December Group

(left-right) Shelly, Patricia, Mark, Sarah, Roxy, Jonathan, me
(missing, Vivian, Katherine, Kirstin, Jorgy)

I hate this picture of me, I am trying to photoshop it, so I look thinner, will upload it when I finish it! I can not believe I look like this, I think that the camera is on wide angle. wow! Even Patricia looks heavy and that is not the case at all. Have I made myself clear?

New Year's Eve get together at Francisco's main house, we will watch fireworks and have pot luck dinner., The house is on side of a steep hill and we'll be able to see fireworks in Cuidad Colon, I think if we were on the other side of mountain we could see fireworks all over San Jose, we are facing southwest. Can see Venus at about 2:00 AM, yes I wake up then for some reason. Planet so bright, in my bedroom windowI am going to check tonight if I can see other planets as well in line with Venus.

Mi Las Caudros

Pensaro

I am thinking about......orchids, montotypes, super mora, meatballs, the ledge, Forrest, Katherine, Spanish lesson, pasta, avacados, fruit, smoothies, madarines, bananas, papyas, Patricia, Joseph, Simon, cala lilies, birds of paradise, canyon, river, sunsets, Dad, colored pencils, Kansas Burning, Summer in Tuscany, bamboo, ants, ants, ants, Rigo, fireworks, pizza, zoo. pool, sunshine & ants, Aja, Hudson, what am I going to paint next....homework, J&W, studio, visitors, budget & ants. Chlorox, clean sheets, clothesline, breezes, coffee and yogurt.

Ants

Zoologico

http://www.lorrainebromley.smugmug.com/gallery/6933861_2P5gC#443874948_m8yMd

Feliz Navidad

The artists in the colony had a pot luck dinner tonight, salad, focaccia, pasta, lots of cookies, some German treats, lentil salad, salmon/potato hor d euvres, really nice evening by the pool, no bugs, perfect weather.

I painted this morning with Patrica and tried a landscape today, will work on it again, not sure if I like the outcome. I think I would rather paint the nature in more close-up views. But I would like to design some paintings with more buildings, combining man-made structures with the natural elements and how they intertwine with each other. I might start another painting today.

Kursten (artist), Jorge, Adela, Roxy (artist), Jonathan, Patricia (artist), Katherine (writer), Shelley (artist/writer), Avery (resident curmudgeon) and Forrest & Simon (dogs). A couple other artists went to the beach for holiday. Colony employees went to home, they want to get as far from this place on holidays. We all discussed, that if you could live like a Tico, it can be very inexpensive to live here all the time, but coming from the states, living expenses are very much the same, the economy is very stable here, but groceries are about the same, gas is very expensive, and always has been, but public transportation is cheap, .50 c to go locally and maybe $10-20 to go cross country, but of course not as convenient, changing buses, time, but worth seeing this beautiful country.

Going Mucho Bananas

There is a surplus of bananas on the property and tangerines, ate 4 t's and want a banana every time I walked by the tree where Carlos hung them, I think there are 5 different spots where there are the biggest bunch of bananas, hundreds, thousands, no not thousands....they are so good, and the tangerines are wonderful too, about 4 a day about sums it up. I feel the "banana series" come on again.

Well, Christmas day I am going to paint in the morning and then we have another pot-luck here in studio@3, we finally got the plan together with the artistas to eat together to celebrate. Missing Cal. Worrying about Dad in surgery and wondering how my Aja is doing too. Well just spent two hours online skyping my familia while that had their christmas eve party, it was so cool, I heard all their chattering, I of course got emotional, but it was so comforting to have them online with me all night and I talked to Cal to, this christmas eve is very hard to be here.

Eve of Eve

Sarah, taken at open market, she sells flowers with her Mom.
photograph by Lorraine Bromley

I am in a bit of a slump, I think I need some spirit, so I am going to watch "The Polar Express", and listen to some caroles. mmm that ought to do it. I talked to my Dad, for tomorrow is his pacemaker implant. He has nine lives.

Colony here is having pot luck for tomorrow night xmas eve. And I will make of course, guess what? yes...focaccia and chicken. I have been puttering today, can't get focused on one thing. Trying and experimenting with collage and doing research on pacemakers and kidney stones. Weird day for me. Got to call Aja too. I also talked to Cal a couple times today, he need some rest.

