Susie Caron
Pet Art Blog
Twee' Art LLC, Vermont
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Twee' Freebie Butterfly to Color or Paint
Susie E Caron ((c) 2020 Let's paint this butterfly. Butterflies are fun to paint for beginners to advanced artists. Here's how: 1. Download the two files of the photo and instructions. Assemble your choice of colored pencils or crayons, markers, watercolor or acrylic paints. Lay out paper for an 8x10 painting. Get some water to rinse brushes too. 2. After deciding what colors you wish to paint this butterfly (they come in every color imaginable) select those colors and prepare them. (Wet the watercolors you wish to use.) 3. Using Black color or paint in every black line and space except the legs and antennae. (You can do those later.) Be careful to look careful to follow my example. This will help you learn to observe, color accurately and improve your fine motor eye-hand coordination. 4. Now choose one color and a set #1 of areas to fill in. Do the same or a different color in #2 and #3. 5. Before you paint the body, legs and antennae, it's time to color the flower with any color you wish. You will want to use either one color in lighter and lighter shades as you move from petals to petals, or choose three different colors, such as red for the lower part, pink in the middle and white at the top. Have fun. Do the same, using various shades of green for the bud and stem. 6. Finally, paint the body of the butterfly a light shade of one of you wing colors. Use a bit of the light color mixed with a tiny bit of black to show some detail on the face and body. 7. Now with a really tiny brush or pen put in the legs and antennae. All finished? Good for you. Now sign your name and find a good place to post your beautiful butterfly art work. Please share your art and your kids artistic productions and comment what you enjoyed. Got any suggestions for a Twee' Freebie? Let me know. Thank you, Susie
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 May I Pray With You? Susie E Caron (c) 7/24/2020 All I said was this: “May I pray with you?” My Mother began to cry. First came her tears then aging hands covered her face as she sobbed. I waited, resting my hand gently on her shoulder, not wanting to interrupt her feelings. When her crying subsided, she looked at me and quietly said, “No one ever asked me this before.” I grew up in a middle-class family in a quiet neighborhood in New Jersey. Until in teens our family attended a little Methodist church only two blocks from home. We usually walked and enjoyed friendships with our neighbors and church community. Since my parents lived in that home all their lives, I felt taken aback by her comment. My mind reflected on all the wonderful Christian women we’d known as family friends and more specifically my Mother’s friends. Her words caught me by surprise, but I was not about to let this opportunity go. “I will pray with you.” I replied quietly. Then, simply the way one talks with a friend. I asked the Lord to “hear my Mother’s heart and answer her prayer with peace and wisdom.” We held hands. My Mom quietly cried throughout. When we said “Amen”, she thanked me. We hugged and moved on to our activities for the day. However, I will never forget the lesson I learned that day and always treasured our special, shared, intimate moment. I regularly see requests for prayer on social media. Many respond with a praying hands emojis. Others write the word ‘praying’. Both indicate the commenter intends to pray, or they may stop and pray right away. Sometimes we see a written prayer in the comments, to which others add “Amen.” All this is good. I too am personally happy to pray for others, day and night, whenever I see a request. I wonder what more we can do? What more can we do? Perhaps, whenever possible we can ask if a person would like us to pray with them. Going to the Lord together is scriptural and precious to both the Lord and to those taking part. It only takes an opportunity and this simple question: “May I pray with you?” Perhaps this whole idea of praying with another seems difficult for you? Here are 3 tips for praying with others.
