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I love it, I think Suzie did a great job at executing her book. Having an excerpt from her book as well as her arthor's comment fits hand in hand with this great display. Her showcase shows many sides of waht she can draw with so many emotions as well. There's so much different things from people, background, scenery, buildings.. you have got it all in her. Very excellently done Susan. I look forward to seeing more masterpieces here for future GASP project from others and yourself. You have definately opened the doors to a new level in Ginkgo. Keep up the wonderful work that you have always produced. This GASP you have done is fantastic, truly is.. and I know even piece of this is like a dream come true to you. Lots of hard work and dedication put into all of these. This will be here as part of your legacy.. Susan's Legacy.

I am so impressed with what you have accomplished...and I can't wait to read the rest of the book to find out what happens to Lucy and Lane!  Though I spent a long time looking at each of your illustrations, I'm sure I will want to go back again and again.   There is so much to discover.  Bravo, Suzie!  Some of my favourite things I've discovered so far: I love the way you've done the botanicals,  your shadows are so beautiful, too.  You did a fantastic job with Nanny's face, showing her age and her concern.  I love the colour palette in the 'looking for a job in the classifieds' painting.  The Tudor building is quite, quite wonderful.  (I would love to live there when it's time for The Home).  Overall, I think the car crash picture is my favourite.  I just love everything about it even though it depicts a tragedy.  Oh, I love the composition and that blue shirt in the art studio painting.  I'll stop now and leave some room for other people to comment. 

Very impressive Suzie, congratulations! It’s great to see your story develop and to read your thoughts.

My favourite illustrations:
-    The studio ; Wonderful composition and atmosphere you have created here.
-    The shop ; Great details as usual, I love the mural and the frames (I think I recognize Brian’s input )
-    Ashfield Lodge ; You’re a master at buildings…I was just looking for some Tudor-style houses for the background of a drawing I’m working on  …please may I use your drawing as a ref?

Overall, again your attention to detail is incredible Suzie, and you use just the right amount of textures (especially in the flowerbed and in the drapes behind the windows of the lodge). I also like your writing style a lot.  Have you found a publisher yet?

Ok for starters...Suzie this is really good.  I want to take my time and add to my comments over the next couple of days because I read very slow and have a very low comprehension level when I read.  So I am going to study and read one at a time and comment on them in order. 

1. In the hospital: 

Your attention to details is really astounding.  I don't know how you do it, never have.  The orange glow from the light down to the screensaver on the computer monitor.  Your characters are intriguing.   I haven't quite figured out if I like Lane yet, but I have only read the first, as I said.  Lucy, on the other hand is beautiful.  She looks so young and innocent.  (I think the reason I am wondering about Lane, is he looks quite a bit older than Lucy and I have never been partial to blondes.  LOL)  The story has an interesting story line so far.  I will study a bit more and reply more on it as I do.

2. The Studio:

This was my favorite scene of all.  I read how you crammed everything in, although it does not look like my studio that has been "crammed" stuff into.  What a nice crisp light and airy room for thoughts and talents to exude.  Your studio is very creative and you put every detail in that scene and more!  I also love a story line where an artist is involved.  This scene is right down my alley though.  Do you think I can get you to re-design my studio?  I might find more creative juices flowing to have one as nice as that.  Excellent scene.

3.  Reading the Paper:

Even though I said the studio was my favorite scene, I think this scene is the most well done as far as details and style.  Your newspaper is astounding, you gave the exact sense of her reading and thinking.  She looks as if she is in great pondering, and kind of a "lost in space" look at the same time thinking about a tall blonde handsome man.  This is a great illustration for your book.  I love this scene as well.

4. View of Gould Bay:

Looking at Lucy, gazing into the bay does give the intense feeling of her concentrating on something other than the water.  Still wearing her cast, but out in the nature to clear her thoughts.  I am sure she is thinking of her Granny at this point as well.  Wanting to visit, and her main thoughts I am sure are on the blonde man that she has stuck inside of her head and heart.  Very nice scene, well done, very good lighting and nice details.

5. The Car Accident:

This is a very well and drawn out scene, also a very sad one.  You managed with a precise and excellently drawn depiction of a serious accident.  I was saddened when I seen and read the storyline behind this.  The lighting is very good and even though it is tragic, the sky remains beautiful.  I like the way you strew out the hay bales.  Very well done.

6. Ashfield lodge:

I felt as though I was standing in the foreground looking at this beautiful creature you call a home.  You got this down to the tee.  Even to the shaded and textured windows and the foliage in front and behind this beautiful mansion.  I have always been drawn to buildings and the style of this one is astounding.  Excellent job on the drawing, and your written description only put me right into the scene looking on to this house.  Excellent!

7. Nanny with Lucy kneeling down:

This is the most tender scene to me of your whole show.  It makes me yearn for a grandmother that I never really had after the age of 6.  The tender touching of the two really gives you that feeling of love and standing back watching something of a miracle.  I love how you aged her face so well, and Lucy admires her Grandmother enough to go there and talk to her about intimate things in her life.  This is how I want my grandchildren to remember me.  I hope to be like Nanny with them when my Grand babies are her age.  So tender and touched my heart.

