Years Gone By

Years Gone By

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Hanging on to the old years as a new one nears. Dates and notes and lists, mundane and memorable. It's all there going way back. The stuff that life is made of. 

Unexpected Gift

Christmas Cactus

Oil on Wood

10"X10"

A delicate Christmas Cactus, accompanied by a note from our neighbor was sitting at the front door yesterday when I returned from a round of errands. A beautiful gesture at just the right moment, unexpected, touching, and deeply appreciated. That, lunch with an old friend, and painting to the sweet sound of a Beethoven Symphony this afternoon is the stuff that gives the season meaning.

Sun Setting on San Francisco Bay

Sun Setting on San Francisco Bay

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

SOLD

Surrounded by loss, I savor the beauty of this place more than ever these days. With Christmas around the corner, I am finally in the mood, touched by cards rolling in with smiling faces and sweet words from afar. Spending time with friends and family is good medicine any time, but especially when the nights are long. Laughter goes a long way on a dark day.

Words Matter

Words Matter

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

A kind word from a stranger can change the whole trajectory of my day. 

A visit with a friend. A good book before bed. A line that hits home. It's all about the words.

Sonoma Summer

Sonoma Summer

Oil on Canvas

36"X36"

Available for sale online HERE.

Painting the way it was and will be again one day gives me hope. California needs rain, resilience, imagination and resolve. These days generosity, empathy and goodwill appear in unlikely places, and that is reason for optimism. 

Giving is great medicine.

Arrived

Arrived

Man's, Woman's, and Dog's Best Friend

Oil on Wood

10"X10"

SOLD

As this scene played out countless times over the last 10+ plus years, I savored the sweetness each and every time. The trees may be gone, but brilliant green grass is already poking through the ashes, and we are all still here. Nature will show us the way forward.

This one is for Bobby. Celebrating survival, resilience, friendship, and the future together.

Brotherly Love

Brotherly LOVE

Oil on Wood

10"X10"

SOLD

It all begins here.  The world needs more of this.

Morning on Miller

Morning on Miller

Oil on Wood

8"X10"

Nothing soothes the soul like this, first thing in the morning.

Out of the Ashes

Out of the Ashes

Oil on Wood

10"X8"

Before we came along, our 55 acres in Sonoma were home to wildlife and occasional hunting parties. This month's fires burned all the trees and brush and grasses revealing what was left behind by the revelers of old; a batch of rusted out old beer cans (not pop top cans, but ones opened with church keys) and this small glass, completely intact, caked with dirt and black ash.  I'm imagining it filled with whiskey sipped under a starlit sky under the old oaks on the hill in the middle of our meadow. I think I will keep it as a reminder of survival, and time, and the meaning contained in a simple object.

Perhaps one day I will fill it with Sonoma wine and toast our first night back on the land. 

Sadness in Sonoma

Yellow Iris*

Oil on Wood

12"X12

I just might keep painting this place until the rain returns,  the meadow fills with wildflowers, grasses grow, trees take root, birds begin to sing, the wildlife returns, and who knows, maybe the iris will bloom. 

We will rebuild.

In the meantime we are grateful for what we had for many years, and for what we have, not the least of which is each other.

*Remembering it as it was in May.

Time Out

Time Out

Oil on Wood

6"X6"

New Day

New Day

Oil on Wood

24"X12"

With the world spiraling out of control, it is reassuring to see the sun come up in the morning. 

San Francisco Sunset

San Francisco Sunset

Oil on Wood

6"X6"

SOLD

I am surrounded by beauty that makes the heart sing, while the sadness of the world's suffering is almost unbearable. 

Long Story Short

Long Story Short

Oil on Wood

6"X6"

Books are beautiful, inside and out. Just looking at a stack speaks volumes about the potential for something good coming my way.

Fall

Fall

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Available for sale online HERE.

Looking inward as the light begins to go.

Big Bouquet of Basil

Big Bouquet of Basil

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Friends came to dinner and brought a big bouquet of basil from their garden. Friendship, generosity, and the sweet fragrance of summer's bumper crop fills the house with just the goodness needed during these times.

That and seeing "Ain't Too Proud," the story of the Temptations at Berkeley Rep have kept me buoyant. Don't miss this imaginative, beautiful, gripping production.

LOVE

LOVE

Oil on Wood

12"X9"

Their Love continues to fill me up with optimism.

Red and Blue

Red and Blue

Oil on Wood

10"X8"

SOLD

Continuing to focus on the ones I love. 

Life Goes On

Life Goes On

Oil on Wood

8"X10"

SOLD

In an all out attempt to remain positive in this time of horrifying natural and man made disasters, I  turned my attention to this.

And yesterday, I spent an hour absorbing Ragnar Kjartansson's "The Visitors" at SF MOMA. Just go.

