#enviroart

[auries-by-leah]

Completed a piece for University, revolving around my Rat project. This is my first proper attempt at an environment piece and I’m really proud of myself. There’s so very much more I could do to refine this but I did not want to ruin what I was already very proud of.

PS: Thank you so very much for my 1,000 Followers!

More FR things coming soon!~

[kristintheartist]

✏️Time lapse of “Fox on Rosler Road.”✏️ Thanks for creating the video, @russellayre ! #fridayharbor #sanjuanisland #kristintheartist #kristinpedersen #wildlifeart #enviroart

[davidbuckleyborden]

Oil Drum Roll Call. Blank scale models of 55 gallon drums for tele-collabs with @jackkbyers @cyrilleconan @bord1976 and @pat_falco. #wip #installationart #studymodels #quarentineart #sculpture #enviroart (at Cambridge, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-cAWXPpJVF/?igshid=cskrwjid8lol

[nedsecondline]

Hope on Earth day, and every day! — Enviroart by Suzanne Bélair, IAF, AFC — Barbara Crane Navarro

Hope on Earth day, and every day! — Enviroart by Suzanne Bélair, IAF, AFC — Barbara Crane Navarro

In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed April 22nd as International Mother Earth Day. Member States acknowledged that the Earth and its ecosystems are our common home, and expressed their conviction that it is necessary to promote Harmony with Nature in order to achieve a just balance among the economic, social and environmental needs […] […]Hope on Earth day, and every day! —…

[suzannebelairworld]

Here are the drawings for the thirty-third week of daily sketching that have turned into daily paintings!

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225- Butterfly on flower Mexico

226- Mexican cacique

227- Bicycle with basket

229- Front door with wreath

230- Neighbour’s house

228- Playground game

231- Alexa 2- Digital painting

Although these are all small still, I find myself adding more and more details and working longer on them at the expense of larger projects. But I said I will do one year so I plug on, still 3 ½ months to go!

  I also wanted to mention our artist group is presenting a virtual exhibition right now. It started September 25th and will run until October 23rd. I am pleased to say I sold a painting on the first day. I find it exciting since the buyer was completely unknown to me and she purchased a very special painting that I truly love.

So here it is:

Forest Confection, a much textured acrylic, 10 x 10 ©Suzanne Bélair

  If you would like to check out the exhibit, just click on this Link . 25% of proceeds go to a charity that helps feed people: On Rock Community Services and Food bank.

  During this week of drawings, I changed theme and am starting a series about neighbourhood. I had fun going around and taking pictures of certain businesses in the Pointe-Claire village and around Beaconsfield!

  Take care and Stay safe!

  Suzanne

    Follow me on Instagram

Web site Suzanne Bélair

Facebook page

Enviroart par Suzanne Bélair

Virtual exhibition on now and Daily drawing – Week 33 Here are the drawings for the thirty-third week of daily sketching that have turned into daily paintings!

[tinnacriss]

Robin Hood's Bay Pebble Stack by escher is still alive on Flickr.

[s0irenic]

Castle Crag Tornado Cairn by escher is still alive on Flickr.

[kristintheartist]

A little study I’m working on today at San Juan Island. ✏️”Fox on Rosler Road” pencil drawing in progress✏️ #fridayharbor #sanjuanisland #burdenfield #roslerroad #enviroart #wildlifeofpugetsound #animalsofpugetsound #islandwildlife #kristinpedersen #kristintheartist (at Burden Field)

[racheeeeek-blog]

多餘 的華麗 (Duo yu de hau li) The Excess of Extravagance

Constructed out of toilet paper rolls,and cardboard. Influenced by historical trends and current trends to convey that we can take our knowledge from the past and combine it with our resources at the present to create positive change in terms of the environment. The title of the piece is derived from the fish scale structural element present in the high-low skirt, as the chinese character for fish (yu) is pronounced the same way as the chinese character for abundance or surplus. The title "The Excess of Extravagance" is negative, as anything in excess is adverse, even extravagance. The extravagance refers to the fashion industry and the waste produced from "fast fashion".

[kristintheartist]

✏️Time lapse of “Fox on Rosler Road.”✏️ Thanks for creating the video, @russellayre ! #fridayharbor #sanjuanisland #kristintheartist #kristinpedersen #wildlifeart #enviroart (at San Juan Island)

[suzannebelairworld]

211- In the desert- Digital Painting

212- Something popular this summer- Camping

213- Prodigy Dan- Digital Painting

214- Japanese garden

215- Windmills and tulips

216- Gondola in the Alps

217- San Giminiano WIP

I woke up this morning and looked outside as usual and saw that the house was enveloped by fog. I could hardly see the forest that surrounds us, could not see as far as the lake that sits only a few feet away. Looking to the edge of the water, it felt like you could jump off into nothingness, a void.

  So it is with dense fog, mysterious, seemingly empty but hiding life. I love fog and how it slowly dissipates as the sun pierces through it. This morning, it got me thinking about when we wake up and feel off somehow. You can’t pinpoint exactly what is wrong but you feel surrounded by fog and can’t see your way out. You are in a funk, a slump, a rut.

