Remembering…

“The intense focus of art often transports me through a magic portal; time seems to stop as if I’ve stepped into another realm. Sometimes after a long session I am surprised to find that the day has weaned to night – or the night has weaned to morning.  Emerging from a painting trance is like awakening from a deep sleep.” Lisa B.

I have always painted best at night, especially in the city when late-night hours are even more silent than the natural forest!  The ongoing Covid risks have altered the rhythms of the city, and for that I am grateful.  After ten o’clock at night, the city slumbers.

October Big Day Night – Pacific Pygmy Owl – Poza Honda

Barn Owl – Portoviejo (at the back of the apartment there’s an abandoned building, and the owl often sleeps there in the daytime.)

In Poza Honda, three species of owls,  random frogs, insects and the faraway calls of the Limpkins provided a soothing nocturnal soundtrack.  When I paint in the apartment, I often play recordings made at Poza Honda.  Many times I emerge from my painting trance and am surprised to find that I’m in the city!

A Peregrine Falcon often perches on that tower.

In progress – “The Friendship Tree of Life.”

Friday night while painting I thought of two brothers who were classmates of mine. Flashing back in time, I pictured them taking turns skiing behind their boat. The vision was as strong as if it were yesterday, and it made me smile. I recalled their zest for life and how much they loved the outdoors -as did I.

The Mississippi River at Memphis – (Lake Whittington is an oxbow lake that connects to the Mississippi River.)

On Saturday a friend shared the sad news that one of those brothers had died while in the woods. (most likely a heart attack.) Steve was a good man – a very good man, and he will be missed.

Steve and his family were on my mind for the rest of the day – and night. Painting had no appeal, but my lifelong pal the pencil served me well. The pencil study seemed to absorb my numbness, and a pair of Variable Seedeaters slowly came to life.

Below is ‘stage one’ of the drawing, “Remembering Steve.”

“Remembering Steve” – 4B Pencil

(Because I am online in short and random sessions, Comments are off.   One day/week/month I’ll be able to catch up on comments.   Thanks to all of you for your support – you’re the best!   Love, Lisa)

 

The ElusiveBrown Wood Rail

Tags

brown wood rail, Scarlet Rumped Cacique

“An artist’s eyes ever rest.” Lisa Brunetti

The Scarlet-rumped Caciques’ nest dangles almost-eye level from the corner windows where I sit.

Poza Honda – Manabi Province – Ecuador —-

After ten days in Portoviejo, I returned to discover a new addition to the natural sountrack – Chirpings of ravenous hatchlings! The parent birds seemed to glare at me with disgust, that ‘Just when we needed you, you vanished, as did the banana buffet. Could there be a connection?”
“Rangewriter Linda” commented on last-week’s post: “Ah Lisa, it is clear. Your purpose for being present in this Garden of Eden is to document the beauty you see around you. Your brilliant illustrations are so much better than Master Audubon’s because no creatures are harmed in your captures.
Those Caciques have captivated me. They are simply stunning with that bright blue eye set against the dramatic black background. Do tell about the scarlet bottom, though…I see only black. 😉 ”   

For Linda!

      
I retrieved almost-ripe platanos from the refrigerator, warmed them slightly in a pan of water, then presented the anemic fruits with token apologies. For the next 24 hours, the pair provided easy entertainment for my daylight hours. Working in synchronized harmony, the pair darted in an out of the nest as they foraged for caterpillars between trips to the banana feeder. They also flashed their scarlet feathers – not easy to capture with the camera without blurred results!  Enjoy the slideshow!

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The Scarlet-rumped Cacique ranges from to Honduras in Central America to southern Ecuador.  “ Within the Scarlet-rumped Cacique there is a clear division between populations in the Andes and those in Central America and the Pacific Lowlands of South America. “ (Neotropical Birds Online)

There is also a Yellow Rumped Cacique which is more bashful/elusive than its red-rumped cousin.

How about ‘Christmas Yellow’ for those with red/green color deficiency?!!!

“Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the prettiest of us all?”

 

As lovely and entertaining as they are, these chatty and handsome birds were not the top act for the day. A quieter show awaited at ground level. This artist’s eyes are forever scanning the visual fields, and at times a new glitch taps at my subconscious. “Pay attention —“

Look near the dragonfruit trellis!

The rails stay close to cover

Here’s one hiding place

At the edge of the yard, they can often be spotted – but one must be quick to see them!

From Neotropical Birds Online:  “The Brown Wood-Rail is a very poorly known species, which is reportedly rare over much of its range, with just one record from Peru, and at least in Ecuador it has apparently declined significantly in response to extensive habitat modification throughout the western lowlands in recent decades. “

Ah! It’s a joy to see the Brown Wood Rails‘ return to the comfort of the back yard. I would like to say that they are comfortable with my presence, but no, their reasons for loitering at ground level are obvious.  Their addiction – ripe bananas – lures them in the same way that their presence glues me to the viewing stage. I too am addicted to observing the Brown Wood Rails and all other inhabitants of the natural world!

Before the bananas ripened, a lone bird circled the perimeters of the back yard. Clinging near draping heliconias and other dense areas, the birds move between predictable hiding places.   An attentive observer will soon learn to predict the birds’ most-used routes, and with camera ready, I glean more images!

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The attentive observer might also be rewarded with other sightings, like another not-easy-to see Little Tinamou!  Sneaking under the Porterweed and Brugmansia, the Tinamou passed just beneath the windows, and I dashed to the kitchen window and waited for a second viewing.   Yay!   It emerged beyond a 5-foot tall boulder then ambled to the dense growth beyond the yard.

When the bananas approach maturity, the Brown Wood Rails check the supply more often. Pumping its tail, one will strut across the close-cropped areas, pass near the bananas, then dart back to safer areas. Once the bananas ripen, the birds provide an all-day performance. I marvel at my luck, at my good fortune and realize how blessed I am to witness and document the behavior and quirks of this elusive species.

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These banana-feeding photos were taken on July 29 and 30. I will return on August 2 and look forward to the next ‘fix’ of immersion in nature!
If you’re interested in photographing these birds, this next week all but guarantees an opportunity to observe this bird in its natural habitat – with extra-easy photo sessions. There is one requirement, however, one has to be ultra quiet, as the birds dart away at the slightest movement or sound! (But you probably knew that already!) Contact the owner, Jorge via jurgarnet@icloud.com, as I will be off line and watching the birds, starting on Friday through Wednesday of next week.

The museo is about to close, and the laptop battery is almost dead.  Tomorrow I will be on line again and look forward to your feedback on both posts.   Thank you all for your support!   Love, Lisa

Basking in the Presence of Talent – World Museum Day

Tags

Carlos Fernandez Ferrin, Ivo Uquillas, Museo Portoviejo Ecuador, Vicente Ferrin, World Museum Day

Warning! This is an extremely ‘image-dense’ post!

Manabi Province/Ecuador – Opening Event/Museo Portoviejo –  Friday May 17, 2019 – 7 pm.  Art Exposition/Presentation by artists Ivo Uquillas, Vicente Ferrin and Carlos Fernández Ferrín.

