One Bird at a Time

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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)

What Happened to Google Earth?

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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!)

Timeout for Art: Staying Young at Heart!

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jama coaque sellos, Lisa Brunetti art, Painting Pillows, Timeout for Art: Young at Heart

“It takes a very long time to become young.”
― Pablo Picasso

This Timeout for Art project was simple and easy! The design, inspired by a pre-Columbian artifact, was painted on a pillow to bridge the painting on the wall (below) with the fabrics on the sofa and chair.

LONG LIVE PAINT BRUSHES!

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Group Painting Projects, I can do this painting projects, jama post painting projects, Lisa Brunetti art, long live paint brushes, Painting projects, urban art

Quick! How does one mark the sun on the March Equinox? Long Live Paint Brushes!

Thank all of you for your kind comments on the last post, ´WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?¨  You´ve helped me wrestle my ego and lock it down where it won´t nudge me into trouble!   Tim- Forester Artist made me chuckle when he commented, ¨They waited until you left. I think they’re afraid of you!  ;)¨

Mary, of Oil Pastels by Mary, triggered a big smile when she wrote, ¨Long live paint brushes!

Marina lightened the mood by stating, ¨…please don’t “retire your urban paintbrush”!¨

I´ve always said that if one removes the ego from a conflict, the conflict usually vanishes.  It´s been hard to reconcile this one, as if someone doesn´t speak up for the voice of the artists, then…. what?    When does one watch from afar, and when does one become proactive?

Your feedback really helped keep this from beocming a burrrrrrr beneath my blanket, and I know first hand how loco that will make most horses!

These archive photos illustrate Mary´s point, and with a smile I present, ¨Long Live Paint Brushes!

Timeout for Art: Tapping into your Natural Talent

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inspirtation thru art, Lisa Brunetti art, painting t-shirts, Taping into Natural Talent, Timeout for Art, tinasca wordpress silvana

Silvana pondering her work!

“Talent is like a water table under the earth. You tap into it with your effort and it comes through you, from the bottom of the earth.” (Natalie Goldberg)

After drawing the butterfly design (see previous post) with a black permanent marker, Silvana pondered the colors for her sister’s birthday surprise.   With a thick paper between the front and back of the shirt, she slowly applied the acrylics.

 Watch over my shoulder and enjoy the magic!

Timeout for Art: STILL WATER

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I can do this painting sessions, Lisa Brunetti art, Painting sessions, the calming effect of art, timjeout for art: Community

I Can Do This – Opening Reception/The Mola Series -Museo Cancebi – Manta, Ecuador 2012

We can make our minds so like still water that beings gather around us, that they may see their own images, and so live for a moment with a clearer perhaps even a fiercer life because of our quiet.  (William Butler Yeats)

Instead of babbling about art tonight, I’d like for everyone to gather ’round and absorb a bit of the serenity that often floats through the I Can Do This sessions.  Peer over our shoulders and experience the essence of calm!

Timeout for Art – Selective Editing

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bamboo drawings, Drawing from Nature, Lisa Brunetti art, Pencil drawing, Timeout for Art

I devour nature ceaselessly. I exaggerate, sometimes I make changes in the subject; but still I don’t invent the whole picture. On the contrary, I find it already there. It’s a question of picking out what one wants from nature.  -Vincent van Gogh

Working from nature marks our drawings and paintings with an original freshness; instead of drawing the forest or the tree, draw a leaf;  admire the details in a cluster of bamboo or the delicate tendrils of a vine.    Instead of drawing the entire scene, focus on a small area and edit the parts that seem too cluttered or too boring…

Don’t get discouraged; YOU CAN DO THIS!

Z

Which Way is North?

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acrylic paintings, copyright lisa brunetti, Hand-painted concrete floors, Lisa Brunetti art, Wordpress photo challenge Focus, z designs, Zeebra Designs

This week’s WordPress Photo Challenge is Focus; “…For this challenge, get out there and take a picture demonstrating the concept of focus.”