  Most people have been there at one point or another and it is especially common now that most of us have not resumed our “real lives” yet and still feel unbalanced, uncomfortable with the ”New normal”.

  Just like fog, a funk is generally short lived and the strange feeling shouldn’t last more than a couple of days. While it might be difficult to tell what triggered it, it could be a reaction to something that happened that we are not too happy about, whether we are conscious of it or not.

  One good way to start working through this mental fog is to embrace it. You are not feeling well, so be it. Remember it is temporary. Show yourself some compassion, kindness and understanding, like you would do with a friend. Don’t be so hard on yourself and don’t be afraid to sit with your feelings.

  Here are a few basic reminders that will help make that period as short and as painless as possible:

  Connect with someone

Since we are social animals, we need some degree of interaction with others in order to feel our best. It can be a neighbour, a phone call to a friend, a spouse. Make an effort to stay connected even when you are in a rut.

  Move your body

Moving our bodies is important for our physical health and our mental health. No need to run a marathon, a walk, some stretching, moving around with music while cleaning are all good options.

  Eat healthy foods

Our mood and digestive system are connected, so it is important to eat whole foods and limit your sugar intake, including alcohol since it is a depressant and can still affect your mood days after consumption.

  Prioritize good sleep

Sleep is a necessity. Lack of sleep is responsible for low energy, forgetfulness and weight gain. Sleep is a priority.

  Limit exposure to social media and news

Limit your media consumption to 15-30 minutes twice a day. There is just too much going on, too much information, most of it useless, too much negativity, all of it very distracting from any project you care about and that will get you out of the slump.

  Remember that most funks are short lived. If the negative feelings seem to last much longer, if you feel you are out of control, that you cannot improve your mood, if you cannot remember any past happy moments, please seek help. Believe me, you are worth it.

  This thirty-first week of daily sketching, I continued with the travel theme, except for Prodigy Dan. #217 San Giminiano is a Work-In-Progress I started over 3 years ago and I am determined to finish soon!

  Dreaming of all these far away places is a definite mood booster for me!

  Take care!

  Suzanne

  Follow me on Instagram

Web site Suzanne Bélair

Facebook page

Enviroart par Suzanne Bélair

  Fog and beating funky moods- Daily drawing – Week 31 I woke up this morning and looked outside as usual and saw that the house was enveloped by fog.

[kristintheartist]

🎨A start on this new forest scene “Looking Off a Cliff with the Giants,” oil painting.🎨 I still need to paint in a lot of leaves, needles, moss, and pine cones! 🌲🌲🌲 #bakerlake #snoqualmienationalforest #oilpaintersofinstagram #americanartists #seattleartists #enviroart #synesthesiart #pugetsoundnature #douglasfir #mountainart #treesrule (at Baker Lake)

[kristintheartist]

Work in progress 🎨 Eclipse at Fire Trail Road 🎨 This oil painting was started while watching the partial eclipse through a welding hood. #2017eclipse #firetrailroad #americanartists #oilpaintersofinstagram #kristintheartist #kristinpedersen #spacepainting #enviroart #pugetsound #obsessedwithart #yellowcedar (at Marysville, Washington)

[kristintheartist]

🎨 Little buttercups on the bank of the Sauk River, a detail from the oil painting “Looking Across the Sauk River.” 🎨 Today I worked on the water, I think it looks wet now!! 💦 #saukriver #synesthesiart #kristinpedersen #kristintheartist #oilpaintersofinstagram #treepainters #americanartists #seattleartists #artistsofinstagram #enviroart #realism (at Sauk River (Washington))

[suzannebelairworld]

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204- Tropical time – Watercolour

205- Taj Mahal – Watercolour

206- Brooklyn bridge – Watercolour

207- Day 16- Pearl Major- Digital portrait

208- The Pantheon – Watercolour

209- Day 27- Monet – Digital portrait Comics trip style

210- Country road – Digital Painting

How was everyone’s week now that we face increasing evidence that Covid-19 is not going away anytime soon?

  Here, we are slowly but surely moving into fall, leaves already starting to turn and schools resuming. The new routines that have entered our lives are here to stay, everything being organized around sanitary measures that have now become part of our lifestyle and will remain so for years to come.

  As artists, we have the advantage of being able to keep on creating and ideas abound. Our writer’s group has resumed a few weeks ago. Meetings are held outside and limited to a maximum of 10 but renewing these face-to-face human encounters do us a world of good. As we are planning to move inside soon, we spend a lot of hours speculating about the number, the distance, the disinfection measures. Not many have a room big enough to accommodate 10 people that sit 6 ft apart. Some are afraid and just flatly refuse to move inside. But it is OK. Everybody does what they are comfortable with.

  When it comes to art, writing and painting, the only thing that can stop us from creating is our inner critic and opinions of others if we take them too much at heart. Everyone has an opinion about what you do. Some love and praise your work, some probably hate it. Some remain quiet while others comment and question your decisions. The one thing to remember is that you shouldn’t try to please everyone because it is impossible. It will only leave you unsatisfied and sad.

