FAREWELL TO CAUTERETS, watercolor in my carnet de voyage

FAREWELL TO CAUTERETS, (France); watercolor in my carnet de voyage. Last view from the second story window of my apartment this year. The mountains around town are changing colors daily. I painted this a week ago, they must be more red today. The contrast with the rooftops, all made of grey/black slate, is always beautiful, more so in the Fall. Enjoy!

LE CLOT, HAUTE PYRENEES, France, watercolor

Le Clot, Haute Pyrénées, France, watercolor, 9x12 in.

While resident artist in Cauterets, France, I was invited to paint plein-air in this beautiful place, with a group of beginner artists, including Theo, a 12 year old artist from the region. It is very interesting the way the French refer to a "beginner" artist, they are called: "artist en herbe" = "artist who has started to grow like grass" (at the ground level, I guess it means). Idiomatic expressions are always funny when translated from or to another language.

Le Clot is behind Le Pont d'Espagne, a beautiful waterfall in this region, up high in the Pyrénées.

L'ESPLANADE DES OEUFS, Cauterets, France, watercolor

L'ESPLANADE DES OEUFS, Cauterets, France, watercolor, 16x24 in.
Started as a demonstration painting at the "Esplanade", an open area in the center of town in Cauterets, France, I later finished this painting in the studio. It is now hanging at the show in the Library in Cauterets. Come see the show! The two weeks of watercolor workshops just finished today.

La semaine prochaine, le cours de pastel commence: mardi, mercredi et jeudi, 15:00-18:00 hs. Enregistrement à la Bibliothèque de Cauterets, ou appellez: 07.81.96.24.15 le cours est au Club House, près du tennis.  Matèriel fourni, 60 Euros/persone, 10 personnes maximum. Merci.

LA JOLLA SUNSET II, acrylic

LA JOLLA SUNSET II, acrylic on canvas, 22x28.
Painted in La Jolla, California, last month. It is in exhibition in my studio at The Glashaus, 1815 Main Street, San Diego, CA 92113. Visits to my studio are available by appointment only, since I am painting in France at the moment. To make an appointment, call Ernesto Aeberhard: (USA) 949-338-1446.

Next week, a three hour workshop at La Raillère, Cauterets, France, 2:00-5:00 pm. To register, send me an email or contact the library in Cauterets: (France) 05.62.92.59.96.

La semaine prochaine, un stage de peinture à La Raillère, Cauterets, France, 14:00-17:00 hs. Enregistrement à la bibliothèque de Cauterets, France: 05.62.92.59.96 ou envoyez moi an email.

LE PONT NEUF, TOULOUSE, watercolor

Le Pont Neuf, Toulouse, watercolor, 14x20". Painted on location in Toulouse, France, about two months ago, this watercolor is in exhibition and for sale at the San Diego Watercolor Society during the month of December. This is in San Diego, California.

Tonight, at the reception,  I noticed a couple standing in front of my painting, so I approached them. They surprised me by telling me not only that they had recently been in Toulouse, but also in the area of the Pyrenees where I live part of the year, including Cauterets! They are bikers, and have biked up the mountains from Lourdes, to Cauterets. This is a feat that only expert bikers can achieve!

DEJA VUE, acrylic

Déjà Vue, acrylic, 16x12 in, at Art Cuestion, Spain
At this moment, you can see several of my paintings with Art Cuestion in Ourense, Spain,  at Arte Studio Ginestrelle in Assisi,  Italy, at Ricklundgården Museum in Saxnãs, Sweden, and in two places in Cauterets, France: la Mairie de Cauterets (City Hall), and Agence Immobiliere Bordenave. At this moment, you can also see my work in San Diego, California, at the following places: La Jolla Art Gallery, in La Jolla, California, Petrini's Restaurant in San Diego, California, Women's Museum in Liberty Station, San Diego, California, and  San Diego Art Institute, Museum of the Living Artist,  in Balboa Park, San Diego, California.
You are invited to the upcoming reception at La Jolla Art Gallery on Saturday, November 16, 5:00-7:00 pm. Come on over! It's a beautiful little gallery!

