I'm alive!!!

Here is a painting I have been working on for quite some time... I have been dealing with life lately... the latest news is that I'll be getting married next January (:D) and so all the paperwork and the respective courses at the Church have been taking up most of my attention. However, I squeezed in a little bit of painting and I am FINALLY able to reveal this one...

And, even better, I already began the next one!!!! You will see it soon, I have a good feeling about it...

"Bromeliad Trifecta"

30"x40"

Oil on Canvas

Quick Study

I went to meet my friend Doris last Saturday at her studio at Lincoln Road's Art Center. We hung out for a while, had some wine and many laughs. I got to paint this quick study since we had to get back home and it was getting pretty late...

Good times...

"Memories of a Night at Doris' Studio"

9"x12"

Pastel on Board

Digital Painting

Lately I have been doing lots of graphic design. I decided to buy a tablet and I feel sooo overwhelmed and happy because the possibilities are endless!!!! It is sooooo exciting!!! I started painting digitally and here is my first try, a portrait of my dad...

Hope you like it!

"Jairito"

Digital Painting

Cherry Challenge

The same day I bought the onions I picked up a little tray of cherries for my mom. I decided to do something different and paint them in a way that goes"against" my usual style. In other words, I wanted a composition with several small items rather than a close up of one or two things.

These were quite the challenge, especially because I lacked the dark values of the cherries in my pastel set. However, by adjusting the rest of the values accordingly I was able to pull it off.

I'm so happy!!!! I keep hearing my professor's words in my head, and every time I paint I understand his teachings a little more.

"Cherries Hanging Out"

9"x12"

Pastel on Board

Available for Sale Here

Onions

Today when I got out from work I felt a sudden wave of inspiration, so I drove to the local supermarket to find my next "victim." After looking around for a while I decided to pick up some onions. The spot lights from the store made me see colors I had never seen on them.

I got home and started setting up my composition (the glass of water is supposed to help in reducing the amount of tears you shed while cutting them -it has never worked for me-).

Hope you like them!

"Tres Cebollas"

11"x14"

Pastel on Panel

Double Portrait

I have been working hard on this double portrait that features my cousin and his fiancee. They plan to get married next year...

"Luis Albertico & Monica"

18"x24"
Pastel on Board
-SOLD-

Lotus Flower

Here is one of the paintings that debuted in the show I did at Marce's at the beginning of the month. I got the idea from a photograph I took while visiting the Fruit and Spice park in the Redlands.

The "pushing and pulling" I had to manage in order to achieve the effect of depth in this piece was quite the challenge! Every painting is a learning experience :)

Compositions where there are lots of elements trying to capture one's attention require a great deal of deliberate decisions. Gotta keep painting to get better!!!!

Special thanks to JC and Giovanna for the canvas ;)

"Lotus Flower"

16"x20"

Oil on Canvas