TRANQUERA , watercolor on Arches paper

TRANQUERA , watercolor on Arches paper, 11x14 in, available.
TRANQUERA was just juried into the April exhibition of the  San Diego Watercolor Society.

Rïse Parberry was this month's juror. "Tranquera" is based on sketches I did on location, and pictures taken at my friend's Lalo and Estela's Estancia in Villa Catalina, Córdoba, Argentina.

ESCUELA CARBO FROM PLAZA COLON, CORDOBA, watercolor

Escuela Carbo from Plaza Colon, Cordoba, watercolor, 4x6
South America cruise series # 46

The traditional green windows, the beautiful trees in the plaza across the street. The cars are newer, but the school looks old and sad. Cordoba is a strong and energetic city in the middle of the country. It is full of life during the day and at night, with a strong  community of educated young people attending concerts, movies, art museums, and patronizing restaurants and bars. Why did they let go of their school producing Elementary School Teachers?

PASILLOS DEL CARBO, CORDOBA, watercolor

Pasillos del Carbo, Cordoba, Argentina, 4x6 watercolor
South America Cruise series # 45

Escuela Normal Nacional de Profesores Alejandro Carbo. These hallways saw me from age 12 to 16, when I graduated with the title of Elementary School Teacher, two years younger than my classmates. I had never gone back to visit in 50 years. So I walked in this time. A man stopped me at the door and asked me what was my purpose. As I was about to tell him I just wanted to visit the school, I couldn't talk. Emotion filled me with tears, he saw my face and understood. As I walked around and relived some moments of my youth, it was sad to see the classrooms in disarray, dirty floors and windows. Decay has slowly set in, as the school is not well kept.

ESTANCIA PEROTTO II, CORDOBA, ARGENTINA, watercolor

Estancia Perotto II, Cordoba, Argentina, 4x6 watercolor
South America Cruise series 44

View from the porch of our friends' house in Santa Catalina, Cordoba. Beautiful moments remembering times past, and getting acquainted with the new lives of their children and their children's children.

TRANQUERA EN SANTA CATALINA, CORDOBA, watercolor

Tranquera en Santa Catalina, Cordoba,  4x6 watercolor
South America Cruise series # 43

After a 5 week cruise round South America's Cape Horn, we flew from Buenos Aires to Córdoba, in Argentina, where we were received by our friends Lalo and Estela Perotto. What a pleasure to see them after so many years! Lunch was accompanied by a delicious Merlot, their own brand: "Perotto", with a picture of Lalo's father when he immigrated from Italy. This wine was produced by his son Jose's own winery. What an honor to be welcomed in this manner!  In the evening we walked along downtown Cordoba streets full of life, and saw the "dancing waters" of El Buen Pastor, "Casa Tomada's " shopping mall, small colorful boutiques, music, people, noise, fun!

PUERTO MADRYN, ARGENTINA, watercolor

Puerto Madryn, Argentina, watercolor, 4x6
South America Cruise series # 39

More than 30 years ago, my husband and I were here with our three young daughters, we had driven from Cordoba, then went on to Punta Tombo to see the penguins. It was so much fun! This time, as a one day stop from the cruise, we did not go to Punta Tombo, we just walked about in the town, had empanadas and beer, and sent some postcards. Then, at the Oficina de Turismo, we found out there is a fantastic museum: Eco Center, so we boarded the free shuttle for a very interesting visit to this modern museum overlooking the bay.