  When it comes to works in progress, I sometimes like to show where I am in a project but when we do this, we have to realize that others cannot envision where we want to bring our work. They see what is in front of them at that moment in time and then form an opinion on this. My husband will often tell me he thinks a painting is finished when I am still planning hours of work on it.

  Listening to opinions from others, you might get away from your own vision. If you want to create something that is uniquely yours, the best thing is to work and follow your idea. Trust yourself and follow your own path. Acknowledge the opinions, but don’t be driven by them.

  Exceptionally, you will get some constructive criticism that will move your work forward, bring you an Ahhh.. moment. But don’t worry, you will know when this happens.

  This week, I am presenting the drawings for the thirtieth week of daily sketching, continuing travel theme in watercolour and digital portraits. These were fun to do and I finally finished Ms. Pearl Major, probably spent over 10 hours on this one!

  Have a great week, take care of yourself, stay healthy and open your heart to your own creative energy!

  With Love

  Suzanne

  Follow me on Instagram

Web site Suzanne Bélair

Facebook page

Enviroart par Suzanne Bélair

  Shortlink: https://wp.me/p9FGQ-GK

Listening to opinions from others, good or bad?- Daily drawing- Week 30 How was everyone’s week now that we face increasing evidence that Covid-19 is not going away anytime soon?

[suzannebelairworld]

These are the drawings of the twenty-ninth week of daily sketching

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197- Mike’s muse – Digital portrait

198- Pyramids of Giza – Watercolour

199- The Empire State building – Watercolour

200- Suitcases lined up in a row – Colour pencil

203- Ski slope in the Alps – Watercolour

202- Catherine with birds and Aurora wallpaper – Digital portrait

201- Accessoire indispensable – There is a smile under this – Digital self-portrait

Since last week, I have resumed working on larger projects. They are mostly oil paintings started a few years ago that were cast aside because of composition or some other unresolved problem. I intend to analyse them one at a time and resolve the problematic issue so that I can complete them. Some I might decide to scrap altogether. I have several of these around.

  In order to work on these paintings, I need large chunks of uninterrupted time so that I can get into the flow. For many, flow remains somewhat of a mystery. We know when we experience it, love the way it feels and would like to reproduce the state at will but don’t necessarily know how. Lately, I have managed to get to and stay into flow so I thought I would share some tips that will help you get there:

  1- No distractions or as little as possible

Multitasking does not work if you want to do your best work. Some activities are more conducive to flow. Working on an art project, writing, computer programming, researching are all considered “deep work” that will trigger flow. The more deep work you do, the more you’ll experience flow, and the easier it will be to reach that state.

  2- Avoid interruptions

Each interruption sets you back 15 minutes. That is the time it takes for your brain to get back into flow. So no, it doesn’t take a few seconds to glance at an e-mail. If you can work creatively for one hour a day uninterrupted, you would become prolific at anything you choose to do. If you are serious about experiencing Flow, pick a part of your day to be completely free of interruptions. If you are at the office, close the door and don’t answer the phone.

  3- Work for Long Enough to Get into Flow

You have to persist and be willing to work long enough as it can take 30 minutes, sometimes more to get into flow. When I paint, the first 15-20 minutes are made up of rituals. I make sure all my paints are out, placing brushes in my big mug, pouring solvent in one container, a mix of Liquin fine detail and solvent in another, make sure the painting is well positioned on the easel, put my favourite music on, think back to where I was at the end of the last painting session, decide which part I will work on that day and mix some colours. After another 10-15 minutes of paint application, I get more into it, becoming more lucid and I get lost in the painting. I am in the Flow. The same goes for writing. Incoherent first sentences and paragraphs eventually lead to good writing and full articles if you put in enough time. We have to stick with it.

  4- Listen to the Same Music Track on Repeat

This is a tip from Steven Kotler, author and Executive Director at the Flow Research Collective. I have never tried it but it is supposedly an effective technique for getting to and staying into flow. By playing the same music track over and over, the noise around you is being drowned out, and because it’s on repeat you no longer give it any conscious attention. All your concentration can be directed to doing your work.

  I obviously do not need to get into Flow to do my daily drawings or small watercolours but I do get into it when I do digital portraits which sometimes take more than 3 hours. This week my drawings are a mix of travel theme and digital portraits, including Mike’s muse whose head structure drawing I posted last week, and my own very first self-portrait and wearing a mask.

  I hope to post some of my progress on larger paintings in the next few weeks.

  To explore Flow further, read this amazing book: Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly.1990. Flow: the psychology of optimal experience. Harper & Row. New York.

  Thank you for reading and stay safe!

    Suzanne

    Follow me on Instagram

Web site Suzanne Bélair

Facebook page

Enviroart par Suzanne Bélair

    4 Tips to get into and stay in the Flow- Daily drawing- Week 29 These are the drawings of the twenty-ninth week of daily sketching Since last week, I have resumed working on larger projects.