November 2018 – Kind words from Ivo Uquillas at the opening of “Lisa Brunetti – a Journey”

Quiet and focused on a set of illustrations, I had lost track of time. Like emerging from a deep sleep, I pondered, “Is this Friday – or is this Thursday?”

It was Friday, and I needed to stop working and prepare to attend the World Museum Day event at Museo Portoviejo. The first stop would be the cyber to confirm the date and time of the event.

“Time to stop working, Gringita!”

Sorting through ten pages of my day’s work, I spotted several areas that needed more attention. “Just five more minutes,” I thought.

A stronger voice overruled, “No. Stop. You need to support your friends.”

Two of the three artists for the event are friends; they are true masters. I reflected on how they support my work, especially Ivo Uquillas, who mentors many artists, and who spoke at the past two inaugurations/expositions of my work.

I realized that I was tired and thought about the hour’s drive to Portoviejo, the event, then an hour’s drive home. I pondered the crowded auditorium and that no one would notice if I were there – or not. I considered my concerns for the planet, and how this drive would negate my attempts to be more sensitive about my choices. I even pondered the costs to drive there and back (fuel prices have risen!)

That “stronger voice” gave a more-assertive nudge, “This isn’t about you. It’s about your friends and their work – and you need to attend. Period.”

If I reached the cyber and discovered that the event was scheduled for next week, I could have a nice long session of internet!

Timeout for Art – “Believe in Yourself”

Tags

believe in yourself, painting watercolors of nature

“In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.” Nikos Kazantzakis

Every so often Life presents tiny-yet-humbling gifts as if orchestrated strictly for my benefit. Sometimes it’s a mystical interaction with a bird – like when the pelican swam across the river, walked up the boulders where I was sitting – and gaped at me from about a meter away. Then it returned to the rio, swam back to the other side and joined its companions. Did they dare that pelican to interact with the human who fought to save their habitat?

A very long time ago in Louisiana, while making a farm-road detour around a fierce thunderstorm, I approached a rainbow not far from the malevolent clouds.  The left side of the rainbow grew closer and closer and almost touched the car.  Navigating an ‘S- curve’ very slowly, I noted that the rainbow came through the driver’s window – I was dumbfounded and full of bliss – driving slowly, trying to comprehend this rainbow in my lap while approaching another curve. As I turned slowly to the right, the other side of the rainbow came through the passenger window!  There I was with the left side of the rainbow in the driver’s window, and the right side streaming through the passenger side!

A very-subtle rainbow last month at Poza Honda Ecuador

Trying to comprehend this unexpected gift, I exclaimed to the rainbow, to the entire universe, “Thank you thank you thank you” and pondered that no one would ever believe me if I shared what happened! I still marvel and wonder about the science that allowed that ‘just-for-me gift.’  When I emerged from the curve to the straight road, the rainbow stayed behind. Next was the intense rain – and ten or so minutes later, I was home.  The magic was gone, but never forgotten.

Other gifts are not so dramatic, but they leave behind an imprint of gratitude. My neighbor Melissa, with her natural aptitude for drawing and painting, showed me some of her latest work. It speaks for itself – and for her:

The Lovely Masked Water-Tyrant

Tags

Ecuador art, Masked Water Tyrant, One Bird At A Time, poza honda ecuador, Watercolor of birds

Masked Water-Tyrant – Fluvicola nengeta

“I never for a day gave up listening to the songs of our birds, or watching their peculiar habits, or delineating them in the best way I could. ” John James Audubon

Poza Honda Ecuador – These highly-active and perpetually-happy Masked Water-Tyrants served as good-will ambassadors in every location I’ve lived in Ecuador.  Attired year ’round in crisp white and black/brown, they chirp, chatter, dance and build nests – always near the water.   At Casa Loca along Rio Jama, they foraged along the mud flats at low tide;  in Mindo they nested in locations just above the water, and now at Poza Honda they thrive in an ever-changing playground of water hyacinths.

While I worked on the Common Tody Flycatcher study, the Water-Tyrants tolerated my presence;  ignoring the artist, they frolicked and provided ample poses for my growing collection of photos.      Painting these birds would be challenging yet rewarding.

Masked Water Tyrants – Watercolor in progress by Lisa Brunetti

Working at night from reference photos, I also worked during the day by the water’s edge.    The bi-polar moods of the weather often sent me scampering up the hill to protect the painting!

Just as I began the watercolor wash, the skies began to baptize the painting!

Within a week, water levels leaped to maximum levels, which brought those handsome birds (and the invasive water hyacinths) closer and closer to the human’s turf.  They provided a grand assortment of poses – as if to benefit no one except the human that studied them! 

Trust vs Self Doubt

Tags

painting birds in watercolor, poza honda ecuador, self doubt, smooth-billed anis ecuador, southern house wren ecuador, watercolor art of ecuador birds

Smooth-billed Ani in Calabash Tree – Poza Honda/Manabi/Ecuador

“… If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you – and make allowance for their doubting too…” from the poem If by Rudyard Kipling (for the complete poem go HERE)

Self doubt can sabotage one’s concentration. How well I remember standing at the free-throw line and hoping that I would not miss the final shot for a Jr.-high basketball game.  Aware of my teammates, of the coach, of offensive/defensive choices if the ball missed the basket, of the next team waiting for the buzzer and warm ups; I also considered the home-town fans and strangers in the packed gym. Would my team win, would we lose, or would we go into overtime? The possibilities provided many distractions for an inexperienced young-teen! * That moment taught me an important life lesson: block out the conflicting variables and focus on the goal.

The same self doubt inflicts the creative process. When I painted the watercolor study of Smooth-billed Anis, I used an ultra-smooth Bristol Board which is very unforgiving. Once applied, the dark pigments required for the Anis could not be lifted without staining(ruining?) the paper.

Smooth-billed Anis – Watercolor in progress (Black and white image)

“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” Elbert Hubbard

Quite social and affectionate with each other, Anis stay in family clusters. Sometimes while foraging they are scattered but remain in sight of one another; they also huddle – and even cuddle – during periods of rest.  The Smooth-billed and the Groove-billed Anis prepared a little slide show introduction:

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Painting just one bird would not illustrate the true behavior of the flock.

The painting advanced one bird at a time, and with each bird – self doubt peered over my shoulder and whispered, “Are you sure you want to add another bird? What if you make a mistake? The painting might be ruined.”

“Lisa, Are You OK?”

Tags

Friendship, lluvia 2019 manabi, poza honda manabi ecuador, Timeout for Art

Neotropic Cormorants /Poza Honda/Ecuador

“The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you.” ~Elbert Hubbard, The Notebook, 1927

Our friend Hugh Curtler wrote this week about Friendship, a post worth pondering.  Reading off line, I wrote a reply to send when on line (now) but circumstances  dictate responding via a just-received example of friendship.

In my unhurried off-line reply, I mentioned one dear friend who emails about twice a month.  She always asks, “Lisa, How are you?  How’s your back?   Do you need anything?   Are you OK?”

