the deepest part of the heart.  It's asking to be acknowledged and a sign the journey toward an elevated life filled with meaning and character has begun. Align your personality with your purpose and you will be unstoppable." 

My sister-in-law calls it "Finding your Center." 

Whatever it is -a raison d'etre, a purpose, a center, a calling, a dharma, finding your lane, your path, walking to the beat of your own drummer- I've always known mine and have promptly spent most of my life and energy and resources ignoring it, running from it, or thoroughly beating it down.  That is until it caught me, and hugged me, and whispered in my ear, "What are you afraid of?" And I gave up the fight, collapsed exhausted from doing everything that wasn't aligned with my purpose, and started over, refreshed, attuned, in alignment. 

Elizabeth Gilbert, famed author of Eat, Pray, Love was asked the question, "Do you believe artists must suffer for their art?"  She replied,

"The most beautiful gift to humanity, imagination, a love of beauty, being an artist. Creativity is generative, life-affirming, Gaia, renewal, a small-scale miracle of the creation itself, grace. It's how we connect, how we delight ourselves, how we process pain. Creativity is play. It's a wild adventure. It is a gift from the divine. It is holy." 

To which I can only add, "Amen!" and share with you a few thoughts that surfaced this past week...

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined."   Henry David Thoreau

"Dare to live the life you have dreamed of for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Sharing our gifts is how we honor God."  Brene Brown

"The Universe is looking for activity to express through you. Just listen to it and be unstoppable." Charles F. Haanel

"Every person has a unique vocation that only he or she can accomplish, and is responsible for undertaking the job!"  Victor Frankl

I don't know what your purpose is, but you do. It's always whispering to you when your mind is quiet, whether or not you're listening.  Don't deprive the world of the unique gifts only you can provide. 

 

Beauty, Joy, Light, Magic. 

Susan

PS.  Please forward this newsletter to a friend and share the fun!

 

* Monthly Calendar: A few of these dates and locations were tentative at time of newsletter publication.

For more information on classes and workshops, call or text 615-668-8263.

 Yes, the calendar is too small to read, so place your cursor on it and right-click. Now save it to your computer and enlarge it for better readability. Or click here.

Painting with Susan" Painting Workshops and Weekly Classes in Spring Hill, TN

Join us for Painting with Susan and attend painting classes offered in acrylics, oils and occasionally in watercolors at our Winchester location in Spring Hill. Help your skills catch up with your creative vision, have some laughs, make new friends, and create a colorful legacy!

Beginners are welcomed. The only requirements are passion for painting and an attitude of joy. I want to help every student discover his or her individual artistic personality and learn to build a personal process for painting.

Whether you choose a workshop or the on-going weekly lessons, claim your artistic license let me help you paint from the heart using logical steps to create paintings you'll be proud of and will help you paint your artistic vision.  Anyone can paint. All it takes is a knowledgeable teacher with a heart for students and a little practice. You'll get both in any of my classes.

Painting classes are offered in the lower level of the Winchester Building located at 563 Maury Hill Street behind Spring Hill Elementary in Evan's Park. Please call 615-668-8263 to register or for more information. 

 

1.  CREATIVE SPIRITS CLASS will study ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE in LANDSCAPE in July

Give the space in your heart a place in your life and join other artists on Thursday mornings from 10:00-11:30am in July for laughter, insights, and artistic growth. Students will learn Atmospheric Perspective in landscape.  

Offered by Spring Hill Parks and Rec and taught by Susan Elizabeth Jones, learning Atmospheric Perspective in landscape will truly enhance your painting abilities. All skills levels are welcome. The class emphasizes the use of acrylics, but water-soluble oils and watercolors are welcome.

Class fee is $100 for 4 sessions. Students bring their own supplies and a supplies list will be provided at registration. Call 615-668-8263 to register today and learn what all the fun is about!

We will meet July 11, 18, 25, and August 1. We will not meet July 4. The August session of Creative Spirits will begin on August 8.

In July we'll study Atmospheric Perspective.

In Creative Spirits class, students bring their own supplies. We typically paint in acrylics, but for the summer we'll have the choice between acrylics or water-soluble oils. If you don't want to invest in either of these and already traditional oils, you may use them in class. However, you'll need to bring Gamsol and a jar with a tight-fitting lid in order to take the solvent safely away. I'll provide a list of other items you'll need when you register. Class fee is $100 per one month session (4 classes) and you can take one-, two-, three- or as many months as you like. And plan to join us for lunch! Most weeks we either go out to a local restaurant or plan a pot luck meal at the studio. 