When you have both said Amen offer a hug if appropriate, or a pat on the shoulder or shake hands and commit them in your heart to God. Don’t continue to talk about the situation unless he or she wants to. If you believe this person has needs you cannot help, whether physical, menta or emotional, gently offer to help them find someone who can. Postscript Throughout her life My Mother never revealed to me the content of her personal struggle. I knew God understood and felt assured He could handle it. Many years later my Mother said this: “You remember that thing I asked you to pray for? It got taken care of.” She seemed pleased and acknowledged God answered her prayers. We hugged again and I whispered, “Thank you My Lord and My God.” From that 1st time we prayed together going forward I never took for granted that someone I knew, especially perhaps the ones I considered the ‘most spiritual’ had anyone to pray with them. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:19-20   Tubes of acrylic paint. Artist’s Hack- Waste Acrylics No More! Susie E Caron © 7/17/2020 Versatile acrylic paint provides hours of fun. However, those frustrating, wasteful tubes of acrylic paint can make this artist cranky. My search for a solution may save you time and money. The Problem with Tubes Small tubes never last. The large ones dry out too soon. Large or small they clog or squirt out more than wanted. The small opening design makes it also impossible to put any unused paint back inside for later. Plus, it always feels like more should come out of the tube. I thought maybe paint in jars might solve the problem.  Jars found in my home. The Problem with Jars I discovered not all acrylic colors come in jars. Of artist’s acrylics that do, jars range from 4 – 16oz sizes. However, acrylics tend to dry out quickly. The frequent opening of jars to remove paint means the tops and inside edges dry out, so nasty lumps form. Perhaps jars commonly found at home could help? The Problem with Household jars I knew smaller amounts of acrylic paint could be placed into assorted 2-4 oz jars So I tried empty containers like these, which were used for the following: medication (didn’t seal well) bouillon cubes (too hard to remove the label) tiny jelly sized canning jars (flat lids stuck fast to the jars) dark empty yeast jars (dark was no fun) and face cream jars (a possibility but how many????) Face Cream Jars presented one problem The face cream jars seemed useful. They were just the right size for small amounts of paint and sealed well. The wide top made it easy to take paint out and to put back in any unused, uncontaminated amounts. I topped off the paint inside each one before closing with a light water spray at the end of a day’s use. This worked very well. My paint remained fresh. I wasted very little because I could use what I wanted and put the remainder back. However, being an impatient artist I wanted more jars quickly.  One good 2 oz jar. Where Oh Where to Find Perfect Jars? I searched the web for glass jars and found them in 2-4 oz sizes with white screw lids on dickblick.com and bought two. These seemed perfect but they only sold as singles. Amazon.com carried them in boxes of 24 - 2oz clear glass jars with white screw on lids, at a much better price, so I bought those.  Beginning to fill & label 2 - 4 oz jars Mission Accomplished When they arrived, I put paint into each and dabbed a bit of the color and labeled the lids for easy identification. The lids sat tightly so my paint never dried out. After each use I wiped the glass rims with a damp paper towel or tissue before tightening down. Every now and then I misted the inside top for added assurance. To refill, remove or return paint to and from jars I used a pallet knife. I haven’t struggled with clogging, squirting or waste. If I could just figure out how to get that last bit out of the tubes when emptying them……..  Glass jars of acrylics in my easy access drawer. I hope this acrylic painting hack helps you.
