Summer Art, Movies, Books

Just wanted to let you know what I’ve been up to. Art, movies, books, birds and more.

Working smaller these summer days, exploring outside and inside.

Going small can mean walking outside with binoculars, ready to see what I can see.  Since  my artwork is devoted to animals and the natural world the inspiration is limitless.

Here’s a little sketch I’ve been working on for a new painting. Hummingbirds are one of my very favorite subjects. The tiny jewel like birds can only be found in the Americas. 

With their brilliant iridescent colors, amazing flight abilities and fearless personality, they are charismatic, popular subjects.

My recent work is a series of small studies where I am blending my realistic and playful styles, pushing and stretching boundaries, seeing what happens.

Next week is hummingbird week for the Cornell Bird Lab and I will be working on this favorite, charismatic subject.

This is Ruby Garden, watercolor & gold ink on watercolor paper.

Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, male & female :~)

Ruby Garden, watercolor, gold ink. Sue Betanzos.com

🌸 Summer Movies & Books

Some movies and books are like old friends. I like to revisit them, getting the uplift each time of the pleasant and familiar.

Audiobooks for studio work and movies to wrap up the day with a glass of wine :~)

Here are a couple of YouTube trailer links for a very special, favorite movie I have always enjoyed; The Secret of Roan Inish.

This classic really captures the traditional oral storytelling that was how folktales and history were passed down. The generational families and their relationships with the land, sea, history.

Stories about stories, about the value of stories and how they unite us. How stories have power and meaning; whether they’re true or not (fairies anyone?)  

Here are links to trailers for The Secret of Roan Inish:

The Secret of Roan Inish Trailer 1

The Secret of Roan Inish Trailer 2

The Secret of Roan Inish Soundtrack (love the music)

Audiobooks I listen to are an eclectic mix including; urban fantasy, romance, mystery, thrillers, sprinkled with biography/real. All are from my local library. I LOVE libraries. There are usually a few nature & art books on my desk just because nothing beats the tactile pleasure of holding a book. 

Current beautiful book on my desk is by artist Jackie Morris: The Lost Words. I look at it daily :~) 

A few audiobook titles I've recently enjoyed: 

The Light We Carry, Michelle Obama • Lassiter, J.R. Ward • "N" is for Noose, Sue Grafton • "O" is for Outlaw, Sue Grafton • Shanghai Girls, Lisa See • Sleep No More, Jayne Ann Krentz • Bittersweet, Susan Cain • Together, Vivek H. Murthy • Chatter, Ethan Kross • Undercurrents, Nora Roberts • The Awakening, Nora Roberts (Dragon Heart Legacy) • Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman • Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman • The Music of Bees, Eileen Garvin • All Single Ladies, Dorothea Benton Frank • Safe Haven, Nicholas Sparks • Lucky, Marissa Stapley • Moon Called, Patricia Briggs • A Court of Mist and Fury, Sarah J. Maas, • A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness 

Beautiful Tucson sunsets. Extreme heat, thunderstorms in the late afternoon, sometimes leading to intense quenching rains - and rainbows!

Small Treasures Miniature Art By Sue Betanzos

Hey there friends,

Just letting you know what I've been up to in the studio. A new collection of small paintings and mosaics are available on my website. 

I've always enjoyed making these tiny masterpieces and now they have their own gallery.

Small Treasures Miniature Art by Sue Betanzos

The miniature artworks are usually under 10 inches.  I like the way small works invite a closer examination of details.

As a multimedia artist I find each medium informs the other and I enjoy the process of creating.

I tend work in series which are then put into collections based on media, theme or both. 

When an idea takes hold, like a seed it grows in my sketchbooks that then turn into artworks.

🌀 The Small Treasures collection includes Mosaic Spirals of Life on stone and miniature wildlife paintings.

Spirals are one of the ancient and universal symbols found in all cultures around the world.

Mosaic Mirror Spiral of Life on Stone by Sue Betanzos.com.  

They can be found in nature, art, architecture and religion. Spirals represent growth, change, evolution and progress. 

The spiral of life can be thought of as a metaphor for the never-ending cycle of growth and change that describes the journey that each of us takes as we move through life.

There is a quote I return to for inspiration by Douglas Wood: 

“The farthest journey has but one destination; Your True Self.” 

Mosaic Spiral of Life with I LOVE YOU
in morse code on stone by Sue Betanzos.com

Every day brings new experiences and challenges, which help us to grow and learn about ourselves. 

As we face these challenges, we also have the opportunity to choose how we respond to them.