You have FUN AND CREATIVE FRIENDS you haven't even met yet!!

  

ART DATES:

July students in Creative Spirits are invited to join the class on a fun and educational Art Dates in July. We plan to meet for lunch on July 13 and then carpool down to the Frist Museum of Art to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit. More details will be announced in class on July 11. 

2.  ADVENTURE AWAITS! WORKSHOP, July 27 10am-3pm

Adventure Awaits! is a new, full-day Illustrated Travel Journaling workshop that will stimulate the imagination and inspire the creativity. I am offering at beautiful, historic homes and gardens, vineyards, and other fun locations in and around middle Tennessee. 

To kick off the series we will be painting at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage on July 27, 2019, from 10am-3pm. Students are welcome to bring their lunch or dine in the cafe located next to the gift shop. The workshop fee is $65 + site fee*, and students will bring their own supplies (digital camera, blank page journal, travel watercolor set with brushes, paper towels, pencil with eraser, black ink pen, carrying tote. Picnic blanket or old-fashioned "sitting squares" optional). Remember to pack light and wear comfortable clothes and shoes. 

And just for fun, students will receive an Adventure Awaits! Passport which we can get stamped in the gift shop and at every future location in the series. For more insight into the concept, click here. 

Your Passport awaits! Just call 615-668-8263 to reserve your place in the workshop.  

* You may choose a $8 grounds pass for your site fee or a $22 full-access pass which includes the mansion tour. Students may arrive as early as 8:30am and leave as late as 6pm. Workshop begins in the Education Building promptly at 10am, so you'll want to arrive at least by 9:30 to get your ticket and get to the Education Building. Students may also wish to purchase an additional ticket for $12 to take the Horse-drawn Wagon Ride Tour to see the property and hear more about it's history. 

3.   PAINT-ALONG "MAKE & TAKE" CLASSES 

Private Paint-Along Parties may be scheduled at your location or at the Winchester Studio in Spring Hill with a minimum of 15 students. Great for Church Groups, Book Clubs, Reunions, Team Building for the office, and Birthday parties.  All supplies and instruction are included for $50 per student.  Please call 615-668-8263 for more information. Wide selection of reference paintings to choose from.

 
4.  PRIVATE PAINTING LESSONS

Never painted before? Not sure which class is best for you? Want more individualized instruction? Scheduling a private lesson may be the choice for you.

Private lessons are offered by Spring Hill Parks and Rec and taught in the Winchester Studio. Students bring their own supplies and reference photo. You'll enjoy personal assessment of your work and specific instruction for improvement. Private Lesson fee is $149 for 2-hour lesson and you may bring a friend at no additional charge. For three or more students, please add $50 for each additional student. 

Private lessons are an excellent choice for college prep. 

Call 615-668-8263 to reserve your private lesson. 

5.    SPRING HILL PARKS & REC ART CAMP, July 22-24

Plans are in the works to offer a 3-day Art Camp for Kids in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Please follow Spring Hill,TN Parks and Recreation on Facebook for more details. 

6.    BASIC PAINTING 101 WORKSHOP,  coming the autumn

Take a break from the Every Day and spend a Special Day immersing yourself in the joy of art. Invest a day to rediscover your Inner Artist and renew your heart, mind, and creative spirit in this Basic Painting 101 Workshop. You'll learn the logical process of painting in five easy steps and the painterly techniques to loosen up and create beautiful, colorful, and engaging paintings. 

The workshop consists of demonstration painting, instruction, critique, and lots of painting time.  Material is presented in a logical, easy to understand manner, along with large doses of encouragement. We are all students at different places along this journey to become the artists we are destined to be. Great for beginners in need of basic skills and self-taught artists looking for a framework on which to apply their skills. 

Workshop fee is $149 and students bring their own materials. Tables, chairs, and easels provided. If you prefer to have your supplies provided, please add $25 to workshop fee. Registration is limited to ensure plenty of individual attention. 

Looking for a date and location for September 2019. More info to come.  

           

 1.  ART EXHIBIT AT SQUARE MARKET, COLUMBIA, TN in JULY 1 - August 4

The members of the Creative Spirits painting class are collaborating with the photographers of Maury County to present a unique art exhibit that will be on display at Square Market Cafe in July. 

Photography/Painting will showcase side by side the photos of some of Maury County's most talented photographers with the paintings they inspired. Here is a sample...

