ALRI 10th Annual Exhibit @ RISD Museum

I have the honor of being a member of the Art League of Rhode Island. Eighty+ members will be showing a piece in this show.

Review by Bob Van Siclen in Providence Journal
http://www.projo.com/art/content/wk_art_column24_06-24-10_5IIUML6_v10.51bb102.html

Summer Exhibit Schedule

On-going exhibit-Wickford Cove Framing Gallery, Wickford, RI
May 6th-East Greenwich Main Street Sroll-Simon Says Cafe
June-Simon Says Cafe, East Greenwich, RI
June 17th-RISD Museum-Art League of RI
Art of Excellence/Group Exhibit

Friday Mornings-Watercolor Technique Classes On-Location
10:00am-12:30am 6 sessions $130.00
Various locations in RI
Call 617-595-5681 for details

Monday Mornings-Painting with RI Artists On-location
10:00am-?
Various locations in RI
Call 617-595-5681 for location

Other Exhibits TBA

Art League of RI Newsletter-Perfect Harmony

Look at page 5-6

New Series

This is one of a series of "monotypes", (one print)I have been working on. Watercolor and ink, based on square drawings that filled a whole sketchbook. I will continue to work on these in my home/studio this month. All inspired by the nature in Costa Rica, see drawings on the right side here from the sketchbook.

"Quotes"

Like a moth, I will probably return to the light of Costa Rica. Looking forward to returning to RI, now to my cottage by the sea. I will see things differently again each time I return home too. So much to see, feel, taste, experience. My drawings, paintings, and oh yea some silly poetry I think I can do anything!!! I think I am so great! lol Keeping things in prospective is a challenge, I am just an artist. Do I have a purpose?

Quotes
a poem by me

In quotes
there are tones,
In tones
there are flaws
so subtle are the cursive words

Black white
the shadows fall softly
a story of strength
In words, they fade in and fade out and
surround my body, mind and soul.

Happy Valentine's Day

Folk Art

The "bitch" trip

Me, Bernarda, Soizic, Isabella, Susanita, Hector, Gerry and David

The "bitch" trip...that it how I hear the CR's say beach...This is the group that went to Puntarenas last weekend, it was fun, we got lost and this was the only restaurnat/bar for miles, and right after this we got a flat tire. David (far right)and some wonderful Costa Ricans helped put the spare on the van. No problemo!

What will I do today? It is quieter here in Colon on Sundays, no traffic sounds, no bad muffler noises, oops I here I motorcycle, there is a new highway that is open now to the pacific "bitches" so less traffic going thru Colon. I hear it has cut the hours down in half. Yippee. Bernarda just called me on her cell phone from Panama border, they are on vacation and they wished I was with them, I should've really gone with them. mmm she says next year they are going to Nicaragua, and I should go with them. I think I would like that.
So what to do today, I have paintings to finish, but I love starting new ones. The pool has finally got water in it again after it had been cleaned and the water filled in after a week. I went in yesterday up to my thighs. Beautiful breezes this morning, writing this in my online journal. Went dancing again last night..it is just as fun to watch the men & women dance here, salsa, merenque, romantica. New artists coming in today, artists leaving one by one. Made myself a frittata, maybe that is not what you call here in Costa Rica, ran out of milk for my coffee, yuck. That is what I will do this morning, go and get milk, yes, ok then paint, then go in pool, then who knows what opportunity will come forth. I know this all sounds so trivial, right now that is the way it is. Lots of tasks, issues and problems back in RI I will face soon enough.

Armonia con la Naturaleza

"Armonia con la Naturaleza en Acuarela"

So much time has gone by since my last entry...sorry. List of events.
Patricia is back in Washington DC...healing. Wishing her all the best with her leg wound. Long story...
Aja & Stephanie visited me for a week and made fun of my dated language of blazers, fanny packs and skorts. Had alot of laughs
Ziplined with the kids, thought I was going to die!
Saw monkeys, howlers and capuchines, golden web spiders, red tropical land crabs, iguanas, and Scarlet macaws in the wild.
Swam in the sea of paradise.
Reception of my artwork at the National Gallery in San Jose, well attended, and what a honor, articles in local paper.
Seripique in December, new friends, old friends, new fruits, vegetables, pipa juice.
Love living in my bathing suit. Letting it all hang out.
Stomach virus.
Flowers in the morning, afternoon and night.
Fragrances of jasmine, cilantro.
Mountains of blue and rainbows stretch across clouded sky.
Dancing the Merinque, Salsa and Cumbiya.
Carol, Gerry, Holly, Hector, Carlos, Francisco, and our chauffeur Don
Pegueno Mundo, Ropa Americana, Super Mora, Auto Mercado, Open Market, hammocks, cowboy hats, birds of paradise, ginger, heleconias, watermelon and avacados, beans and rice...mojitos, margaritas, cass, tamarindo, coffee and corn fritters.
Annette modeling for us.
My dress looked better on backwards. lol...thanks Aja

My Costa Rican series.

Mericoles

I am finishing the datura flower painting, ruined another painting, completed a sudoku puzzle, taking pictures of all the art, I am just so busy. I have got to slow down...what a life here, huh?

My friend, Patricia is back in the hospital in San Jose, still with severe infection in her body from a cut on her leg. So scary. She is just not feeling good enough to even paint this week, fever, and alot of pain.

The sun is shining again today, weather is beautiful, the bamboo creaking out the window in the wind, sky is so blue.

