December 2019

Dear friends, so much has happened and it has been a long time since my last blog.

First of all Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to all of you!

2019 has been a year of growth and reconnecting. It has been a good experience to see how people I used to be close to years ago have been brought back into my life.

These past 3 months, I have been helping a new, small gallery and cafe in San Antonio,TX called Kapej at 415 Camden Street. It was born from the dreams of its owners. Artist, Laura Lopez, always wanted a gallery and Rudy Lopez a cafe - something like the one at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. Since its opening, Kapej has had several successful art shows and more and more people are returning for its great food. It has been an exciting adventure changing the art, working with the beautiful but small space. If you haven't yet had Rudy's delicious food, come try some. Monday-Thursday from 8am -6pm. You can park in the back if there is space. If you want to know about our art events check out Kapej on Facebook. @coffegalleryatcamden

Superheroes, my watercolor commission, has been framed and delivered. It was a challenge I am grateful for.

Superheroes, watercolor on Arches 22 x 30" 

I always enjoy my inner child's adventures in the world of whimsical cats.

Mirror Cats and Alamos, watercolor 5 x 5"

Misty-kin, watercolor 2 x 3"

One Cold Morning in San Antonio, TX, watercolor 2 x 3"

River Twins, watercolor 2 x 3"

Remembering a Cat at Mission Espada, watercolor 5 x 7"

It is with gratitude I remember all the customers I met this year buying cat and other cards, mini originals, prints, mugs, bags and larger originals. Thank you!

 One of them is Kristin who loved my piece at Say Si. Say Si is an organization in San Antonio, TX which in their own words "ignites the creative power of young people as forces of positive change". They do a wonderful job of supporting and teaching high school students. www.saysi.org
Kristin, dressed like in the 1920s, bought my ALAMOndriaan Cat in the Small Works, Big Change fundraiser this December!

ALAMOndriaan Cat, watercolor 5 x 7"

September

Hello again, it is the last day of September already. It is still hot in Texas, but we may get some rain.. It is more bearable in the morning already. Earlier this month, lots of native plants were blooming after a thunderstorm. The rain lilies were everywhere in the neighborhood, often big patches of them. This is for my friend, Annie, who writes Haiku and loves wildflowers.

Cooperia Pedunculata, Hill Country Lilies. 

I created an abstract this month for the GAGA Placing Abstraction exhibit at the Southwest School of Arts and Crafts in San Antonio Oct 12th-Nov 21st. https://www.swschool.org/exhibitions/current-exhibitions

Souvenir du Quebec is the title because I saw so many landscapes I wanted to paint during our trip. It was done in palette knife from memory on an Ampersand cradle board like Michelle. I made a few small sketches from memory just before my departure and I chose the one that spoke to me the most. I wanted to have the Group of Seven in my mind as well, especially Tom Thomson's beautiful painting from the museum in Montreal.

Tom Thomson, Dans le Nord, oil

Like Jim McDonald taught me, I did not draw or paint the sketch on the board. This approach gave me a little problem with the location of the birches later on.
The sky and the hills in the distance were very easy to do. I wanted to keep the lake very dark to set off the trees. The birches required more thought and trial and error. I decided against branches because of the sketch and that it was an abstract. The grass was the hardest part, to get the color right and integrate it in the painting. This is a first in that there are fewer hard edges.

Souvenir du Quebec, oil, 24x24"

In cleaning the studio, I found this oil painting, I had forgotten about. It is a piece I have a better appreciation for now than when I made it.

Gladiola, oil, 9x12"

On the other hand, the icon of Gabriel (which turned up as well), has been a favorite for a long time. The green shape is the upper part of the wing, the little black dot indicates the ear opening which I placed a little too close  to the rest of the face. The Byzantine model makes me want to paint a larger one including the whole Angel. The Archangels Gabriel and Michael are usually found on the doors of the iconostasis, wooden separation in orthodox churches, between the nave and sanctuary. Maybe oil on a large wood panel?

Archangel Gabriel, watercolor on Arches, 5x7"

During my exhibit at La Tuna two paintings sold!

Laura and Rudy of the Kapej Gallery have invited me to show my art at their monthly gathering at their cozy, soon to be open cafe on Oct 18th from 6 till 9 pm. 415 Camden Street San Antonio, TX. There will jewelry, art and delicious food by Rudy.

I be at West Elm at the Pearl, in San Antonio, TX October 19th from 1 till 5 pm for their local pop-up event.

Have a safe October!

