DAY 17 - of 3- Paintings in 30 Days

"Bird of Paradise"

7" x 10"

mixed media ~ watercolor and pastel

on Arches hot press watercolor paper

 

This watercolor needed some boost, so out came the pastels,

plus I can always trust pastels to give me the COLOR I need.

The source photo for this was taken by ME on my Guatemala painting trip

several years ago.  These tropical plants grew right outside the door at one 

of the buildings on a property we visited.

On the tunes carousel today:

RUSH (2 of 'em - one of my favorite bands)

Lionel Richie

Rascal Flatts

and one other, I forgot to write down

and can't think of it at the minute..

It also started with R.....

DAY 7 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Portico de Las Capuchinas"

(portico at the convent of the Capuchin nuns, Antigua, Guatemala

16th century)

5" x 7"

oil on canvasboard

Five and a half years ago I went on an group art trip 

with Kaye Franklin - who I have often painted with - to Guatemala.

I have found many subjects to paint from the photos I took on that trip.

We tour-sized Antigua, Guatemala.. One of the great places we were privileged

to tour was La Iglesia de las Capuchinas (the church of the Capuchins)

This is the arched portico that surrounded the courtyard of the convent.

I found it very inviting, peaceful and quiet. This place was full 

of interesting architectural phenomena.

I have corrected the painting from Day 6 below.  

Check out the 30 in 30 challenge

http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com

Where I Stand Sunday - long ago

I just ran across this 'gem' a few days back and thought - "Hey, I never shared this set-up from my Guatemala trip a few years ago."  On Day 8 of a 12 day trip, the whole group I was with, visited a woman, Candis Krummel (X- Patriot) who lives near Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. She runs a non-profit organization for native weavers in the area..and sells to big named upscale department stores and art museums back in the states. 

It's a wonderful organization called Cojolya. 

This little girl is her grandaughter and their dog (I have more photos of this dog being rolled and taunted with - such a cool dog for a child - it didn't seem to care one bit).  The little girl was quite the sprite. She followed us all around while we were touring the settlement where the woman lived.  It was awesome.  The lady invited us to a formal original Guatemalan luncheon, complete with homemade wine.

Here she is, little Florencia...I can't believe I missed this photo to share with you!

Great memories from that painting trip - I will never forget it!

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.

Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.

There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

Visiting an Old Friend

"Marketplace Chica" - 7" x 10" on Arches watercolor block

(I think it's 300 lb.)

I needed to stay inside with the dogs yesterday. Coyotes were out (in the daytime) howling and my dogs were going crazy, so I brought my WC stuff into the kitchen. Watercolor? Not new to me, but I am a bit rusty. So different from oils and pastels, in ease of use, I think I will do some more practice while I make my 15 this month.

I did this from one of my photos I took in Guatemala.

NUMBER 3

One More Day

I will be away from my blog while on a painting trip to Guatemala. Don't let that keep you from visiting or checking out some older posts and artwork. Be back around Sept. 4th.

Travel

Will August come any sooner, now that I have added a counter in the sidebar of this blog? As you can see there are many days that need to pass, but I am signed up and beginning to pay for a 10 day painting trip to Guatemala. I have always wanted to go on one of these "paint trips", always to France or Tuscany, but the artist that I studied with in November, is 'doing' Guatemala in August/September. So, I thought, hey, that would be a cool trip! Part of the trip involves visiting Tikal, where there are many ruins and history of the Mayan.
Honestly, I have been to Hawaii and borders of Mexico, like the kind you get to by car, so it's time to venture a bit further and while I am still physically able to climb, plein-air painting in the heat and up to the rigor of mega site-seeing and photographing. Every day is filled with activity, including sketching and painting.
I applied for my passport (never had one) and already made my plane reservations. Should be a great time, we have guides and sponsors and translators and five star hotels and meals.
I think I will brush up on my Spanish. I can always get the basic gist of what is being said, I just can't put sentences together too well. You would think that after 5 years of the language in my school days, I could do better than that. Senora Gilbreath and Senora Borman did their best!
Along the way, I have had to 'use' it, or lose it, like with kids or parents in my classes, or with the Hispanics that moved into the area to work on the TM Palaces when I worked at the liquor store. (Don't get me going on that issue, right now.) If you want to know more about that, Google "Smith Center, Kansas and TM'ers" aka Global Country of World Peace.