We have the power to create our own destinies through the choices that we make Every Day.

This is the message of the Mosaic Spirals of Life series; to remind ourselves that change is constant and You Got This, Keep Going!

A book I liked and recommend on this is Michelle Obama's The Light We Carry.

Celtic Spiral Glass Mosaic on Stone by SueBetanzos.com

Some will have a secrete, personal message in Morse Code (an element I've used in past projects). Or even an astrological star sign - just playing with new ideas! 

🦋 The smaller mosaics and wildlife paintings have their own Miniatures gallery.

HERE

Paintings of Migratory Monarchs, birds and more are painted on birch wood hearts with gold embellishments that softly gleam. 

More tiny masterpieces are on the way with new glass miniature paintings!

Golden Quail Heart Miniature Painting by Sue Betanzos.com  

Monarch Butterflies are currently endangered and need our help.  5% of all Monarch butterfly painting purchases are donated to Xerces Society and Save Our Monarchs.

Monarch Butterfly Miniature Painting by Sue Betanzos.com

This small golden heart painting is from the beloved fairy tale The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery. 

Tiny Fox from The Little Prince by Sue Betanzos

It is a very famous quote from the book; "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

The style belongs to my whimsical collection and this tiny fox is included in many of my custom St. Francis pet portrait paintings. 

Painted on a birch wood heart with the wise fox, silver star and a special tiny red rose on a gold background. That is an American quarter on the right for size reference.

For me, the quote perfectly describes the relationships between people and their furry companions (and each other!). 

The collection of small artworks will be growing and I’ll post them on my Instagram,  FB and on my website. Stickers and Labels are also being designed.

St. Francis Pet Portrait Reverse Glass Painting

New custom pet portrait reverse glass painting in the St. Francis series, finished! I love painting these colorful highly detailed glass paintings. This is St. Francis in Fair Oaks.

Each reverse glass painting in the St. Francis series is painted backwards, in reverse, with richly colored glass enamel paints. Gold and silver metallic highlight swirling stars, whiskers, leaves and more for a soft magical feel.

All of the paintings in this series are commissions with loved companions and animals. Regional flora and fauna are part of the paintings. They are personal custom mementos created especially for each client.

In this most recent painting Snuggles, Buggles, Mocha and Pepper are with St. Francis and friends in a magical forest on a starry night.
Snuggles is hanging out in the tree, Mocha is cuddled in St. Francis arms and kitty Buggles with Pepper are resting at St. Francis feet.

Squirrels, an owl, raccoon, deer, tiny bluebird, bright cardinal with nest, poppies and wild chickens are all part of the charm of this painting.

Below are progress photos, starting with the finished painting.
What a pleasure it is to paint these very personal portraits. St. Francis is an iconic figure who is also one of the original environmentalists!

St. Francis in Fair Oaks, 11" x 14" reverse glass painting,  SueBetanzos.com

St. Francis reverse glass painting. BACK side with one layer of sky painted in.

St. Francis reverse glass painting. FRONT side with one layer of sky painted in.

St. Francis reverse glass painting. FRONT side detail of Buggles and Pepper.

St. Francis reverse glass painting. BACK side detail. Second sky layer.

St. Francis reverse glass painting detail. BACK side. Second layer of leaves.

St. Francis reverse glass painting. FRONT side - Detail of Mocha.

St. Francis reverse glass painting. FRONT side in progress.

Tiny Rufous Hummingbird Painting

More miniature paintings, studies of favorite subjects. This tiny Rufous Hummingbird is migratory.
I like using metallics, especially gold in my paintings and artwork. All of my glass paintings have touches of gold.

Rufous Hummingbird Gem - SueBetanzos.com

I have used gold paint, rather than leaf for years. It looks beautiful without the mess of applying leaf. However, I'll be placing an order of gold leaf with LA GOLD this year and play with it.

Golden brand of acrylic paints is my favorite gold paint. I have tried several metallic paints, and so far prefer this one for bright, opaque consistent gold. It does not require shaking to mix.

Lately, the trend I have seen is using gold leaf. Many artists are using it in their paintings. The term for using metal leaf on glass is Verre' Eglomise'.  French for gilding on glass. I found more artists in the UK and Europe using this method than in the USA.

Plenty of sign painters, but not much fine art. In the UK however, I follow several fine artists that use glass gilding as a fine art. A trip across the pond is in the planning, saving to visit the artists whose work inspires me!

Get Inspired!

When I'm stuck, tired or burned out, I tend to go to my sketchbooks and do small studies. It keeps me creating art in a non-pressure mindset.