 

And plans are currently in the works to host another collaboration featuring "Quintessential Spring Hill" photos and paintings.  
 
2.  SWANKY PLANK VINTAGE MARKETPLACE at RIPPAVILLA, JULY 18 -20

Swanky Plank Vintage Marketplace was originally scheduled for June, but days before the event was to begin the weather forecast was nothing but thunderstorms torrents of rain. That's no fun!

For the safety of the patrons, vendors, volunteers and staff, the difficult decision was made to postpone the event to July which is it's traditional time anyway.

If you aren't familiar with Swanky Plank, it is one of Tennessee's best pop-up barn sales of vintage and hand-made items, including art, jewelry, pottery, and more! I will be there with many studio sale paintings I need to move to make room for new work. Come out and see us!

3.    CHESTNUT GROUP ART SHOW  at RADNOR LAKE

The Chestnut Group partners with Radnor Lake every other year for good reason. It continues to be one of the biggest and most popular of the Chestnut Group shows. We will be painting there for the next few months and the show will is scheduled for the beginning of November 2019. 

 

 

Shop FINE ART AMERICA 

Prints, Note Cards, Cell Phone Covers, Tote Bags, and more depicting images of my paintings are available on Fine Art America.

 

Shop eBOOK "Learn to Paint in 5 Steps"

Available on Amazon, click here

 

 

Photos of precious smiles I got to see while painting in the June Classes, Workshops, and Private Lessons.  
     



  
        

 
 

  
These paintings and many, many more are for sale through Daily Paintworks. If you are local and purchase a painting, please let me know so I can adjust the shipping fee. To see the paintings for sale, click here.

When you commission a Pet Portrait, 10% of the commission fee will be donated to the Animal Rescue of your choice. 
          


      Class sizes are limited, so we ask you give us 48 hours notice if you need to cancel. Cancellations should be made by phone or text, 615-668-8263. This provides us the opportunity to fill the space. No refunds are available, however class fees for reservations canceled at least 48 hours in advance may be credited to another class.

    For inclement weather, announcements on canceled classes will be posted on Facebook. If in doubt, please call us before traveling in bad weather. Canceled classes will be rescheduled.

While on your many adventures, please stop by the shops and galleries that sell my work and tell them I sent you....

Quincy Avenue Arts, Seaside, Florida

Rippavilla Plantation, Spring Hill, Tennessee

Loblolly, Columbia, Tennessee

My French Chateau, Atlanta, Georgia

Rowan House, Corinth, Mississippi

And always on the hunt for more!!  Recommendations welcomed!!

Comment Below

Email Me!  susan@susanejones.com

Call or Text me:  615-668-8263

Comment on Facebook: Facebook: The Colorful and Charming Art of Susan E Jones

Follow me on Pinterest: charming1

Follow me on Instagram:  susanelizabethjones_art

Connect on Twitter: @susanejonesart

Watch Painting Demos on YouTube

Visit Blog: Charm of the Carolines

Visit Blog: Postcards from the Dimple of the Universe

Visit Website: Susan E Jones Fine Art 

Running List of Favorite Books

 

Adventure Awaits!

Give the space in your heart a place in your life. Your passport awaits...

Today I've been working on a new concept for a fun, informative workshop where creative people. It all started percolating in my brain last autumn when a few of my girlfriends met me for lunch in Leipers Fork, Tennessee, about 30 minutes from my cottage and we spent the afternoon shopping, laughing, and moseying around the Fork.  

We ran into a group of six young ladies with precious British accents doing the very same thing. Not one to be shy, we started a conversation, and discovered they were on vacation to nearby Nashville and wanted to venture out and spend time in the country. They had rented an AirB&B close by and were spending the day in Leipers Fork. Somehow we got on the conversation of Tea, and one of the girls gave me a zippy full of Earl Grey teabags she had brought with her from England. So kind! And so appreciated. 

The entire experience got me to thinking how Dianne and my friends and I were enjoying the same friendship, quaint town, delicious dining experience as these tourists who had traveled from the other side of the planet. As much as I love to travel and am yearning to go to England, I need to be more cognizant of the sights, towns, homes, and gardens driving distance from my cottage and enjoy these pleasures, too. They are, in fact, more convenient and affordable than jetting off to western Europe (still on the bucket list!)

So jump forward to today. 