Each week I photograph the progress on the compass design (painted on concrete floor) from several vantage points, so with pleasure I present the almost-finished design from many-different angles.

Because this is a floor, I keep asking myself, “Lisa!  Are those little bitty details really important?”

Timeout for Art: Compass

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Compass, Hand-painted concrete floors, Interior design, Lisa Brunetti art, Mosaic work, Problem floors, Timeout for Art Compass, Tromp L'oeil on floor, What to do with an ugly floor

“I don’t want technology to take me so far that I don’t have to use my brain anymore. It’s like GPS taking over and losing your internal compass. It’s always got to be tactile, still organic.”
Andrew Bird

Years ago I worked in a design studio for a company that produced custom carpets for hotels, movie theaters, casinos and private businesses.  Every so often we received an order for a hand-made rug, and the pattern had to be drawn on a huge canvas that was stretched to correct proportions in the warehouse.   To my amusement, most of the younger designers were graphic art whizzes, but their drawing skills were horrid!   I quickly became the hand-made rug specialist, and I would leave a note on my desk, “Gone to the briar patch! – ‘Brer Rabbit.’

How I loved the challenge of using my math and drawing skills to transfer a complicated design onto a giant canvas, then color code the areas to be filled in by another person!

I still enjoy using my internal compass to draw a complicated design on a forlorn concrete floor and watching the room slowly transform!   These photos illustrate one of several projects that tested my drawing skills this week.

Orderly – Daily Prompt

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Bodega floor, Lisa Brunetti art, painted images on concrete floors, what to do with an ugly concrete floor, wordpress daily challenge orderly

The Daily Prompt states:  Photographers, artists, poets: show us ORDERLY.

Easy!

Two days of hard work equals amazing progress!

Searching for good squeeze bottles for the paint, we found a supply that came with free drinks!

When I hit a slump in inspiration, I paint rocks and am magically back on track!

Sneak peek! The next project is coming soon! Yes, that’s paint!

Would anyone care to guess what this (above) will be?  It’s painted on the next section of the bodega floor and will help with navigational skills for the magic carpet!

Have a great weekend everyone!  I’m heading out for a walk on the farm!

Z

Walk First, Then Hop & Skip & Jump!

Tags

art projects on vacatoin, Canoa Ecuador, Group Painting Projects, John and Mary McDonald, Lisa Brunetti art, Painting projects, Timeout for Art

John, Mary and I worked on the drawing while having dinner at the Surf Shack in Canoa Ecuador!

Traveling one hour down the coastal road to Canoa Ecuador, I met my friends John and Mary  who had traveled about the same distance from the other direction.  John and Mary and I were celebrating their anniversary as well as birthdays.   We had planned to squeeze in a few drawing sessions, but they weren’t expecting a painting session!

Following up on last night’s post, I am pleased to present this photo update!

“You Can Do This!’

Tags

art instruction, i can do this painting workshops, Lisa Brunetti art, self confidence through painting, wp daily prompt Learning

Lise, visiting from France, paused while working on her first Ï Can Do This” painting!

Lise’s Hands – Costa Rica – “I Can Do This” Painting Workshop

This week’s WP Daily Prompts seem to be tailored for me!   “Tell us a moment or an incident that you treasure  — not necessarily because it brought you happiness, but because it taught you something about yourself.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us LEARNING.”

V is for Valdivia!

Tags

Lisa Brunetti art, Sarah Dettman Tours, Spanish words that start with V, Tagged V, Valdivia Mujeres, Valdivia Potter, Valdivia Women, Venus Valdivias, Vivir Sin Aire English translation, Watercolors of pottery

Senorita Valdivia – stages of watercolor

Ecuador’s archaeological museums showcase the many cultures that thrived before the European conquest of the Americas.   The Valdivia culture is often described as the oldest urban settlement in the Americas and dates back to 3,500 or 4,000 B.C.    Some suggest that the Valdivia culture came from Japan, and why it vanished is a mystery as well.