They start out as doodles or light studies of a favorite subject. From there, they usually grow into detailed little paintings, drawings. Possibilities for future artworks in one of my mediums (glass painting, glass mosaics, colored pencil, acrylic).

Tiny Verdin on Cactus - SueBetanzos.com

I love songbirds, hummingbirds, birds. They are so full of life, lively. Actually, I love animals :) but find myself drawn to bird subjects these past few years.

Working in a series, exploring a theme, subject, style, medium is how art develops for me. My Gemini personality really shows in my ability to multi task in several mediums, enjoying the process of each one.
Example - diving into glass mosaics for a project, then acrylics for preliminary studies is effortless for me and many artists I know.

The only medium that require a day of mindset prep is going from painting traditionally to painting in reverse on the glass. It takes a day or so of practice for a few hours to rethink how I paint, front to back, backwards on the glass!

Wild Reflections Art Exhibit by Sue Betanzos

* November 1 - 30
Kirk Bear Canyon Library.*
My new solo show, Wild Reflections is up. Just in time for some holiday shopping

❤️ A multi-media exhibit - my visual poetry to wildlife ❤️



*November 17, 2 - 3 pm
Wild Reflections Art Talk*
Bring your art questions and enthusiasm and join me Sunday Nov. 17 at the library.

I will talk about my techniques and inspiration and show some of my source material for creating this exhibition.  Small available artworks will be displayed. The 8" x 10" and smaller. Plus a few new pieces if I can finish them in time.

This exhibit features original artwork and prints of the natural world in beautiful Tucson Arizona at my favorite place, the Kirk Bear Canyon Library in northeast Tucson.

Books and art are such a big part of my life and I am honored to share my art at my favorite place.

There are familiar pieces from my exhibit earlier this year as well as new ones. All will be posted in this gallery as I finish them.

Stop by, enjoy the new artwork and check out a cool read while you are there. Drop me a line to let me know what you think!

Little Visitor Reverse Glass Painting

Reverse glass painting of a Verdin in a Mexican Bird of Paradise for my solo show Wild Reflections this November.
11" x 14" painted on the backside of the glass, backwards, using glass enamel paints.

Hints of gold softly gleam in the painting, just enough to add magic and interest when viewed in certain light angles.

This tiny bird is one of my favorites along with hummingbirds. Verdin are often hidden in dense shrubs and trees, but you can hear their calls. They are a soft warm grey with rust shoulder spots. The males have yellow heads which are brighter in the spring breeding season. (They are about the size of the Lucy's Warblers for you bird enthusiasts out there).
Can you tell I enjoy bird watching?

Somehow, I will finish this painting in time for the Oct. 31 installation at the Kirk-Bear Canyon Library. Just one week to go - at the finish line!

Little Visitor reverse glass painting by Sue Betanzos.com

Marigold Desert Jackrabbit

Reverse glass painting of a desert hare for my new solo show Wild Reflections. The painting is done on the backside of the glass - backwards. The painted panel is then inserted into a shadow box frame.
It is available along with additional new work in the Wild Reflections Gallery HERE

Wild Reflections exhibit 11/2019 by Sue Betanzos 

Marigold Desert Jackrabbit reverse glass painting 11"x14" available HERE

I have been wanting to do this painting and have envisioned it for months. Now it is finished, as a saw it in my mind.
The painting is done with glass enamel paints in the the reverse glass painting technique, painted backwards on the backside of the glass.

Gold metallic paint was painted on the back to softly gleam through the hare's coat by intentionally leaving areas thin or unpainted to let the gold peak in a few areas. Glass is difficult to photograph, so I usually take my paintings to a local photographer, Wilson Graham for the best photos.

This photo was taken by me and does not do it justice. Later I will get a professional photo done that shows the gold highlights.

The painting is also used for one of the announcements as you can see!
It can be viewed in person at the Kirk-Bear Canyon Library Nov. 1-30.

Hares are such distinctive creatures with their beautiful long ears, large amber eyes. They are featured in many folktales and are connected to the moon.

This is a desert Antelope Jackrabbit with black tipped ears.
Gold metallic softly gleams through the coat which is why I call her MariGold. :)

SUE BETANZOS SOLO EXHIBIT AT THE KIRK- BEAR CANYON LIBRARY NOV. 1- 30

I am excited to announce my new solo show, WILD REFLECTIONS at the Kirk-Bear Canyon Library, Tucson AZ  this November 1 - 30.

