Tags
Expat life in Ecuador, I can do this painting projects, Outdoor Murals for Patios, Sarah Dettman Ecuador, Sunflower Paintings, The Ugly American
Day One -“Life Birds” – Sarah, Eloy and I worked past sunset!
Quito, Ecuador – While the northern hemisphere approaches the longest day of the year, and the southern approaches the shortest, the sun consistently peers over the horizon around 6 in the morning and sets around 6 in the evening on the equator. I often try to squeeze a bit more from each day, as the above photo illustrates!
Day Two: Attention to detail strengthens the painting.
Day Three: A Late-Afternoon Painting Party!
Before I resumed painting this morning, I posted the following comment to a forum about expat life in Ecuador: “When we travel to other countries, we sometimes forget that we are walking ambassadors for our own country. Our actions, manners and respect for others not only represent us, but our country as well. I have witnessed people who make shining ambassadors for my country, and I have witnessed others who make me ashamed. Sometimes we judge a bit too harshly, or we lose our tempers (easy to do when adjusting to a new culture) when we are frustrated. Even bad experiences teach us lessons!
My friend Silvana published a post last night, and I hope that all of you will read her story. She is a very bright, positive and sensitive young woman, and I am proud to call her my friend. I am also ashamed that she overheard an insensitive conversation this past week that addressed her culture.
http://tinasca.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/calle-13-latinoamerica/
Please leave a comment (on Silvana’s post) to show that for every insensitive person, there are many many more who are kind.”
Working in harmony
Thanks to those of you who have already commented on Silvana’s post; we all play a role in our world’s future, and bridging the cultures is a very important step.
My hands are full with painting projects this week at Sarah Dettman’s home, and I look forward to sharing the progress soon. Thank you all for your patience, and for your tireless support even when your comments go unanswered! I’m slowly catching up!
..Coming up – Butterflies!
It’s ‘lights out’ so that my eyes can rest and my batteries will be recharged; I’ll be painting while the sun is shining in the manana!
Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Beautiful paintings – I admire everybody who is so gifted. One other thing – when I started to learn english I had problems with certain words. One was ‘butterfly’!!!! And yes, I always called them ‘flutterbys’ (as on your award) and NOBODY told me that I was wrong – just charming!!!! 🙂
Thank you! When one compares the word ‘butterfly’ with ‘flutterby,’ the latter seems the better word! they probably thought that your word was much more charming as well!
And you are a walking/painting ambassador 🙂
ja! thank you! i’m about to go to sleep (late late late) and you have already enjoyed a lot of the day/wednesday!
Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat.Com™ and commented:
Talent is a blessing from God. You all have been so blessed. Thank you Ms. Z, for sharing your love with us all.
thank YOU for your positive support! buenas noches/buenos dias! z
(° ͜ʖ ͡°)
♥ ❀ ✿ Namaste ❀ ✿ ♥
It must be fantastic to live a life with all this art. Wonderful, Z.
yes, and it is really nice to encourage others to try as well!
Wow! lovely paintings 🙂
You make your world so much brighter, Z. I will check out your friend’s blog!
buenos dias! that would be so nice of you; silvana is a very special young woman and will leave a positive mark on this world! she’s already making a huge difference! z
“…shining ambassadors …” I really like that. Safe travels and thanks for sharing. Beautiful paintings you’re working on there. A great day to you
thanks! we represent ourselves, our families, our state (Mississippi for me, which gets a large share of negative PR!) and our countries! these painting projects always bridge the distance between age or cultures and bring everyone closer! i continue to marvel at the bonds that form when everyone is silently painting! z
Beautiful paintings – free and elegant. You shine as a person and Ambassador, a model for all. You have a gentle spirit, giving nature and understanding of others that comes across in your words, gestures and paintings. May you have the most wonderful day Lisa ~
i am about ten minutes late for me ‘morning painting session…’ the patio area will be drenched in warm sunlight! it’s warm and lovely here in teh daytime, but wow, i get cold when the sun goes behind the mountains!
thank you, dear mary! may yours be a lovely day as well!
