Visit to Old San Juan

Since our visit to Old San Juan, I can not take the image of the city out of my head. The blue cobblestones, the long walks along streets that go up or down never flat. The fact that each turn of a corner brings a surprise, in the color of a building, or the view below, above or straight in front of you. The Governor of Puerto Rico lives there and we even saw a demonstration by university students, as close to the Governors mansion as they could get, barricades/policemen and all. The weather here has been cloudy, cool and even rainy, so the walk from gallery to gallery was just right. I hope the photo I link comes through. I hope you get to walk the same small streets and find out for yourself that you can not get lost in Old San Juan because all roads lead to something you wanted to see or do...

Art in Old San Juan

Steve and I spent a day walking around Old San Juan

Weekly classes are coming to a close end... I am offering the children in our neighborhood an art class: Paint supplies, basic instruction of technique and application and material to play with. We have had up to 8 children show up.
They are eager to learn, look, and paint without concern. I just collected the paintbox I had left behind in my brothers house, so this will give me more options in the next session.

I myself am being challenged with another venue: wooden statues of saints, usually made in PR called "Santos". My interest would be local themes such as the figure of a country man or Jibaro, dancers, etc. I found 2 books on how to carve in wood in the house while cleaning up, and bumped into a "Santero" , author of an instruction book that also offers classes... hmmm,... You do know how curious I am feeling these days and the urge gets stronger the longer I wait!

It's a Fathers day gift

Today is a lazy, rainy summer day.

We had a second session with the neighborhood children. This time we had 7 participants from 6 - 13 yrs age (2 females). The older girls help the younger ones and they all take turns with the material. Today they made a portrait for their fathers(tomorrow is Fathers Day). One child asked what to do if his father was not there... he is in jail and gets out in October.

The children are so eager to participate. It is summer and there is nothing for them to do all day. They have no paper or crayons, but we managed to get some colored paper and plain drawing paper thanks to my husband Steve. Todays lesson was again color mixing and adding white or black to the color...fun!

I just realized I can add a photo! I must start doing that the next time, I will see how it goes...

A day with artists on an island off the island

Coming back from Vieques now ... On a ferryboat, rocking and bobbing my way closer to FajardoPR
Rainy day turned out beautiful and met two female artists today: Carolina and Gina. I love them both, their curiosity and taste for life, their youth and energy and peace... We are all connected in our artistic vein. The trick is seeing how...another fabulous sunset: purple, lilac. Orange, pink...

I am in Newman Gallery!

Yes, the call came through today explaining that while I am in PR, that my painting "Museum Stroll" is in Newman Gallery in Philadelphia, PA with the other Sketch Club members. Feels good to know that all went well and the painting is safe and in display, as all paintings from the heart should be.

I started painting here in my home away from home, but found that the children in the neighborhood wanted to share in the fun. So, today was the first neighborhood class on art and painting. These children do not play at home with Wi or Nintendo or any other electronic devices. They play in the street, fish in the lagoon, you occasionally hear them being scolded by an adult and there is not much to do in the summer. So today they learned about primary colors, and how to "look" at items before you paint them. They saw colors in things they never imagined such as more than white in a white jar of paint and more than yellow in a mango or lemon. They did not have paper, nor crayons, and playing with colors was a treat... for me and them!

Hot day in June

Working on my new house, I find myself torn since I want to be painting..., working on my paintings and that website that I need to finalize so much. Every attempt to get a webpage has been a test of patience. I do not know why, since the customer support people are stumped and always promise to call back and never do. Oh well, I think I am going to go painting. After a cold shower...Boy it is hot !