Frank had some wonderful photographs printed up for a show he is having at some hotel in January, the photos are beautiful of Guatemalan children in their traditional dress, colorful, sweet, and capturing the innocence of their personalities, their feet crossed on top of each other and the playfulness of shyness.

Had my Spanish lesson today with Bernarda, she says I have progressed, but I feel like I struggling more than last year, been reading my vocabulary and understand better than I can speak this language. Bernarda took me to town on her way home so I could get some groceries and I started walking back and Franks wife picked me up, saved me from walking up that bitch of a hill. yahoooo, a ride!

Patricia didn't feel well tonight, I checked on her, she is ok.
70 degrees tonight. Those little buggers of ants are still torturing me, the Clorox helps for a limited time, smells like a hospital until I get the eucalyptus incense burning.

Oh! El Arbole de Navidad

Heliconia & Sunshine

Heliconia 4 x 9 watercolor by Lorraine Bromley

This flower looks upside down, but it isn't, the flowers hang down, I started a larger horizontal piece of these flowers as well today. Very exotic, huh?

Yesterday went back down to Saturday open market to stroll with K, so many different kinds of fruits I have never seen before, we both had a coconut drink from the "Pipa" man. I went with Carlos to art depot to see what they have for supplies and did get a couple things, but they do not have the supplies I like to use, the watercolors I need will have to come from the states and then we went on a mission to find some lights for my christmas tree... to no avail. Went to 3 places, and could not find one. In the evening Katherine, Patricia and I went to Bonanza Restaurant last night, watched the sunset and really enjoyed our night out, had a steak and mashed potatoes, (my comfort food), I am still eating chicken at my studio (3 weeks now), I made too much chicken soup.

I am having a hard time staying at computer to finish up my graphic projects, the weather has been so wonderful to paint outside.

Anaranjado Flor

Orange Blossom
Found this small tree that an incredible fragrance was coming from. Just the sweetest smell, I had to take a couple branches inside. The whole house is smelling so sweet.

Carlos ( grounds keeper) finally got me a christmas tree tonight, a long tall top of bamboo, it is perfect and beautifully shaped, so now the trimmings will be fun to find, pods and whatever to else will hang on it, my earrings, my necklace, I will buy some ribbon tomorrow and try to find some lights too. I experimented with some more monotypes today using a rolling pin, watercolors and then colored pencils, I have been doodling on the prints and they look very "organic", I would say. I found a t shirt with that word on the front of it to bring here and now, it is my word for the week.

Fresh chicken tamale for lunch tomorrow, busy Saturday planned. Today was pretty busy I have been working on the computer with some graphic projects, in between power outages, designing post cards and a menu, and concerned about my baby, Aja and her pain, she did say she received the childrens book in mail that I ordered for Hudson Jai's 4th birthday. She loved it and it made her laugh, it is a book with Hudson face in place of one of the characters and his name is mentioned through out the book, his birth date and his hometown, Very cute!

Fig Tree

This is a "Strangler Fig Tree" It's seed comes from the canopy and the roots grow downward, eventually strangling another tree and then that tree dies inside the fig tree with its entertwining branches and vines and becomes hollow, so cool, so I started painting one here on the property and this is a detail of it, the finished size will be 11 x 22 like the rest of the series I am working on here in Costa Rica, the shiny leaves on the detail is a masking fluid, it rubs off leaving white areas to paint in later. An amazing tree. Well, I now have a phone, in my room, there are some beautiful bougainvilia around the pool today in big pots, white lilies in the sunroom, pointsettia on the table and a wreath of gold garland on the bar...sharpened all of my colored pencils tonight, yea exciting night, decided to watch "Lost" tv show on the computer, it was terrible, changed over to "Sex in the City", that was better & found a cool website I can catch upon all tv shows.

My heart goes out to Aja tonight, she is dealing with alot of pain this week, and struggling with lots of "stuff", I wish I was there, and not here today, wish I could wisk away from all of it. Give her strength!

Air in Air
11 x 22
watercolor, gouache and pastel
by Lorraine Bromley

Lunes en Rio de Colon

Monday by the river in Colon....spent all day at the river painting, a horse farm across the river...big blue and small yellow birds were singing and taking baths in the water, I took this long opportunity again to paint with Patricia and to study reflections, the camera helped stop the motion in order to see patterns of ripples etc.... Rico, our favorite taxi driver took us down to river at 8:30am and he picked us up at 2:00pm. He is always so prompt and reliable. No habla ingles though. Great day!

