Thursday, January 30, 2014

Minnie Valero: STAR PRINCESS CRUISE Journal, ink and watercolor

Minnie Valero: STAR PRINCESS CRUISE Journal, ink and watercolor: Star Princess Cruise to Hawaii Journal,   ink and watercolor. My own private journal (with a compass!) of daily activities, events, con...

STAR PRINCESS CRUISE Journal, ink and watercolor


Star Princess Cruise to Hawaii Journal,  ink and watercolor.

My own private journal (with a compass!) of daily activities, events, concerts,  lectures, books read, people I met, etc. during the 15 day cruise. I kept a written and painted journal. I will not publish every page, but some.

Day 1: we boarded the cruise ship early, so I had time to paint the bridge in the Port of San Pedro, viewed from the ship, before we left.

That afternoon we watched the movie: "Parental Guidance". My husband and I enjoyed it very much, as we could empathize with the grandparents in the movie.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

TRANQUERA CORDOBESA, watercolor

Tranquera Cordobesa, watercolor, 11x14
I forgot to post this watercolor I painted as a demonstration for the San Diego Museum of Art Artist Guild exhibition in January: REFLECTIONS. I did the demonstration on January 3rd, at Gallery 21, Spanish Village, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. If you didn't see it finished, and took my card with my Blog, here it is!!! Voila!!!

I was reading a quote by Pablo Picasso: "La Inspiracion existe, pero debe encontrarte trabajando."
"Inspiration exists, but it must find you working."

Friday, January 24, 2014

MR. FANTASTIC! watercolor

Mr. Fantastic! watercolor, 11x7.5 in.

During the Star Princess cruise to Hawaii, every morning when entering the breakfast area we were met by Nic, a young Phillipino man, whose answer to any question was "Fantastic!" with a big smile. So much so, that a comedian in the evening was imitating him producing even more questions from the passengers the following morning. Needles to say, everybody around this young man was smiling.  I had to take his picture, and paint his portrait.

What seemed light and funny at the beginning, made me  think on the power of smiles and positive expressions. Maybe we need more Mr. and Mrs Fantastic! in our lives. Maybe we could BE the "Fantastic" influences on others in their lives...

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

SURFBOARDS IN HAWAII, watercolor

Surfboards in Hawaii, watercolor, 11x7.5 in. Painted aboard the Star Princess cruise ship, during our January cruise to Hawai'i.

On the 6th day of our cruise, we visited Hilo, in the big island : Hawai'i. We took a hop-on/hop-off bus. First stop: Rainbow Falls, 442 feet drop to a gorge below. In Hilo Bay we also visited the Lili'Hokalani Park, created in the Japanese Shinto style, and saw sea turtles! Early that morning we had seen whales as we were approaching the islands.


Monday, January 20, 2014

HAWAIIAN PARADISE, watercolor

Hawaiian Paradise, watercolor, 7.5x11 in.
Do you know that the Ohia Lahua tree is one of the main tree species in Hawaii? Its leaves can close if there is gas in the air! How cool is that? They bloom all year long. They develop flowers of different colors to attract different birds. I find that fascinating!

Hawaii has about 8,800 native species, most of them birds. There are only two mammals native to Hawaii: the monk seal and a tree bat. How about that? I learned this in the lectures of Dr. Sharon Faff,  the Star Princess cruise to Hawaii's lecturer. She was great! Thanks Dr. Faff!

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Outriggers in Kona, Hawaii

Outriggers in Kona, Hawaii, watercolor, 7.5x11 in
Hawaii in January is lovely, I just got back. Kona is a lively port town in Hawaii, easy to explore on foot. Kona is famous for its coffee. There are whales and dolphins here! We visited turtle beach, where many sea turtles are lazying in the sun, on the volcanic rocks, and slowly get in the water when they feel like it, swim a bit, stick a neck out, swim some more. They are huge! The size of a car tire!

We had a lot of "le'a le'a"!! That means a lot of fun, in Hawaiian.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

SPANISH VILLAGE, BALBOA PARK II, acrylic on canvas

SPANISH VILLAGE, BALBOA PARK II, acrylic on canvas, 6x6in. This is the front of Gallery 21, where the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild is exhibiting its show REFLECTIONS, at the moment. The reception is tomorrow, January 5th, from 3-5pm. Come one and all!!!

REFLECTIONS :  It is a fantastic show! There are many beautiful pieces, including mine: a watercolor I painted in Sweden last June, at the entrance on the right, called: Norrfalsviken Bay II, 11x15 in. I have shown it here on my blog, a few days or weeks ago. You can look it up.


Thursday, January 2, 2014

PLAYING MY WAY... acrylic on canvas

PLAYING MY WAY... acrylic on canvas, 36x24 inches. It has been exhibited at the San Diego Law Library this past summer. Now it is in exhibition and for sale at the Bar/restaurant of Inn At The Park,  lovely hotel at 6th and Spruce, in San Diego, California. This is part of the Jazz series in exhibition at that lovely place. Go for drink! Stay for the art, then take some art home with you!

I was recently reading about Dušan Djurkaric, watercolorist,  painter of the moment, who has said: "There is no blood running through my veins, there's only color". He has also said: "The artist is the only one who can afford to mix in the affairs of God, because the things that God starts, the artist finishes."

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD! acrylic on canvas


WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD! acrylic on canvas, 28x22, in exhibition and for sale at the restaurant/bar  Inn at the Park, Spruce and 6th St., San Diego, California. It seemed the perfect painting to start this New Year 2014. Happy New Year!

I was reading recently about Delacroix. He admired Rubens, was a great reader, and very curious. Eugene Delacroix was in constant search of new techniques.  He liked to prepare backgrounds, many of them, without any idea how he would later use them. Then, when he was ready to paint, he would look at the 20 or 30 backgrounds, and select the one to start his new painting.