Dady inspecting the Squirrel Cuckoo watercolor at Museo Portoviejo

This past Tuesday I dropped a music CD at her house after visiting the nearby Portoviejo Museo.  Stocked with ‘survival’ groceries in case the heavy rains provoked more mud slides, I needed to get home before dark.

At sunset I photographed the reservoir, which lacked about a sneeze worth’s of water to send the excess over the spillway.

That night and last night we received more heavy rains.     The waters now reach the high-water level, and the surplus is surely generating enough electricity to illuminate the planet!

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Water hyacinths cascade over the spillway, and chocolate-colored water marks the beginning of Rio Portoviejo.  After taking photos, I drove to Ayacucho to make progress on neglected cyber tasks.

Waiting in the inbox was an email from my friend Dady.  The subject read “Lisa Are You OK?”

“Hmmm,” I thought, “she must know more about something than I!”

One Bird at a Time

Tags

audubon, birds of ecuador, Lisa Brunetti art, Watercolors of birds

“April 10, 1824. I was introduced to the son of Lucien Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon, a great ornithologist, I was told. He remained two hours, went out, and returned with two Italian gentlemen, and their comments made me very contented.” That evening he was taken to the Philosophical Academy[32] where the drawings were greatly admired…” –  (from AUDUBON AND HIS JOURNALS – 1897)

Ecuador – The Museo Portoviejo exposition nears the end and presents a new challenge; what will I do with all of these children?!!!!

For a last-minute tour, here’s a slideshow:

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Alas, nature beckons and prompts me to continue, so I observe – and I paint!  Unlike Audubon, I have an advantage of a camera – but with most every study I wish to have a live (or preserved) bird for more-precise reference material.

“July 19th (1824) – Young Harris, God bless him, looked at the drawings I had for sale, and said he would take them all, at my prices. I would have kissed him, but that it is not the custom in this icy city.” (Audubon and His Journals)

The Gift of Sight

Tags

Common Tody Flycatcher, Ecuador Jan 2019, Manabi Province, Watercolors of birds

“After I’d drawn the grasses, I started seeing them. Whereas if you’d just photographed them, you wouldn’t be looking as intently as you do when you are drawing, so it wouldn’t affect you that much.” ― Martin Gayford, A Bigger Message: Conversations with David Hockney

Poza Honda/Manabi/Ecuador — Lluvia! Rain!   The statement, You’d better watch what you wish for, comes to mind when I share that almost daily – or nightly – the rains continue to fall!  Yesterday the nearby stream built enough confidence to roar – a comforting sound to one who lives slightly uphill from it!     A between-rains inspection revealed several fast-growing trees that had sloughed downhill, and a small part of the gravel road showed new erosion.  My camera chip and computer are not on speaking terms, so your imagination is required for the above scene! (Could the most-recent update have caused this new conflict?)

Birds are happy, trees and flowers are happy – and the aroma of the orange blossoms reminded me of a springtime aroma from Mississippi.  What – could – that- be? I wondered, and then grinned.  “Mock Orange.”   Of course that’s why it has that name!

Between rains, I usually take my art bag and spend time near the Common Tody Flycatchers’ nest.  Let’s go down to the water and see what’s happening!

 

Shhhh – artista at work!

Nomadas en Manabi – Opens Tonight at Museo Portoviejo!

Tags

Nomadas en Manabi, portoviejo ecuador

Portoviejo/Manabi Province/Ecuador – Thanks to the magic of scheduling a post to be published at a specified date and time, this should reach you when the inauguration  of Nomadas en Ecuador begins.    What follows is my ‘Artist’s Statement’ written specifically for this event.  Enjoy!

Orchestrated Timelines?

Tags

Grey-backed Hawk, Museo Portoviejo, Nomadas en Manabi

Museo Portoviejo sponsors and encourages the arts. (Image from 2012)

El Ministerio de Cultura y Patrimonio
a traves del Museo Portoviejo y Archivo Historico
(Portoviejo Ecuador)
Invita a la inauguracion de la exposicion
NOMADAS EN MANABI
Expositores:
Sigrid Tidmore (Estados Unidos)
Alfonso Endara (Quito)
Crystal Hayes (Canada)
Lisa Brunetti (Estados Unidos)
Yuliana Shevchuk (Rusia)
Abigail Herrera (Venezuela)
………
Direccion: Calle Olmedo entre Sucre y Cordova (Edificio la Previsora)
Fecha: Agosto 15 de 2018
Hora: 19h30
(05) 2652235 – 2652279
………………………..
“

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once. ” – Albert Einstein

When one steps into a gallery or museum, they probably don’t think about the stories behind the paintings. Painting can be hard work, especially when ‘the good brushes’ no longer hold a point, and locally-purchased new ones make poor replacements. It is difficult to ‘nail’ the snippet of light on a bird’s eye or sign one’s name when using a brush that flares at the point! Even one AWOL hair on that brush will leave its renegade signature where it doesn’t belong!  Aside from my friends and family in the USA, I also miss the convenience of buying my favorite art supplies!

Painting for me is easy when compared to the next step of matting and framing those works – and having places to store the paintings. There are no ‘Michaels’ or ‘Fads and Frames’ that offer good quality brushes, paints, mats, ready-made or custom-made frames. The larger cities have better options, but what if those cities are hours and hours away? Over the years I’ve adapted, and now use thin plywood as ‘mats,’ which I sand and paint. Just like selecting custom mats at a frame shop, I usually draw and hand paint those windows; when the paint is dry, the original is carefully taped in place.

Ready to paint that window!

“Tres Toucanes”

Because many panes of glass have broken over the years (ha, and in earthquakes!) I now use very-thick clear plastic, which protects the paintings from dust and fingerprints. The curious public can sometimes damage a drawing or painting by touching it…

Ugh; I often forget to photograph the work until it’s beneath the plastic.!

Frames are made by local carpenters; I dole out the requests a few at a time, and almost always they are ready when promised.

Wood Rails, Floor Coths & Tinamous

Tags

brown wood rail, Laurel's Floor Cloths Costa Rica, Little Tinamou, poza honda ecuador

Playa San Miguel, Costa Rica

Years and years ago, my friend Dan Wise (Rio Colorado Lodge/Costa Rica Outdoors Magazine – Costa Rica) told me about a high-energy woman who made beautiful floor cloths in Costa Rica. “You should meet her, Lisa,” he urged.

Hand-painted Concrete floors by Lisa!

Although we never met, I subscribed to Laurel’s Originals Newsletter and always look forward to seeing new designs and projects. Her June newsletter brought a jolt of a surprise; sometimes Life does indeed grant us very-personal gifts. See if you can spot what placed a huge smile in my heart:

Laurel’s Originals June 2018 Newsletter

Now enjoy some of her designs:

Laurel’s Originals Designs

Here in Ecuador, Museo Portoviejo pushed back the date for the Nomadas en Ecuador Exposition; most likely it will open on July 5, although the showdates are coordinated through the Museum’s home base in Quito.  That’s fine with me, as it gives me more time to work on paintings – or to give an old one a new look!

One night I worked until 5 in the morning and was so absorbed in my work that I did not notice the light-loving insects that were just over my shoulder!

The work area now has blue curtains to deter the nocturnal insects, but that night they found their way to the source!