Today is Hudson Jai's fourth birthday, feliz anos. Yo extranar! I miss him.

Domingo

Out painting the air plants on the grapefruit tree. It also has some wild cacti growing and intertwining itself throughout it. Quite interesting, scary actually, but I am trying to get friendly with it. Caught up with the news online, had my coffee and ready to accomplish something today. Later, Patricia, Katherine, and I are going to the Essentia Restaurant for early dinner and scope out another location to paint. It is an eklectic place and Jorge, the owner loves having us there painting on his grounds. (an artist himself) He allowed us last year and even asked us to leave our marks on the walls of the restaurant. The mandala I painted on wall is #24 on this group of photos.
http://www.cortezaamarillalodge.com/gallery.php try to find it, click on this website. Hasta Luego

Pajaro de amarilla

Fin de semana

Sway
11 x 30 watercolor by Lorraine Bromley

Friday, the end of my first week. These little ants are driving me crazy, no-see-ums. I have been spraying the counters with windex, constantly. I am going to try bleach tomorrow. Open Market and then my mission to find bleach or chlorox in Cuidad Colon.

Started another painting today of a vine with curly tentrils. This one again is green, I am going to find some other color to put in it tomorrow. I am making some progress, with my work. Four 11x 30 almost finished.

Went shopping with Francisco late today, looking for a new pool lounge chair that he was supposed to have bought last year with my donation. He chatted in his "span-glish" I call it, a language all its own, but I can understand it. We looked around and priced them, and I assume he will pick up one we decided on this weekend sometime. Came back to colony and still no water to wash, flush or cook with, I don't know what the problemo was, but about 7 pm I got use of water again. Need to read my book and sleep.

Dinner tonight, chicken again for the fourth night this week, avocado and focaccia. Those nasty little buggers got at the rest of focaccia tonight, had to throw it out. buenas noches

Mi dedo del pie la anillo!

My new toe ring!

Fiesta

Paaartay...potluck @ my studio tonight 6:00pm, be there, don't be square. Salads, fruita mesa, layered guacamole dip, focaccia, ratatoiulle, wine and a birthday cake for Avery (he turned 70?)

The artists @ colony, Kirsten, Vivian, Katherine, Shelley, Roxy, Patricia and me. Between the artists and the residents in colony, (Bernarda & Isabella in picture) fourteen people, including Adela, and Isabella, delightful little girls living with their parents here and of course Forrest, the big old lab and two gigantic toads. The biggest toads I have ever seen, size of two hands put together, They hopped up to the door by the pool and the girls screamed. It was someone's prince I am sure of it! My, oh my, it is very windy tonight, hope I don't lose electricity again, better get this uploaded.

Email from Susan today, an artist I met a couple years ago here is coming down to CR soon. Will be great to spend creative time with her again.

Started another painting again today outside with Patricia, was able to help her out again on computer questions too. So nice to paint with her, she is working on a large piece approx 70 x 40 watercolor outside. I can only handle a 22 x 30. I will have to gradually work my way to that size. Yikes! I only started another 11 x 30 piece, the light coming through these huge leaves captured my eyes today, Most likely bugs have eaten the leaves or a fungus, but they were glistening in the light like glitter and then the bamboo swaying in the background, catching light too, I thought it was striking and deserved to be painted. Another one not quite done yet.

Cal, hope you are feeling better tonight! Love you!

Tropical

"Banano Ornamental "
watercolor 11 x 30 by Lorraine Bromley

Great day painting outside all day. Took care of some computer work this morning and then took the rest of day to work on this recent painting, I do not think it is done yet, but pretty close to it. This is an ornamental banana plant, it is so dramatic, I used the color "opera" to achieve the dynamic banana shapes and some concentrated hycinth blue for the big bud. There are about six of these in bloom right now and more are blooming.

I have five butterflies in my studio today. They just want to live with me, I put them out then five more come in. I listened to some unusual bird calls but could not capture any with my camera. Late yesterday hummingbirds were around these flowers that I was paintings. They were just to fast to study.

Bernarda found in extra blender for me, made me very happy today so I can make frozen slushes for lunches. Avocados are awesome! Salads suberb. Found some wild cilantro on property for focaccia, having a pot luck dinner here at my studio tomorrow night. It is the biggest studio next to pool, so it will be a nice place to celebrate the December crew here at the colony. I am glad I brought my garlic press!!!!.

