INTROSPECTION, acrylic on canvas, 36x36"

INTROSPECTION, 36x36" acrylic on canvas.
Day 4 of the Challenge. I did not paint this today, it took me a couple of weeks. It is the first time I share this painting in my blog. Enjoy! It is one of the 36x36" paintings for my solo show TRANSITIONS, taking place in February at The Glashaus Main Space Gallery, in San Diego, California.

PRAHA TOWER, Prague, Czech Republic, watercolor on Arches paper

PRAHA TOWER, Prague, Czech Republic, 14x11", watercolor on Arches paper. Accepted for exhibition at San Diego Watercolor Society, December 2-26. Artists reception on Friday, December 4, 2015, from 5:00-9:00pm. You are invited!!! Wine and hors d'oeuvres served.

The San Diego Watercolor Society has more than 700 international members, including the most prestigious watercolorists in North,  Central and South America, Asia, and Europe. The address is: 2825 Dewey Rd., # 105,  (Liberty Station) in San Diego, California 92106.

BAD HAIR DAY, urban sea life at Birch Aquarium, acrylic on canvas

BAD HAIR DAY, urban sea life at Birch Aquarium, acrylic on canvas, 16x20 in.

This is one of three paintings accepted for exhibition at the San Diego Southwestern Yacht Club, from October 10, 2015 till January 9, 2016. The artist reception will be on Sunday, October 11, from 3:00-5:00 pm. The Southwestern Yacht Club address is: 2702 Queltrough Street, San Diego 92106.

"MOON DROP", urban sea life near the Pacific Coast

MOON DROP, acrylic on canvas, 16x20 in.
One of three of my paintings that will be on display at the Southwestern Yacht Club Club-house in San Diego, California, from October 10 to January 9, 2016. This is part of the exhibition with the theme: Urban Sea Life. I researched the topic visiting and sketching at the beautiful Birch Aquarium in La Jolla.

OCEAN BEACH, acrylic on canvas

OCEAN BEACH, San Diego, acrylic on canvas, 6x6.

I enjoy painting small canvases sometimes, they are good for quick "souvenirs" of a moment outdoors. We are so blessed living in Southern California with nearby beaches, and a short drive to the mountains or dessert! Life is good, and if you can paint it, it's even better!!!

SPANISH VILLAGE, Balboa Park, San Diego, acrylic on canvas

SPANISH VILLAGE, Balboa Park, San Diego, California, 6x6 in. acrylic on canvas
A fun view toward the Zoo, of the Spanish Village area at Balboa Park.  These are the artists studios, about 40 studios there, from painting to glass, metal, souvenirs, trinkets, posters, jewelry, etc. A fun place to visit, with colorful pavers, music on weekend afternoons. Enjoy!

KIWI, drought tolerant fruit, acrylic on canvas

KIWI, drought tolerant fruit, acrylic on canvas, 14x14. This is the fifth painting I share, of the six paintings I did for the Drought Tolerant Plants and Fruits Convention at the Jacobs Center, in San Diego, California, a couple of weeks ago.

Only one left from my small group of six paintings. There are several more drought tolerant fruits. So.....can you guess which one I painted as the sixth in the series? Guess....and send me a message. The winner will have a reward: a signed copy of my painting. I will publish the sixth painting on Monday September 7. Send me an email with your guess at minnievalero@yahoo.fr
 I WILL BE WAITING!.......

PRICKLY PEAR, acrylic on canvas

PRICKLY PEAR, acrylic on canvas, 14x14 in.  One of six paintings for the exhibition at the DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS AND FRUITS, in August, at the Jacobs Center, San Diego, CA.
Bears love these fruits. My friends in Claremont, near Los Angeles, who have lots of prickly pear trees in their backyard, report bears coming down the Los Angeles mountains and filling up on them.

MEDUSA, acrylic over ceramic mask over black canvas

MEDUSA, 16x20 in. black canvas- ceramic mask, painted with acrylics, glued to the canvas. The result is pretty striking.

My ceramist friend and studio neighbor Doreen Mellen made the mask, which I glued to a black canvas, and painted in acrylics. We had fun with this collaboration. It is in exhibition and for sale at The Glashaus Studios and Gallery, 1815 Main Street, San Diego, California. Come visit us!

LET IT BE, acrylic on canvas

LET IT BE, acrylic on canvas, 3x9 inches, for sale at SIMPLY LOCAL, a lovely boutique/local artists gallery showcase at 3013 University, in North Park, San Diego, California.