Perhaps it may have inspired you to solve a different problem you’ve encountered. Let me know either way. I’d love to hear from you.  Photo, courtesy of Elizabeth Wilkel, Photographer, (c) 2019 Hidden Reasons Susie Caron (c) 2020 This winter I diverged for a moment from my usual pet portrait subjects to paint a Water Lily. A Water Lily is not my usual subject. I prefer to make animals appear to ‘come to life’ in pet portraits and enjoy the love of pets and their relationships with their humans. My choice of subjects rarely, if ever focus upon the flora of our world. However, this tiny Lily seemed to call to me. She’d arrived this past fall in a collection of reference photos from a friend. What did I see? I looked at this photo and noticed she seemed a bit lonely. Perhaps I projected my own feelings onto her solitariness. I’d continued to shelter in place for several months over concerns about contracting Covid-19. Perhaps the lonely one was me? Investigating the photo further, I wondered what tiny animals may lived with her, beneath her, and around her. The mysterious life cycles abounding in ponds and streams provides a lot to be imagined. Maybe my curiosity about animal life hidden there drew me in. I wondered if I might also decide to paint a small fish, frog or dragon fly within. Secrets? Intrigued, I began painting and a lovely image emerged. I enjoyed it so much, once framed, I hung it in my working art studio and it reminded me every day of my friend. As sometimes happens, with one or another painting, this Lily began to feel like it needed to go home to my friend Liz. I had not posted this painting on social media. I think I kept it secret, subconsciously knowing someday it would belong with my friend. The day came when my husband who needed to travel for an appointment, would drive near her home. I asked him if he would stop by and give it to her. I texted my friend to make sure she’d be home because I had something for her. I didn’t tell her exactly what was coming. An Unexpected Gift & Confirmation My friend Liz loved the unexpected gift of the painting. She told me she’d previously selected her original photo for computer wall paper. That assured me I’d chosen the right one to paint and to give. Liz was happy to receive it and I was happy The Water Lily Penumbra arrived in her care and home. One more question. Did I hide any additional tiny creatures in this painting? What can you see? Also How do you think paintings finding their forever homes? I'd love to hear from you.  Water Lily Penumbra, 8x10 Acrylic Painting, Susie E Caron (c) 2020 Thank you for visiting. Come again soon. Hugs and Blessings, Susie
 To Create & Demolish My Art Susie E Caron (c) 2020 Painting, is my pleasurable service to pet portrait customers. However, sadly, in every artist’s life there comes a time to destroy one or more ‘stored’ paintings. It may be for different reasons and different for every artist. Yesterday it happened to me. I approach destruction of my art with reluctance. I feel like part of me and the imagined recipient, who I keep in mind while painting, are somehow inextricably linked. It hurts to think of hurting anything so precious. My collection grew. Early in my art career I painted all kinds of animals. One by one I added them to the walls of our tiny log home. I treasured each creative accomplishment and basked in the pleasure I felt, surrounded by my ‘animal life.’ The day came when I noticed my new creations appeared vastly improved from earlier works. I ignored this and added more to our walls. I couldn’t I bring myself to remove the older ones and tear them up! I further rationalized keeping them in two ways. I figured when I died my early art would become collector’s items. Conversely, I envisioned that my kids, with tear- filled-eyes after my funeral, would want every single painting from our home. (Right!?) That’s not how it usually works My husband frequently warned me that instead of these two scenarios, much of my art would more likely end up in a dumpster. Alternatively, the kids could hold an estate sale and ‘get rid of’ everything for pennies. (Leftovers to go in the dumpster anyway.)
Still I hesitated. From my early careers teaching, psychology and raising kids I knew that toys taken away from young children before they are ready to ‘donate or toss,’ can cause experience of loss. Not like a death but akin to it. The loss reflects some unfinished business of personality development. I knew that portions of personality get cast onto toys, studied and manipulated, later to be reabsorbed. Suddenly taking them away too soon interrupts portions of personality growth. Most of us ‘get over it’ and grow anyway, but it can be difficult for children, or in this case for me and my art.
Destruction I reluctantly removed three victims off their hooks and out of their frames. As if saying ‘goodbye’, I softly thanked them for the opportunity to paint their likenesses. Then I picked up scissors and plunged into the first canvas back. As I tore canvas from backing, I wanted to close my eyes so as not to see the image. The second painting seemed easier and by the third I ripped and pulled with energy. (Was I enjoying this?) ( “No animals were harmed or killed during this process.”) “Okay, so I didn’t die,” I thought. Happily, as far as I can tell no portions of my ‘self’ or personality hurt either. Then I looked up at the bare wall spaces. Dust and wall yawned at me. They appeared to beckon, begging me to fill them once again. What to paint? What to paint? Oh, What to paint?
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About SusieSusie Caron, acrylic artist, creates realistic paintings of pets, animals, and selected scenes. Her love of and experience with many pets and farm animals throughout her life, enables her to capture the unique feeling and expression of each subject. In her commission pet and livestock portraits, Susie also works with each customer to discover and then reveal the personality and special bond between pet and human. Categories
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