October 2020

 October has flown by. Happy Halloween!

Here are the watercolors I have been painting over the last months. Every one of them was started in Linda Simone's zoom class and finished afterwards in the studio. 

Colorful Pumpkin, Tuscan Hills, Little Owl after Durer and Comfort for a Cool Morning were all painted on 6 x 9" (15 x 22cm) watercolor paper.

Two of my Canigou paintings and my whimsical cats are on display in the members' gallery of the San Antonio Art League and Museum, in King William's till March 2021.

My small cat pieces are shown and for sale at Mockingbird Handprints at Blue Star in town. Mockingbird Handprints has a lot of great, local art that would make wonderful gifts.

August 15th 202

 Here is my art news! 

  I created a painting for the GAGA (Gentileschi  Aegis Gallery Association www.gagaart.org) exhibit, called My Story. This exhibit is going to be virtual because of present circumstances. My Story is the brainchild of Sylvia Benitez (GAGA's founder and president) in response to the centennial of the 19th Amendment which finally allowed women to vote in the US. 

My painting will be part of a triptych called My Roots. I wanted to explore women and diversity in my own background. My grandmother was of mixed Dutch and Javanese heritage. Like for many people who lived in the Dutch Indies when she did, the Dutch heritage and a European education were everything to her. They allowed her to be treated with more respect by Europeans and in the Netherlands and to have a better future.

It was an eye opener for me, when I learned in New Zealand how proud people were to have indigenous ancestors. I realized that that is the way it could be everywhere!

My grandmother, Adrienne; oil 24 x 24"

My latest commission is a double pet portrait of Peggy and Maya. The assignment was a whimsical portrait of the cats with Mission San Jose in the background. It sounded fairly easy. But as I was progressing, I found that whimsical cats and a likeness, especially of striped Maya, was something I could not do. So, I limited my playful patterns to Peggy and made the likeness my focus. Peggy and Maya's parents have been wonderfully supportive throughout!

Peggy and Maya, watercolor, 11 x 14"

Except for that, we have been busy picking, delivering and preserving figs in July as well as enjoying our kittens. 

Mama Leila in her box

Adopted daughter, Tochka, up high.

 It was easy to get up there, but she could not figure out how to get down.

Stay safe!

May-June 2020

Art news from May.
As my last blog was long, I will keep this one short.
I hope you continue to do well.
My 40% donation to SARA Sanctuary of all artwork and products bought continues this month.

Retama Dusk, oil 11 x14"

 Retama dusk is a study and abstraction of Retama (or Palo Verde) branches. I left a lot of branches out of the picture, for even this relatively simple tree is overwhelming in its complexity.

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

This is a painting inspired by an orange tabby who was always hanging around Mission Espada 15 or more years ago and wanted to get into the church. Around Christmas time, there was even a statue of him in the beautiful Nativity inside the Mission!
 This piece is my contribution to the Say Si (Small Scale) fundraiser this year. The Auction will be from June 12th-26th online. June 26th in the final Auction Night. (www.SaySi.org)  This year the whole event will be online!

Monaco Cats, watercolor, 11 x 14"

Monaco Cats are in the mail to my cousin. I saw the church of Sainte Devote and the statue on an earlier visit. I was impressed by the statue and liked the church. Instead of putting my cats in a San Antonio decor, it seemed fitting to show them in Monte Carlo.

April 2020

Dear friends,
 In these difficult times, my thoughts go out to all of you. Social isolation must be so hard on so many, the elderly, the sick, people who are single come to mind. This virus challenges us in the way we have related to each other and expressed affection and concern forever. The generosity, spirit of community and solidarity are some of the encouraging things happening right now.
 I am grateful for the sacrifices grocery store employees and other workers are making enabling us to stay safe at home. I am grateful for the sacrifices nurses and doctors are making fighting for us to stay alive.
Please, stay safe, stay at home as much as possible! Thank you for social distancing!

Thank you for you reading my blog!
My family and I are doing well.
My hope is that the same is and stays true for you!

Molly, oil, 16 x 24"

Molly is the portrait of a dog who was so loving that I felt touched by it, even though I saw her only once. She had a fondness for confetti lantana.

Song of Solitude, oil. 12 x 16"

Song of Solitude is a piece I started in 2012 and was glad to be able to finish recently. The red hill remind me now of the fires in Australia and the lonely tree makes me think of the present time.

Adventures in Magic Realism, oil, 16 x 20"

Adventures in Magic Realism was another unfinished landscape. The foreground is a foreign element in this painting which is somehow satisfying to me. I am considering returning to this theme and seeing how I can play with a foreign part and integrate it or part of it.

Cipo and the Alamo, watercolor, 11 x 14"

Cipo and the Alamo is the portrait of a beloved cat for an Italian friend of the Alamo and Texas.


Shea Daniel Youngblood raised $1664 for the San Antonio Food Bank with her art auctions! Her art can be seen by appointment at Kapej Gallery and Cafe, 415, Camden Street SA TX 210-838-8681.

Cindy Morawski is and Maren Phillips was raising money for the SA Food Bank. All three are impressive artists. Check out their work at
www.sheadanielyoungblood.com; www.CindyMorawski.com and Maren Philips' Artlines-Home page on Facebook.

Every Wednesday, Linda Simone makes a watercolor painting on a recycled teabag, inspired by a photo in her Facebook feed. She sends the completed mounted art as a gift to the person who posted the photo. Her work can be seen at @teabagartsa on instagram.

As for me, I want to help the Society for Animal Rescue and Adoption (SARA) www.sarasanctuary.org. Starting right now and for the next 2 months 40% of any of my original pieces of art bought directly from me will go to the Sanctuary. On www.verasart.com there is a collection "originals for sale", with "click here to contact the artist". Shipping of the framed painting in the continental US is included in some of the prices!
If you would rather buy a print, a tote bag, a coffee mug..., I will donate 40% of my proceeds to SARA as well.


 

February 2020

On a cold, rainy, winter day in Texas, I am writing to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Cats, 22 x 28", watercolor

River Friends, 11 x 14", watercolor

Rosa and Pedro of the Rose Window at Mission San Jose, 9 x 12", watercolor

Starting on a Magical Journey Together, 11 x 14", watercolor

Starting on a Magical Journey is my newest whimsical cat creation. Both cats are in front of one of my favorite doors in San Antonio, the door of Mission Espada. Now the door is really gray and brown, which gives me such a good excuse to play with colors!

River Friends was inspired by a friendly neighborhood cat and a dog wearing a blue fleece coat at the Society for Animal Rescue and Adoption or SARA Sanctuary. Since the cat has such beautiful markings already, I chose the dog's plain jacket to decorate. Both are on a virtual visit to the Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX.

Happy Cats are in Hemisphere park, where the once flourishing Schulze's House (in the painting like it looked eight years ago) is in bad need of repair these days, while Rosa and Pedro are of course at Mission San Jose, where their story is told daily to tourists from all over the world.

Have an amazing Valentine's Day!


For those of you in San Antonio, TX and surrounding area, Kapej Gallery invites you to the reception of artist, Tamara Slavinska, on Friday February 21st from 6 till 9 pm. 
Parking is free at the meters at that time. Tamara's art will be on display from Feb 18th till March 6th.
Join us if you can!

Tamara with Daily Grind

Kapej Gallery and Cafe is located at:
415, Camden Street
San Antonio, TX 78215
210-838-8681
regular hours are Mon-Thu 8am -6pm
(Friday 11-5 Monterrey style tacos by Mexico Magico pop-up 210-214-4636)

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!