 

I'm painting a double page spread in watercolor in my Illustrated Travel Journal and making plans to offer a series of workshops at local tourist sites, as well as interesting places off the beaten path. Typically my studio workshops are $149 for a full-day, but this sounds like so much fun to me I want to do it even if no one registers, so Adventure Awaits! is only $65 + site fee. 

The first in the series is scheduled for July 27, 2019, at The Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson, located in Hermitage, Tennessee. We'll meet at 10am for the Introduction to Illustrated Travel Journaling and "how to" discussion, and be free to walk the grounds and paint. At noon we will meet for lunch in the cafe located on the property, and afterwards continue with our painting of the mansion and gardens. I'll assist until 3pm, but students may stay as long as they like. The Hermitage doesn't close until 6pm. 

Students will need to register by calling 615-668-8263, and will bring their own supplies in a backpack or tote bag. Any watercolor set will do, but a travel watercolor set typically has a small brush in it plus a well for your wash water. Besides your paints, you will also need a travel journal, brushes, black ink pen, pencil with eraser, paper towels, and digital camera. Picnic blanket or old fashioined "sitting squares" optional. If you plan well, pack small, and tear off a few sheets of paper towels without bringing the whole roll, your supplies could fit in a large pocket or two. This is why I LOVE painting with watercolor. I can leave my 40lb plein air backpack and gear at home. 

Sign up for the free, monthly newsletter and calendar for more information on this workshop and all the other workshops and classes offered throughout the year. 

Illustrated Watercolor Peach Pie Recipe

As much as I love painting studio and plein air works of art, it's Illustrated Watercolor Journaling that brings me pure joy. The hobby started with an Illustrated Nature Journal. Shortly after it began, I went on a scenic, painting trip to Owl's Head, Maine, with a few friends, so the journal evolved to an Illustrated Nature and Travel Journal. But I also love to cook and to eat! And I love history and historic and family recipes. And guess what? The illustrated watercolor journal as evolved to involve these loves, too. 

To see the 30 minute demonstration, click here.  To see the sped up 60 second version, click here. 

The watercolor set you see in the video is the Winsor & Newton Professional Sketchers Watercolor Box.  It's a bit pricey for the first time watercolor painter.

My oldest and most used set is my Winsor & Newton Compact Watercolor set for travel. I love this one because it is small, compact, holds your brush and wash water well, and the lid can be used as your palette for mixing. The half-pans easily pop out and can be replaced with any Winsor Newton half-pan watercolor, and it's practically indestructible. I've taken it on many trips. And because there is no liquid involved, they can be pack in your pocket or purse to carry on an airplane. 

 

However, I also have a set of Uloochi Watercolor pens, and love them. My students were unable to find Uloochi and purchased Arteza Watercolor brush pens, and I can't tell the difference. They are both easy to use, have beautiful color, and are convenient. If you go this route, you'll want to also purchase a watercolor brush to move color around with water. Sometimes the pens dispense a lot of color, so it's best to lay down a small amount of color from the pen and then use a clean, wet brush to extend the color where you want it. 

Illustrated Watercolor Cookbook

Spending a little time this afternoon in Watercolor Illustration. It's so much fun!!

 

Or for the 25 minute demonstration, click here.  Or for a 60 seconds highlight reel, click here. 

I love watercolor illustration and use it for a variety of journals, from Illustrated Nature Journals to Illustrated Travel Journals, to Illustrated Family Recipes Cookbook, not a day goes by I wouldn't rather be illustrating a journal with watercolor. 

I have a thing for adorable, portable watercolor travel sets, too. It's an addiction. And I also love the watercolor pens. Not too fond of the watercolor pencils, however. It's a great idea in theory, but I can't make them work they way I hoped they would. 

The watercolor set you see in the video is the Winsor & Newton Professional Sketchers Watercolor Box.  It's a bit pricey for the first time watercolor painter.

My oldest and most used set is my Winsor & Newton Compact Watercolor set for travel. I love this one because it is small, compact, holds your brush and wash water well, and the lid can be used as your palette for mixing. The half-pans easily pop out and can be replaced with any Winsor Newton half-pan watercolor, and it's practically indestructible. I've taken it on many trips. And because there is no liquid involved, they can be pack in your pocket or purse to carry on an airplane. 

And then I have a variety of sets I use in the studio, including the Charvin water-soluble pastels set which isn't a watercolor set at all, but I use it as one.  I bought my set at Jerry's Artarama in Nashville, but I believe they are available at Jerry's online. 