CAUTERETS SUNSET II, France, watercolor,

CAUTERETS SUNSET II, France, watercolor, 10x15cm.
I've recently read, admired, enjoyed beautiful watercolors by Jean Christophe Pierre in his book: COULEURS DE BIGORRE. I learned some details about this area of Southern France, and enjoyed Pierre's watercolors. They are very traditional, lots of details, and beautifully done. Sometimes I do work like that, whatever gets into me to work very detailed. But most of the time I prefer to work more loosely, faster, and get more into the mood of the moment than in the detail.

PONT ST. SEVER DE RUSTAN, watercolor a plein-air

PONT SAINT SEVER DE RUSTAN, watercolor a plein air, 31x41 cm.
WINNER: Prix de Peinture a plein air:  St. Sever de Rustan, 2011.

This painting is hanging at the Agence Immobiliere/Galerie Bordenave, in Cauterets, France, where it can be seen, enjoyed, and purchased. It is for sale.

"Inspiration exists, but it must find you working!" --- Pablo Picasso

FOREVER MINE, acrylic

Forever Mine, acrylic, 20x13 in.
Painted after an original watercolor I did 6 years ago, when my daughter Evelyn came home from the hospital with her new baby, and sat in front of a window. The light was beautiful, the baby was beautiful, and so was my daughter's expression of absolute love.

Our acrylic workshop in Cauterets, France,  is going well. We are painting a lot, and having fun. The beauty of acrylic, is how fast it dries. The tragedy of acrylic is how fast it dries.

FEELING GOOD, acrylic

Feeling Good, acrylic on canvas, 28x22 in. On display and available for purchase at the Wyndham Hotel Restaurant in downtown San Diego, California, USA.

Starting Monday, September 23, I will be teaching a three day acrylic workshop at the beautiful Club House in Cauterets, France. A couple of spaces are still available. Contact: minnievalero@yahoo.fr or by phone: (+33) 07.81.96.24.15.

LA INSPIRACION EXISTE, PERO DEBE ENCONTRARTE TRABAJANDO. Pablo Picasso

INSPIRATION EXISTS, BUT IT MUST FIND YOU WORKING.  Pablo Picasso

AMANDA AND ADAM, pastel

Amanda and Adam, pastel portraits, 12x9 in
This was a commissioned portrait of her children, by their mother, in Wilhelmina, Sweden. When the  whole family visited my studio in Saxnäs, the children were so well behaved, loving and kind, that it was a pleasure to work on their portraits afterwards. I also see them as an example of bilingualism, they are growing up bilingual in Swedish and Spanish. I believe we should all raise our children bilingual in any two languages, as long they are two.

PASTEL WORKSHOP starts tomorrow Tuesday, September 17, in Cauterets, France. Three days, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, three hours each day:  2:30-5:30 pm.  To register, send me an email or call me to my French mobile phone: 07.81.96.24.15. There are two places available.

LA CASCADE DE L'AMOUR, watercolor on Yupo

La Cascade de l'Amour, watercolor on Yupo, 26x20in

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My solo show:     LE MYSTERE DE L'      AGUA
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opens next week  at Bibliotheque de Cauterets, France, from September 3-30. More than 20 paintings, mostly watercolors, on the theme of water, so important for our life, and so treacherous some times. This Spring the rivers in the Pyrénées were overflown due to heavy snow during the winter, and a great storm during the Spring, with lots of rain at the same time that the snow was melting. This is the reason I have chosen the theme of water this year for my yearly exhibition in France. You are all invited to come see the show. I will be posting some more paintings on the blog during the exhibition. Cauterets is 30 km. South of Lourdes, in the  Pyrénées, France. If you are not from the area, Lourdes is between Pau and Toulouse, on the Highway A64.

