DOREEN'S MAGIC, pastel portrait on Canson paper

DOREEN'S MAGIC, pastel portrait on Canson paper, 28x22 in. It can be viewed in Doreen Mellen's studio at The Glashaus, in San Diego, California. Doreen is a gifted ceramist, originally from Tasmania, Australia.

She works her magic in white ceramic, day and day out. She's a true artist, because as one of my professor's at the University of California once said: "If you work with your hands, you are a laborer, if you work with your hands and your brains, you are a professional, if you work with your hands, your brains, and your heart, you are an artist."

ARICA, CHILE, watercolor

Arica, Chile, watercolor, 12x9 in.
South American Cruise watercolor series # 18

South on the Pacific Ocean, our next port was Arica, in the border between Peru and Chile. Arica used to belong to Peru, now it belongs to Chile. Very dry area of the world, Arica has brown hills with some  ancient hieroglyphics, very interesting. This painting is also in exhibition at FROM THE END OF THE WORLD show at Gallery 21, Spanish Village Art Center, San Diego, California, till April 22nd. My paintings are exhibited together with Doreen Mellen's ceramics. Come see our work! Come to our Artists'  Reception on Sunday April 14th, from 3:00-7:00 pm. You are invited!

A MEDIA LUZ, tango, watercolor, acrylic

A Media Luz, tango in watercolor and acrylic, 30x22

Exhibition of my paintings FROM THE END OF THE WORLD, Argentina and South America, starting tomorrow April 9 till the 22nd. In conjunction with Doreen Mellen's elegant ceramics, she's from Australia, another country FROM THE END OF THE WORLD. Our artists' Reception is next Sunday, April 14th, from 3:00-7:00pm.

Where? Gallery 21, Spanish Village Art Center, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. Come one and all!

EL PATIO DE LA MOROCHA, watercolor and acrylic

El Patio de la Morocha, watercolor and acrylic, 30x22 in.

One of the Tango series for exhibition at the show: FROM THE END OF THE WORLD, at Gallery 21, Spanish Village Art Center, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. Exhibition goes from April 9 to April 22, 2013. The Reception is on Sunday, April 14, 3:00-7:00 pm.

I am exhibiting my Tango series, and the watercolors done in my recent trip to South America. Doreen Mellen, ceramist from Australia, shares the gallery with me, showing her beautiful collection of white ceramics, "usable art" as she calls it. Do what you must: ditch work, miss school, whatever, and come see our show. Two weeks only! don't miss it!

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".

Secretos

Secretos, watercolor on Yupo, 14x11, available at The Glashaus, Doreen Mellen Studio, 1815 Main Street, San Diego, California. The inspiration for this painting were my grand-daughters Alejandra and Marina, who live in Sevilla, Spain.

How do you get a style? It is the total sum of all the workshops you've taken, shows and  museum visits, art books, art magazine articles you've read, comments from instructors, friends, and your own observation and practice over time. Paint often, read a lot, visit museums, art galleries, share. Joaquin Sorolla used to say: "keep the hand warm" (by practice).

Elizabeth, pastel portrait

Elizabeth, pastel portrait, 20x16, available at Doreen Mellen Studio, The Glashaus, 1815 Main Street, San Diego, California. Come see more of my paintings, and the beautiful ceramic artwork by Doreen Mellen.

When I was in Budapest, Hungary, this past July, doing an artist residency, I visited Saint Stephen Basilica. It is named so, in honor of the first king of Hungary, Stephen. In this beautiful basilica is the mummified hand of the very own Saint Stephen! Imagine that! The basilica has excellent acoustics, and I was able to attend and enjoy an evening concert there.