Home Sweet Home

Home again...feels good. Three months is a long time. New habits formed, all good ones...wink, wink. Have not finished unpacking yet, and also trying to decide where to put things, where in this little house can I put up my easel and set up my pallette. I will be painting more plein-air this year, since I have had to give up my studio @ Shady Lea Mills. I have to remember that "Everything is temporary". Had Aja do my nails today, visited my friend Mary (85yrs old), picked up my car, a log for the wood stove, a tuna sandwich, life is good, watch a movie, cup of tea, and call it a day, I have got to slow down...hee hee

LORRAINE'S BLOG

LORRAINE'S BLOG

What do I ask of a painting?

I ask it to astonish, disturb, seduce, convince.

...Lucian Freud

Last Days

No running water again!!!!

Open Studios today was really great!! We started at Diane's casita, and she read from her book she is writing about "co-housing" and the functions, characters, and personalities that make up living in communal situations. Next was Hans, he is a very well-known poet in Germany, he read three poems, one he explained it in English then read it in German, and another one in german explaining that a poem is like music, even though we don't understand the words, we listen and interpret it a the most sensitive of ways. Then my favorite poem he wrote in his own language, a made up a language about love, just an amazing man and his wife Christine, who was with me last year at the colony as well, showed some new work inspired by the situations she encounters here in Costa Rica, for instance, she had a scary event of feeling dizzy and not being able to speak, she went to the hospital and after tests found nothing serious but being in the hospital was such a traumatic experience with many really sick people around her, she could not get the images out of her mind and so she painted the scenes of the hospital experience in oil pastels on large canvasses. Vivian showed her series of abstract work, shapes in shades of black, grays, whites with random spots of color. Then Lois showed her acrylic paintings, abstract, large, one of a older couple, close to each other, posing for a photo op in very simplified shapes, no detail, bold and brassy like her personality. Donna and John were next, John reading his articles he writes about issues in the USA and other andidtotes. Donna, an acrylic artist paints on a material like interfacing, beautiful landscapes of skies and creates poems that accompany them. Lucille showed her abstract photos. She actually draws on the negative with scratching, markers and the printed results are wonderful little whimsical works of art. Next was my turn, Dunia from the Nacional Galleria came for the first time to the "Open Studios" at the colony, she had gotten emails and a portfolio of work from me in the last few weeks and she did ask to see my work, and pending a review from her board next week, I will have an exhibit at the museum next January 2010. Yahoooo!!! Anyway, three months of work later I taped up my flowers/fauna and muses from Costa Rica. It was well recieved by all and I am very proud of my accomplishments here. Then we went to Irene and Charle's casita down the road and Charles showed his small colorful abstract drawings, ameba-like, galaxy-like, atmosheric-like. Irene also does much in ink markers and creates wonderful images of imaginary figures inspired from artifacts, tress, etc...with intricate patterns and colors. It is always a real treat to share and see artists' work in this setting of dedication & passion and to see the discipline it takes to making art sing to others. We inspire each.

This dress is made from recycled materials found on Playa Montezuma by artist, Carlos Arguilere. Plastic bottles, driftwood hanger, clothes basket, etc... He was collecting these materials when I found him camping on the beach in January. He also carved heads from styrofoam and did some abstract art from the junk that washes up on shore everyday.

Topas

This looks like a magazine cover, doesn't it?

The 1st horse parade (Topas) today in Cuidad Colon (a short walk to town) was spectacular. I have never seen so many horses. Prancing, and decorated with their proud owners riding them in their cowboy hats, boots, spurs, tight pants, beers and cigars. Horses of every color, spotted gray, shiny black, beached white, silver haired, braised tails and flowing manes, ribbons, adornments, beautiful statuesque and romantic. The colors in the traditional dance troupe was vibrant and you could not help but move in place to the musica.

Pura Vida

Lady of Lourdes, she tells of the vision and the
pilgrimages every February to her grotto.

The weeks are flying by. I leave for home in a week. I really loved showing Carol, Lorraine and Bill Costa Rica. We have had some adventures we will never forget.

Day tripping, bird watching, friendly taxi drivers, costa rican foods, art exhibits, the dogs of the colony, meeting artists from all over the world, coffee plantations, bananas, mandarins, pineapples, butterflies, heleconias, ginger, strangling fig trees, playa Montezuma, Orosi Valley, rain, boas, painting, drawing, hot springs, studio tours, San Jose, mountains, hills, waterfalls, earthquake 1-08-09, rides in the pick-up, horse parades, open market, cilantro, papayas, rivers, monkeys, green, focaccia, flat tires, lost, churches, Lourdes walk, stories of strength, mot-mots, drums, bread with cheese, hamburgers, avocados, bamboo, wind, sunsets, margaritas, days without running water, days with out electricity, days without the internet, jungle walks, spanish lessons, bird sounds, crocodiles, sarongs, black sandy beaches, volcanos, rainforests, movies online, rainbows, orchids, finding beauty in all things.Ladies who walked to Lourdes with a gentleman, Bill, who took the picture.