Tonight was Ray at Night, a second Saturday of the month art walk, with music, food, art! If you missed us tonight, make a note to come over the second Saturday in May!

WELL BEHAVED WOMEN RARELY MAKE HISTORY

WELL BEHAVED WOMEN RARELY MAKE HISTORY, t-shirt at the Women's Museum of California.  The two paintings of women on the wall behind it, are my watercolors: "Woman, waiting", on the left, and "Fruto di Amore" on the right. The Women's Museum is at Liberty Station in San Diego, California,  open Wednesday through Sunday 11:00am -4:00 pm.

COLLIURE II, FRANCE, watercolor

COLLIURE II, FRANCE, watercolor, 5x7 in., in exhibition at the San Diego Watercolor Society, San Diego, California. This is the second watercolor juried in yesterday. Colliure is a very colorful and beautiful town in the south of France, close to the border with Spain. At the beginning of the 20th C. it was the last town reached by the French trains. This is where Fauvism was born. The art tour guides tell the story of Matisse escaping the art scene of Paris, taking the train the farthest it would go, stopping in Colliure. Then he invited Derain, and others followed. They went wild with colors, and Fauvism was born.

Reception  at the Watercolor Society Gallery at Liberty Station, San Diego, California, this coming Friday, April 3, from 5:00- 8:00 pm. YOU ARE INVITED! COME FOR THE ART, STAY FOR THE WINE!

SAN DIEGO SKYLINE, watercolor

SAN DIEGO SKYLINE from Harbor Island, watercolor on Arches paper, 9x12 in. Painted plain air last week a day that the light was constantly changing. The sky, the clouds, and the sun, were playing hide and seek the entire morning!

We recently took a tour-cruise on the San Diego Harbor, and learned that "Harbor Island" didn't exist a hundred years ago. It was created with the accumulation of silt and rocks from the bottom of the bay, to deepen the San Diego Bay. Now there are some beautiful hotels, restaurants, parks, yatch club, it is a lovely ride with a gorgeous view of the San Diego skyline.

KATHLEEN'S FIRE, pastel portrait on Canson paper

KATHLEEN'S FIRE, pastel portrait on Canson paper, 28x22 in., a portrait of Kathleen Mitchell, glass blower extraordinaire, at The Glashaus.

Big event today Saturday, March 14, at The Glashaus, Kathleen's exhibition of her beautiful production. Come today, wonderful music, good food, and her fantastic artwork. Most studios will be open, too, including mine, all afternoon and evening. The Glashaus: 1815 Main Street, San Diego 92113. From the 5 fwy, exit Cesar Chavez Ave. See you tonight!

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."

LES ALPES, oil on canvas

LES ALPES, oil on canvas 10x10" original painting, available for viewing at my studio : The Glashaus, 1815 Main Street, San Diego, California. Available for purchasing, contact me at minnievalero@yahoo.fr

Having grown up in Mendoza, Argentina, near the Andes, from the age of two to twelve, the love of mountains has stayed with me. I love all mountains everywhere. There is a sense of infinite mystery, beauty, silence, and marvel. I particularly love the French mountains, the Pyrénées, and the Alpes.

WILD BEAUTY, oil on canvas and ceramic

WILD BEAUTY, oil on canvas painting with ceramic "hair" glued to the canvas, 24x36, in exhibition and available for purchase at THE GLASHAUS, 1815 Main Street, San Diego, California.

This art piece is part of a collaborative exhibition by the artists at The Glashaus Studios and Gallery. We combined our artistic skills and crazy ideas, and came up with new work we had not even imagined before we started! We surprised each other and ourselves. The result was a fantastic collaboration of different media never attempted before. It was awesome! It is a beautiful show, only two more weeks.

TANGO CALLEJERO, watercolor on Arches paper

TANGO CALLEJERO, watercolor on Arches paper, 30x22 in. This painting was just juried into the show at Point Loma Credit Union, 3777 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego, California. The exhibition will take place during the months of February and March, 2015,  9:00 am-6:00 pm, every day except Sunday. Free to visit and see the show. Paintings are for sale.

DANCING INTO THE NEW YEAR, watercolor and acrylic paintings

DANCING INTO THE NEW YEAR, watercolor and acrylic paintings of tango dancers and musicians, a solo show exhibition in the Main Hall of The Glashaus, from January 3rd to January 25th, 2015. The Glashaus: 1815 Main Street, San Diego, California.

Opening Reception on Saturday, January 10th, 2015, from 5:00-8:00pm. 
I hope to see you there!

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.