HOTEL LE PETIT TRIANON, St. Jean de Luz, France, ink and watercolor

Hotel Le Petit Trianon, St. Jean de Luz, France, ink and watercolor.

This is the view from the window of our hotel room in St. Jean de Luz, a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. This is a lovely town! This quick sketch is in my "carnet de voyages", travel sketchbook. Enjoy!!

SAXNÄSGÅRDEN VIEW I, pen and watercolor

Saxnäsgården View I, pen sketch and watercolor, 4x6 (10x15)

Saxnäsgården is a hotel and spa, on the lake, in Sweden. I go there often to have lunch, then read and paint outside, or inside, depending on the weather. This watercolor on hungarian hand-made paper was painted alla prima, from the lobby.'

I recently read DREAMS FROM MY FATHER, by a young Barack Obama. His grandfather said: "The secret to a man's success is Confidence. That's something you can learn from your Dad." I will add: Yes, and the opposite is also true: the lack of confidence in himself or herself, no matter how much talent, will bring up failure.

Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, pen sketch

Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, pen sketch, not available.
This museum opened in 1906. Eclectic style. Their biggest treasure, according to the lovely Eva, my tour guide, are their Dutch and Italian works, approximately 900 pieces of each. Also, it has the biggest collection of Spanish art after Spain! One of their temporary exhibits was a Photography in the 20th Century exhibition, including a photograph of Gloria Swanson's face behind lace, done by Edward Steichen (1879-1973), sketched here, in my art-notebook.