MANTA II, ECUADOR, watercolor

Manta II, Ecuador, watercolor, 4x6 in.
South American Cruise painting # 13

Carnival Splendor cruise ship was fun. My painting group and I met every day on Deck 10 in the morning and painted, sometimes for hours!
I also read the book: THE ELEMENT, by Ken Robinson, Ph.D. One sentence reads:
"Research and experience show that lucky people often make their luck because of their attitudes. "
"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."

BOATS IN PROGRESS

Boats in Progress, watercolor, 4x6
South American Cruise series # 12

There is a good ship-building situation in Manta, Ecuador. We drove around and were able to appreciate this ancient and modern art and science.

Back on the cruise ship, I continued painting with my original friends, only now more people were appearing to paint with us. We were growing into a painting community, on Deck 10, every day. All day long on sea days.

BEACH IN MANTA, ECUADOR, watercolor

Beach in Manta, Ecuador, watercolor, 4x6 in.
South American Cruise series # 11

As I was saying, the sea food in Ecuador is out of this world!
Seven  cultures inhabited the province of Manabi (Manta) in Ecuador from 4200 BC to 1530 AC: Valdivia, Machalilla, Chorrera, Guangala, Bahia, Jama-Coaque, and Manteño, Huancavilca. When we crossed the actual "ecuador", or equator, the whole cruise ship celebrated that we were not "polliwogs" anymore, now we were "shellbacks"! Lots of fun aboard the Carnival Splendor Cruise ship.

MANTA, ECUADOR, watercolor

Manta, Ecuador. watercolor and fine black pen, 4x6
South America Cruise, painting 10

Unbelievable but true: the famous "Panama hats", are made in Ecuador, not in Panama. They are made mostly in the town of Montecristi, a few km. from Manta. We took a taxi and visited the colorful town of Montecristi, at the foot of the Montecristi hill. We saw people hand-knitting/weaving the hats. Manta has a great selection of fresh seafood. You can find fish, shrimp, octopus, calamari, clams, mussels, prawns, lobster, crabs, and scallops that are specially fresh and cheap.

This watercolor started with a pen drawing plain-air, on the sidewalk, then I used watercolor, and when it was dry I did some details with the pen over the watercolor. Voila!

GUATEMALAN WOMEN, watercolor

Guatemalan Women, watercolor, 12x9
South American Cruise # 9

This is the 9th painting in the series of watercolors from my recent cruise to South America. As we arrived in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, a show had been prepared with men and women dressed in typical Guatemalan folkloric outfits. They were lovely!

Scroll down in start at the beginning. I will continue publishing these watercolors from my trip for a couple of weeks. All the originals will be in exhibition at Gallery 21, Spanish Village Art Center, Balboa Park, San Diego, California, from April 9 to 22nd. This show is in conjunction with Doreen Mellen ceramics. Since she's from Australia and I am from Argentina, we are calling our show: "From the End of the World".

PUERTO QUETZAL, GUATEMALA, watercolor

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. watercolor, 4x6 in.
South American Cruise #8

"The land of eternal Spring" is this place advertised. With tropical rain forests and the spirit of the Mayan civilization, the unique culture of Guatemala is a combination of 22 Mayan ethnicities, Ladinos and Garifunas. Sugar is one of the largest industries of the country. Antigua, Guatemala, is one of the most popular destinations. Beautiful weather, I painted this small watercolor alla primma, in plain-air.

COCONUT CUTTER IN HUATULCO, watercolor

Coconut Cutter in Huatulco, Mexico. watercolor, 12x9 in
South American Cruise, #7

This beautiful young girl handling such a big knife to cut coconuts impressed me. We were having lunch of delicious fish by the beach near the Copalita river, and I took pictures of this girl, and did a quick sketch to paint later. Enjoy!

HUATULCO, MEXICO, watercolor

Huatulco, Mexico, watercolor, 9x12 in. available.
South American Cruise, watercolor 6

We rented a van with Saúl as driver, and he took us to the Copalita River, passing by "Tangolunda", which means "beautiful woman", a word of Zapoteca origin. We had a lovely day eating fish at Playa Santa Cruz, then visited La Crucecita downtown, Playa Conejos, and back to our cruise ship.

CABO HATS, MEXICO, watercolor

Cabo Hats, Mexico, 9x12 in, watercolor
South American Cruise, watercolor 5

Our fist port in the Carnival Splendor South American Cruise was Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on the tip of the Baja California Peninsula. It is a very beautiful spot. We had lunch at the Brewery, walked along the promenade, and took a boat to Lover's Beach and Divorce Beach. One beach is on the bay, with soft sand, the other one is facing the Pacific Ocean, with sharp rocks. Guess which is which?

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Watercolor 9x12 in, available.
South American Cruise 2013, watercolor 4

Arriving to Cabo San Lucas, at the tip of the Baja California peninsula, we celebrated my birthday: 21 years old!!! again!!! and then again and again! When May Sarton turned 70 she was asked what does it feel to be 70? She responded: "It is the best time of my life, because I am more myself than I've ever been. There is less conflict. I am happier, more balanced, and....more powerful."

TANDOOR RESTAURANT, CARNIVAL SPLENDOR

TANDOOR RESTAURANT, Carnival Splendor, 4x6 in (10x15cm.) watercolor
South American Cruise, painting 3.

First day at sea, we were comfortable in our cabin, even at the lowest price. No noise, excellent mattresses. This Indian restaurant, Tandoor, was my first try. Delicious! I finished reading The History of Love, by Nicole Krauss. In it, I read: "To paint a leaf, you have to sacrifice the whole landscape." It goes with what Giacometti said, that to paint the head you had to give up the whole figure. Interesting.

Port of San Pedro in Long Beach, watercolor

Port of San Pedro in Long Beach, California, watercolor, 4x6 in.
South American Cruise, watercolor 2.

First day at sea, I was on Deck 10 of Carnival Splendor, painting with three of my traveling companions: Nick, Valerie, and Villem. We liked a particular spot, a bit secluded, good light, glass windows we could open when and if we wanted, good tables and chairs, and a place where we could dispose of our dirty water without causing any mess. We had bathrooms nearby, and the food courts and restaurants downstairs floor 9. We were in heaven! Some of the views, like this one of Long Beach, I painted from photos I took with my iphone.  Enjoy, and follow along, exciting adventures await you!
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LOOKING FORWARD, watercolor

Looking Forward, watercolor, 4x6 in. (10x15cm.)
South American Cruise , watercolor 1

Sorry for not publishing my blog for over a month. I was in a cruise aboard Carnival "Splendor", featured here above. We left the port of San Pedro, near Los Angeles, California, on February 3rd. I brought my watercolors with me. We were three couples friends from before, in a cruise ship with 3,000 passengers. I will now start blogging about the 6 week trip, starting in Los Angeles on the Pacific Ocean, and ending in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the Atlantic Ocean. Come along!!!!!