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.

Paris, Eiffel Tower V

Paris, Eiffel Tower V, oil on canvas, 12x9 in. available at La Jolla Art Association Gallery, in La Jolla, California. Reception for this show is on Friday 21st, 6:30 - 8:00 pm. Come over with your friends! Art and wine go well together!

I read something quite interesting in the Pratique des Arts magazine, a French magazine similar to our Artist's magazine. It said: "What makes a painter different from another one is less her technique, and  much more her personal vision of the world. That's what makes her unique." Milerid Mulick.

Paris, Eiffel Tower I

Paris, Eiffel Tower I, oil on canvas, 12x9 in, available, contact me.
This is one of three oil paintings in exhibition now at La Jolla Art Association Gallery, La Jolla, California. The Opening Reception is Friday 21st, from 6:30-8:00 pm. You are all invited! I hope to see you there!

I love to walk in Paris and find hidden, interesting views of the Eiffel Tower. I have sketched that tower at all times of the day, from a hundred different places. Here is another view! Enjoy! I usually sketch in pencil, pens, and watercolors, filling up many travel journals with my value sketches and watercolors. Then sometimes I do a larger painting in my studio.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery, beautiful book! I couldn't put it down for days after I'd finished reading it. I strongly recommend it. The original is in French. The picture on the right, is my painting: Casablanca Girls, oil on canvas, 12x24" (30x60 cm.)  I painted it after my sketches and photographs of my trip to Casablanca in 2009. What a great city!

Paris, Eiffel Tower IV, oil on canvas board

Paris, Eiffel Tower IV, oil on canvas board, 12x9, available.
I was recently reading about the great watercolorist George James, who lately paints only on Yupo. James draws constantly, filling sketchbooks for reference. He draws the arrangements of figures, then blocks in the dark and light patterns with a light value. Then he establishes the middle value, moving toward darkness and complexity.  He says that watercolor lives in the real world, unlike the timeless world of oil painting in which endless revision is possible.

Paris, Eiffel Tower V

Paris, Eiffel Tower V, oil on canvas, 12x9, available.
If you would like to see the originals of my work, here is where you can at this moment:
--La Jolla Art Association, La Jolla, California.
--San Diego Watercolor Society, San Diego, California.
--Gallery 21, Spanish Village, San Diego, California.
--San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, California.
--Petrini's Restaurant, San Diego, California.
--Agence Bordenave, Cauterets, France.
More shows coming up soon, I'm always updating my website:www.minnievaleroart.com
Thank you so much for your interest and support!