Stepping out of my ‘tent’ area, I was greeted by thousands and thousands and thousands of those wispy little insects.    Outside the windows, however, were that many ‘more’ to the 100th power!       These ‘hatches’ (?) have happened twice in the past ten months I’ve lived here, and now the numbers have returned to normal!

The flora and fauna continue to grant lovely moments; the squirrels continue to raid the bananas!  One has now earned my respect and compassion, as it seems to have a deformed front left foot.

Brown Wood Rail at ground level view!

The natural supply of bananas attracts the Brown Wood Rails for some very-easy photo ops, though the rails are pretty predictable to spot during the final half hour of each day. The forage briefly before crossing the yard and entering their private domain of thick cover.

They are funny when they prepare to jump into the bananas!

When I first ‘discovered’ that the rarely seen or photographed Brown Wood Rails were my closest neighbors, I thought they were chickens! They often forage near the chickens – the same way that cattle and horses occupy the same tract of pasture. At times the sometimes-territorial chickens chase the Wood Rails, which dart from zero to lightning speed, which always gives me a chuckle! Other times the Wood Rails strut across the yard while pumping their stumpy tails, as if practicing for a parade performance! This area is home to the Brown Wood Rail and five other VIP bird species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Two Wood Rails and one Chicken!

Last week while watching the end-of-day activities of the Wood Rails, I suddenly realized that one small brown bird in the cast was not a Wood Rail! Camera – quick! – I managed three not-too-clear images, but good enough for identification.

The Little Tinamou, which often graces the area with its perfect-pitch and projected whistle; several mornings earlier it called from what seemed to be right outside the window.  Usually a second one answers, and sometimes a third.  About every 45 seconds it repeats the same tune, and several minutes later they go mute. Let’s close this post with the audio of of an ultra-strong whistle from a very-timid little bird:

(Tinamou-Sound Cloud)

 

After I listened to the Tinamou upload, Sound Cloud rolled me to an artist I follow.  Enjoy some of the music that often plays when I paint late at night – if you feel exceptionally creative, start the Maassen tune on the Sound Cloud page, and then add the Tinamou from this one!  Now THAT’s a sample of my work environment!

May your week be a good one!  Thank you all for your support!   Lisa

Tropical Sampler

Tags

acrylic paintings, toucans, whooping motmot

Whooping Motmot

“For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.” – Jacques-Yves Cousteau

Poza Honda-Manabi Province-Ecuador –  The handsome Whooping Motmot is often the early bird of each day, though instead of getting worms, it enjoys eating bananas at the breakfast bar!  It – and the Brown Wood Rails – are usually the last birds to visit as dusk fades into night.  One of the Motmots has lost its ‘tip feathers’ on its unique tail!  Even with a short tail, it’s a lovely bird!

The Brown Wood Rails make almost-daily appearances in the yard;  they’re pretty predictable when ripe bananas are available!

The Brown Wood Rails have competition for bananas… see below!

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You coffee lovers out there – how’s this for ‘pick your own’ coffee?  This particular ‘escaped’ coffee tree is growing beside my home!

Upcoming events in Z’s life:

Nomadas en Manabi – a group show at Museo Portoviejo – June 29, 2018 (Portoviejo/Manabi/Ecuador)

Birds, Butterflies and Botanicals – solo show at Museo Portoviejo – October 24, 2018 – date has not been confirmed.

Whooping Motmot – Acrylic

Two Cans – Acrylic – 24″ x 36″

That’s all for this week’s smoke signal!

What Happened to Google Earth?

Tags

ecuador butterflies, google map where are the images in google maps, Lisa Brunetti art, Museo Portoviejo

Google Earth has sent ‘congratulations’ notices to say that a few of my images – like this one of Poza Honda – were very popular.

Poza Honda/ManabiProvince Ecuador – Have any of you ever added images to Google Earth-Maps?   It’s always been interesting to peruse those images and explore areas that we know well or to ‘cyber travel’ to new destinations without leaving home!  The Satellite Image option helped me fine-tune my search for a new place to live, and reference images were very helpful.

This past week on Google Earth, I entered some GPS points for where I live –  before passing them along for scientific reasons; almost immediately I hit a glitch.  I could not find a place to type the coordinates.  Perhaps that option is somewhere on the page, but I did not find it.     Next I looked for my pinned images, and they were gone!  In fact, there were no pinned images to anything on the map.  Towns and places of interest were marked by name only.  The letters were small and difficult to see – and my laptop has a large screen!

Google Chrome browser… note how tiny the bottom right options appear. That’s where one finds the photo options.

Eventually I found the image option, which on my windows browser showed in a long horizontal strip at the bottom of the page.   There were photos from different areas, and mine could not be accessed until scrolling east on the map, leaving the house site out of view.  After I selected and enlarged one of my ‘popular’ images, a little arrow-type bar zipped from the photo and pointed into the middle of the lake!  Ha, I had to laugh – it was several kilometers from the right location and was obviously submerged at the bottom of the reservoir!

Opera browser provided slightly-easier to view options.

The Dec 3rd earthquake, which rattled the house for almost a minute, must have nudged this particular GPS point into the lake!

Unable to drag it back in place via the old system that worked well, I opened a new window and did a search which took me to a Google Earth/Maps forum.  Oh my, demons must have firmly attached themselves to those who make decisions for Google Earth/Maps, and they have made a lovely mess of what was once a well-managed site.

I moved to another quadrant that I know well – the area around Jama, and I remembered that someone had posted a picture of a Royal Poinciana/Flamboyant.  I was curious to see if it still marked the correct spot.  In real life, the tree was within view of where I once lived near the mouth of Rio Jama.

Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia)still stands, though the nearby farmhouse was destroyed in the April 16, 2016 earthquake.

Flamboyant/Royal Poinciana paired with the Green Kingfisher for a great photo op –  The rear balcony of Casa Loca. 2013

There were zero photos of that area, but there were new ones from 2018 of the community of La Division.   Checking various photos in the town a few kilometers inland, I discovered that the lovely flaming Poinciana tree had been magically transplanted to Jama!  (Jama, still recovering from the earthquake, could actually use several dozen of those lovely trees!)

Inward Reflections and Retrospections

Tags

"The Muir Tree", deforestation, incubation time for growth, our sick planet, retrospection

Costa Rica aerial image from 2012 – View of Playas San Miguel, Bejuco, Corazalito and Islita.

“TO go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson – from Nature

Today a friend shared news of a New-Year’s Day airline commuter crash in Costa Rica. The Corazalito airstrip was near where I once lived, and there are many great memories of that unique little welcome center, complete with thatched-roof ‘reception shack’ with original art on its facade. I’ve experienced those turbulent winds that often announce the change of the seasons, winds that grasp a pilot’s attention as well as the passengers’ attentions.   Although I did not know any of the 12 people who died this past week, the news makes me reflect on the shattered lives of the families and loved ones – while reminding us that we only have this moment.

That news put me in a deeper reflective mood than normal, one that prompted this poor attempt to explain what’s been percolating in my psyche over the past few months.

