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!