** The address: Kirk-Bear Canyon Library, 8959 E. Tanque Verde Rd., Tucson, AZ 85749

SueBetanzos, Wild Reflections Solo Exhibit at the Kirk-Bear Canyon Library, Nov. 1 - 30 2019

For those that attended my previous solo exhibit at Agua Caliente's Ranch House Gallery you will see some familiar pieces from that show.
This new collection of artworks is at one of my favorite places, my local library. There are not enough words to express my love for books and reading!

All available artwork is at the WILD REFLECTIONS Gallery on my website.

I am working hard to have new glass paintings and more for this exhibit. There are new techniques and materials that are being used in these paintings. Playing with more metallics, inks, and layering of media.

Please stop by to view my new art and, if you love books and reading as much as I do, check out a book or two!

New to Tucson? Below is a quick Screen Capture to see where the Kirk Bear Canyon Library is located! In the link above, click on Hours and Locations.

Kirk-Bear Canyon Library, 8959 E. Tanque Verde Rd., Tucson, AZ 85749

Random Kindness :)

My digital diary/blog is where I journal. From artwork journeys and happy highs that I publish, to emotional oubliettes - unpublished. Writing helps me gain clarity, just by putting into words where my heart and head are at.

Happy moments are many, most of them very simple, small, like sparklers, to make me smile.

(Hummingbirds are my metaphors for this.)

Here is one from last night: 

I went to Michaels for art supplies about 7 pm. 

The Michaels cashier was super nice and gave me extra coupons when I told her the art materials were for a show this Nov.

On the way home I had a weird craving for an Icy - frozen blue syrup. I Almost never get these, but stopped by the AmPm.

Had my big insulated mug to use for it. The place was almost empty. I asked how much the frozen drinks were. The cashier said they were kind of expensive, just raised the prices. I asked if I could fill my mug, he said sure. It was about the size of a large. 

I filled it with the blue raspberry, my favorite. He called out the price, which I would have paid. When I finally filled it and got to the register he said the young man standing next to him had paid for it!  What?! Really? Open mouth in surprise.

The young man said, “it’s on me” with a kind smile. Wow, Thanks I blurted. I was so tired, bad frizzy hair, no make-up, very paint-scruffy, yet happy. 

We walked out and I said thank you a couple more times. He smiled, said “enjoy”, got in his Jeep and left. I got in my car humming “what a wonderful world”.

Two acts of random kindness from strangers :) I am so very grateful and will pay it forward at the next opportunity. Having done this with my cookies, I know how good it feels :)

Thank you for the Blue Raspberry Icy treat, whoever you are. It was a super nice, total surprise 🌺🌺

St. Matthew Island Expedition

No art this time, just the beauty of the natural world. Find out where St. Mathew Island is by watching this short lovely video :)

Garden Jewelry - John's Saguaro Mosaic

Almost finished!
At last, I am sharing a sweet mosaic commission for a memorial plaque.
What a pleasure to hear from her and create this special memorial mosaic sign for her garden.

Knowing what my friend likes, I designed the mosaic with a generous amount of 'bling' in the forms of mirror and iridescent tiles.

I love adding a bit of mirror to all my mosaics, the way it catches the light day or night. Contrasting textures is also favorite method. Whether painting or mosaic, there is usually a contrast of textures, colors or both to bring focus to a subject.

Here I uses the mirror as a sort of rainbow bridge that will glitter in the sun. The iridescent red tiles are so pretty with the mirror.
Large ball chain surrounding the main subject, the banner, will turn into gold dots when grouted. The dull matt of the neutral gray tile lets the main colors, shine, and banner pop forward.

Ceramic handmade tile elements contrast nicely with the smaller tiles and save the time of hand cutting the stained glass. I love the tiles by my friend Carol Hedgedus at Handmade Tile Studio. They are so fun and I always spend more than intended when I go to her studio!

I added bright yellow hand cut stained glass flowers for more color, texture, shine and green leaves for extra color. Using the basic color wheel of red, yellow, blue, green gives it a cheerful feel.

This charming little mosaic is 6 3/4"x 16" and will go into a hand welded iron frame with a stake included for putting into the ground.
It will be put in front of a Saguaro in the garden, a memorial to cheerfully glitter and shine.

Installed photos coming soon!

2019 So Far and Wild Angels

Dearest artist friends,
It's been so busy that I am just now dusting off the cobwebs on this blog. So much has happened that I am listing it here - to remind myself because time tends to slip from one deadline to the next on the calendar. This is a visual journal to myself too!

