Amapolas

I just finished this painting I had started a couple of months ago...

I am now happily married and finally organized in our new apartment. Married life is busy busy busy!!! But I feel even better now that I "took over" the dining room and transformed it into my studio.

I can't wait to keep painting!!!

"Amapolas Zapotes"

18"x36"

Oil on Canvas

A Pair of Granadillas

This is my second granadilla painting. These fruits are the cousins of the passion fruit. They remind me of my childhood in Colombia and of my recent trip to Cali last December when my aunt used to buy them for me :)

I used two completely different reference photos for this one, something I have never done before, but I really like the result.

I hope you enjoy the roundness and the colors as much as I do!


"Un par de Granadillas"
24"x36"
Pastel on Board
Available for Sale

Studio Update

Soooo... here you have it! Studio update as promised!

I would say I am around 85% done with the orange bromeliads and 70% done with the green ones. I love them both!!! You can probably guess why I have had so much fun with them: I have been able to use lots and lots of colors! Especially those I don't usually get to play with when painting other subjects. I couldn't be happier :)

I don't think I can call this work!!! It can be more accurately described as similar to the action of eating one delicious, decadent dessert.

End results to be posted soon...

Work! Work! Work!

I am working on several paintings at the moment. I decided to post this picture of my studio to show you the beginnings of a commission I am working on, and two figure paintings with the same model, my friend Sharon. I am only missing two elements to make this a complete studio: the A/C and the model stand. I can't wait!!! (All of the paintings on this picture are available for sale except for the orange bromeliads on the easel).

I will be beginning a very big oil bromeliad that will keep me busy for a while, but I will keep you posted ;)

A Kiss From The Sun -SOLD-

Bright beautiful colors!!! Does it get any better than that!?!?

Using my yummy pastels I tried to capture the beautiful orange bromeliads as they were being kissed by the sun rays. I hope this painting inspires you to go outside, pause for a moment, listen to the birds chirping, and take in the beauty around you.

"Sun-kissed Bromeliads"

11"x14"

Pastel on Board

Private Collection

Dreamy Pears

I painted this entirely from my imagination. I wanted to get away a little bit from the technicalities of painting and experiment a little more with my "artistic license." I tend to get stuck on using only the colors I see, so in this one I had room to play. Not bad for the first time I try this exercise!

"Dreamy Pears"
12"x15 3/4"
Pastel on Sennelier La Carte Paper
$180 (Shipping and Handling Included)

From Colombia with Love...

I am sorry I did not post yesterday but I went to pick up my parents and my sister from the airport and all in all it was a hectic day!
However, today I bring for you a painting from a photo taken by my mom. She got it for me while visiting the local market in Cali, Colombia. Juicy tangerines with green skin... I can't wait to go back to take lots more pictures, the variety over there is just amazing! And the food tastes so much "brighter." Also, I decided to take out my pastels because I missed them. I will concentrate on them once I get a little time off from thesis...

"Green Tangerines"
Pastel on Sennlier La Carte Paper
7.9" x11.5"
$130 (Shipping Included)

Sketch by the Lake

I was driving back home from work but I decided to stop by the complex next to mine because it had this wonderful view of a "flamboyan" (that is what the tree with the orange flowers is called in Spanish - I think they are called Royal Poinsettia in English) and the water. I stopped there and started painting, but the heat and the humidity was sooooo horrible I had to pick up and go... Getting a tan and painting... That is what I call multi-tasking!

"Flamboyan"
9"x12"
Watercolor on Paper
$120 (Shipping Included)

Hidden Treasure

Back to my bromeliad concentration.
I was soooo happy when I took the reference photo for this one... I thought I was done photographing bromeliads in my father-in-law's house, but I had not driven one block when I saw this nice orange bromeliad and I had to stop to take a shot of it. What a wonderful surprise when I looked in the center of it and I found this "hidden treasure." For me, it is all the small details that make life so great and worth living. Nature never ceases to amaze me.

"Hidden Treasure"
8"x10"
20.3cm x 20.3cm
Oil on Canvas
Private Collection

Gerberas

I am feeling this one a little more... The reference photo for this picture was taken in Sarasota in the lobby of the hotel. They had all these cute gerberas adorning the coffee tables.

"Simply Gerberas"
8"x10"
20.3cm x 20.3cm
Oil on Canvas

Citrus

I know I said I would post the grapes, but I am still not sure about them. Meanwhile, I painted these oranges, once again under the recommendation of my mom.
I tried to do something different with the background this time, I think it worked out. Here they are...

"Three Oranges"
8"x10"
20.3cm x 20.3cm
Oil on Canvas

More Produce... -SOLD-

I went to my local supermarket to take some more pictures for this fruits/vegetables series and I got kicked out... lol!!! I explained I was an artist and I just needed some harmless pictures of their produce section and they refuted saying that it was company policy. Oh well!!! At least I got to take a few snapshots, including this illegal shot of juicy tomatoes...

"Juicy Tomatoes"
8"x8"
20.3cm x 20.3cm
Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas
-SOLD-

P.S. Just a reminder that I am participating on a contest to see who becomes the next featured artist on the daily painters gallery. If you would like to vote for me just go to this website: http://dailypainters.com/blog/contest
and click on the stars on top of my name. Thank you!!!

Chontaduros

For those of you that do not know what the subject of this painting is, these are called chontaduros. They are a fruit that is native to South and Central America. It comes from a palm and it is very popular in my city, Cali, Colombia. We eat it with salt and honey... I miss them so much!!! They sell them in Miami, but in a jar rather than fresh. I guess it is better than nothing, but you cannot compare that to the experience of eating them in the streets of Cali.

"Chontaduros"
8"x10"
20.3cm x 25.4cm
Oil on Canvas
$200

Madder Bromeliad - SOLD-

Posting a little late today. I had to go pick up my boyfriend from the airport... I am sooo happy to see him. He spent two weeks in Colombia visiting his family. This bromeliad is actually from his father's front yard...
Loving the colors here... The name of the painting comes from one of my favorite hues in my palette: Madder Lake Deep.

"Madder Bromeliad" -SOLD-
8"x10"
Oil on Canvas
Private Collection

More Zucchini

Same arrangement as the previous one but from a different vantage point and with a different color fabric... Very frustrating piece... It took me longer than all the other ones. This painting marks the end of my second week as a daily painter.

"Plate of Zucchini"
8"x10"
Oil on Canvas
$130 (Shipping Included)

Bromeliad -SOLD-

Posting a little late today... This is the start of my tentative bromeliad series. They have them everywhere in Miami and I do not want to waste the opportunity of depicting their beautiful colors.


"Orange Bromeliad" -SOLD-
8"x10"
Oil on Canvas
Private Collection