Citrus Trio SOLD

I almost forgot to post this piece!
Oranges, grapefruit and limes abound here. We are off to Guadalahajara for a few days so I won't be painting again until next Monday.
Thanks for looking,
Val

Aquacate Por Favor SOLD

Hola! Another Postcard for you from Mexico, SOLD, Thanks!

Avocados in Mexico have so much more taste than in Yukon! I am figuring out places to set up and ways to light my small studies, especially needed today as there is a strong wind blowing outside.

Thanks for Looking!
Gracias, Val

Green Peppers SOLD

SOLD, Thanks!

I just had to buy these green peppers to paint! They are not the deep green of our typical peppers and I loved the shape. And....OK...I also had some cobalt green paint that I was wanting to use!
Well I suppose you may be thinking that I should re-name my blog to "vals every second day" paintings! It is a challenge to get enough time to post every day!
When we go to the market and I am suddenly looking around with a distant gaze, Dan will say "what are you thinking of painting tomorrow?"
These pieces are available. I can bring them home from the Baja at the end of Feb. Email me through my website if you are interested.

So until tomorrow( or the day after!)
All the Best and Thanks for looking,

Val

Palm in the Morning Light

Palm trees just wont keep still to be painted!!! Simplify, simplify that was the lesson today. Just the essence of a palm tree.....at least I hope so.
I have been painting these Mexico pieces on canvas that I prepared back home. The gessoed canvas is cut a little larger than the finished piece and left unmounted. when I am ready to paint I simply clip them to a board. Once dry they can then be mounted on a backing panel. This way my suitcase stays light and I still have plenty of canvas pieces to work with.

Thanks for looking!
Val

Cactus

I found this little cactus in a small dessert garden around our condo. I really like this piece but it did not come out so well in the photo. I hopr it looks good in the blog!
Thanks for Looking!,
Val

Still on the Tree

These "daily paintings" are about painting from life rather than photos as I so often do in my studio. Colours are clearer and shadows more honest when painting from life. So instead of setting up a few pieces of fruit on a table in my studio I just headed outside to this tree full of beautiful, not quite ripe fruit! Outside is different again from the controlled light in the studio. The sun and shadow pattern kept changing as I painted! Little lessons from nature!

While I am here I am also working on some larger pieces for my show in Whitehorse at the end of February so I think I will post them here as I get them finished.

Thanks for looking,

Val

Just the Blossoms

These were hard to do! My goal was to get the transparency of the light through the blossoms. Anyway I will have lots of opportunity to try again! Maybe some cactus tomorrow?
All the Best, and thanks for having a look!
Val

Bouganvilla View

My first post fromMexico! OK, so I am not really a flower painter but how could resist painting the beautiful Bouganvilla vines that grow everywhere outside our Baja condo? This blog is about growth, experimentation and develpment so....here is my first postcard from Mexico.

Thanks for having a look!
Val

Blue Vase and Apple

The colour of this little vase was challenging to capture. It is a blue green that really changes in the warm light.
I am packing to travel to Mexico with a stop in the city on the way, so I may not get to painting until after we arrive January 9th. I will be taking my portable palette and paints, so expect some daily paintings from the Baja! This one is 7" by5" and is available!

Thanks for looking,
Val

Just a Jar

Hi Painting Friends,

Just a simple subject, right? Looks can be deceiving! I think I captured the transparency as the light passes through the marmalade though, and that was what drew me to this subject in the first place. I will try for simple tomorrow (again). Whew!
This little piece is 5" by 7"

Thanks for your interest!
Val

Persimmon with Vase SOLD

Some paintings seem to almost paint themselves. Perhaps its the part of us that lets go of the analytical and embraces the spontaneous. This was one of those ones.

Its very much in the traditional style which I am enjoying more and more.

This one is not for sale. I need to keep it for a while to remind myself on struggling days that I can paint!

All the Best for the New Year,
Val