End-of-Year Musings

I've been reflecting on the past a lot this week. You know, it's been a pretty great year. Completing grad school... going to Italy... two solo shows... working with remarkable students... navigating the distractions and carving out consistent studio time... yeah, can't complain. :)
A year ago, I was reading "Cezanne's Physicality" and starting to write the first draft of my thesis. Feels like a lifetime ago.

I finally acquiesced to the inevitable and joined the #artistsofinstagram. You can follow me at www.instagram.com/samantha.haring/  if you're in need of a mid-week studio fix. And of course, you can still find me here every Sunday. Be sure to check my website if you haven't recently; there is new work up as well as some recent news bytes, including my interview with Sergio Gomez.

Lots of exciting things are coming up in the new year... one of my paintings will be published in Manifest Gallery's International Painting Annual 4 in the early spring... three of my paintings will be published in INPA 5... I'm making new work for a solo show in March/April... I'm working on expanding my social media presence... and that's just for starters.

This week's random useless information:
Listening: Tosca and Pirates of Penzance, alternately. Singing along? Most definitely.
Reading: F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and Damned, Vasari's Lives of the Artists, Virginia Woolf's The Voyage Out
Watching: The X-Files, because even after all this time, I still want to believe.

Here's to a great 2015! Happy New Year everyone. Love, peace, and happiness to you and your family.

Studio, December

messy table / current set-up / Sunday mornings in the studio

new little experiment, almost finished

Student Work

drawing 2 final project by Daniel Ten Brook

a selection of drawing 1 final projects

drawing I students, with their pet skulls - see if you can recognize them from their final projects!

drawing II students, Fall 2014 - man, this was a great class.
(photo credit: Korkut)

This semester has had some ups and downs, but the highlights vastly outshine the low points. I got to work with some pretty spectacular students – they were always the best part of my week. I'm really going to miss this group. Cheers, guys –

Bits, Fragments, and Studies

Thankful

sketchbook research... selecting titles for some recently finished pieces...

the studio, this week... precariously stacked paintings in various stages of drying...

detail shot of newest floor painting, in progress...

There is quite a lot to be thankful for this year. Reflecting back on the past twelve months, there have been some pretty spectacular moments. Now, I'm right where I always wanted to be. And, I have some exciting projects in the works that I can't wait to share with you. Until then, have a great week and I'll see you back here next Sunday. =)

Sketchbook

studies from recent life drawing sessions

after Uglow (Gyroscope Model)

New / In progress work

I finished this little guy yesterday - 15"x15", oil on canvas. This is the third in the new jar series... head over to my website to see the others. They are a fun side project in between larger pieces; I still think they relate to my body of work as a whole, though. The idea of residue has been weighing heavily on my mind lately.

... mixing up some sexy chromatic neutrals...

... and for those of you who have wanted more studio wall and floor pieces, here is a detail of the newest floor painting, in progress.

All in all, it's been a good studio week. Lots of exciting projects in the works - stay tuned, details soon! Be sure to check the Facebook page for updates during the week!

Studio (November)

I bought a new easel recently. Best purchase I've made in a long time. This one is much sturdier than my old French easel, and it is big enough to hold canvases with a wider profile. I'm very excited about the prospect of making larger paintings again.

details of a new work in progress – it's always about finding the balance between image and surface

SIRENS - reception this week!

“Sirens: Art Exhibition by  Blaine Bradford and Samantha Haring” November 1 - 25, 2014 The Brent and Jean Wadsworth Family Gallery Romeoville Campus - The Oremus Fine Arts Center Gallery Talk: Thursday, November 6, 3-4 pm (Open to the public) Reception: Thursday, November 6, 7-9 pm  (Open to the public) Blaine Bradford earned a B.A. from Michigan State University and completed his M.F.A. from Northern Illinois University’s School of Art in 2010, where he is currently a Foundations Instructor and 2D mentor. Blaine predominately works in oil paint on canvas, occasionally switching to digital process to manipulate presentation and theme. Samantha Haring earned her B.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2011 and she recently completed her M.F.A. from Northern Illinois University this past May. Samantha is an observational oil painter. Her work reinvigorates the mundane through the faithful depiction of things that may otherwise go unnoticed.  Want More Information? Contact Natalie Swain, Gallery Coordinator, for more information swainna@lewisu.edu

Hope to see you at the reception this Thursday! Check my website for full images of several new paintings, and be sure to check my Facebook page for updates during the week!

"Sirens" - Exhibition Info

COMING SOON: Blaine Bradford and I are having a two-person exhibition at Lewis University. I'm honored to be exhibiting alongside him. I've been a fan of his paintings for years. Check out his work here: www.blainebradford.com

We are having an informal artist talk and opening reception on Thursday, November 6th. Hope to see you there! If you'd like a postcard, or if you want to be added to my mailing list, please feel free to email me. In the meantime, here's a detail of a new painting I just finished for the show.

Last week was the closing reception for my solo show at South Suburban College. I had a blast talking with the students and seeing some of their work as well. They were very enthusiastic and asked great questions. If you haven't yet, check out the video promo we made for the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpwB0kE2gxE

Design From Line - Foundations Exhibition

This week we had the reception for "Design From Line", an exhibition of NIU Foundations student work. This was the brainchild of Eric Fuertes, and it was a great insight into the connections between the four Foundations classes (Drawing 1, Drawing 2, 2D, and 3D). Check out some photos below:

The show explored the element of "line" across the four core classes, and showed how the curriculums overlap and build from one another to give the students a solid foundation.

a reel of 2D animations

 a sample of Drawing 1 work, including observed linear perspective and contour studies

 Here you can see some Drawing 2 projects; while we are currently focusing on color, a line is merely the separation between two planes. This was a good opportunity to remind the students that all the elements and principles are interrelated. The skills they acquire in our classes will give them the necessary foundation to succeed in their upper-level courses.

This was one of my favorite 3D pieces in the show. The center wheel actually spins to mimic the motion of a combination lock. 

sketchbook study pages

sketchbook pages from recent life drawing sessions

compositional studies, after Uglow

portrait study, after Uglow

Color Studies

These are detail shots of a recent color experiment... which really only served to reaffirm my intense aversion to the color pink. It was a fun diversion though, I must admit.

Well, one show is installed, and I have about a month until the next one opens. So, it's 'nose to the grindstone' for the next few weeks. My goal is to make five new pieces for that show. More information and sneak peeks to come!

Meanwhile, I got to spend some quality time with my favorite guy this weekend. Love that dog!

RESIDUE - Solo Show

I installed my first solo show post-graduate school on Friday! Many thanks to Eric Tucker and South Suburban College for this incredible opportunity. Their school gallery is beautiful, with gorgeous hardwood floors and brand new lights. Check out the installation shots below. Enjoy!