A quick side note: did you know... 2019 is the Year Of the Boar - my year - woo-hoo! Also the year of a big birthday for me so I feel like "something good is just about to happen" every day :)

A huge thank you to those who attended and purchased work at my Reflections of Nature show that closed Feb. 14. Seems like last week! It was a smashing success and such a wonderful experience, meeting the loveliest visitors at the gallery each weekend as artist in residence.

I am forever grateful to everyone who has supported me so that I can continue my creative journey and make my living as an artist.
Prints of the artwork are available by contacting me HERE.

Congratulations to those who now own an original artwork that speaks to their creative soul every day. Below are a few of the artworks that have new homes and the new 2019 awards

As to the rest of the success; I was the featured artist profile for January and February for the art publication Tucson Happenings.com.
My colored pencil portrait of Olivia was selected for publication in the April's Ann Kullberg's  Hidden Treasures  Vol. 6 magazine. I am honored to be in the very talented company of fellow colored pencil artists. My little Screech Owl, Whoo Me?, is in Ann Kullberg's Hidden Treasures Vol. 3.

And (*ching ;~)  I have been invited for a new solo show at a favorite place Kirk Bear Canyon Library this November.  Yay! It will be another multi-media show that features work in colored pencil, glass painting, glass mosaic. The title for the show Wild Angels, came to me in the early fuzzy hours between sleep and awake, the way most of my ideas do.

This new show will also be a fund raiser for animal rescues, both wild and domestic (hence the "Wild Angels" of my heart).
Throughout the month of November I will host a new fundraising event each weekend at the Library, demonstrating one of my art techniques. Donations to featured rescues will be posted.
Can't wait to get started now in the cool of March here in Tucson before it's blazing hot.

Now, on to a small mosaic memorial sign I am designing for a friend as well as a new glass painting with one of my favorite subjects :)

TucsonHappenings.com, January Artist Profile, 2019, from the St. Francis series

TucsonHappenings.com, Quail Whimsey, colored pencil, February 2019 Artist Profile

     

Olivia, colored pencil selection for April 2019 Ann Kullberg's Hidden Treasures Vol. 6

Barn Owl Neighbor, colored pencil for Reflections of Nature Exhibit

Dream of the Sea, reverse glass painting 20" round, Reflections of Nature Exhibit

Seal Curiosity, reverse glass painting, Reflections of Nature exhibit

Goldfinch Hello, glass mosaic, Reflections of Nature exhibit

Barn Owl Love, colored pencil for Reflections of Nature exhibit (a favorite!!)

Bat Night Magic, reverse glass painting, Reflections of Nature exhibit

Blue Coyote, acrylic on paper, Reflections of Nature exhibit

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Dear Friends!

May this shiny, wonderful new year bring you lots of opportunities in your personal and professional lives.

Pax, colored pencil portrait inspired from the story by Sarah Pennypacker. SueBetanzos.com

I love the story of Pax. It inspired this colored pencil of Pax, waiting. Prismacolor colored pencils, Faber-Castell polychromes colored pencils, Strathmore Bristol Vellum paper, 9" x 12".

New Years Thoughts:

Please keep in mind Oprah's quote that "luck is preparation meeting opportunity".
Or Chris Guillebeau's; "How do you get to be in the right place at the right time? You plan for it, and you position yourself for the success you want to see".

I have a niece who is an expert at this and so is an academic rockstar with several full ride scholarships, degrees and more. She is the super nova example of hard, smart work.

Rainbow Afternoon

New Year's countdown!

Rainbows have a magical quality, shimmering, winking with amazing colors so briefly. Sometimes in moments, they are gone, leaving a happy memory of a wondrous sight.

Wanting a break from the studio, I decided to get outside, go to a nearby park, take my binoculars and little camera, see what I could see. Cool and blustery weather from rain - perfect.

As I was going to the park I saw this shimmering, iridescent, wonder. I captured what I could, got to the park and took another photo of the rainbow, then a few of the amazing cloud sky. The light made me want to somehow, paint it, even though I am not a landscape artist.

Magic Rainbow in my little neighborhood!

Same magic Rainbow, the other arc side in the park.

The cliche of the rainbow after the storm is usually relevant for me, it's what I choose to believe and feel. How can you truly appreciate good without ever experiencing not so good? There is no contrast to compare with.
Since everyone has had both good and bad times, I want to share this rainbow and remind that:

"Something Good Is Just About To Happen!" 

Optimistic, sure. Beats cranky, pessimistic, depressed for sure, at least for me :)
Better design a 'think print' with this quote to put out there!

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