Talked to Cal, he has the cold I had last week. Poor thing! I can sympathize. I am wishing him comfort in his struggles this week. Love you!

Pura Vida!

Pura Vida...Costa Rican, "Tico" expression encompassing

well-being, positivity, and harmony

This is my studio this year...each area is on a different level, studio being two steps above dining area and kitchen a step done from dining area, bedrooms on either side of dining with separate bathrooms. Hey...can't believe it is Sunday already.Feeling pretty good today, painted all day outside with Patricia Forrester, we painted an unusual banana-like plant with wonderful colors of yellow, purples and pinks. Perfect for painting in watercolor. We lost electricity this morning for about 7 hours, no coffee, no toast. My gas stove was not working either. We all survived it, of course no problem, you just feel so incomm-unicado. It happens very often here in CR. Kirsten & Jorge, artists next door made me coffee this morning on their stove, had it outside by the pool.

I also gave Patricia a "skype lesson" on the computer, then after I skyped some friends and now just catching up on this blog, I think I will call it a day, I have to slow down. ;')

Nancy was kind enough to fix my necklace today, clasp broke, she lives here in CR on property and designs jewelry. It's perfecta! Muchos gracias!.

I have butterflys & dragonflys this year in my studio instead of geckos. Everyday another butterfly, how do they get in? Listening to NPR Radio in Boston on computer, it says it is 16 degrees, yikes, it is 72 here, no TV, just music, birds, and NPR.

Open Market Day

Took my morning walk to the open market, it is sunny, warm and feeling very lucky to be here. I noticed I bought "cultured milk" yesterday by mistake, it does not go well in coffee, so now I have a full pot of coffee I just can not drink without milk. I walked to town with Katherine, we made a deal, I would give her some olive oil and she would give me some milk. Well, I am getting better. Carlos just gave me a couple shots of what tasted like Anise, for my cough of course. I feel better already! Whewww. He told me that the cultured milk is very good to drink alone and good for your stomach, so I kept some and gave the rest to him, it was again an even deal.

I have decided that my first painting will be of this wonderful papaya tree right outside the door. I have two large papayas ripening on my counter right now, but I did buy a ripe one at the market, I was longing for the taste of one this morning. So on my to paint, after finishing up my "judges statement", (I feel so important today) for awards for EG Art Club Members Show. Now I can move on to what I love to do, paint.

Colony Revisited

I made it! Still trying to get rid of an annoying cough...settling though into this beautiful country. Little cloudy today, but so am I. The casita is very spacious and Carlos and Bernarda are collecting things I need here to make it comfortable for the next few months. An extra table, chairs and kitchen stuff. Carlos took me to do some grocery shopping. Bernarda took us to a new bakery in town, I bought a sweet bread, that weighs a ton. I will wait til tomorrow to taste it, I have no taste buds today from coughing. This afternoon I had a nice little coffee talk with others that are here now in colony, Patricia, Kirsten, Roxy, Katherine, Bernarda, more are arriving this weekend. I understand that a group from RISD will be here in January. How do you like that...go figure. So I have been puttering around today, not feeling up to par yet. But am getting excited about painting this weekend. Changing the furniture around to my liking today and will have to decorate a little too. Roxy will be giving us yoga classes soon, the open market in the morning will be a ritual on Saturdays.

Count Down

So, a couple more days and I will be set-up in CR for a long winter. Ready to paint, draw, create, explore, discover new patterns, immerse in the CR culture, and absorb the warmth. My checklist today is
Judge the EG Members Show
Put together bills
Laundry
Clean Window boxes for winter
Call NHP
Take care of ticket for car insurance
Take Hudson to speech therapy

Ready

I am feeling anxious about going to Costa Rica this year, leaving the new house and Cal, leaving Aja & little Hudson during a difficult time, away from friends and the holidays, packing everything I think I need, worrying about M&D in FL. mmmm Another week I will be in Cuidad Colon, Costa Rica. Hudson will be four Dec15th, gee where did the time go. I quess I am feeling a bit quilty about going, leaving RI, escaping from daily tasks and responsibilities. What am I doing? That warm weather mmmm will make the arthritis feel better though and maybe this cough will go away. to be continued

Bamboo and Wind
watercolor
31 x 39

The Art League of Rhode Island Members Show
Bristol Art Museum
October 24th-November 16th, 2008

Home Sweet Home

Boxes, boxes, and more boxes...I see some space. Good thing we have an attic. Much smaller with furniture in it...but feels cozy. It's becoming a nice little place, but takes time to let things find there place here, I have tried so many different things on walls and furniture in different places. Maybe another month I might have it all figured out, then I'll change it again. So much to do, fix the leaks in shower stall...paint the hutch white, find a smaller dinner table, get rid of one leather chair, bolt small cabinets over my desk area, decide on kitchen floor and wall color. I am off to hang curtains.