(You have the right to excuse yourself from this reading room; those who choose to hang with me, I hope that the following makes sense…)
..

Channeling da Vinci – Timeout for Art

Tags

art and society, getting quiet, Leonardo da Vinci Thoughts on Art and Life, The psyche of an artist

45. – “The painter should be solitary, and take note of what he sees and
reason with himself, making a choice of the more excellent details of
the character of any object he sees; he should be like unto the mirror,
which takes the colours of the objects it reflects. And this proceeding will seem to him to be a second nature.” – Leonardi da Vinci  Thoughts on Art and Life – Translator/Maurice Baring via Gutenberg.org

Manabi Province- Ecuador – The past few weeks have been physically demanding as I’ve worked on renewing my passport and getting it ‘in hand’ (10 more years – yes!) and also finished the move from Casa Loca.   Since the Dengue/chikungunya illness, my body needs more attentive time for recovering from these trips – as well as unpacking and resuming projects.  Of course it could also be that I am not as young as I once was, and it’s part of the cycle of growing older!

My new home offers an amazing immersion in nature – with wrap-around windows with tree-top views like this:

Yellow-rumped Cacique

Scarlet-rumped Cacique

Look who raids the feeder!

First to feed at dawn and the last to feed at dusk… Whooping Motmot

The Slaty Becards are listed as Endangered, but they are the little starlets at Casa Poza Honda. (female)

Male Slaty Becard – “Howdy!”

Great Antshrike

Staining frames, painting ‘mats’ – there are always tasks to fill each day.

There are always tasks at hand, so every day or so I take a timeout and walk the very-short distance to a little roadside pond.  Sitting there, I quickly merge with nature and leave all thoughts behind… I do not think of the past or of tasks in the future.  The surroundings bestow me with an acute attention to what’s in front of me – and behind me – and overhead!

Rufous-headed Chachalaca

The Chachalacas often lure me away from the house with their raucous calls that sometimes last for hours!   There at the pond I often illustrate Leonardo’s approach (see above quote) for observing nature.  I sit on one of two rocks and observe the subtle changes from day to day.    Not only is my body recharging its batteries, but I am also engaging in a task that Leonardo describes as essential to the seriousness of an artist’s work.  It’s also essential to the health of my soul!

What WAS that flash of red – and blue – and yellow?

The lovely Ecuadorian Trogon, attired in bold colors as well as a fashionable circle of red eyeliner!

Do you see two birds?

The Ecuadorian Trogon and the Whooping Motmot provide eye-candy rewards for my quiet disconnect at the pond.  They are two of a revolving cast of unique birds that visit this pond.

Detail of Motmot’s tail feathers – Photo taken from a more-convenient ‘perch’ from the house….

One can work from photos and capture a strong likeness to the birds, but when one studies the birds in their natural surroundings, it’s easier to capture the true essence.  This is true for any slice of nature… only through hours of observation will one grasp the nuances of each subject.

There are nuggets of discovery everywhere, even underfoot.

Recently, through the gift of the online Gutenberg.org site, I downloaded and enjoyed reading Leonardo da Vinci’s “Thoughts on Art and Life” — it was as if I had been channeling his advice during my visits to the nearby pond!   Here are more of Leonardo’s words paired with images from the little ‘healing pond’ at Casa Poza Honda.

About those Spirals…

Tags

drawing spirals, painting spirals, Spirals, whirlpools

Nicolas critiques the energy of the swirl…

Inspired by an artifact in Casa del Alabado/Quito Ecuador

Creative Ops with Corn – Feed the Birds!

“We are not going in circles, we are going upwards. The path is a spiral; we have already climbed many steps.” -Hermann Hesse

The spiral design is one we’ve all drawn or doodled at one time or another.  When I share with others the joy of drawing, we often start with drawing ‘tornadoes’ – a repetitive round and round and round type motion that helps us adjust to the pencil as well as slowing down our thoughts in an almost-hypnotic approach.   After going around and round countless times, it’s almost effortless to then – with the same light touch –  draw an ellipse.

Many times I find myself drawing spirals in that same easy-going style; not thinking of anything, I draw those flowing lines that spiral from outside to in – or inside to out. It’s like a form of meditation – no thought involved, just relaxed and soothing lines, a bit like watching a ballet or tapping into the natural flow of music.  Sometimes a second set of lines wraps inside the other.  There are times when my mood or life is less relaxed, and the fluid movements are replaced by geometric grids and cross hatching, as if my internal computer is analyzing every pixel while searching for the ones that need attention! 

Are Artists & Poets Crazy?!!

Tags

are artists crazy, whimsical artists

“Going back in time at least as far as Plato there have been those who insisted that poets, and artists generally, are mad as hatters. Plato thought they were “inspired” and the Platonic dialogues are full of exchanges between Socrates and assorted poets and artists who are unable to explain to Socrates what exactly it is they do and what it is they claim to know. “ – Hugh Curtler

Well, you see, or maybe you don’t, because I cannot really articulate exactly what it is that I do or do not do – it’s more like asking why a cat suddenly tweaks its attention to an unseen entity two feet to its right – as it leaps skyward and moves laterally three feet to its left – it’s a spacial shift of inspiration that strikes when least expected,

Nesting

Tags

bedroom ideas, nesting\, painting sheets, using sheets for curtains

“You’ll have a lot more respect for a bird after you try making a nest.” – Cynthia Lewis

The tropical-foliage fabric (sheets) inspired a new project: curtains for the guest bedroom!  The botanical painting in progress paired well with the fabric…

But those black and white sheets did not belong in the same picture!

So….

Now You See It; Now You Don’t

Tags

decorative ways to conceal cracks in a wall, Timeout for Art, timeout for art now you see it

“Often, we try to repair broken things in such a way as to conceal the repair and make it “good as new.” But the tea masters understood that by repairing the broken bowl with the distinct beauty of radiant gold, they could create an alternative to “good as new” and instead employ a “better than new” aesthetic. They understood that a conspicuous, artful repair actually adds value. Because after mending, the bowl’s unique fault lines were transformed into little rivers of gold that post repair were even more special because the bowl could then resemble nothing but itself.” – Teresita Fernandez

Panama City-PANAMA –   Like a stepchild that it is not, an impromptu project at Barb’s condo in Panama has been waiting in the queue of stories to share.   After receiving another two-year nonresident visa to work in the arts, I was free to leave Ecuador without a lot of red tape to return.    I first visited Costa Rica for a week, took care of personal business, visited with friends, and then on the return trip to Ecuador, bailed out in Panama to spend a week with Barbara.

Barbara is my amazing and tireless friend who is selfless when it comes to helping others.  Here are images from some of her past visits, starting with when she helped create the Magic Carpet at Casa Loca.

Barb preps border with fresh layer of Agua Stop.

Barbara brushes white over white!

Inventory from PlayaMart

This is surely the most lovingly-painted bodega door in the country!

Postscript:  Last year’s earthquake altered that Casa Loca chapter.  But let’s move on….

Recycled cans!  Why is Barb chuckling as she sits on the bench?

When the ocean advanced, Barb witnessed the changes.