Valdivia Museum – Valdivia Women – Mujeres – Merci Waits

When I visit the Ecuadorian museums, I linger at the Valdivia section in search of my favorite Venus ladies.

Valdivia Women – Guayaquil MAAC Museum

There are many great Spanish words that begin with the letter V for Frizztext’s Alphabet Challenge.   Enjoy this random sampler:

Timeout for Art – YOU CAN DO THIS!

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About Art, ART, Finding Faith in Oneself, I Can Do This, Inspiration to Create Art, Lisa Brunetti art, Paintings, Pencil drawing, You Can Do This

“My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue.” (Carole King)

Recently we’ve joked about the magic carpet on the bodega floor, though our lives are all intricately woven like tapestries.  With each move – and I’ve made many, I’ve met new people that have enriched my life.  Sometimes we exchange ideas and move on, grateful that Life presented us a special gift.  Other times a chance meeting opens the door to a lasting friendship.   Some friendships from long ago remain strong through long-distance communications.  Many of my artist friends fit into that latter category.

“An everlasting vision of the ever changing view – A wondrous woven magic in bits of blue and gold -A tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold”  Carole King – Tapestry

This past month several artists have written touching and soul-bearing letters.  

Helping Hands

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Acrylic Painting, Creative Group Projects, Daily Post, Daily Prompt: Helping Hands, i can do this painting workshops, Images of Hands, Lisa Brunetti art

Today’s Daily Prompt states:  
Tell us about the most surprising helping hand you’ve ever received.
Photographers, show us HANDS.

Hands?  Do I ever have an assortment of images of hands!

Enjoy!

Bodega Floor Improves

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acrylic on concrete, barb seibel, creative ideas for ugly rooms, Hand-painted concrete floors, how to paint concrete floors, Lisa Brunetti art, magic carpet ride

Barb and I put in a long day of painting today and stopped around 8 tonight.  Barb passed on dinner and went straight to sleep!

After working on photos, I am now heading for slumber as well. Although we don’t have a flying-carpet postcard tonight, a unique flying carpet is materializing in the bodega!   Here are some photos that show the progress!

K for Kuna

Tags

fr, Frizztext story challenge k, Global Warming, i can do this painting workshops, Kuna Indians, kuna mola, Lisa Brunetti art, san blas islands

Late Afternoon Break-

Lo siento, (I’m sorry!)  I apologize in advance for veering a bit off course for this week’s story alphabet via Spanish words.  How can I not include Panama’s unique Kuna Indians in this challenge?

Mola Textiles made by the Kuna Indians of Panama

When I  lived in Costa Rica, I often visited my friend Barbara, who lives in the “Amador” area  of Panama where the Panama Canal merges into the Pacific Ocean.    The Kuna Indians’ unique ‘mola textiles’ colored the artisan markets in that area, and I always paused to admire the rich colors and finely-crafted works of art.

My interest at the time was on stained-glass windows, and I was preparing to capture the beauty of stained glass in watercolors.   The first ‘Mola” concept was a collective project to nudge Barbara out of a painting block.   I sketched the design, and she and her daughter Bobbe and I floated the colors with a relaxed ease.

Esta Casa Es Loca!

Tags

Acrylic Painting, Children's Art, Group Painting Projects, Hostal Palo Santo Jama Ecuador, I Can Do This Workshop, Lisa Brunetti art, Lodging Jama Ecuador, Spirals

Manabi Ecuador

Last weekend, my friends from the port city of Manta visited this rural farming area of Jama for the first time. Taking a day off from responsibilities, I joined them at Hostal Palo Santo, where we rented three cabanas and enjoyed a leisurely visit in the serene garden setting. With wide-eyed wonder, young Nicolas and Natalia tested the see-saw, touched their toes to the sky from the swing set and befriended a young kitten/gatito.