Monhegan Island, Maine, USA

Just returned from Monhegan Island, Maine, an enchanting island off the coast of Maine. Rocky coasts, quaint cottages, beautiful sunsets, lobsters, artists and me. I painted everyday with friends, Susan, Madeline, Mike, Jeanne, and Anne.
www.lorrainebromley.smugmug.com

Updates

Photographs: www.lorrainebromley.smugmug.com

Honorable Mention Award
Beach Treasure, a watercolor
Art of the Ocean State
Wickford Art Association

Painting in Garden
Wickford in Bloom Walking Tour
Saturday, July 19th, 2008 11-3

Artists along Main Street
East Greenwich Main Street Stroll
Simon Says Cafe
July 11th, 2008 5-8

Exhibits
July 9th-August 2, 2008, Beach Rose Cafe
July 11th-August 2, 2008, Simon Says Cafe
July 1- July 25, 2008 "Art of the Ocean State", Wickford Art Association
July 3-25th, 2008 "Out of the Blue", Attleboro Art Museum


Classes
Friday Morning Watercolor
Suite 208 Shady Lea Art Complex
North Kingstown, RI

Workshops
February 13-28, 2009
New Inspirations in Watercolor
Cuidad Colon, Costa Rica

Others TBA
Monets Garden. France
Colors of Greece, Crete, GR
Provence in Summer, France
Wickord Watercolor, RI, USA

Press Release

Violet Roots

watercolor by Lorraine Bromley
Also, more news, I am so excited to have become a member of the Art Legue of RI (ALRI), and in the very good company of wonderful artists in this area. I received my letter of acceptance this week and I look forward to their exhibits and community activities of this well received group. Bristol Art Museum, ALRI Members Show, October, 2008 www.artleagueri.org

Acceptance in Attleboro Museum's 35th Anniversary show "Out of the Blue", a national juried show, where over 800 entries and 108 were chosen, Violet Roots, (watercolor shown here), will be on exhibit there July 3rd-July 25th. www.attleboromuseum.org

Art Workshop: New Inspirations in Costa Rica

Watercolor Workshop
Date: February 13-28th, 2009

This will be my 3rd year painting in Costa Rica. I would love to share it and show you the wonders of this beautiful Central American country. I paint in watercolor, use photography as a reference tool and love to draw with markers, colored pencils and experiment with mixed media. My art is influenced by the rolling patchwork fields, flora and fauna inhabiting this magical landscape in of Costa Rica. It's the colors, the weather, the peacefulness, the air is sweet and soft. The various climates of the rainforests, the jungles, the beach, city, country, farms and waterfalls give me so much inspiration to paint. Join me next year and experience Costa Rica with me.

Cost: $1100.00

10 day workshop includes workshop, accommodations, breakfast, welcome dinner, Farewell Dinner, transportation for workshop travel.

Each day there will be a focus for painting inspiration, art journaling assignment and demonstrations, critiques, studio tour, museum visit, an overnight weekend in another part of country with experienced tour guide.

Not included

RT Air Fare (BOS-SJO)
Entrance fees to selected sites
Some Meals

Interested artists should email me at lorrainedesigns@cox.net

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

Just passing through

I did not want to leave CR....I am quilty, yes. I have not been journaling, I do not know why. I keep forgetting actually. Right now I can not sleep, it is 12:30am and I am at my Mom & Dad's house in Florida. Flight was not bad at all, just feels like a wasted day. I did some drawing with all the waiting for planes, in the restaurant, and looking at rivers and farmland from up in the plane, so I quess it was not wasted. I doodled with some pencil designs on my new square banana paper.

I plan on doing more doodling here in Florida with Hudson Jai. Alot of swimming too, I hope and playing. We are going to play the whole week. I can't wait. Coloring and playing and playing some more, and maybe play even more. We have toy trucks and a make believe roadway and coloring books, crayons, puzzles here at great-grandmas casa and we will practice our spanish too. Maybe he will teach me some.