 

  

Illustrated Travel Journaling Workshop

Rachel Blair, Executive Director of The Chestnut Group, a plein air painting organization based in Nashville, Tennessee, contacted me late last year about volunteering to teach a workshop for the Paint Your Heart Out series of workshops The Chestnut Group hosts every year as a fundraiser for the organization. I jumped on the opportunity. 

I've been a member of The Chestnut Group for eight years and proud of it. As a group of plein air painters we partner with land conservancy groups and historic sites to paint en plein air on their properties or along their respective rivers, watersheds, preserved battlefields, or entrusted land, and hold art shows and sales to raise funds that are divided among the artists, The Chestnut Group, and the non-profit. We also do charitable work, collecting art supplies for low-income students and schools, volunteer to teach kids, volunteer to raise awareness of plein air painting with different groups, host nationally-recognized artists' workshops, and have a whole lot of fun in the process. 

Even though it is technically painting en plein air (outside), Illustrated Travel Journaling was a new concept to several members of the board of directors and executive committee. I was happy to explain and happy to volunteer to teach.

This is what finally won them over...

Susan Elizabeth Jones and the Art of Nature Journaling

Description: Have you ever taken a walk in a spring meadow or ridden your bike on a country lane or visited a formal garden or any other experience that was so beautiful you wanted to capture it to savor at any time? The sights, sounds, and feelings of nature are inspiring, and what could be lovelier than to preserve the moments of inspiration in a nature and travel journal?

Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Edison, Charles Darwin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Prince Charles are just a few journalers who kept nature- and travel-themed notebooks.  Peter Rabbit and all his furry friends were characters that emerged from Beatrix Potter’s nature journals.

Nature and travel journaling was a more popular activity in a simpler time… before encyclopedias in every home, before technology and the internet, in a time when curiosity, imagination, and a lazy afternoon to explore creeks and gardens offered immense entertainment and self-reflection.

Join Susan Elizabeth Jones at beautiful and historic Rippavilla in Spring Hill, Tennessee, to spend the day exploring the gardens, historic cemetery, historic structures, “witness trees” and documenting the many treasures that will be discovered on this 98-acre estate that has been preserved through the Land Trust of Tennessee.

I was all too happy to share with them my own personal Illustrated Journal and many illustrated books I've collected over the years.

Some of my favorite illustrated journals that I've purchased are France by Rae Dunn, The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature, Trout: An Illustrated History, Mr. Boddington's Etiquette: Charm and Civility for Every Occassion, Queen Victoria's Sketchbook, and all the Susan Branch cookbooks... Heart of the Home, The Summer Book, Autumn, Vineyard Season, and Christmas Season. 

We had so much fun painting, touring Rippavilla, eating Marcy Jo's on the Go in the courtyard at Rippavilla. 

     

Mr. Chuck treated us to a fabulous and informative tour of the mansion, and he was as charming as ever!


I hope the Chestnut Group invites me to teach again. Good times!!

More best selling Art Books to get you inspired. 

June 2019 "Wet Paint" Newsletter and Calendar of Painting Classes and Art-related Events

To receive the Wet Paint Monthly Newsletter directly to your inbox, simply email susan@susanejones.com and request to be added to the list. Enjoy!

Painting with Susan ~ Beauty, Joy, Light, Magic

 

My BrainTrust

"You need to find a Mentor," they say, "someone to help you navigate the waters of your career." 

"Really??  And where does one find a Mentor?" I ask, "Pick one off the Mentor tree?"

It's a fabulous idea, in theory, an older, wiser, trusted individual willing to take on a novice apprentice to learn the ways of your chosen profession. I envision a young Luke Skywalker sitting at the feet of the cloak-clad Yoda. (He does have feet, right?)  But you can't run a "Help Wanted Ad" to find one and if you asked a successful person, my guess is you would be lucky to get an hour of their time over coffee. 

Then I read a book by Tim Ferriss called Tribe of Mentors.  Apparently I'm not the only one to experience this challenge of finding a mentor, and Tim Ferriss never solves a problem in the same old way. He is a visionary, and his book The Four-Hour Work Week changed my life.   If you are not familiar with Tim, check out his podcast dedicated to deconstructing world-class performers from eclectic areas (investing, sports, business, art, etc.) to extract the tactics, tools, and routines you can use.  This includes favorite books, morning routines, exercise habits, time-management tricks, and much more.  I love it!  He has even taken the interviews from this podcast to create the Tribe of Mentors podcast. 

