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Holidays, humor, Illustrations, Revising Old Work, thoughts behind the work, whimsy

The Giving Christmas Tree

reworking of an analog drawing, now digital

I have always liked the saying “To give is to receive”. I think it’s because this has come true in my life so many times. I gave it a light and whimsical font to keep in the mood with the subject matter. The sketches were done very quickly with pen and ink on a sketch pad. They are in no order of importance on the tree. I think I laid them out digitally according to size. They represent things I have always held dear to my daily life, wherever I lived, worked or played.
There are plants, herbs, animals, dishes, quilts, furniture, an old fashioned windowsill, balloons, flowers in vases, a bumblebee, a big bow, a little cow, afternoon tea and of course a can of soup.
Here is the link to purchase this art on a ton of products. thanks for looking.

Ajijic, flora and fauna

Ajijic Plaza Umbrellas

AjijicPlaza copy-web.jpgThis is a small scene in the downtown Centro Plaza in Ajijic, Mexico. It’s a relaxed and sometimes very busy place.  Weekends find artisans selling their wares, musicians playing their instruments in festive songs. Generally it’s a busy but festive place. You can get and ice cream and sit on a bench and people watch or meet friends for lunch at nearby restaurants.  Food carts await and taxis sit at their stations ready to bring you anywhere you want to go.

The atmosphere is always friendly and there’s always the sound of laughter of happy children running in and out of the gazebo.  It’s a wonderful place to share with friends.  Flower are always blooming Ajijic Plaza umbrellas  against a clear blue sky.

Illustrations, Pen and Ink Drawing

New Things to Come

My star mandalas are sometimes called “sunfaces”. I love drawing and painting them in watercolor. Each one is hand drawn without a computer. Some people regard the mandala as an art form that grows from the center out. I started drawing this series around 2015. Those times were super hard and drawing got me through that very rough period. I’m working on a publication to put the sunfaces together so people can read them as one idea.

Uncategorized

Exploring Color Options, WIP

I’ve been wanting to expland and explore color for a long time. It seems like the time has come. I bought a new empty palette and no funds to fill it. If you have any idea of how pricey good watercolors can be, be aware that living in Mexico can make what is hard even harder when it comes to getting quality art materials. It’s getting easier, but believe me, it’s still a struggle. Over a year and a half ago I bought Graham’s watercolor collection and got sick without a chance to open them up. I forgot about them. Well, I decided to look through my stash and see if there were any remnants of colors I could scrape together to make the new palette I wanted. I spent two days rescuing tiny bits of paint and putting them in the new palette and also discovered the missing Graham colors. Turns out they are wonderful. Hurray Portland, OR. So here’s what I put together which I am exploring. The idea is to use only or mostly granulating colors. Use no greens, build your own (I cheated and allowed myself Grahams’ Veridian because I love it so. I built cooler and warmer tones a tube of Veridian only. So, here’s what I put together as a beginning palette.

This palette makes an amazing difference. Here is the first stage of a street scene done in granulating and mixing colors. Already I can see a complete transformation of how I work. It’s pretty cool and encouraging to make a change and actually see a difference.

fantasy illustration, watercolor, whimsy

Woman Portrait in Yellow Abstract

She is modern, she is colorful, she is all things to abstract desires. Contemporary image of a modern woman who does not eat wheaties for breakfast. She dines on softly boiled eggs with sherry and touches of pepper flakes on delicate french crusty toast. Do you know her??? She is here on a few sites, including Fine Art America.

abstract imagination, whimsy

sepia ink sketch street scene

I am offering a class in imaginary street scenes in different ink and wash media. Right now, it’s only in person here in San Antonio, Tlayacapan, Jalisco, Mx. If this interests you, let me know. I may do it online in the future. This particular ink is ellusive as it lifts with a wash. That’s a challenge but also intriguing.

watercolor, whimsy

Retro Old Fashioned House with DOG

How about an old house with huge chimney, red roofs, topiary trees and a little dog. Here she is as sweeet as can be waiting for you when you come home from a hard day at the factory. Doesn’t my new watercolor drawing sort of look like something right out of a post victorian novel? I’m doing a new series where I incorporate lots of texture to drawing with watercolor pencils over my value studies. Seems that people here are liking this style. Watch for more. see it on products