This time, I really am finished

Final rework?

This painting has been stuck in the the stacks for many weeks. I put it in the studio and there it sat for more than a week. Although I have not been working, I have a habit of just going in several times a day...and finally, I knew what has been bothering me... I picked up some oil pastels, something I seldom use because it made with paraffin, but I touched up some details on the face, skirt and flowers. Can you see the differences between the first one, below and the above one?

How can I be an artist, if I am not making art?

Here is the culprit. Even though I ended up hurt, the young grape vine is fine.

We haven't seen clouds and rain in many months. Finally the rains started. Last night the lighting and thunder "lulled" me to sleep.

This morning I mopped up the flood of water in the living room.

In the middle of the last workshop, I tripped over the grape vine on my terrace and fell on my shoulder. Nothing broken, but I was not able to lift my right arm for about 10 days and still haven't been brave enough to start some new paintings.  I hardly know what to do with myself.  O.K, I am studying more Spanish and trying to figure out my fan page on Face Book ---that one gives me a headache, but I hardly know who I am without creating art.

The tile floor was easy to mop this morning. Just used a bunch of towels. 

Only in Mexico

While arranging my studio for the workshop tomorrow, I decided I needed to make a quick run to Walmart to buy a few more pots for the enaustic medium; however, as I headed for my car, I saw that my trip would be postponed for a bit while a small parade passed by my home. Another bright spot in my day. I love living in Mexico.

Monarchs in Mexico

Unfortunately, the only way I could show the depth of color and texture was to use a flash. Without it, the painting looked washed out. Monarch butterflies "vacation" in Mexico, buy the hundreds of thousands. There are many trips to see them in a town not far from San Miguel. I have not yet made that trip, but the photos are amazing and it is on my list of "to do" things.

Some photos

Traditional Michoacan dancers

Weaving palms

 I go up to the terrace early each day to water my plants and vegetables and this flower greeted me this morning. The bloom is on a rather ugly succulent that produces these big blossoms at night, for only one night and if I get to the terrace early enough, I am blessed with this fleeting beauty.

Parade

cooking contest

I have lived in San Miguel de Allende almost 7 years and I continue to love Mexico, the color, the traditions and the people.

What happened?

This 22" x 36" painting had many lives over the past few weeks. I applied more and more encaustic paint, more collage, lots of clear medium and it still wasn't working. Yesterday, I decided to scrape off the whole thing while it was still hot. The first slashing scrapes started to reveal some of the uncountable layers underneath. I felt it was becoming interesting, so I continued cutting into it until I saw a rhythm of patterns. It certainly isn't a part of the Soul Whispers series, it reminds me of a De Kooning or Basquiat.

Another painting finished today

"Contrasts", encaustic, oil, ink on board.

The last two days it had cooled down considerably. The temperatures had been over 90 degrees - closer to 100, for a few weeks. I like the heat, but I finally had to admit "it was hot!" Not a good time to be working in the studio with heated trays and a torch, but yesterday I could spend more than 6 uninterrupted hours finishing paintings. One is quite a disaster, and is going back in the stacks to be looked at a later time.

Monday and Tuesday I went on a trip with a group to Tequisquiapan. I am still trying to learn to say that one. My Mexican friends tell me that what I am saying is "mas o menos"

This town is only 2 hours from San Miguel, but the energy was quite different. I loved that the entire center was closed to traffic and the quiet and beauty was palpable.  We were there for the wine and cheese festival. I had a bit too much champagne, but it was such a treat... lots of water before I went to bed and all was well in the morning.

latest " Soul Whispers" painting

Encaustic, Oil, Ink on board, 22" x 36?

I have been trying to reply to comments and for some reason, I can no longer post them. Grrr

After completing the oil background, covering the panel with clear medium, and adding the taped off stripes, I felt it was still not what I wanted. Several days later, I knew I wanted to break up the geometric shapes and added the shellac burn and ink.