Barb and I enjoyed a 30-minute detour* through the “Women’s Art Exhibit” in Museo Bahia de Caraquez. – *before the earthquake…

Thanks to Efrain’s visit to the property, Barb was officially infected with the birding bug!

Barbara has helped me with SO MANY projects, and even if it were just a week, it was time to spend time with her.   “I’ll be bringing my paint brushes,” I stated, “so be thinking of a project.”

Timeout for Art – Doing Your Own Thing

Tags

creative painting, decorative ideas for kitchen counters, Painting on concrete

We started with a forlorn counter top in need of cosmetic improvements.

“The joy in life comes from doing your own thing.” — Bob Ross

Near Playa San Miguel/Pueblo Nuevo de Bejuco – Costa Rica.

A counter top makeover quickly morphed into a totally-different style for a guest house outdoor-style kitchen.  The original was painted about six or seven years ago and had seen much use.  It deserved a renaissance treatment with fresh paint!  It was easy to spot the areas of heavy use, and we tossed around ideas for dodging similar problems in the future. Hank and Marie have decided to put this part of their property on the market, and the counter top was one of few things that needed attention.   See: “A Little Monkey Told Me” for a sneak peek.

We enjoyed passing many tranquil hours – in the zen of painting in harmony and at times making room for others to help as well.   Thanks Patty and Wendy for your help!

With great teamwork, we nudged those painted pieces of ‘mosaic’ beneath the leaves – but the leaves looked lifeless…. ah, but shadows! Shadows would bring them to life!

Ambling Along —

Tags

azul plata cumbia, brown wood rail, costa rica, Ecuador, living with nature, Panama, Slow Internet

A frustrated Long-tailed Mockingbird – near Portoviejo, Ecuador

A very contented Toucan in Panama…

A deer in my friends’ yard in Costa Rica…

A very-rare Brown Wood Rail in the yard at the Poza Honda Ecuador house!

From Dictionary.com : Amble “verb (used without object), ambled, ambling.
1.    to go at a slow, easy pace; stroll; saunter:
He ambled around the town.

2.   (of a horse) to go at a slow pace with the legs moving in lateral pairs and usually having a four-beat rhythm.
noun
3.an ambling gait.
4.a slow, easy walk or gentle pace.
5.a stroll.

Ambling along a shady road with Marie in Costa Rica….

“We ought to take outdoor walks, to refresh and raise our spirits by deep breathing in the open air.” — Seneca

Don’t forget to look up when walking! – Costa Rica

Variegated Squirrel in the park near the Municipality Office – Nandayure Costa Rica

In the past three weeks I’ve been from Ecuador to Costa Rica and back via a stopover in Panama to visit my friend Barb.   These were quick-but-very rewarding  visits that combined ‘business’ with pleasure.  Comparing the three countries, I definitely give Costa Rica and Panama the top scores for quality of internet!

Panama wins on shopping opportunities as well as the dramatic skyline contest… 

Timeout for Art – The Zen of Repetition

Tags

ideas for kitchen countertops, Painting on concrete, repetitive painting, the zen of painting, Timeout for Art

Trompe o’leil – ” an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects exist in three dimensions. Forced perspective is a comparable illusion in architecture. “

Years ago, my friend Xavier Cevallos walked into my studio and stated, “I can never tell what’s real and what’s painted! I’m always afraid I’m going to step on something.” We were looking at a painting in progress, which was on the hand-painted floor – a painted illusion on top of another illusion.

Just recently my friend Dady Quadrado expressed a statement that made me laugh – yet it also made me more sensitive to the subject matter that’s painted. She did not want to sit on a sofa in Cafe Palo Santo because I had painted a little gecko near the top of a big logo painted on the space behind the sofa.

She explained, “I know it’s paint, but it looks so real that I am scared that it might drop off and fall on me!”

“Counting prayers while fingering beads is a universal use. The idea behind this lies in the nature of repetition that soothes like a lullaby. It is calming and introspective.” – Manuela Dunn Mascetti

Presently I’m visiting friends in Costa Rica and volunteered to re-work a design that was painted on the guest-house kitchen counter.  They have decided to put part of their property on the market, and this guest house is part of that parcel.   The counter deserved some attention!

My plans were to ‘patch’ the stained and damaged areas, but while scrubbing, sanding, then filling in the lost areas with splotches of white paint, I was inspired with new ideas. One problem with the previous design was that it was unforgiving and showed all stains and wear.    There are now more options for protecting the surface, so the new work should last a very long time.

When Marie finished her other work and walked down to see how I was doing, I presented the “new idea. ”   She wondered if it would consume too much time, but we decided to do a sample. She watched as I mixed dumped red, blue and yellow to the white already in the container and eventually hit a color that matched the hues of the ceramic floor…

Silent Critics/ Acrylic – painted door panel converted to wall art. Other items await attention, but for now, the counter demanded the immediate attention…

The Yin and the Yang of our Days

Tags

adding personality to a room, Creating Art, hotel andino quito, Transforming a small space

Can you see Hotel Andino down there?

“In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except yourself.”     -J. Krishnamurti

Quito Ecuador – This past week Miguel, owner of Hotel Andino, sent an email to warn me to expect ‘something different’ for my one-night stay.   When I arrived, Miguel explained that they were full with an out-of-town group of business people, but there was one option.  He seemed hesitant, and I said that I loved surprises –“… Show me the space!”

We went into the main part of the house, and I wondered where in the world an extra room could be, and then we stepped toward a petite door located beneath the staircase.    Like a child, I grinned and waited for Miguel to open the door.

Timeout for Art – Kahlua 7.8!

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Fernando Cevallos Sabando, jama ecuador, K 7.8, Kahlua 7.8, Kahlua Disco Jama Ecuador, Timeout for Art

Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time,’ is like saying, ‘I don’t want to.’   Source: Lao Tzu   —

Thanks TWICE to Eddie Two Hawks for two inspirational quotes in a row!  eddietwohawks.wordpress.com

The owners of the cabanas probably think I am sleeping, but in fact, I’m following the above advice to write today’s Timeout Post. After selecting, “Publish” I’ll return to the project.

Project?  What project?

Ladies and Gentlemen; step inside!

Fernando Cevallos Sabando and his assistant Gatito work on the upstairs DJ section of Kahlua 7.8.

Jama Ecuador —    “Leeee-sah!” Fernando quietly called from outside my cabana door.  “Do you have the key?” 

Approaching the 8 A.M. work hour, Fernando needed the key to open the gates to Kahlua 7.8, a discotheque he is bringing out of hibernation.  The disco was always called, “Kahlua,” but the 7.8 links all comrades who experienced last year’s earthquake.

I opened the door, smiled and replied, “It’s hanging on the hot-water spigot on the water machine.’  

“Oh!” He chuckled; the first person in the outdoor kitchen usually turns on the hot water option for tea or coffee…  With his always-present smile, he added, “Excuse me – now go back to sleep!”

Fernando at work at Kahlua 7.8…

Five hours earlier under a stunning Carl-Sagan sky, I drove into the hostal parking lot just before the roosters announced the approaching dawn.  Before retreating to my cabana,  I pondered the best place to leave the key.

