Susan Tooke at Long Branch Studios

Richard and I spent a week on Sable Island in August, 2009.  While there, we spent all of our time painting the landscape en plein air.  This was to be a pivotal experience for me.. I was pressed to find a way of expressing the landscape in a more immediate way.  Working on illustrations for Free as the Wind, written by Jamie Bastedo, Red Deer Press, I came to know Zoe Lucas.  Her friendship has opened up the world of Sable Island to me, and I am grateful for this.

It has been a while since I have posted, but here at Elm Street Studio, we have not been idle!  We had a wonderful time with the Studio Rally Weekend, and have even more plans for the upcoming year.  Meanwhile, I would like to share one of the pieces just finished based on my plein air work on Long Island, this past September.  Lines of energy, surging power of the tides and the brilliance of the light made for a wonderful painting experience.  Come by to Elm Street for a studio visit.

Just back from a wonderful week on the South Shore painting plein air with artists Richard Rudnicki, Joy Laking, Nelson Hubley, Bruce Gray, Heather Crout and Bev Hubley.  The sculptured coastline, summer cloud formations and turquoise ocean all combined to give us a perfect week.  (Not to mention, all participants were great cooks!) My landscapes are inspired by reality, but take off from there, without colour limits, embellishing form with patterns and line.

It took a while to get my mind around painting, and working in a new style developed while painting on Sable Island and down the South Shore... Old work off the walls, fresh look in my space only.  Here is a detail from a Sable Island landscape I am currently working on.  The horses are one element more spiritual in feel of this sand wind and water place in the North Atlantic.  What a privilege to experience it.

Last summer, Richard and I were painting plein air on the South Shore.  Fabulous time and a breakthrough for me with my work.  Sitting high on the rocks at the Seaside Adjunct, the wind carrying the cries of the seals to us as we painted.