Tim Ferris scribbled down the names of more than 100 ideal mentors, he then emailed each of them the identical set of 11 questions.  A small handful politely declined his request, the Dalai Lama didn't respond (Does he even have email?), but then the torrent of information from the world's most successful people started pouring in. And they weren't short, rushed answers either. 

I took this idea and modified it for my needs, scribbling down amazingly talented people, both living and from history, to be my BrainTrust to counsel on specific areas where I could use the help. It's a twist on Tim's book and the old bracelet "What would Jesus do?"  

It's a growing list, but here is what I have so far, in no particular order...

   

If you were building your Dream Team of Mentors, your personal BrainTrust, who would you choose and for what area of expertise?

“Every great athlete, artist and aspiring being has a great team to help them flourish and succeed - personally and professionally. Even the so-called 'solo star' has a strong supporting cast helping them shine, thrive and take flight.” 

 

Wishing you all the success in the world!  And sending wishes for a lovely summer full of Beauty, Joy, Light, Magic. 

Susan

PS.  Please forward this newsletter to a friend and share the fun!

PSS. And just for fun, follow this link and leave a comment for your chance to win a free historical fiction book by one of my favorite authors, Jan Dearman, set in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1838 during the systematic removal of native Americans from their ancestral land, and the grit and determination of three woman to not only survive, but thrive. 

 

* Monthly Calendar: A few of these dates and locations were tentative at time of newsletter publication.

For more information on classes and workshops, call or text 615-668-8263.

 Yes, the calendar is too small to read, so place your cursor on it and right-click. Now save it to your computer and enlarge it for better readability. Or click here.

Painting with Susan" Painting Workshops and Weekly Classes in Spring Hill, TN

Join us for Painting with Susan and attend painting classes offered in acrylics, oils and occasionally in watercolors at our Winchester location in Spring Hill. Help your skills catch up with your creative vision, have some laughs, make new friends, and create a colorful legacy!

Beginners are welcomed. The only requirements are passion for painting and an attitude of joy. I want to help every student discover his or her individual artistic personality and learn to build a personal process for painting.

Whether you choose a workshop or the on-going weekly lessons, claim your artistic license let me help you paint from the heart using logical steps to create paintings you'll be proud of and will help you paint your artistic vision.  Anyone can paint. All it takes is a knowledgeable teacher with a heart for students and a little practice. You'll get both in any of my classes.

Painting classes are offered in the lower level of the Winchester Building located at 563 Maury Hill Street behind Spring Hill Elementary in Evan's Park. Please call 615-668-8263 to register or for more information. 

 

1.  CREATIVE SPIRITS CLASS will study PLANES OF A LANDSCAPE in June

Join other artists on Thursday mornings from 10:00-11:30am in June for laughter, insights, and artistic growth. Students will learn the Four planes of a landscape and the values associated with each.  This lesson will not only help you in painting landscapes and painting en plein air, but also still life and interior scenes once you learn how light reacts to the planes it illuminates.

Offered by Spring Hill Parks and Rec and taught by Susan Elizabeth Jones, learning Planes of a Landscape will truly enhance your painting abilities. All skills levels are welcome. The class emphasizes the use of acrylics, but water-soluble oils and watercolors are welcome.

Class fee is $100 for 4 sessions. Students bring their own supplies and a supplies list will be provided at registration. Call 615-668-8263 to register today and learn what all the fun is about!

We will meet June 6, 13, 20, and 27. 

In June we'll study Planes of a Landscape!.

In Creative Spirits class, students bring their own supplies. We typically paint in acrylics, but for the summer we'll have the choice between acrylics or water-soluble oils. If you don't want to invest in either of these and already traditional oils, you may use them in class. However, you'll need to bring Gamsol and a jar with a tight-fitting lid in order to take the solvent safely away. I'll provide a list of other items you'll need when you register. Class fee is $100 per one month session (4 classes) and you can take one-, two-, three- or as many months as you like. And plan to join us for lunch! Most weeks we either go out to a local restaurant or plan a pot luck meal at the studio. 

You have FUN AND CREATIVE FRIENDS you haven't even met yet!!

ART DATES:

June students in Creative Spirits are invited to join the class on 2 exciting Art Dates in June. The first is an overnight stay at a lake house and boat ride full of fun, painting, and communing with artist friends and nature. 

The second is a day spent in Amish country, visiting several farms and purchasing hand-made items and produce, as well as lunch at the Mount Pleasant Grille. 