I had last seen Fernando the night before at his brother’s Palo Santo Cafe.   We failed to discuss that detail when he handed me the key and said, “We are finished for the night.  The lights are set up for you.  Paint as long as you’d like.”

Perhaps the locals need a vibrant social spot for jazzing them out of their phone daze!

With a mischievous grin I replied, “You’re giving me the keys?  And I have all night to paint?  Oh my, you might be in for a shock when you show up for work in the morning!”

Timeout- Creative Incubation

Tags

Acrylic, ceibo trees, Incubation and Art, Paintings of Ceibo trees, The Magic Canoe, the magic carpet, Timeout for Art

Incubating – Croaking Ground Dove

“You must have a room, or a certain hour or so a day, where you don’t know what was in the newspapers this morning, you don’t know who your friends are, you don’t know what you owe anybody, you don’t know what anybody owes you. This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth, what you are and what you might be. This is the place of creative incubation….” — Joseph Campbell

Ecuador – Every so often someone offers a mirror, and we see ourselves through another’s eyes. That happened this week via Dennis Koenig aka Balsamean’s  blog.   Thank you again, Dennis, for an exceptionally-written ‘About the Artist’ review; I remain humbled.

Here’s his post

NATURE WRITERS I FOLLOW – ZEEBRA

“Is that ME he’s talking about?”

His kind words inspired me to finish organizing words and images on an incubating website that showcases my art.

Fledgling’s first flight!

‘There was an ole artist who lived in a canoe… she had so many paintings, she didn’t know what to do!’    Pencil, Museum Studies, Flora, Fauna, Whimsical, Contemporary, Hand-painted Floors –  it will take a while to lasso the offspring and tweak their placement in this eclectic family tree of art!

The ‘Portfolio’ site starts HERE: SKETCHBOOK NOTES

This week’s art is still growing, but a new member of the family tree is ready for a pre-party viewing.  Meet “Abuelito” Grandfather Ceibo:

Timeout for Art: Imagination vs Scientific Seriousness

Tags

"The Muir Tree", Acrylic paintings of trees, palo santo tree, scientific illustration

“I spread out my map under a tree and made up my mind to go through Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia to Florida, thence to Cuba, thence to some part of South America; but it will be only a hasty walk…

I wandered away on a glorious botanical and geological excursion, which has lasted nearly fifty years and is not yet completed, always happy and free, poor and rich, without thought of a diploma or of making a name, urged on and on through endless, inspiring Godful beauty.John Muir — The Story of My Boyhood and Youth (1913),

Like John Muir, I had a childhood dream,  but mine was to live in Argentina’s pastoral Pampas region, painted so lovely in my fifth-grade geography book.  I wanted to raise quarter horses and ride the pampas like those gaucho cowboys!

Those Mississippi-childhood dreams faded, though every so often I was wistful to live in the Neotropics, home to exotic botanical specimens I thirsted to see in person, where locals conveniently used large tropical leaves for impromptu umbrellas and where heliconias soared to the moon.

The road less traveled eventually delivered me to Central America and then Ecuador, places where the temperatures never dipped below freezing – unless I desired to visit the peaks of Chimborazo, Cotopaxi or other high-altitude landmarks that dot South America’s Andean spine.

There are times when I enjoy an eye-to-eye inspection of those exotic plants, and by capturing their likeness with pencil or water media, I discover minute details that otherwise might be missed. I always walk away with deeper respect for the plant and its support cast of companions.

Brugmansia leaf detail – acrylic

Detail: Brugmansia y Ginger – Acrylic

Wildflowers facing north! (Acrylic)

While painting this Thunbergia study, I noticed monarch caterpillars nibbling the leaves of a nearby milkweed!

There are times when I toss the scientific seriousness aside and allow the personality of the subject to emerge. These always bring great mischievous joy, as if freeing a personality that was trapped by a long-ago wicked spell.  Most people can easily spot the human spirit in Ecuador’s Ceibo trees Ceiba trichistandra.

Presently I’m in the tropical dry forest, where for half a year the climate is humid with bi-polar rainfall, depending on moods of the nearby Pacific waters.   The rainy season weans into the dry season, and many trees go into a dormant stage.

It is in this section of Ecuador’s coast where the gigantic Ceibo trees join forces with the much-smaller Palo Santo.   These two trees leave lasting imprints on those who bond with the flora and fauna of the area.

‘What is that unique sweet smell?’ people might ask.   Many times it’s the subtle aroma of a just-bruised branch of Palo Santo.    The dried ‘holy’ wood is burned to repel mosquitoes as well as to clean a room of heavy energies or bad spirits.

Palo Santo tree

Recently my friend Luchi and I began work on a painting of a Palo Santo tree, which grows along Ecuador’s Pacific coast.  He presented some photos he hoped to work with, and we inspected two trees growing in the hostal gardens.  I began the painting as he watched, and then he joined the painting session!

Timeout for Art – When Away from Home

Tags

andino hotel quito, painting on walls, Timeout for Art

Memories of painting sessions at Hotel Andino.

Sweet Gaby took a Timeout for Art several months ago, though she was absent last time thanks to a broken wrist while playing basketball!

“We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place, we stay there, even though we go away. And there are things in us that we can find again only by going back there.” ― Pascal Mercier

Between the reception and the guest rooms

I’ll ask who painted this mural….

The reception/office

The view from the reception area

Quito Ecuador – Returning to Hotel Andino is always a pleasure, and I am able to rest, run errands and almost always take a Timeout for Art.

Upstairs – the view from the doorway of Room #7.

Time to go downstairs for breakfast!

Tucked on the back corner of the second floor landing,  Room #7 offers a sweet little nest for one.  A small built-in wall unit makes me wonder what the room’s original purpose was, and I suspect that the towel-rack area in the bathroom was once a doorway.

Each time I return, I hope that Room #7 is available for another Timeout for Art.

Timeout for Art: Under the Influence of —

Tags

earthquake relief, jama ecuador, Timeout for Art

Jama Ecuador –    “Lee-sah,” my friend Nieve said when I stepped out of my cabana, “We were calling you and thought you were gone!”

With a bit of a shell-shocked gaze, I laughed and said I could hear nothing over the sound of the construction.

Just behind my cabana, workers have been working day and night on one of many ‘relief-house’ projects for those who are still living in tents.   Ground shaking machines prepare the new areas before portable concrete mixers belt out their own source of background music.  Workers tackle each house with amazing skill and seem to work in harmony, even if the noise level tested my patience.

Whenever I found myself getting frustrated about the noise, I reminded myself, “These sounds are like music to those who will wean from a tent to one of these houses.”   Yes, if I had been living in a tent for over a year, those sounds would represent an upgrade in my life.

Timeout for Wanderlust, Accidental Experiences – and a Little Art!

Tags

baeze ecuador, costnga ecuador, rio napo ecuador, Timeout for Art, yachana lodge ecuador

Between Yachana Lodge and Loretto…

“Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.”   Andrew Zimmern

Ecuador – As a child growing up in the Misssippi Delta, I was painfully shy and dreaded interactions with strangers.  A loner, I thrived when roaming the outdoors, inspecting wildflowers along ditch banks or immersed in the dense canopy of the woodlands, where I might sit for hours in hushed tranquility.