September in Sonoma

September in Sonoma

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Summer is slipping away.
Savoring the light and the warmth.

Summer Lace

Summer Lace

Oil on Wood

10"X10"

SOLD

Beautiful in its simplicity, Queen Anne's Lace is one of many things I love about summer in Sonoma. 

Wild Life

Wild Life

Oil on Wood

24"X24"
Available For Sale Online from SusanLandor.com

I have spent the last month mostly alone, savoring summer in Sonoma; the light, the sky, the grasses, the ancient evergreens,  wildflowers, birds, frogs, lizards, bees and the animals whose home this really is.

Last weekend a highly qualified dream team from Audubon Canyon Ranch Mountain Lion Project came over to examine, observe and tag an 11 year old mountain lion and her two kittens who were feasting on a fawn on a knoll in the middle of our meadow. Watching them work way into the night brought me closer than ever to the creatures whose presence is known but rarely seen.  They come, they go, as they have done on this land for many generations before and will continue to do long after we move on. It is both humbling and reassuring to feel small and insignificant in the big picture. There is nothing that touches the soul like solitude while surrounded by the natural world. 

Morning in the Meadow

Morning in the Meadow

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

These weeks of too much horrifying news and an endless list of errands left me feeling dispirited until today, when I happened to hear Calvin Trillin's reassuring voice on the radio. His way with words describing life lifts me up with its simplicity, honesty, humor, and reverence for what is all that really matters - Living, Loving, Laughing, and being true to oneself. It brought me back to myself and I was almost hopeful again all afternoon.

Lilies in the Valley of the Moon

Lilies

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

My guest filled the house with fine food, friendship, and this white lily and tulip bouquet. Its beauty and rich fragrance is still wafting through the Sonoma summer air. Enduring friendship. There is nothing like it. 

Simple Gifts

Simple Gifts

Oil on Wood

16"X20"

'Tis the gift to be simple
'Tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves in the place just right
It will be in the valley of love and delight.

Written in 1848 by Shaker, Joseph Brackett in Maine.

Words to live by.

Wild Garden

Wild Garden

Oil on Wood

11"X14"

There's a lot to love about Queen Anne's Lace, a wild flower that takes root anywhere, requires no tending, and is one of the most delicate, etherial, elegant flowers on earth. Simple beauty. It speaks volumes to the soul.

Lavender in Full Bloom

Lavender in Full Bloom

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Available for Sale Online HERE.

Summer. Sonoma. Solitude. Perfect combination.

Gina's Point

Gina's Point

Oil on Wood

12"X12"
SOLD

We rowed around Gina's Point first thing this morning.  Memories of Gina were everywhere.  Her generous spirit, natural beauty, and deep soul. Alive and well on this little slice of land in Maine.

Into The Woods

Into The Woods

Oil on Wood

16"X20"

Thank you, Maine Heritage Trust, for the magical path through the woods to the back shore where the sea crashes on the rocks. Cranberry Shores Preserve. A gift of light and moss, trees, pink granite and water. The best things in life are free.

Breezy and Beautiful

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

SOLD

And just like that, the sun came out, the breeze picked up, and spirits soared. Typical Maine Day.

Weather on the Way

Weather on the Way

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Available for Sale Online HERE.

Maine weather. Always changing. Dramatic. Unexpected. Dampening spirits one minute. Bright beauty the next.  I have learned to take what comes. Or have I?

What's Not To Love?

What's Not To LOVE?

Oil on Wood

6"X8"

June 24, 2017.
This one's for them.

Beach Time

Beach Time

Oil on Wood

20"X16"

It's that time of year. 

From sea to shining sea. 

First Shoes

First Shoes

Oil on Wood

9"X6"

Celebrating one year on earth.

Summer Morning

Summer Morning

Oil on Wood

16"X20"

Searching for a little calm in turbulent seas. 

Fog Lifting

Fog Lifting

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

I have been distracted. The combination of life's little details and the horrifying world situation has sabotaged my usual optimism. The thought of rowing on a warm summer morning as the fog lifts and little waves lap along the shore is mighty appealing. Being away from all the hubbub does wonders for the soul.

Rising Tide

Rising Tide

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Available for sale online from SusanLandor.com.

They say a rising tide lifts all boats. I, for one, am looking forward to the next high tide. 

Yellow Iris

Wild Iris

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

The beauty being served up by Nature this Spring is stunning. Bright yellow iris swim in a sea of green grasses as a gentle breeze blows by in Sonoma. Elsewhere roses are blooming in profusion, and pink rhododendron have never been bigger. All the rain quenched their thirst from years of drought, and there is a celebration going on. Between that and listening to Bach's "Magnificat," I am filled with gratitude for what is right with the world, and more determined than ever to right what is wrong.

