Author: Michele B. Naquaiya

I'm an artist/illustrator living in Mexico. I'm exploring life through art and the art of the journal with pictures and a few words.
loving mexico

‘Tis the Season, or closing in towards holidays, tourists, party lovers, worshipers.

Michele B. Naquaiya

Now that I have been living in Mexico for five years, things are starting to gel and make sense. I thought I understood Day of the Dead when I came here. I discovered I did not. Two years ago I sat with friends on a dark November 2 night. We lit candles and they made a lovely altar with flowers and food for the deceased. We gave offerings to our departed. The gift I chose was oranges for my beloved brother because he could never get enough oranges. He would even scrape the pulp from the fruit with his teeth. I always remember him eating oranges, whenever he could. Putting his picture on the altar and seeing him there with all the other spirits made me cry. I wondered why was I here, in another country, kind of alone. We shared little stories about the deceased and I began to understand how sacred and special these days of celebration and how healing they are. Death is a celebration, not an ending.

I have grown to love Dia De Los Muertos because I finally can allow all the tears to flow and remember my lost family and forever treasure them without sorrow. They never leave us, they are always there, just as we will be there for them.

I will post all the art I have created for this time of year for the next few months. It keeps me going and is a great inspiration in the face of a dark and darkening world. Here is a link if you wish to purchase this art. I would be grateful.

Brown Paper Paintings, flora and fauna, Plein Aire Painting

Brown Paper Series-#1 Ready to Exhibit in Guild October show

Michele B. Naquaiya

This is the first large brown paper painting I did 2 months ago. It was a very different experience–unknown, different, exciting. I did it as an experiment—to paint very big on paper that was not white and completely unique. If you know me you know my favorite thing is drawing and painting from life. I normally never use photos except for quick references. That’s just my training and experience. So I found myself painting outside in my patio where the light was perfect and I had a little room to hold this big canvas, which was not a canvas at all but a melange of several heavy cardboard sheets taped together.

The brown paper is heavy gauge wrapping paper found in framer’s supply. The paint is a mix of several types: watercolor, liquid acrylics and fabric paints heavily thinned. I was very happy because I could apply my techiques the same way I teach watercolor; by working in layers. When you work digitally in photoshop you have to have a good command of layers. I use photoshop every day in one way or another. This technique is giving me a way I can blend the techniques and materials to solve “how to” prolems. At last I found a way to combine the theory of how to paint with the practicality of this kooky medium I was kind of inventing for myself.
For posts, I did take some quick shots with my cellphone to follow the progress. I will be releasing a pdf in my new watercolor teaching book so stay tuned.