So glad you shared Silvana’s post here. I left her a comment yesterday. I’m so sorry this happened to her!
Hugs,
Kathy
i saw your kind comment and am so grateful! she is surely smiling to see the queue of comments!
I visited her post and commented, thank you for sharing her post and passing her moving words along. And thank you for being you, caring so much for others and for adding so much value and meaning (in addition to beautiful art) into our lives! xx
thank you for commenting, penny. your words were so kind and pure! when i am back in jama, i am sure that she’ll remember your name and will ask more about those who commented. prepare to have burning ears for a while when that happens!!!
I’m glad you tied this post in with Silvana’s experience. I left a comment yesterday and am proud of her comments and responses to everyone. She is a bright, sensitive young women and is an ambassador for all cultures. Well said, Lisa. What a beautiful project you are working on. I am so envious. So colorful and creative.
thank you so much for your comment here and on silvana’s post. you and ron would never use that kind of behavior, and it’s nice when others speak up and help restore balance! thank you amiga! z
A very good point about being an ambassador. As a Christian, I’m doubly aware of this, as I’m trying to be a good ambassador both for Christianity and for my country.
janet
you are so right! we represent all areas, and it’s our duty to shine and teach by example. thank you for your kind words to silvana as well! lisa/z
Beautiful preview of butterflies plus.
On my way to Silvana’s …
thank you! it would be fun for you to sit at one of those tables at silvana’s restaurant. we’d probably hand you a paintbrush and say, ‘join us!’
Those paintings/murals are simply fantastic. I love the colours and the joyful style. As to being ambassadors, as you know there will always be people without respect for others from all countries, but it is sad when they are taken as representing all of their kind. It would be better if they staid home… We can only try to be the positive role model, as you clearly are.
some of us represent our culture, our country, but others — like you — are citizens of the world. those well-traveled people leave a positive mark wherever they go by their high code of honor and respect for all.
I admire your art Z! Thank you for the link to S’s post….
thank you! silvana received a long string of comments, and i am so happy that others sent feedback. s
Lisa – Your shining example of love and acceptance outweighs fifty ignorant “ugly” Americans. Keep up the good work. The pictures are fantastic!
thanks, amigos. you do a great job of representing our country as well. i think of both of you, and i smile and know that you’re interacting with the locals and spreading sunshine wherever you go!
Walking ambassadors. I like this very much. If we all tried this, what a difference we would make.
you already do this with your posts! you make a grand ambassador for our country!
Thanks Z. But, you are the walking one. I am the sitting one. All the best. BTG
Thanks for this post Lisa. Sadly, we saw the ‘ugly American’ quite often during our time in Mexico. Many ex-pats who were living in the village where we did felt it was their right to move south of the border and demand the locals change to fit the culture they moved from. It always seemed to us that it should be quite the opposite. I agree with your other commenters, we must all be walking ambassadors if we are to live in this world in peace.
yes, it saddens me when i see unhappy people who try to inject their will and customs onto the new culture. there’s a delicate balance, and at times the locals embrace forward thinking and new ideas, though othert imes they are quite happy doing things the old-fashioned way.
machete vs weed-whacker? ah, the machete is much less intrusive, don’t you think? that could also apply to people who talk nonstop vs those who contemplate the day with few words!
Totally agree! 🙂
That painting of the thunbergia flower took me back to our plantation home where curtains of these hanging blooms sheltered a fern house!! Can’t wait to see the finished wall. Lucky Sarah 🙂
Just popped over to Silvana’s post and was saddened too by the conversation she had to overhear.
She is a great gal! I’m so glad that you spent time reading her post! Yes, there are people everywhere who forget their manners, and they teach us lessons as well. I will be even more sensitive to others and watch my critiques more carefully!
This blog and what you creatively and humanistically inspire is fantastic. Love every drop of it. Your art is such a fun adventure to the eye.
thank you so much! i am blessed to have this unique life here on the equator!