Susan Aitken

Preface: I admit that my original motivation for taking the week long class in Traverse City was simply to renew a teaching certificate with the least amount of pain. A week up north sounded like a great way to do it. Painting landscapes? I could forgive the subject matter - perhaps I just had never given landscape painting much thought. At any rate, I signed up, had great fun getting supplies, rented a cabin on Spider Lake, and grabbed one of my kids to keep me company. What I did not count on was that the landscape would grab a hold of me and that my perception of what was around me would change dramatically.

                                               Carroll Road - watercolor 7 x 15


DAY ONE: Carroll Road
It was a hot, sunny day (well, after the cloudburst- and the rainbow!) as I fumbled with my new equipment and set up in a fairly predictable spot. It really did not matter, the area was beautiful from any viewpoint. We had just learned some techniques for color mixing from Nora, and despite the comic relief of the pig visitation, I was eager to begin painting my first landscape. I tried a few things Nora had suggested, like beginning with a base coat of color to help unify the composition- good advice. I chose raw sienna and I think you can see a glow of gold running through it. I would like to try that again - I think that is the part of the painting I appreciate. It was not a well received piece, though - too detailed, nothing left to the imagination. Nora entreated me to loosen up (I did remove some detail from the foreground, though I am not sure how much it helped...)(above).

Traverse Bay at Twilight - watercolor 9 x 12

Day 1 Homework: My objective for the homework was to try to create mood of some sort in the pieces, through the colors or the lighting.  This was a spot on the east side of the peninsula at twilight. Although I attempted to simplify and use a wet-on-wet technique, the detail most definitely crept into this one. I was trying to create a mood using a limited palette. Originally, I was going to simply use black and white, but color won out (above). 


I also had some fun with the pigs in my sketchbook (right).


DAY TWO: Old Mission Inn
The class was gathering at Carrol Road to finish up the paintings from the previous day, but I had already finished. So, along with a former student of mine who was visiting me that day, I set up under a pavilion in front of Old Mission Inn facing the bay. It was a great spot to paint - nice breeze, shade, and concrete at your feet! I really attempted to loosen up on this one. I would have liked to have pushed the color intensity a bit (below).

                                       View from Old Mission Inn - watercolor 6 x 17.5







Day 2 Homework: After the critique that day, I was more determined than ever to try to leave certain areas the way they were when the washes were first applied, to see if I could resist the temptation to go back into them. This was just one of numerous spots along the water on the peninsula (right - watercolor 7.5 x 10)
                                                                                                                           
DAY THREE: Old Mission Point
In the quiet solitude of the early morning I sped up the peninsula like a madwoman, hoping, despite the fact that I was 10 min. behind schedule, I would still have enough time to catch the sunrise. I dragged my gear out onto the beach and there it was! Wow! Who knew it could be so challenging to match the colors? This piece shows the end of the sunrise, because i spent so much time and paper trying to catch the right colors... The piece is mainly about the sunrise, not so much the rest (below).

                              Old Mission Point Sunrise - watercolor 6 17.5


Since I was out on the point so early, I was able to complete another painting there, despite the ensuing downpour. I was trying to stay loose(er) and give more of an impression of the scene rather than an exact rendition (below).

                                 Old Mission Point Beach - watercolor 7 x 15


Day 3 Homework:
This day my attention was caught by a view on the way back to the cabin of Arbutus Lake. I had had my fill of water that day with all the rain, so I pulled out my pastels for a change. I was intrigued by the utter glassiness of the water (below).

                                               Lake Arbutus - pastel 9.5 x 12
DAY FOUR: Chateau Chantal
This day was far different from the others in that it was cool, windy, and cloudy. Nonetheless, armed with some hot tea and a sweatshirt, it was thoroughly enjoyable. And, despite the cloudiness, and blueness of the day, a very green painting ensued. Here I was attempting to create the feeling of the wind. In retrospect, to capture the full measure of the day, I probably should have cooled down all of the greens. The zig-zag created by the various hills caught my attention and I tried to use it to pull the eye through the painting, with the wild cherry trees competing for attention in the foreground. These trees seemed like a great idea in the beginning, but were quite a challenge (below).

                             Chateau Chantal Cherry Trees - watercolor 17 x 23


Day 4 Homework: At the end of this day, if I never looked at green again, I would have been very content. It was while in this frame of mind I began the painting of the vineyard in gray. I was experimenting with a minimal color palette again, trying for both simplicity and a mood. I also lowered the horizon more than in the other pieces (below).

                                            Vineyard - watercolor 9.5 x 13


DAY FIVE: Spider Lake
Having completed the Chantal piece, I did not need the view there again. I felt drawn to the lake just outside my window. The first piece was done of just that view - outside the window - in pastel. I attempted to show the morning sun playing on the leaves and filtering through them onto the ground.

                                            Spider Lake - pastel 7.5 x 11.5


This second piece was done while out on the pantoon with my daughter (another first for me - driving a pantoon!). I was really trying to break down what I saw into to simple shapes. I wish I had kept all my washes totally flat and even - it would have been more successful (below).

                                        Spider Lake - watercolor 7.5 x 11.5


Day 5 Homework: This is of the rowboat on Spider Lake. I was trying to capture the fog rolling across the water - not an easy task. All in all I am pleased with the piece - the "fog" area is a bit overworked, but the washes in the boat are fresh and the composition is fairly solid. The warm greens in the foreground are a good balance to the cool blues of the lake and the background trees (below).

                                   Boat on Spider Lake - watercolor 14.5 x 18


En final: I learned a great deal taking this class. i discovered a whole world unto itself in painting the landscape. Light, colors, composition - and my utter absorption in all of that really surprised me. I hadn't expected that. I have stumbled upon something I think I could learn to love... and along the way, hopefully, make some good art.