Some kind of large green insect dropped on my computer last night, I saw it on the ceiling earlier and sure enough it fell! Captured it in a box and let it outside. It might have been some kind of cricket like with a almond shaped body. Will have look it up now.

Hey my announcement of my exhibit was in the Tico Times this week, oh boy now it will be so crowded...hee hee.

Feliz Navidad

Look what I found outside my door this morning, I have no idea how it got there....could it have been brought by, you know, someone magical.... mmmm?

Review

Ok, this is the painting, sorry the other photo of the passion flower was a photograph of one, sorry for the confusion. I know my paintings are good but not that good.....Moving right along, believe it, it is raining as I speak here, The first rain since I have been here, it is refreshing, I have long sleeves on this morning, drinking my hot coco, catching up emails, (lost internet communacado last night), oh no...back in the saddle. Bringing home Patricia from hospital today around noon, she will have a difficult time healing, but probably faster in more comfortable surrounding here in colony. She can at least do some painting here.

I working delinquently at my art, presentation skills are in order right now for my exhibit, some PR, other details as they arise, what a chore, looking forward to seeing it all up on the walls now. It's looking good. Check out smugmug account under "Art"...national gallery exhibit as I add new pieces to the slide show there. I am pleased with this 4 year series, I have been working on. It has given me momentum, a chance for exploration, discovery of new culture, new friends too. I could cry, I am such a whimp today, geesh. To be continued....

Buenas dias
I have been here for 2 1/2 weeksnow, I am being very productive, getting ready for this exhibit coming up January 5th, lots of stuff to do, PR, matting pieces, finishing pieces, working on new pieces. So busy everyday doing something here. Of course I take a break and go to the pool for about an hour, geesh give me break. After this exhibit I will be able to relax truly when Aja & Stef come down. I am so looking forward to them coming. Hopefully going to the beach and seeing more and photographing more of this beautiful country.

My friend Patricia here has fallen ill, she developed a staf infection in her leg. We brought her to the hospital on Wednesday, spent all day with her and she is resting and being pampered. Not sure if she will come home today, if so we will all pitch in and take care of her while she recoups.

It's pool time! Hasta luego

I know I am quilty of not attending to my blog this year, I am a slacker! I have to slow down...I am just working to hard here in Costa Rica...I am, I am, honest. I noticed I am not taking as many pictures than before, that is ok, I will run out of room on my computer anyway. I am painting alot, working on new work and working on older ones as well. My exhibit coming up January 5th, 2010 here in CR will keep me busy. Here is one new painting of Bamboo I just did today.

Two birds flew into my window and died today, so sad, a little yellow one and a tiny hummingbird.

Had to break into Diedra's studio, she locked her keys inside, broke the screwdriver to take apart window, reached on table and retrieved them....Success!

Friday going to a small B&B to paint the view of the canyon, great spot, open living room to set up in, might be there for a few days, just during the day though as a visitor, however I am going to the mountains with Bernarda to visit a friend of hers for an overnight on Saturday, should be wonderful ride. Hey I can even take more pictures, love to go to places I have never been before.

Orquideologia

Willy & Pat invited me go to an Orchid show in Grecia. It really was spectacular! Flowers in every color of the rainbow. They have a wonderful collection thmeselves, tiny ones to extrordinary ones. So I feel an "orchid" series coming on real strong. Boy this studio gets so hot in the afternoon, three fans going. Still working on my "passion flowers" piece, new this year. Hope to get more new ones done as well as finishing up all the others I bought down here with me. I decided to stay in tonight, others went to a concert in Colon. Drawing is on my agenda.

Bernarda took us for a ride to see a potential spot to paint near the canyon. The spot was a B&B, really beauitful called Casa Bella Rita, but really did not len itself to setting up in to paint for the dasy, so we found our familiar spot of last year to go back to realy soon. Not many places to pull of the road to paint, roads are thin and lots of cars whizzing by. So we are in a predicament sort of, looking for special places to paint other than the colony. I had some "ceviche" today for dinner, it was awesome and also a fruit/vegetable indgenious to Costa Rica, a small pepper-like shape and tastes like a cooked potatoe. Very good. Pejibaye , a relative of the coconut, is one of Costa Rica's most unusual treats. Pejibayes grow in clusters on palm trees, like miniature coconuts. The part that you eat would correspond to the fibrous husk, while the hard pejibaye seed, when cracked open, reveals a thin layer of bitter white meat around a hollow core. The bright orange or red pejibayes are delicious boiled in salted water, then peeled, halved and pitted and eaten alone or with mayonnaise. You'll see them sold on San Jose streets year a round. Their flavor is difficult to describe. They are not sweet, but more a combination of chestnut and pumpkin with a thick, fibrous texture. You can buy a racimo (bunch) of raw pejibayes at the Mercado Borbon and boil them up for parties, or you can buy them in the supermarkets peeled and canned to take home as souvenirs.

Passion

Well, the bells are ringing in the town because it is 6:00 o'clock, they ring twice a day, who needs a watch. Painted today...Passion flowers are in bloom at the poolside along with some purple flowers, white and orange too and of course green trailing leaves abound with litle curly vines sprouting about. Gorgeous, everything is green right now, December is green after all the rainy season has ended. There is talk about the orchids blooming too, have not seen them yet. A sight to see tomorrow, always something new to see everyday.

Now looking forward to going to an opening at the National Gallery where I will be exhibiting in January 2010.