Market Day in Cauterets, France

Market Day in Cauterets, France. watercolor, 12x16, available.
Most good design involves the concept of opposites:
light and dark,
big and small,
straight and curved,
smooth and textured,
soft and hard edges,
simple and complex,
warm and cool,
opaque and transparent.
It's good to learn something new every day!

Cauterets, France, watercolor

Cauterets, France. watercolor, 4.5x10" (12x25cm.) Available.
Guillaume is a Colombian-American sculptor who works out with his hands his feelings of love for his family. I recently saw his work at La Quinta Art Festival, near Palm Springs, in California. He struck me as a sensitive artist, who is happy with his work, and his work is beautiful, elegant, romantic, and honest. Check him out, at www.guilloume.com

Marche de Vendredi, watercolor on Arches paper

Marche de Vendredi, France. watercolor on Arches paper, 30x22" (75x55cm.) Available. Juried in at the San Diego Watercolor Society, April 2012 Show, in exhibition at their gallery in the NTC Promenade, San Diego, California.
"Art is creation; therefore, life itself at its fullest...Art is an eternal force like ethics, like revolution, like the very totality of the universe." Lajos Kassak, Hungarian artist, in his Picture Architecture essay in the MA (Today) Hungarian publication, 1922.

Lumiere de Saint Savin, pastel

Lumiere de Saint Savin, pastel on suede board, 40x30cm. (16x12"), available.
The Church of Saint Savin, near Lourdes, in the South of France, was built in the XIIIth Century. It's fairly small and has many original and beautiful features, including wood sculpted beams. Visitors from all over the world come here, and enjoy the Church, its museum, and the lovely town of Saint Savin. I'll be there this summer painting plein air, and teaching pastel and watercolor workshops in nearby Cauterets.

Apres-midi d'autumn `a Cauterets

Apres-midi d'autumn `a Cauterets, watercolor, 10x15cm. (4x6") available.
The illegitimate son of a peasant girl from a little town in Italy: Leonardo da Vinci. He built up layers of lightly colored varnish to create the mysterious shadowy depth of the Mona Lisa's skin. Brilliant!

Andre et le lac

Andre et le lac, watercolor on hand-made paper, 20x26cm., available. Can you see Andre on the left? He cannot see you, my friend Andre is losing his eyesight, due to a rare case of macular degeneration. The lake is beautiful Lac de Gaube, near Cauterets, France.
Georgia O'Keefe said: "Painting is not good, unless it is good in an abstract sense."

Cauterets, coucher soleil

Cauterets, Coucher Soleil, watercolor, 10x15 cm (4x6 ") painted plein-air, alla prima, in the beautiful mountain town of Cauterets, in the French Pyrenees, this summer. SOLD.
Today my son sent me a beautiful quotation I'd like to share with you all: "Don't ask what the world needs; ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is more people who have come alive." theologian Howard Thurman.--- Painting makes me come alive...

Salle Wallon, Cauterets

Salle Wallon, Cauterets, watercolor, 12x9" (30x22cm.) Available, $ 300.00 US. This is actually the view from the Salle Wallon, in the City Hall of Cauterets, France. When I teach watercolor and pastel workshops for the Office de Tourisme in Cauterets, I use this room, which I love. It is a large wooden floor room, with big windows overlooking the beautiful town, and one mirrored wall. What more can you ask for?
Salle Wallon, Cauterets, acuarela, disponible. En realidad, esta es la vista desde una ventana de la Salle Wallon, en la Intendencia de Cauterets, Francia. Cuando doy mis cursos de acuarela y pastel para la Oficina de Turismo en Cauterets, utilizo esta sala, que amo. Es una sala grande, con piso de madera, y grandes ventanas que miran a la hermosa ciudad, con una pared toda de espejo. Que mas se puede pedir?