A Day of Rest

No Way. Cal has left early this morning, of course in kind of a rush, couldn't find his colones, he forgot his medicines. And he did not want to leave so soon, felt like he just got here. Especially after being so sick on the first part of his trip here. Well we will be back next year for sure. He got a taste of CR and we had a really nice time considering everything. We went to Essentia Restaurant (my favorite right now) for a romantic dinner, went to open markets, explored & walked the property trails, did some work too (very little).

Now I am off to the Pacific again for a catamaran boat adventure. Chantal, who lives here and I are driving to the shore and hoping on a catamarn for the half day tour, snorkeling, beach and lunch and be back at colony in early afternoon. Oh boy more pictures. Gotta run...

Playa Carillo

Back from the beach. It was an adventure, ocean was great for body surfing, shallow water for much of the beach and great tumbling waves we rode all the way in. Beautiful! When we arrived to Carillo, Cal was very sick, on the verge of pneumonia, called a doctor and he gave him a shot and prescribed some antibiotics and congestion medicine and he was feeling better on Tuesday, so we spent the day on the beach, drew pictures in the sand, went for a delightful lunch with Bernarda, her Mom, Dilia and her daughter Isabella, we had a great time with Isabella, she is 5 yrs old. Bernarda took us to another beach, Playa Islita, little artisan village in the middle of nowhere, through rivers and jungle and then had just enough time to walk up through a jungle path to see the sunset over Playa Carillo, along the way we saw howling monkeys up in the trees and when we reached the top, it was 360 of the most beautiful scenery. We then had a wonderful dinner at the place we stayed at, the Colibri. It was an Argentinean restaurant connected to the cabinas. The six of us had a great time, Susan, Bernarda, Isabella, Dilia, Cal & I. Then on Wednesday we headed back to the colony. Then I got sick again. But feeling better today, Friday, and looking forward to the last week here in Cuidad Colon.

Adventure Continues

I have been showing Cal around Cuidad Colon (he is feeling much better today) and we went to my favorite restaurant "Essentia" tonight. This is the restaurant I painted a design on the wall back in Dec. He loved it, it has a special ecklectic ambience that is magical at night with fancy chandeliers that have been enhanced with ornamaents and cozy corners with curtains and white lights among jungle-like fauna and the sounds of the aviary in close distance. Really nice delicious dinner.
So, Monday we are off to Nicoya Pennisular to the beach where will meet Susan and then Bernarda on Wednesday for the ride back to the colony, so we will be out of touch for a few days. Will get back to blog on Thursday.

Anticipation

The anticipation of Cal's arrival was killing me. Cleaned up things around the studio, to make room for him, nice of me huh? Went to town to buy him some juice, cause I plan on pumping into him when he gets here, and some vanilla ice cream, ice cream always makes you feel better. Only vanilla. Came back from town and we had booked a model for figure drawing session for an hour. That was a great exercise for me, I love the female figure and Cecelia has a wonderful big body, and beautiful Costa Ricence face. She was a fantastic model for us.

Nancy, collage artist showed me her works that she is showing next month at the National Gallery here next month. One piece has handmade paper beads hanging on it. She said she didn't have time to make enough beads that would have finished it off nicely, so I said lets all get together one night over a glass of wine and make some so you can finish your piece. So last night we set-up to make paper beads and made more than what she needs. She was tickled that we all made them for her and we felt good to help her out. Cool beads!

Carlos and Christine drove early to Limon on the Caribbe, a 7 hour drive to the coast to look at some land Carlos would like to preserve. He has some big plans to try to keep it from being sold to big hotel/condo type developers, it is a problem right now in CR, more and more of the jungle is being destroyed for hotels etc..., it is not so good

I looked up Cal's flight ticket and found out the flight was an hour late, and I am glad I put up a sign at gate to what number to call so I could let him. Good thing I didn't wait down at the gate. So the taxi came about 11:00pm and he made it. A little under the weather, but not for long, because he will be soaking in pura vida here today.

Ayudo, eschucho, estudio, pintoro y viajo...

I help, I listen, I study, I paint and I travel,....I swim, I cook, I speak, I look. These are my words for spanish homework this week..verbs.