More details will be discussed in class on June 6. 

2.     PAINT-ALONG "MAKE & TAKE" CLASSES 

Private Paint-Along Parties may be scheduled at your location or at the Winchester Studio in Spring Hill with a minimum of 15 students. Great for Church Groups, Book Clubs, Reunions, Team Building for the office.  All supplies and instruction are included for $50 per student.  Please call 615-668-8263 for more information. Wide selection of reference paintings to choose from.

 
3.  PRIVATE PAINTING LESSONS

Never painted before? Not sure which class is best for you? Want more individualized instruction? Scheduling a private lesson may be the choice for you.

Private lessons are offered by Spring Hill Parks and Rec and taught in the Winchester Studio. Students bring their own supplies and reference photo. You'll enjoy personal assessment of your work and specific instruction for improvement. Private Lesson fee is $149 for 2-hour lesson and you may bring a friend at no additional charge. For three or more students, please add $50 for each additional student. 

Private lessons are an excellent choice for college prep. 

Call 615-668-8263 to reserve your private lesson. 

4.  BASIC PAINTING 101 WORKSHOP, June 22 10am-4pm

Take a break from the Every Day and spend a Special Day immersing yourself in the joy of art. Invest a day to rediscover your Inner Artist and renew your heart, mind, and creative spirit in this Basic Painting 101 Workshop. You'll learn the logical process of painting in five easy steps and the painterly techniques to loosen up and create beautiful, colorful, and engaging paintings. 

The workshop consists of demonstration painting, instruction, critique, and lots of painting time.  Material is presented in a logical, easy to understand manner, along with large doses of encouragement. We are all students at different places along this journey to become the artists we are destined to be. Great for beginners in need of basic skills and self-taught artists looking for a framework on which to apply their skills. 

Workshop fee is $149 and students bring their own materials. Tables, chairs, and easels provided. If you prefer to have your supplies provided, please add $25 to workshop fee. Registration is limited to ensure plenty of individual attention. 

Call 615-668-8263 to reserve your easel. 

 

5.  ILLUSTRATED NATURE- and TRAVEL-JOURNALING  WORKSHOP, RIPPAVILLA, May 31 

Several of you have asked about the upcoming Illustrated Travel Journaling Workshop to benefit the Chestnut Group. It's an all-day workshop at Rippavilla on May 31. The fee is $50 for members and $70 for non-members and a $12 site fee.

 

Click the link Chestnutgroup.org if you would like to register. Students bring their own supplies and you can choose pens, pencils, watercolor or a combination of all three. Below is a photo of my new travel journal painting from Cheekwood in April.

 

 And this little piece was created to commemorate a trip to Maine. 

And an example of a page created from my own back yard. 

 

Friday, May 31, 2019

Susan Elizabeth Jones and the Art of Nature Journaling

Description: Have you ever taken a walk in a spring meadow or ridden your bike on a country lane or visited a formal garden or any other experience that was so beautiful you wanted to capture it to savor at any time? The sights, sounds, and feelings of nature are inspiring, and what could be lovelier than to preserve the moments of inspiration in a nature and travel journal?

Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Edison, Charles Darwin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Prince Charles are just a few journalers who kept nature- and travel-themed notebooks.  Peter Rabbit and all his furry friends were characters that emerged from Beatrix Potter’s nature journals.

Nature and travel journaling was a more popular activity in a simpler time… before encyclopedias in every home, before technology and the internet, in a time when curiosity, imagination, and a lazy afternoon to explore creeks and gardens offered immense entertainment and self-reflection.

Join Susan Elizabeth Jones at beautiful and historic Rippavilla in Spring Hill to spend the day exploring the gardens, historic cemetery, historic structures, “witness trees” and documenting the many treasures that will be discovered on this 98-acre estate that has been preserved through the Land Trust of Tennessee.

Time: 10am-3pm     Student Fee: $50 for members and $70 for non-members and a $12 site fee

To Register, go to ChestnutGroup.org.

Location: Rippavilla Historic Home, 5700 Main Street, Spring Hill, TN, 37174, just one mile south of Saturn Parkway off I-65S

Type of Workshop: Full day from 10am-3 pm
Student Levels for this workshop: Anyone
Student Limit: unlimited

Supply List:  Blank page journal or Notebook, Black ink pen, Pencil with Eraser, Travel Watercolor set with brushes and washer cup OR watercolor pens OR Color Markers OR Color Pencils OR Combination of all of these, Backpack or Tote, Camera (optional), Picnic Blanket (optional).

