La Fille d'Elise, pastel portrait

La Fille d'Elise, pastel portrait, 16x24 in.
Completed last month, and brought to the town of Sireix, in the French Pyrénées, for her parents.  This young woman died very young, soon after her baby son was born. Her parents were happy with the portrait.

Before you start a painting, in whatever medium you are using, watercolor, pastel, acrylic or oil, you must first consider the composition. Where will you place your subject? What will be your most important area in the painting? Cold or warm colors? How will you arrange the different shapes? There is a lot to consider before you pick up the brush or the piece of chalk, or the pencil. Usually, when you start painting, the painting is already done in your head.

Dreamer

Dreamer, pastel pencil, 40x30cm.(16x12")  $700
I have published this painting before.  I'm repeating it, to celebrate  the Award of Excellence obtained today from the San Diego Portrait Society. I'm happy.
I recently visited the studio of La Jolla oil painter Sebastian Capella. He had signs all over saying : "Observe more...paint less", "Paint by masses", "Squint", and "Stay longer in the preliminary stages". Great advice!!! I wish I could always remember to do that!

Peregrino II

Peregrino II, mixed technique: gesso, acrylic, oil and dry leaves on an original Panamenian coffee bag. 30x22" (75x55cm.) Available: $800 US. Mailing included within USA.
"Et Maintenant On Va Ou?" (And Now Where Do We Go?) a film by Nadine Labaki I saw a few days ago.  A film only a woman could do. The story of a small town where musulmans and christians live in peace, but in the country at large they are at war. The women in the town get organized and use their imagination in interesting ways to keep the men from fighting. Wonderful film!
Peregrino II, tecnica mixta: gesso, acrilico, oleo y hojas secas sobre una bolsa Panamena de cafe. Disponible: $ 800 US. Envio aereo dentro de USA incluido en el precio.
"Y Ahora Adonde Vamos?" pelicula de Nadine Labaki que vi hace unos dias. Una pelicula que solo una mujer podria hacer. La historia de un pueblo donde musulmanes y cristianos viven en paz, pero en resto del pais estan en guerra. Las mujeres del pueblo se organizan y usan su imaginacion en maneras muy interesantes para que los hombres no se peleen. Hermosa pelicula!

Beauty

Beauty, mixed technique: acrylic and oil on an ancient book-cover, 25x35 cm. Available: 230 Eu = $345 US
This painting is hanging at my solo show: "De l'Emotion `a l'Image", at the Bibliotheque Municipale de Cauterets, France, until October 7.
Beauty, tecnica mixta: acrilico y oleo sobre la cubierta de un libro antiguo. Disponible. Esta pintura esta  en exhibicion en mi exposicion individual : "De L'Emotion `a L'Image", en la Bibliotheque Municipale de Cauterets, Francia, hasta el 7 de octubre.

Truth

Truth, mixed technique: acrylic, oil, stamp with the word in Chinese character, on an ancient book-cover. 28x40cm., available: 230Euros= $345 US.
This painting is part of the series "Old Books", part of the exhibit: "De l'Emotion `a l'Image", at this moment at the Bibliotheque Municipal de Cauterets, France. Since this exhibit would take place in a library, I thought using old cloth book-covers as support would make sense, following the saying: "Old books are always good, because only the good ones become old." Today's posting is  from Fromista, Spain!

Truth, (Verdad) tecnica mixta: acrilico, oleo, sello con la palabra en caracter chino, sobre cubierta de libro antiguo. Disponible: 230 Euros.

Esta pintura es parte de la serie: "Viejos Libros", parte de la exhibicion: "De l'Emotion `a l'Image", en este momento en exhibicion en la Bibliotheque Municipal de Cauterets, Francia. Puesto que esta exhibicion tendria lugar en una biblioteca, pense que usar cubiertas en tela de libros antiguos como base seria logico, de acuerdo al dicho: "Los libros viejos son todos buenos, porque solo los buenos llegan a viejos." Esta publicacion de hoy es desde Fromista, Espana!

Beauty

Beauty, acrylic and oil on an ancient book-cover, 25x35cm. Available: 230 Euros = $345 US. This painting is hanging at the Bibliotheque Municipal de Cauterets, France, part of my One-Woman-Show: "De l'Emotion `a l'Image", Sept 1-October 7. Reception Thursday, September 1st., 18:00 hs. You are invited.
My advice today: Take a chance, enroll in a class, enter a contest, propose a show, set up an easel outside. No one has the same talent as you do. Start with simple shapes.  Woody Allen has said: "Eighty percent of success is showing up."

Beauty, acrilico y oleo sobre cubierta de libro antiguo. Diponible. Esta pintura esta colgada en la Biblioteca Municipal de Cauterets, Francia, parte de mi exposicion individual: "De l'Emotion `a l'Image", 1 Sept.-7 October. Recepcion el jueves 1ro. de setiembre, a las 18:00 hs. Estas invitada.

Mi consejo hoy: Toma un riesgo, registrate en una clase, entra a un concurso, haz una propuesta para una exhibicion, instala tu caballete al aire libre. Nadie tiene el  mismo talento que tu. Comienza con formas simples. Woody Allen ha dicho: "Ochenta por ciento del exito es aparecer en escena."

Le Ferme de Conde', Chantilly

Le Ferme de Conde', Chantilly. watercolor, 21x29 cm., available: 80 Euros/$120 US.
Who would have thought that the illegitimate child of a maid, born in an italian village would become an art legend? Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was one of the first artists to use oil to mix with his pigments.

Le Ferme de Conde', Chantilly. Acuarela. 

Quien hubiera pensado que el hijo ilegitimo de una mucama, nacido en un pueblito italiano llegaria a ser una leyenda en el mundo del arte? Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) fue uno de los primeros artistas que uso aceite (oleo) para mezclar con sus pigmentos.

Ma Chimere

Ma Chimere, oil on canvas, 70x90 cm. is one of 9 paintings of mine at the show opening today at the Centro Cultural de Monforte de Lemos, in Galicia, Spain. All 9 oils represent my vision of life in the French Pyrenees mountains.When I paint, I think of the poem by Gerardo Diego:
"my hand tells of truths and joys
that my tongue is not able to articulate"   (translation mine)

Mi Quimera, oleo sobre tela, es una de 9 pinturas mias en la exhibicion que abre hoy en el Centro Cultural de Monforte de Lemos, en Galicia, Espana. Los 9 oleos representan mi vision de la vida en los Pirineos franceses. Cuando pinto, pienso del poema de Gerardo Diego:

"mi mano dice verdades y alegrias

que mi lengua es incapaz de articular."