Another adventure up in the forest behind the colony, I had never been on such an extensive walk up there, just on the driveway up there, but today Carlos took Christina and I up there, Talia joined us, colony dog, the cutest cocker spaniel in Costa Rica who eats geckos. Yes... we followed a way up to the very top of the mountain where there is some condos being built, but when we reached the top it was spectacular, the wind was blowing. I was trying to take pictures and felt I was going to be blown off the mountain, so I sat down and took mucho pictures 360 degrees. And then I turned my head and a field of calendular in front of me, orange flowers, just a dream of a picturesque landscape. Unbelievable, really, so much to discover here just around the corner. It is always changing, walking up there is a different scene everyday, flowers, bananas, trees, & the butterflies up there, I saw a gigantic black butterfly today, it must have been as big as my head. My white pants got covered with little sticky seeds and thorns I needed to use a brush to get all the briars off. We will see if they will ever be clean again. I got spooked by an iguana up there too and the walk to town later on, we found a pequeno dead flattened lizard on the road, and Christina had the taxi stop so she could take it back to studio on the way home when we had too many bags of groceries to walk back with. I don't know what she is going to do with it, but I will give a full report when I find out.

Susan left for the pacific beach this morning by herself, we miss her already, she gave me some potion before she left that she bought for me, for my arthritis in my hands, you rub it on actual affected areas. She bought it from the "soap lady" at the open market, who also makes soap, go figure. Down here there are all kinds of remedies for things, all natural of course, and Christina is just as knowledgeble in this area of homepathic substances. This morning she was asking Carlos how to get Bushmaster, snake venom. I will get a full report on that too. TTYL

I am awake, energized and alive!

Christine, Susan & I had a figure drawing class this morning. Christine teaches figure drawing in Germany and it was a great experience, she challenged us, tomorrow a class with another model. Honing my drawing skills with the eye to hand. Experimenting with color and lines.

We had eculyptus in all our apartments today to help with all the throat problems that Susan & I are having, hers from a cold, mine from screaming the other day at the top of my lungs. Carlos came with branches of it to put in our studios. Anyway its coming back, the voice is coming back.
I am working on 13 -11 x 30 paintings, skipping around on all of them, almost finished with three. Whats the hurry, I am so happy with all but one of them, but I think I can make it better, the solution just has not come to me yet. I am working on titles for them, of course in espanol. Thinking about exhibiting in the National Museum here in San Jose next year and getting encouraged to do so. The logistics are frightening right now, but doable. Need about 10 more pieces to make a good representation of "PURA VIDA".

Have made arrangements with Bernarda about Cal's & my little side trip to the pacific today. Mon -Wed to the Playa Carillo, Nicoya Pennisular, about a 4-5 hour ride through some wonderful countryside to get to the most beautiful beaches on the Pacific

Stay on Course

Hudson Jai & Aja Jai 2007

Spanish class ... painting ...Multi-plaza...geckos...Cal coming to Costa Rica on Friday...Lunch with Alice & Barry...Susan's song, banana bread and tea, yellow flower, taxi, Nicoya property, sushi, Opal Dreams... Aja & new apartment...new pictures of Hudson Jai...painting, cleaning...beautiful necklace...picked flowers... focaccia...tree with colored bark, painting, painting, painting. making plans for a little trip to beach with Cal.

San Jose Attempt

It's, Sunday, on another beautiful sunny day, Christine, Bonnie & I decide to go to San Jose's Contemporary Art Museum by bus. Wonderful! Inspiring! As planned Bonnie & I leave Christine at museum and go to take pictures of architecture of the old city where many old homes have been converted into hotels and B&B's. We stopped and got a map at a rent-car store front and proceeded to our destination, taking another bus part of the way, so we could walk and shoot. Two young men ran up behind us and robbed our cameras at the same time, right our of hands and ran down the street. I screamed and chased them, Bonnie ran around the block to see if she could see where they went, but I screamed all the way down the street, yelling, swearing my head off, waking up everything sleeping in my path. Maybe I over-reacted....but the events of those next few hours was like watching a movie. I think I counted 20 cops at one point, 7 taxis and the whole neighborhood of probably 3 blocks emerged in one spot, where one of the taxi drivers saw the 2 men go into a doorway. The doorway was rather a make-shift doorway. Some wood boards, some metal, etc... but the police barged in and after a couple hours came out with a suspect I identified as the robber. They actually found my camera, but not Bonnies'. We did what the police told us to do and answered questions as they came up in our spanglish. The police were great, they did everything they could. It was traumatic, many taxi cab drivers were very kind and people in general there with us were comforting, we went to the station to retrieve camera and was given 2 choices, either stay longer in country and go to court and testify and press charges or take my camera and let him go. Opted for the later. . . and thanking God we were not hurt...I think I can live with laryngitis for a few days....and The Adventure Continues.