August 2019

This summer has gone by fast. First we had Gerald  staying with us. Then we had a wonderful family time in Connecticut and Quebec. We enjoyed being together with my cousin and Yolande and her family. I have a new favorite place: Quebec, where we saw beautiful landscapes and went whale watching.

Yolande's Canigou, oil, 16x20"

Yolande's Canigou in palettte knife is the result of re-examining the earlier version and making it more realistic. I knew the peach trees needed little alteration, the mountain was a different matter. The blossoms did need a gray blue in the hills to bring them out. A gray or white mist did not seem right, so I used the same color a little transparent. I played with different blues on the mountain and with texture, since there were a lot of previous layers.

Mondriaan Meditation, watercolor, 11x14"

Mondriaan Meditation is my first attempt to recreate my mini Mondriaan cats in a larger format. I wanted the cat to be a part of the geometric painting, not superimposed.

In September my art will be on display at La Tuna (Bar and Grill) in San Antonio. This time, I will show more oils than watercolors.

The Honoring Women exhibit will be at the School of Optometry/Rosenberg/Incarnate Word till its closing reception on Dec 8th. Thanks to all who came to see the show!

Thank you for your interest and support!

June 2019

Snow on the Canigou or Canigou Enneige, oil on Raymar Panel, 16 x 20"

It is summer already. I just got back from Europe where I enjoyed art and friendship. I got to spend a few days with our son Gerald and his girlfriend, my brother and other dear relatives and friends. I meant to create my blog in Europe, but was stopped by technical difficulties.
 Snow on the Canigou was painted in France this summer from a photograph (and a little imagination). It is the most realistic version yet. I did get to see the Canigou myself on this trip. The weather was mostly overcast and rainy like last year and not all of it was visible.

Alamo Spring Cat, watercolor on Arches, 9 x 12"

 Before my departure, I created two new fun cat pieces and a portrait of Michelle Obama. The portrait  was painted for Honoring Women, a collection of wonderful portraits, abstracts and landscapes created by local women artists participating in the Gentileschi Aegis Gallery Association. It is on display at Our Lady of the Lake University (Moye Hall) till August 30th. The reception will be on July 21 from 2 till 5 pm. I am looking forward to it and to meeting some of my friends and local supporters there!

Josephine, Mission San Jose Cat, watercolor on Arches, 22 x 30"

Michelle Obama, oil on Ampersand wood panel (detail) whole painting is 12 x 36"

The following painting was one of the ones, I felt fortunate to see in Paris. The Nabis (Prophets) were a group of French artists who met and created art from 1888 till 1900. The group included Bonnard, Denis, Vuillard, Roussel, Vallotton and Serusier.

Paul-Elie Ranson, Nabi Landscape, or the Nabi, 1890, oil on canvas

Have a wonderful rest of the summer!

Jan-Feb 2019

Air 1, watercolor

Water 1, watercolor

 This winter, I have been enjoying some old favorite Rock Art watercolors. This series was bought by a dear friend 10 years ago. We are "watercolor sitting" it, till my friend gets back to San Antonio. Part of me is longing to get back to this kind of work. It is all from before my lessons with Edward Povey.

Fire 1, watercolor

Earth 1, watercolor

 In March my art is on display at the friendly La Tuna Grill in San Antonio, TX. This is a new location for me, where I feel at home already.
The strong Huisache tree in the front of the restaurant is starting to bloom. The round, fluffy, yellow flowers always remind me of the Mimosa trees in France. And following the purple Mountain Laurel, it adds another wonderful fragrance to the coming of Spring. I feel like a bee sometimes dizzied by all these sweet smells.

 In April, I will be participating again in the Starving Artist's Show in La Villita.

 At home, in addition to my commissions and the taxes, I have been working on new cat pieces which have brought me a lot of joy. I will share them with you in my next blog.



This painted from memory pond painting found a good home together with Julie's pond painting from my last blog.

Pond Dreams, oil, 16x20"

Recently, I acquired two works from artists' friends: a Cindy Morawski pastel of a thoughtful tiger and a Laura Lopez still life of lifelike pears.

Cindy Morawski's Tiger, pastel

All Cindy's work has beautiful color combinations and she loves nature. My photo, taken at night, does not do her rich colors justice as you can see at www.CindyMorawski.com

 Laura's painting is different from her precise iconic creations. One of the pears looks so real and golden in the sunlight and I like the bold colors. Soon Laura will have a gallery to display her art in. I will keep you posted.

Laura Lopez' Pears,