WARMTH ON A GRAY DAY
IN FALL

A cool fall day with the warmth of the yellow leaves .

One of the greatest joys this time of year is the changing color of leaves. Routinely I walk in nature in one of the many beautiful parks or trails in Sonoma County. Little by little, life changes and I relish the smells, sounds and sights.

The earth gets full of cool moisture and smells rich with nutrients. The birds’ tunes seem less frequent and more urgent while the animals look in earnest for places to nest. The winds picks up and have a brittle sound. Trees and plants become more inward; leaves begin to let go and their colors change.

As days and nights get cooler, cloudy, and rainy, the leaves turn bright and colorful before they fall. One color in particular lingers and is the most prevalent. That is Yellow.

Yellow is special because it is bright and reflects a palpable warmth. It lingers and holds on the longest. The yellow is a bridge of fall joy to the short dark days of winter when we turn on lights and stoke the fire.

This all happens in small increments each day as Fall turns into Winter. I hope that you may enjoy the warmth of yellow this Fall and the daily changes that are always moving us forward.

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EMBODYING NATURE, SOMATICALLY AND IMAGINALLY

Zuzana Randlova 

As I go for my walk in nature every day, I open my senses and my civilized body is magically re-organized to creatively embody a powerful passion and sense of connection to everything. As I take in all that is around me , I not only delight in the outward appearance but receive the deeper inward significance of my surroundings. The inner meets the outer and become my source for a response. Here I imaginally explore the qualities of trees, plants, sky, ocean, rock, etc.; input of sensory encounters stimulates the output of associations, feelings, and images.

When experiencing certain trees, I feel the scratchiness of the branches and tree bark, I feel the movement of the branches in the breeze, and I feel the solidity and comfort of a strong internal structure which holds together all the parts. For me, it is a mixture of order and chaos, of fleeting movements and profound stillness, of knowing and not knowing, of playfulness and earnestness, of strength and fragility, all of which is intertwined in a beautiful and harmonious relationship of wholeness.

Here is my image: Tree.

Tree, 11 x 14 inches, oil pastel, graphite, and acrylic on paper, 2024

What do you experience when you stand beside a tree?

Thank you for reading my blog.

Suzanne Jacquot

SUZANNE JACQUOT

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Suzanne Jacquot has been an abstract painter for over 20 years. Her urge to create is strong and has led her in various directions before settling on acrylic painting. She received her BA in design, her MFA in ceramics and photography and and an AT (Art Therapy) credential. For many years, Suzanne ran her own successful graphic design business in the San Francisco Bay Area and was the associate dean of students at CCA in San Francisco before becoming a full time professional painter/teacher.

It has been Suzanne’s love of nature that has kept her exploring the rich environment where she lives bringing the colors of nature and her personal experiences into the studio. In her words:

“While walking in Nature, I am touched by the vulnerability, resilience, preservation and change of all of life and the underlying deeper truth of a constant stream of energy which never changes and which unifies everything.

My paintings explore connection, relationship and belonging. 

In a world where individual desires are primary, often self-serving and without contemplative thought, I want my paintings to help the viewer pause, reflect on our interdependence, and create a deep gratitude and love for the world and being alive.”

Besides her own painting practice, she does private mentoring, runs ART SALON which invites abstract artists to share their life, art and ideas, and is part of a small group of artists who support one another in their own professional art.

To view her art for sale go to www.SuzanneJacquotArt.com

THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING PRESENT IN ART

STAYING PRESENT means being conscious of what is happening within and around you so that you can participate fully in life. It can be thought of as a powerful mental context that gives you self knowledge and allows you to be responsible for your life and make deliberate choices about how to respond rather than simply reacting to events in a preprogrammed way. This is true in making abstract art as well.

In abstract expressionism or non-objective abstract art, staying present is essential to making authentic, powerful art that speaks to the viewers . Your unique creative expression is in every piece of art you do. It is what makes your work yours. Knowing what you like, how you work, being intimate with the materials and the process and what is meaningful to you is a continual exploration. As you become intimate with yourself, you relax into the work and become more present so that you can respond openly from your heart and gut. With practice your art becomes more clear, more consistent, stronger and deeper.

Cultivating Presence is a practice and one that gives a richer more satifying painting experience as well as a more fulfilling life.

When I teach abstract art, I teach letting go of preconceived outcomes, staying in the senses, being curious and doing lots of exploring. While exploring the principles of art, the participant finds out what he/she/they like and don’t like and begin to step into the unknown world of creativity where he/she/they begin to trust their intuition, and respond effortlessly in the moment. This is where the magic happens.

Creatively yours,
Suzane

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