My favored destination on my childhood roamings were big trees in dense areas.  – Ceiba tree Near Rio Napo – Ecuador

I am grateful for  young-adult opportunities of teaching art as well as speaking to groups as ‘A Gardening Artist.’   I realized that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and that unique threads connect us all.    Slowly I grew comfortable with interacting with strangers, and now I embrace those opportunities to know my fellow man.

After leaving Yachana Lodge on Good Friday,  friends Stephen and Xiomara and I embarked on a journey that presented many unique experiences which almost always included the locals.

Timeout for Barter!

Tags

barter, Painting butterflies, painting on walls, Timeout for Art Barter

An old painted wall needed a facelift…

Quito Ecuador –  “Lisa, how much does it cost to stay at Hotel Andino?”  my friend Stephen asked a few weeks ago.

“I don’t know – I don’t remember,” I replied, “It’s been a long time since I paid to stay there…”

He laughed, and I gave a quick summary.   Their sweet hotel has many opportunities for touches of art, and we trade art for the hotel costs.

While guests were sleeping, I painted this ginger in the breakfast room.

Recently I stayed in room #5 which is quite lovely, and there were several areas that seemed perfect for original splashes of art.   Years ago another artist painted the hummingbird and flower in the bathroom, but the hotel’s well-scrubbed maintenance and new applications of white paint slowly altered the design.  A bit of mildew also lurked around and beneath the pale colors.

Timeout for Art – The Muir Tree

Tags

"The Muir Tree", acrylic paintings, John Muir Quotes, Painting trees, Timeout for Art

The trees are watching!  Near Rio Cinto-Mindo Ecuador

“Any fool can destroy trees. They cannot run away; and if they could, they would still be destroyed — chased and hunted down as long as fun or a dollar could be got out of their bark hides, branching horns, or magnificent bole backbones. .” — John Muir

Sometimes a work of art ‘just happens’ as if some invisible hand guides the process.  Everything aligns as if magically orchestrated.

Watercolor  by Lisa Brunetti –  With no pencil prep, I focused on one part of the flower then went straight to painting; the initials strokes of paint slowly evolved into the study of the Thunbergia flowers.

Othertimes a work of art requires preparation and homework, which starts as a spacial gathering of information and honing that data until clarity guides the artist forward.

The Muir quote has always fired my imagination, and I pictured trees frowning in disgust or wide-eyed with fear of being felled or even timidly hiding and peering from behind rocky facades. While pondering ways to illustrate the quote, I began seeking out and studying the twisted growth of mature guava trees – cousins to crepe myrtles – to merge the illusion of limbs and antlers.

Timeout for Art: Bringing a Quotation to Life

Tags

drawing trees, March Skies Denmark Video by ADPhotography, Quotes by John Muir, Timeout for Art: Bringing a Quotation to Life

“Abuelito Ceibo” The Grandfather Tree Still Stands – One block from the center of Jama Ecuador

“Any fool can destroy trees. They cannot run away; and if they could, they would still be destroyed — chased and hunted down as long as fun or a dollar could be got out of their bark hides, branching horns, or magnificent bole backbones. .” — John Muir

Thank you for your positive feedback on the post, In Celebration of Trees!   The tree theme continues with a rollback to last March when my friend Barbara helped with improving the trails. We selected many nature-related quotes then had fun painting signs on rainy days.

Here are photos from last year’s signs:

Shhhhh! Don’t wake the duendes!  To learn more about duendes, go here:  Frigates of Isla Corazon

For the Trails! (Acrylic on old board – words are below)

“Hummingbird teaches us to transcend time, to recognize that what has happened in the past and what might happen in the future is not nearly as important as what we are experiencing now. It teaches us to hover in the moment, to appreciate its sweetness.” – Constance Barrett Sohodski

Barbara/aka Hummingbird not only helped with painting signs; she also helped transform some of the trails.

We pulled grass and pulled grass and pulled grass…

But the efforts were rewarding!

Painted by Barbara!

2-Cans

Before selecting a board for the John Muir quote, I tossed around ideas for illustrating the message then decided that a board was too small.  It deserved to be a more-serious work of art.

In Celebration of Trees

Tags

admiring trees, Mindo Ecuador, protecting trees, rio bravo reserve, tree quotes, trees

The other creatures with which we share this world have their rights too, but not speaking our language, they have no voice, no vote; it is our moral duty to take care of them. –  Roger Tory Peterson

Mindo Ecuador –    Sentinels of our communties, trees posses a strong power.   They plant their feet firmly and stretch their arms toward the heavens as if tickling the sky.  Horizontal branches provide support for a child’s  dreamy afternoon respite or a house cat or even a jaguar! In the Neotropics, trees provide a unique ecosytem, where bromeliads, orchids, vines and ferns provide food and shelter for insects, birds, reptiles, mammals, etc.    The dense shade cloaks the ground with welcome relief from extreme heat.  Ah, who hasn’t expressed gratitude when stepping beneath the canopy of a large tree on a sultry day?

The people in the tree had the best seats for the game!  The ones on the ground clustered beneath any shade! Jama Ecuador

One friend long ago mentioned ‘custom harvesting’ a tract of land, and he knew that it bothered me.    He explained, “But the trees are going to die anyway, so we might as well harvest them while the wood can be used. ”

I mentioned the dead trees’ importance and reminded him that dead trees were important habitat for the presumed-extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker.  “Where will YOUR chidren take their children to see a really-big tree?”  

This past week while sorthing through old drawings and sketches, I paused when reviewing three or four pages of attempts to illustrate a quote.    Then Rebecca Budd /Clanmother shared a quote about trees, which nudged me into bringing that sketch to life.

Those lovely sentinels watch over us, yet many times we forget to acknowledge their presence or worth.

Join me in this celebration of trees!

Timeout for Art: A Child’s First Drawing Lesson

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a child's first drawing lesson, cosanga ecuador, pachamama birdwatching journey, teaching children to draw, Timeout for Art

The Texas Pachamama Christmas Fairies brought a huge assortment of art supplies. The airlines might have taxed them for extra weight!

“It was amazing what an hour with her sketchpad could do for her mood. She was sure that the lines she drew with her black marker were going to save her years of worry lines in the future.” ― Victoria Kahler, Their Friend Scarlet

Cosanga Ecuador – Napo Province – See Map

The Pachamama Birding Group also brought treats for the teacher… Really really really-nice treats!  Watercolor paper!  Brushes! Sharpie Markers – not used ones like at my drawing table, but brand-new ones with precise points!!!!  But that’s for another post.   Check below to see the view from the table where I took a 30-minute personal timeout for art:

The Pachamama Christmas Fairies delivered high-quality art materials 8 months early!!! Thank you Pachamamas!

… While the ladies were out birding, the two boys and I sat on the front porch for an impromptu art lesson.

Remember Jordan and Rudy?

Please join me as they experience a fresh pad of drawing paper while they discover the magic of a well-sharpened pencil.