Bamboo Drawings

Martez

Lorraine M. and I went to San Jose on Tuesday to the Gallerie Nacional to see Christine's exhibit. And at the same time dropped off a portfolio of my work to the museum and talked to the gallery director. She is quite interested in my work and I will talk more to her about an exhibit at the museum for next year. She will visit our "Open Studio Tour" on Tuesday of next week. The night we came to the opening for Christine's show, Lorraine M. was not feeling well. So I went without her. But we went to the big city today for an adventure, we took the taxi in the city and had a really nice time. Gallery, lunch at the Cafe Mundo, funky restaurant in the historic section of town, then went shopping to the local artisans market and then to the Teatro Nacional to see the ornate theatre of San Jose. We took a taxi back to Cuidad Colon with a delightful taxi driver that lived near Colon. Nice guy. All in all a very nice day.

A Day of Rest

Let's see now, we have running water now...went to dinner at the main house....went on a daytrip with a group from the colony yesterday. Robert had set up appointment with a property developer of an eco-village, made up of farmers, artist, writers, architects that are creating a sustainable ultra eco community. see www.kopalicommunities.com. So we walked around the property, (jungle) and looked at lots, fruit trees (we found star fruit), monkeys, a beautiful river, views in an area called San Mateo, a bit more affluent area of CR. Just beautiful!!! Spent a couple hours there. Then we drove towards Playa Jaco and had some lunch along the way. I had Ceviche (also spelled as cebiche or seviche) is a form of citrus-marinated seafood appetizer, popular in mainly Latin American countries like Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and Bolivia. Both finfish and shellfish are used; finfish is typically raw while shellfish is typically cooked. In Costa Rica, the dish includes marinated fish, lime juice, salt, ground black pepper, finely minced onions, cilantro and finely minced peppers. yummy, and of course I had to have dessert, ice cream bar. We went over this very large bridge over a large river, with very large crocodiles below, maybe 30 crocs sunning themselves and swimming, grande el crocs. Then we headed for the black sandy beaches of Jaco and I rode the waves for an hour, watching the surfers glide while I tumbled. It was great, felt like a little kid...then the ride back to the colony was breathtaking, winding roads through the steep mountains of jungle, villages, green farms, horses and Costa Ricans out on a typical Saturday shopping and socializing. The taxi-van (driver was like a tour guide) was the perfect way to go..$150.00 split between all of us was perfect. So, today the plan is to relax after a walk to town to get some tomatoes for lunch. Lorraine M. will go to church and I will go the market. Hasta luego.

Christine's Exhibit

Resting
Oil by Christine Rieck-Sonntag

No Aqua!

Now it is on the second day there is no water in the colony or in the whole town of Cuidad Colon due to some kind of pipe break nearby. Unless you have well-water, there is none. Thank goodness we have the pool water for the toilet tanks and the main house on the property has a well. But no showers, and no water from faucets, I am so spoiled. We are getting pitchers of water for boiling, for cooking and drinking. Tonight dinner at the main house and a slide show that one of artists put together about "Art and the Landscape".
Lorraine M. & I had another Spanish lesson yesterday and then we went to local restaurant to watch the sunset, 5 margaritas later and the best cheesburger I ever had, we got a taxi home to our casita. The restaurant has well-water, they were open and it was a really nice evening, warm and dramatic skies a sunset of orange and pinks in the western mountain range.

Whisperers
B&W photograph by Lorraine Bromley

Carlos took Lorraine M. & I for a jungle walk to one of his friend's horse farm, these horses were on top of a mountain overlooking the canyon near Cuidad Colon. We also went to look at the oropendula birds on Rodeo Drive near the University of Peace, then we went to the butterfly farm after we had a tipico lunch at a local "soda".