Students may also wish to pack a lunch and picnic on the grounds or take a break and purchase a meal from “Marcy Jo’s on the Go” located in the kitchen at Rippavilla on Fridays and Saturdays this summer.                    

 1.  SPRING HILL DOG PARK RIBBON CUTTING MAY 31 at 3:30 and 

 2.  SPRING HILL DOG PARK GRAND OPENING JUNE 1 from 10am -1pm

Come celebrate the Ribbon Cutting and Grand Re-Opening of the improved Dog Park in Evan's Park behind Spring Hill Elementary School on May 31 and June 1. Besides offering a great place for your furbaby to meet other canine friends and play, there will be pet-inspired vendors,too. 

3.  ART EXHIBIT AT SQUARE MARKET, COLUMBIA, TN in JUNE 3 - JULY 1

I love painting American Flags and other patriotic-themed paintings. Make plans to dine at Square Market Cafe in June to see some of my newest patriotic and summer-themed works. 

4.  SWANKY PLANK VINTAGE MARKETPLACE at RIPPAVILLA, JUNE 6-8

Swanky Plank Vintage Marketplace is one of Tennessee's best pop-up barn sales of vintage and hand-made items, including art, jewelry, pottery, and more! I will be there representing Spring Hill Parks and Recreation Art Classes and have on display many paintings we have created in our painting classes. Come out and see us!

5.    DOG-A-ROO CELEBRATION JUNE 15, 10am-2pm, COLUMBIA

Dog-A-Roo is an event for Dogs and their People hosted by "Teach Your K9" and located at 1140 Santa Fe Pike in Columbia on June 15 from 10am to 2pm. Admission is free!

You'll enjoy Dock Diving Demonstration, Agility Demonstration, 60's/70's Costume Contest (For Pets and their People) $5.00, Best Trick Contest $5.00, Sack Auction, Door Prizes, Adoptable Dogs, Games, Food Trucks, and more!

6.    PHOTOGRAPHY AND PAINTING COLLABORATION EXHIBIT AT SQUARE MARKET, COLUMBIA, TN in JULY

The artists of Creative Spirits painting class are partnering with photographers from Maury County to pair up a beautiful, Maury County-inspired photo with a painting inspired by that photo, and these photo-painting pairs will be on exhibit at Square Market Cafe in July. I'm very excited about this pairing and anxious to see it myself. Join me!

7.    CHESTNUT GROUP ART SHOW  at RADNOR LAKE

The Chestnut Group partners with Radnor Lake every other year for good reason. It continues to be one of the biggest and most popular of the Chestnut Group shows. We will be painting there for the next year and the show will be in the autumn of 2019. 

While on your many adventures, please stop by the shops and galleries that sell my work and tell them I sent you....

Quincy Avenue Arts, Seaside, Florida

Rippavilla Plantation, Spring Hill, Tennessee

Loblolly, Columbia, Tennessee

My French Chateau, Atlanta, Georgia

Rowan House, Corinth, Mississippi

And always on the hunt for more!!  Recommendations welcomed!!

Photos of precious smiles I got to see while painting in the May Classes, Workshops, and Private Lessons.  

                        
              
            
       


  
These paintings and many, many more are for sale through Daily Paintworks. If you are local and purchase a painting, please let me know so I can adjust the shipping fee. To see the paintings for sale, click here.

When you commission a Pet Portrait, 10% of the commission fee will be donated to the Animal Rescue of your choice. 
      


      Class sizes are limited, so we ask you give us 48 hours notice if you need to cancel. Cancellations should be made by phone or text, 615-668-8263. This provides us the opportunity to fill the space. No refunds are available, however class fees for reservations canceled at least 48 hours in advance may be credited to another class.

    For inclement weather, announcements on canceled classes will be posted on Facebook. If in doubt, please call us before traveling in bad weather. Canceled classes will be rescheduled.

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Watch Painting Demos on YouTube

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Visit Blog: Postcards from the Dimple of the Universe

Visit Website: Susan E Jones Fine Art 

Running List of Favorite Books

And don't forget my  eBOOK "Learn to Paint in 5 Steps" is available on Amazon

 

And I'm happy to announce new note cards are available depicting the Fillmore Street Chapel, Corinth, Mississippi. Packages of 4 cards and envelopes are $10, with free shipping in the US. 

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