Natalia: Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice!
Nicolas: Snips and Snails and Kitty Cat Tails!

I suggested that we drive to my house to watch the sunset, and the seven of us drove the five kilometers for a comfortable end-of-day visit.   We weren’t prepared for Nicolas’ reaction!   From the moment he entered the house, he uttered this sentence of disbelief:

Here We Go Round In Circles!

Tags

acrylic paintings, I Can Do This, Lisa Brunetti art, Slow Internet, Thank YOu

Here We Go Round In Circles

Many of you enjoyed the post, “I Is For Iglesia,” and especially enjoyed the view from the lighthouse window.  Here is another view (Above) from the lighthouse which reflects the recent vortex of energy that swirls around and around my life!    Whenever a strong burst of creative energy ‘hits,’ I often say to myself and those close to me, ‘Uh-oh… bad weather’s on its way.’

“If Fish Could Fly” Receives an Injection of Energy!

Tags

Acrylic Painting, Gonzalo de la Fuente Manta Ecuador, I can do this painting projects, Lisa Brunetti art, Painting with Children, Window Treatments

Gonzalo and Nicolas absorb the visual whimsy of the riverhouse!

The riverhouse received an injection of energy this weekend! Gonzalo de la Fuente and his beautiful family crammed many memories into their short break from the port city of Manta Ecuador.  Gonzalo is quite the Renaissance Man, and his graphic arts skills keep his dance card full.  I am grateful for his tireles help whenever I need posters, invitations, a press release, catalog, book marks, business cards –  he transforms and improves the concepts.   Although I often visit Gonzalo and his family on their turf,  this was their first trip to the Jama area. These photos reflect one of many great memories from their two-day visit.

Enjoy!

Z

Words Sometime Fail Me

Tags

ceibo trees, Jama Coaque Art, Jama Coaque Sellos Manos, Jesus Jazz & buddhism, Lisa Brunetti art, Patricia Adams Farmer, Rain Jama Ecuador January 2013

How Does One Spell Mud?!!!!  When walking to town in THIS, I briefly wondered if I was on the right track!

After six months of extreme dry weather, typical of this dry rain-forest climate, the clouds turned on their taps and kicked off the new year with slow gentle rain.   And more rain.  And more rain.   And more rain.

Friends from Colorado are in town to check on their home that’s under construction in the area.   I’ve upgraded from a life ankle deep in mud on the river to a short stay at a cute hostal while they are here.    (The photo above shows the road between my house and town.)   All’s fine here, though the internet has been painfully slow.  I have had problems sending emails, commenting on other posts or replying to WordPress comments.

P is for PAINTING!

Tags

Acrylic, Flickrcomments Story Challenge P, Frizztext, Hand-painted concrete floors, hand-painted designs on wood, Lisa Brunetti art, Watercolors

Frizztext tosses his alphabet challenge each Tuesday.   Pulling up from behind just under the wire with O for Olive Ridley, I am now slightly ahead with the prompt for P!   The tagword of “Painting” trumped Pelicans, Portoviejo, Pacific Ocean, Peace March, Photo Challenge and PreColumbian Art for a chance for the spotlight!

From the archives comes an eclectic assortment of paintings from a handful of years!  Rather than ramble on about my work, I’ll let the paintings take the stage!

Sunday Post: Black & White

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acrylic paintings, grayscale images, Jake's Sunday Post: Black and White, Lisa Brunetti art, Rufous naped wrens, watercolor paintings

An Ebony drawing pencil provides strong darks.

Jake’s Sunday Post prompts us away from today’s brilliant color applications  and asks us to submit images in black and white.  He reminds us that long-ago photos included subtle nuances of gray that made them uniquely appealing.   The pencil drawing (above) adapted to the grayscale format, though the watercolor butterflies on the “Happy Shoes” (below) look real – even to me!