8. The shop:

The shop is the most fun and interesting scene to me in the whole storyline.  So often have I wished for something as perfect as this to have of my own.  What a pretty little shop with all of the bells and whistles.  Who wouldn't be excited to find out they would have a place in the shop of their own?  Making me wish I was Lucy, and being offered the job in the back room.  You really know how to draw a person into your story.  I love that about the whole show.  I have been drawn right in, I feel like somehow I am just a part of it because of the emotions that I get from each scene.

9. Funeral in church

This is such a sad scene.  Ok, the drawing and its beautifully drawn stained glass window, the lillies along side, the  wonderful brick walls and the light that is drawn in from the windows are all eye catching.  Well executed!  The storyline behind it is very sad as well.  Life is full of sadness, but regret makes it so much stronger.  This was such a sad scene for me it was hard for me to comment on this.  But very good story, and I wish I could have kept reading on.  The excerpt was not long enough for me.  I wanted to find out more about Fred, and why he was regretful and exactly who he was, but it leaves me with a good idea about him.  My gears keep going after this scene, more than the others for some reason. (But that is what a good story is all about, and you have succeeded)!

10. Neil & Susan's Wedding

At first this scene confused me.  I didn't read the title before I started studying the picture.  I thought this would be Lacy and Lane, and then I read the storyline and now it really puts a twist into the story.  The drawing is very lovely, the details you put into this are astounding, once again!  It is just another sad scene for me reading your book because it should have been Lacy standing next to the man she is so attracted to and him to her.  (maybe this is why in my heart, from the first scene I was unsure if I liked Lane or not, I am still unsure of his character, seeing that with the obvious feelings between him and Lacy, marrying another woman) I keep clicking on next page every time I come here wanting to read more of the book, this just was not enough of your work to satisfy my hunger of the story.  You have worked long and hard on something that is paying off well in my opinion. 

Please keep us informed about the publication of this book, I will be the first in line when it is publicized for my signed copy.  Honestly this is the first time since I have gotten my first computer that I have read a book at all, or even parts of one that I am interested in finishing. 

*Please forgive me for my long comment on this GASP!  I didn't know that I would enjoy this as well as I have since your Show Suzie.  You have put a lot of your heart and soul into this and it shows so beautifully.  I have invited my daughters and a couple of my friends to view this show since I have first seen it.  I am hoping they find it as compelling as I did. 

Bravo, and in my opinion you deserve a standing ovation for your GASP!

Last edited by KuteDymples (2007-05-26 15:29:05)

This is really wonderful Suzie, very well done, I particularly like the car crash one, but they are all very good.  Thank you for sharing this.

Last edited by meryl (2007-05-25 10:15:24)

Bravo Suzie! Lots of work but well worth it! I'd love to comment on each piece but I'd be here all day! So, I'll comment on a few of my favorites that stuck out to me.
Ashfield Lodge - My total favorite piece. The details are amazing and the shadows are great! You can really tell its a bright and sunny day!
Lacey's shop - How fun is this one! Adorable! Lots of detail in one small drawing! I Love that drum set frame!!! And, many of the others.
The casket scene is hard for me to look at but I wanted to comment on the lovely reflections from the stainglass window.
The crash scene is very well done. I love the sky you chose to do and the beams from the headlights look great!
There is something I love about each scene here and I'm impressed by no use of references, except for the lodge. Your writing is well done too. It took several days to read and view each piece (I've been ill) but I tell ya, each day I couldn't wait to sit and read thru the next part and view the next piece in detail. Wonderful work here Suzie! You should be very proud and satisfied!!! All the best to you, Suzie!

Hi Suzie!

You did a wonderful job with the storyline and the artwork for it!  It sounds like a very intriguing story and I hope you will let us know when it is completed.  I would love to buy your book.  My favorite drawing is Ashford Lodge.  When I first saw it posted on here, I did an Ahhhhhhhh beautiful!  I hope you have a twist in the storyline and Lane turns out to be not the guy she thinks.  I am with KuteDymples in that I always liked the tall dark handsome type, Lane seems to be a little shady to me especially since he was sort of spying on her and her boyfriend in the one section.  There is something about him that isn't good, I'm referring to the scene with Nanny because Lucy started crying when Nanny asked her if Lane had hurt her.  So, it makes me wonder what he is really like. 

I would comment on each and every drawing, but they are all really good and I would just be repeating myself.  I wish you all the luck in the world, you are living your dream of writing and illustrating a book and that is fabulous!  Good luck and I hope you will share more with us as you get them done.

Last edited by Kathy (2007-05-27 08:46:31)

Hey suzie! congrats on what appears to be a very successful first GASP! It's quite obvious that alot of time, stress and effort went into not only the premise of GASP, but all the artwork and storyline you submitted. The story subject matter is not my cup of tea, I don't like romancey kinda books, but it is very well written and compelling in its own right. The art was very well done, and all the detail was phenomenal! I think what really impressed me most was that you as an artist are able to take on different styles of art quite easily, but the tone of each picture stayed the same which can be difficult. Very well done! I'm excited to see all the other GASPs now from members!

And I have to apologize, I'm sorry that this comment got in kind of late. I had glanced over the pictures briefly these last few days, but didn't get the time to look at them in depth and read the story until today. Congrats again!