Timeout for Art – Reflections from a Bamboo Cabaña

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einstein quotes, Timeout for Art, watercolor

Who created this artifact? Man? Woman? Several People? What purpose did it serve? How many generations lived and died before this artifact was discovered?  Did they have complex language skills?  Who found the artifact, or was it looted from a grave or washed downriver? Who steered it into the museum’s collection so that I could one day admire and study it?    (Watercolor Study — Artifact from Museo Bahia de Caraquez/Ecuador)

“Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others…for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received and am still receiving.”
― Albert Einstein, Living Philosophies

This quote from Einstein’s Living Philosophies prompted me to pause and consider my life, the lives of my friends and loved ones and the casual strangers we meet each day.     I pondered every man-made article  ‘built upon the labors of people both living and dead’  in the room around me.  I wondered about the nameless people that affected my particular point in life at this very moment.  Who whacked the bamboo that now serves as the walls of this cabanya?  Was the hard work of construction mixed with sweat and shared laughter as the workers saw the vision take form?

Working hard or hardly working?!

Another Sad Loss – Bye-Bye ‘Foothills’ Babs

This trip’s for you, Babs.

My Life in the Foothills has Passed Away –    Babs (Barbara Beacham) was great at hooking me every so often with fiction stories that I thought were true, so I first thought this might be another one of her masterly-written short stories.  I quickly realized that the post was written by her grief-stricken husband.

Barbara was a gifted photographer and loved sharing the beauty of nature with her readers.  She had a sense of humor and was a tireless cheerleader, even when my online time dwindled to sporadic visits to her posts.   She was also an artist in the kitchen – a true Renaissance woman.

In August, she participated in the Butterfly Safari and requested “… let us land at that spot on that quiet lake, near the lily pads and reeds to watch the flitting around of the very colorful dragonflies.”     She even gave a positive ‘Flip Adviser’ testimonial regarding the landing!. .. “I loved this trip! All the colors in so many places. Thank you for hosting and allowing all of us to board the magic carpet. Hugs to you chica for also making it to the lily pads! ^..^ P.S. The landing was not bad at all!”

For you, Babs…

I missed seeing her late-August post written while she was recovering from pneumonia.  Today Was a Good Day.

She revealed to us in September  more details of her battle.  She said to me, “How bout when you leave the coast you make a trip up here and I can hop on the magic carpet. I think sitting in the warm water off the coast somewhere in your neck of the woods, or close by, would be very relaxing. 🙂 Are you game? ^..^”

A very dear and brave woman will no longer grace the WordPress community with her unique and always-positive presence.   Goodbye, dear Babs.   You will be missed, and perhaps you’ll tag along on some of the magic carpet journeys as an invisible copilot.

“My Life in the Foothills has Passed Away”

I extend my deepest sympathies to her loved ones.

Love, Lisa

 

Timeout for Art: Ancient Man’s Best Friend?

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mans best friend, museo bahia de caraquez, Painting Artifacts, precolumbian art ecuador, timjeout for art

Watercolor study — Artifact from Museo Bahia de Caraquez

“I’ve seen a look in dogs’ eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts.”
― John Steinbeck

(Ecuador)   Allow me to introduce you to a new watercolor study, inspired by an artifact in the Bahia de Caraquez museum.     I don’t think it reflects the emotion of contempt, but it seems happy and makes me smile.

Several years ago I was allowed into the Museum’s special glassed room filled with artifacts.   A guard accompanied me while I admired various pieces and was allowed to photograph a few.  The director of the museum has given me permission to return to this room so that I can capture the likeness of artifacts that the public never gets to see. This precious artifact (above) is one of my favorites.

Museo Bahia de Caraquez – Bahia de Caraquez/Manabi/Ecuador

Now that we’re receiving afternoon rains in the cloud forest, I work on the gardens in the mornings and switch to art when the rain chases me inside!   This past week I even remembered to take a few photos while I worked!  (Although I do not like working from photographs,  I will be able to adjust colors when I return to the museum for another work session.)

Timeout for Art – For the Birds!

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hummingbird feeders, Timeout for Art, timeout for birds

A colorful aracari critiques my work!

(Mindo Ecuador)

Let’s start with a few birds that highlight every day I am on Jim and Julie’s property!

Quetzals often laugh over my shoulder!

A male and female quetzal perch on a tall tree on a hill near the house.

About a 30-minute drive from Mindo is the hub of “Los Bancos.” I was there last week to pay the car tag fee for Jim and Julie. After an hour’s wait in line at the bank, I was told, “The system is down,” and was dismissed.

I stood there with mouth agape, pondered my choices, and quickly decided, “I’ll go to the Mirador Restaurant and not let this bother me!”

Patricio, the owner of the Mirador Restaurant and Cabanas, has great hospitality skills and always has time for his guests. Not only is the food exceptional, there are stunning views to the valley below as well as an ever-changing cast of birds that visit the feeders near the tables.

(Aracaris) These stars often make an appearance at the Mirador Restaurant.

Patricio’s nephew greeted me and said, “I saw you in the bank. That was a long line!” He could not help with suggestions for paying the tag fee, but Patricio came along and assured me that I had all month to pay it.
“I’ll try again in another week,” I smiled, then sat at a table near one of the bird feeding stations.