The butterfly farm was wonderful! I have been several times to the same farm and this time was the most interesting with a tour guide that was so special, she made it very interesting and how we can use the butterfly metamophosis process as a role model. We tend to forget what the butterfly has gone through, how it has struggled to reach its place on the breeze and how it was effected. Our path of transformation can be likened to that of the butterfly's. We emerge from our cocoon, we take time to adjust to our new circumstances. Things are different, and we have to learn how to handle our new selves. We act in new ways. The things we say are surprising to others, because it's not what they're familiar with. People respond to us in a manner in which we're not used to. Because of my new attitudes, I lost some friends who couldn't adjust to the shift. And I made new friends who were walking the same path I was. Generally, when we embrace transformation, we only want to think of the end result. We don't want to think about the work that goes into it, or the sacrifices we'll have to make to be able to soar. I know that when I went through a transformation some years ago, I thought "Wonderful! Things will be better." They were, but in the process there were attitudes and behaviors I had to surrender that were central to my life. Eventually, the effect of the butterfly's journey allows it to climb free and rest. Spreading its wings for the first time, energy flows through them and they expand, finally ready to carry the butterfly on the breeze. Feeling confident with our new self, and like the butterfly, we fly free, a living jewel fluttering about the skies.

Heleconia II

watercolor and pastel
11 x 30
Lorraine Bromley

Rainbows and Motmots

Motmots (bird) are like seeing rainbows, green, red, and blue, they are so colorful. The motmot we saw at the hot springs at Termerales de Bosque (Hot Springs in the Woods) was so "colorful" he stoled Lorraine,s cherry off the top of her diquiri she was drinking in the pool. It was unbelievable. Swooped down without a warning. The hot springs were in the rainforest and it was raining the whole time we were there, it was perfect, cold rain and hot pools of sulfur scented springs from Mt Arenal along rushing rivers. The bus ride was awesome, I will never get tired of the rides in Costa Rica, spectecular views of villages and farmlands, steep hills, jungle, clouds, sunsets and shadows and of course rainbows. Great meals, great company and great sites.

Isabella is so proud of her chocolate milk bubbles.

Carols Painting's

Puriscal by Carol Shelton

Cuidad Colon by Carol Shelton

Juanita's Flowers

Juanita's Monsteros Deliciousa

Lorraine M. and I finally painted today some beautiful orchids we discovered here in the colony. I did not get a picture of them yet, the camera I borrowed ran out of battery, so had to recharge and then I forgot about it. I painted them all day and I really dislike the painting, I think I will wash it down and start over. Terrible painting!!!
We are having fun introducing ourselves to all the new artists this month, Gail, Diane, Charles, Irene, Donna, John, Lois, Robert a mix of writer and visual artists. My name is "Lorraine" and this is a friend of mine"Lorraine". Faces look surprised. lol
Carol went home on Monday, I miss her. We had a great time, painting, day-tripping to Orosi Valley, Puriscal and then to Rodeo Drive, oooooooo (yes Rodeo Drive) no shopping though, just viewing the mountains and the birds, the horses and nature. Catching a glimpse of the Oropendular birds of Costa Rica was awesome, hilarious actually. Black birds with yellow tails, squawking with 100 other oropendulars with a very distinct bird call and when they are mating which is all the time they swing like a pendulum on a branch, it is the funniest things. Oh yea I just remembered that we also saw a phenomonon of a rainbow cloud, not the ordinary arch but on the ground in between some mountains. We both saw this sight and would not have believed it i we did not see it together. Unbelievable!!
Made some plans to go on a boat ride in the jungle and visit the Trimbini Rainforest on Friday with the artists here. Can't wait!

Catch-up

View of Puriscal, a village Carol and I decide to paint Saturday afternoon.

Well this week has been a whirl wind of events. Sorry I have been quilty of ignoring my blog, without my camera, I have been kind of lost. Its hard for me to tell a story with out my camera shooting every moment. Like another pair of eyes and another arm.

I have met some wonderful people here at the colony and outside the colony. Gerry has let me borrow her camera for the remainder of my stay here, she is back home in RI and I will get it back to her when I return....she is a doll.....while working on a painting in the next city with Carol, a woman came over to us and talked to us about her artwork in Spanish, which was difficult, but we got through it and later she brought over two pieces of cake for us. On Friday, Carol & I rented a car went to the Orosi Valley again only about 30 miles away, but it took us about 3 hours to get there, there are no signs, and many one way and dead end streets, anyway on the way home we had a flat tire and a young man and his girlfriend stopped to change it for us and would not take any money for helping us.....and let us follow him out of the city because we were lost again. We cried all the way home, I cried more, I am such a wimp. Anyway, everyone has been so hospitable and kind, not to mention the breathtaking views of the countryside of mountains, steep hills, farms, flowers and birds, and oh yea snakes! Yikes....Carol and I saw a boa constrictor crossing the street, thank goodness we were in the car. We screamed until it finished crossing, and took picture of it. But I can not bring myself to put it online yet. Hector, and artist from NY, is having a show at the museum next year in San Jose, and has talked to the director about my work as well, and maybe showing together, so I have a mission this week to contact her to show here some work. More later....

Carol took this picture of me with my addiction-putting chapstick on.
I need a camera!!!