MANTA II, ECUADOR, watercolor

Manta II, Ecuador, watercolor, 4x6 in.
South American Cruise painting # 13

Carnival Splendor cruise ship was fun. My painting group and I met every day on Deck 10 in the morning and painted, sometimes for hours!
I also read the book: THE ELEMENT, by Ken Robinson, Ph.D. One sentence reads:
"Research and experience show that lucky people often make their luck because of their attitudes. "
"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."

BOATS IN PROGRESS

Boats in Progress, watercolor, 4x6
South American Cruise series # 12

There is a good ship-building situation in Manta, Ecuador. We drove around and were able to appreciate this ancient and modern art and science.

Back on the cruise ship, I continued painting with my original friends, only now more people were appearing to paint with us. We were growing into a painting community, on Deck 10, every day. All day long on sea days.

BEACH IN MANTA, ECUADOR, watercolor

Beach in Manta, Ecuador, watercolor, 4x6 in.
South American Cruise series # 11

As I was saying, the sea food in Ecuador is out of this world!
Seven  cultures inhabited the province of Manabi (Manta) in Ecuador from 4200 BC to 1530 AC: Valdivia, Machalilla, Chorrera, Guangala, Bahia, Jama-Coaque, and Manteño, Huancavilca. When we crossed the actual "ecuador", or equator, the whole cruise ship celebrated that we were not "polliwogs" anymore, now we were "shellbacks"! Lots of fun aboard the Carnival Splendor Cruise ship.

MANTA, ECUADOR, watercolor

Manta, Ecuador. watercolor and fine black pen, 4x6
South America Cruise, painting 10

Unbelievable but true: the famous "Panama hats", are made in Ecuador, not in Panama. They are made mostly in the town of Montecristi, a few km. from Manta. We took a taxi and visited the colorful town of Montecristi, at the foot of the Montecristi hill. We saw people hand-knitting/weaving the hats. Manta has a great selection of fresh seafood. You can find fish, shrimp, octopus, calamari, clams, mussels, prawns, lobster, crabs, and scallops that are specially fresh and cheap.

This watercolor started with a pen drawing plain-air, on the sidewalk, then I used watercolor, and when it was dry I did some details with the pen over the watercolor. Voila!

GUATEMALAN WOMEN, watercolor

Guatemalan Women, watercolor, 12x9
South American Cruise # 9

This is the 9th painting in the series of watercolors from my recent cruise to South America. As we arrived in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, a show had been prepared with men and women dressed in typical Guatemalan folkloric outfits. They were lovely!

Scroll down in start at the beginning. I will continue publishing these watercolors from my trip for a couple of weeks. All the originals will be in exhibition at Gallery 21, Spanish Village Art Center, Balboa Park, San Diego, California, from April 9 to 22nd. This show is in conjunction with Doreen Mellen ceramics. Since she's from Australia and I am from Argentina, we are calling our show: "From the End of the World".

PUERTO QUETZAL, GUATEMALA, watercolor

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. watercolor, 4x6 in.
South American Cruise #8

"The land of eternal Spring" is this place advertised. With tropical rain forests and the spirit of the Mayan civilization, the unique culture of Guatemala is a combination of 22 Mayan ethnicities, Ladinos and Garifunas. Sugar is one of the largest industries of the country. Antigua, Guatemala, is one of the most popular destinations. Beautiful weather, I painted this small watercolor alla primma, in plain-air.

COCONUT CUTTER IN HUATULCO, watercolor

Coconut Cutter in Huatulco, Mexico. watercolor, 12x9 in
South American Cruise, #7

This beautiful young girl handling such a big knife to cut coconuts impressed me. We were having lunch of delicious fish by the beach near the Copalita river, and I took pictures of this girl, and did a quick sketch to paint later. Enjoy!