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.

REFUGEE, pastel on velour board

REFUGEE, pastel portrait on velour board, 10x8 in. Today, this portrait won the Award of Excellence. This brings me to Signature Member status at the San Diego Portrait Society.

My upcoming events:
Next Tuesday, May 13: I am giving a demonstration for the North County Society of Fine Art, starting at 1:00.- The topic will be: Sketching while Traveling. Everybody welcome!
Next Wednesday, May 14:  Pastel portrait workshop at my studio-gallery in THE GLASHAUS, 1815 Main Street, San Diego 92113.- 10:00am to 1:00 pm. To register call: 619-240-6092 or email me: minnievalero@yahoo.fr  Space is limited, register early!
Next Friday, May 16: Watercolor workshop at my studio-gallery in THE GLASHAUS, 1815 Main Street, San Diego 92113.- 10:00 to 1:00 - to register call or email: 619-240-6092 or minnievalero@yahoo.fr   Space is limited, register early!

MR. FANTASTIC! watercolor

Mr. Fantastic! watercolor, 11x7.5 in.

During the Star Princess cruise to Hawaii, every morning when entering the breakfast area we were met by Nic, a young Phillipino man, whose answer to any question was "Fantastic!" with a big smile. So much so, that a comedian in the evening was imitating him producing even more questions from the passengers the following morning. Needles to say, everybody around this young man was smiling.  I had to take his picture, and paint his portrait.

What seemed light and funny at the beginning, made me  think on the power of smiles and positive expressions. Maybe we need more Mr. and Mrs Fantastic! in our lives. Maybe we could BE the "Fantastic" influences on others in their lives...

Elizabeth, pastel portrait

Elizabeth, pastel portrait, 20x16, available at Doreen Mellen Studio, The Glashaus, 1815 Main Street, San Diego, California. Come see more of my paintings, and the beautiful ceramic artwork by Doreen Mellen.

When I was in Budapest, Hungary, this past July, doing an artist residency, I visited Saint Stephen Basilica. It is named so, in honor of the first king of Hungary, Stephen. In this beautiful basilica is the mummified hand of the very own Saint Stephen! Imagine that! The basilica has excellent acoustics, and I was able to attend and enjoy an evening concert there.

Mirror, Mirror

Mirror, Mirror, pastel portrait, 20x16, available @La Jolla Art Association Gallery.
A few years ago, I asked my grand-daughter Emily to play with different hats and scarfs in front of the mirror, while I was taking pictures of her for future portraits. This is one of them. It is now on exhibition at La Jolla Art Association gallery, at 8100 Paseo del Ocaso, La Jolla, California. Come to the reception on Friday evening, from 6:30-8:00pm. There are other artists exhibiting, it is a beautiful show!

Today I painted several hours at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park, San Diego.  I did three watercolors. After I photograph them, I will share them in the blog. This garden is beautiful, they are in the process of expanding it, so in the Spring 2013 it will be bigger, at different levels.

Drummer

Drummer, pastel, 50x40 cm. Not available.
Robert Frost, in The Road Not Taken, hints at both, the limitations and opportunities created by choosing one path over another.  Art is the beginning of a vision and the artist is clairvoyant. I've read of other artists who feel like me: when you open your tubes of paint and pick up your brushes, the painting is already done in my mind's eye.

Drummer, pastel, 50x40 cm. No disponible.

Robert Frost, en su libro "El Camino No Tomado", nos habla de las limitaciones y las oportunidades de elegir un camino sobre otro. Arte es el principio de una vision y el artista es visionario. He leido de otros artistas que sienten como yo: cuando abres los tubos de pintura y levantas tu pincel, la pintura ya esta hecha en tu mente.