Sea Change

Sea Change

Oil on Canvas

24"X24"

I like the idea of "sea change," but the truth is, I resist change as much as possible. I like familiarity and habit and that goes for just about everything from clothes to friends to possessions to daily routines. I have noticed that real change, deep down sea change happens in small increments over time. Little shifts in focus, a slight change of course, and before you know it, you have entered new territory.

Sitting on a beach, seeing the sea change, waves breaking in different ways, creating patterns and coming and going and coming another way again; that is plenty of change for me. 

Vineyard Rain

Vineyard Rain

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Wrapped up in every raindrop is the promise of the future. Sonoma is soaking it up, saving it for a sunny day. And I, for one, can't get enough of rain splashing on my windshield, water rushing down the creek, and wildflowers popping up on every hillside. 

Rain on the Way

Rain on the Way

Oil on Wood

6"X8"

Available for sale online from Susanlandor.com HERE.

Spring in the Vineyard

Spring in the Vineyard

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Available for sale online HERE.

Sonoma is so beautiful this spring it is almost heart braking. If only everyone on earth could hear the birds singing their tiny hearts out, and see the jack rabbits crossing the meadow and, watch the wild turkeys showing off for the ladies, and see the vineyards bursting into bloom on an April afternoon. I am sure there would be less strife and anger and ugliness. If only. 

Blue Moon

Blue Moon

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Available for sale online from SusanLandor.com

I have been missing the ones who are gone. They touched my heart and soul with theirs, and I carry them with me everywhere I go. Once in a blue moon someone comes along who lights up the world with just being who she is.

Amy Kraus Rosenthal must have been one of those.

Thanks to a friend who knows me well, I recently discovered Amy's writing, words, and brave creative endeavors. What a spirit! "Textbook" and "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life" and children's books and happenings. 

I would have liked to tell her how much her books mean to me. But she is gone. So her inspiration will just have to continue on through me and all the ones she touched, while we wait for another blue moon to rise.

Cross Currents

Cross Currents

Oil on Canvas

24"X24"

Distractions have threatened to derail me lately. The barrage of news from the outside world, calling my representatives, and the constant list-making inside my mind have been creating havoc. And then there is Mary Norris's enchanting book, "Between You and Me," which has me second guessing every sentence and punctuation I write. 

Despite it all, I happened upon the beach last week while walking with a friend from afar. A breath of fresh air in the company of friendship gives one some perspective. The world is big. We are small. Life is short. Live it up.

Yellow Slicker Meets Monet's 'Red Kerchief'

Yellow Slicker Meets Monet's 'Red Kerchief'

Oil on Wood

8"X10"

Last week I took time out from all the sadness at hand to step back in time at the Legion of Honor, taking in "Monet: The Early Years." "The Red Kerchief" has stayed with me. She is so alive in her bright red against the winter chill, fleeting past the window, so like life. The lady in her yellow hat and slicker carrying a red purse is stopped in her tracks. "All part of life's rich colorful pageant" as my dear friend once said. Now you see her. Now you don't. Gone, but not forgotten.

A.A. Milne and E.B. White

A.A. Milne and E.B. White

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

In an effort to escape the news of these days, I have been seeking out books that will do for me now what I remember "Winnie the Pooh" and "Now We Are Six" doing for me in childhood. Anything by E.B. White is as relevant now as it was when it was written.  Like seeing an old friend, his words warm the soul. Thankfully, Book Passage has come to Sausalito.  Today I picked up George Saunders' "Tenth of December" because I loved his answers to the "By the Book" questions in the February 19th New York Times Book Review. 

Question. "What moves you most in a work of literature?"

Answer. "Depictions of goodness that are not fraudulent or sentimental."

Bring on "depictions of goodness" in art and literature, and then let's hope life imitates art.

E.B. White on Top

E.B. White on Top

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

 E. B. White's way with words, his wit and his wisdom are needed now more than ever. Keeping him close along with other old favorites.

Sonoma Spring

Sonoma Spring

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

SOLD

The vineyards are green, streams are gushing, water water everywhere. Given the constant distraction of man-made disruption, it is positively soothing to be inundated by natural phenomena.  The mystery and beauty of water in all its forms has been a welcome companion in recent weeks. 

I have also noticed perfect strangers going way out of their way to be nice these days. Like the men who stopped to tell my sister she had a flat tire and then insisted on changing it for her. In the rain. And wouldn't accept payment. Small acts of kindness are powerful antidotes to the cruel mandates emminating from our government. I am holding onto hope. But just barely.

First Sign of Spring

First Sign of Spring

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

The first daffodils are blooming on our hillside and despite being pounded by heavy rains, they persevere.  A welcome sign of hope in an otherwise dark time.

Splish Splash

Splish Splash

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

Available for sale online HERE.

It's still raining. And we are still lapping it up.