Tradition

January Artists 2008
(L) Christine, Sean, Donna, John, Holly, Nancy, (R) Irene, Charles, Bonnie, Francisco, me, Susan

Started a new tradition at the colony, taking a group picture. We are all painting each other or have a book, that represent our art. I think they all thought it was going to be stupid looking, but it came out really great. I love it, except for my cleavage. Francisco has hire me to take more pictures for the colony's website. So, today, depending on weather of course, I will spend a few hours taking some property shots. I feel privileged. Fransisco & I will go and get a nice print of the group next week. He wants one with out him in it, but I like the one with him for this blog.

Carlos, Fransisco's brother, not in picture took us on a mystery ride today too, and the views were spectacular, I think we drove about 3 hours, thinking we were going swimming at a waterfall, and 3 hours later reached to pacific coast, (I think he forgot to turn off somewhere.) The beach was vocanic, black sand and it was more of a cargo port, but still alot of beach goers, and not the prettiest beach I ever saw. But it was hot! Sometimes its just the journey and not the destination I realize. The trip to the pacific was an adventure in the back of a pick-up truck, the whole way, I took some great photos of the landscape. This coteza amarilla tree was one of the highlights of our cross country journey. On the way back we spend most of the ride laying down because passing police cars we were lucky not to get stopped, being illegal to carry passengers in back of the truck, so we made believe we were melons. lol

Mission Achiote

Ok, yesterday Carlos, Christine & I went for a jungle walk. I mean the jungle. He took his machetti, which is like carrying a jacknife to Costa Ricenses. We had to mark the trail as we plowed through brush and leaves. It was a thrill! I can't even beleive I did it. If I had understood his broken english about where were going I don't think I would've gone. But I was stuck ( didn't want to be a whimp) and so glad I went and trudged behind Carlos through this jungle. He told me we were going to find the "Achiote" tree, he knew the area it was in, but we had to climb down steep paths and up again with really not much of a pathe because everything grows so fast here. We climbed over gigantic ant hills, saw the biggest "elephant tree", crossed the river in our shoes and found the achiote and it was lit up by a stream of sunshine, I felt we had found the hold grail). The tree has these red fruits on it that CR indigenous people use for face painting in their rituals and it is used as a natural "red-orange" food coloring also. Also known as the "Lipstick Tree". It looks like a fruit, but it is a flower that turns into a pod with red seeds inside when crushed turn into red paste. I am using it as watercolor in some of my now recent paintings while I am here. We also saw the property owners beating beans. They gather dried tumbleweeds with the beans attached and then two men beat the dried brush with two bamboo sticks in each hand until the dried beans fall to a collection at bottom, little red beans. What a day, my muscles in legs are killing me today. It was quite a hike and I got some great pictures.

Quintessential Costa Rica

Daily life is quiet now in the colony, subdued and peaceful, this tico culture doesn't hit you like a ton of bricks, I know I have not written in the blog, I just felt I had nothing to say and so much to say. I am trying to figure out how to make uploading pictures easier to the blog too. I think I found it but have to try a few things first.
My spanish class was really interesting today. We had 3 in class and conversation was flying in spanish, not from me though, but I do find it mush easier to understand it, than speak it. Its hard to start off a conversation, I get stuck.
Last night we went to an opening reception for a few artists exhibit at the National Galleria, it was wonderful, Charles, Irene, Donna, and Lynn. Great space, it used to be a prison 100 years ago, and then to be knocked down, now a National Galleria. kind of eeiry, vault-like. You can see where all the cells were with wrought iron gates, stone, castle sitting amidst a run-down section of San Jose.

Above is another wonderful, inspiring artist's business card, Christine.

A Room with a View

Its been kind of quiet here, except for the wind. I went for a walk to Colon today, by myself, I usually tag along with someone that knows spanish, but I was feeling like I needed a walk and I did not want to bother anyone. Went to town, brought back some DVD's due and did a little grocery shopping, Took some pictures of course. Hablo muy pegueno espanol. Climbed that ?//$%#$ steep hill back to colony. Been talking to Cal everyday. I miss him. Wishing he was here to enjoy this time with me.