Day 29 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

HONEYMOON ROCK

This is Honeymoon Rock, which is north of Jama, Ecuador.  Supposedly, if you go to that rock, you will have a good marriage.  I'm not superstitious at all, so it didn't matter to me.  But it made for a good painting.  

Here is the original photograph.

Day 28 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Today we're back in beautiful 

HONOLULU, HAWAII!

Although it may not look like the typical Honolulu setting, rest assured it is Honolulu, Hawaii, at a place called Kualoa Regional Park.  It is south of the Kahana Valley State Park, which if you look at a map of Oahu, the island Honolulu is on, it is at about two, nearly three o'clock if you viewed it as a clock.  WAY north of famous Waikiki Beach.  

You may say, "You go to Hawaii and take a picture of a tree?"  Well, I just found it interesting, besides, we had breakfast on Waikiki Beach that morning at famous Duke's, looking at Diamond head...so it was time to discover.  I was FORTUNATE that my husband STOPPED the car to take a picture!  But, this is only the painting, an inspiration of what it looked like, there is NO way I could represent how beautiful it looked like, at least not in a "painting a day" challenge!  Perhaps if I took more time, I could show how the clouds touch the mountains and it feels as if God's Heaven is meeting the Earth.  

On that thought, here's the original photo.

But I wanted to push the photo a bit, and decided to go with a minimum palette painting, so this was my result.

Kind of cool, isn't it?  Very Ansel Adams type, or Clyde Butcher style!  

Since I only had one day, and was frustrated to be under that pressure since I prefer to do quality rather than quantity, I decided to get a head start on the next two paintings due by the end of the month.  No, it's not cheating, in fact, even if you have a painting started a long time ago and finally finish it, it's consider a painting in a day!  

The limited palette colors I used for the Honolulu painting are:

Titanium White

Permalba Black

Cerulean Blue

(that's it, three colors)

And for brushes I also only used three:

#12 flat shader 

1/4" Angular shader

and a 

10/0 script brush to do all the leaves on the tree...trust me, I had that brush DANCING on the canvas!  

***********************************

So here's the next painting, which is called, "Honeymoon Rock" which is located north of Jama, Ecuador in a town called "Provincia de Manabi".  I guess if you go to that rock legend has it, you'll always feel like you're on your honeymoon.  (Yeah, right.)

I also "pushed" that photo with making it lead more into just yellows.  

Now, for my final painting for the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge...Moulin Rouge, in Paris!

Is it wishful thinking that those grays and blacks be partially dry so I can paint the rest, or am I a dreamer?  The Moulin Rouge is something I've always wanted to see, and photograph myself so I could paint it.  Nice how dreams are coming true.  Funny thing is, nearly no one knows...haha!  

The beige in those Moulin Rouge paintings will be done tomorrow while I have the yellowish colors out for the Ecuador painting.

So to recap, tonight I reminisced about Hawaii, Ecuador and Paris!  I had on Hula music, Spanish and French tonight on my iPhone.  Aloha, Si, and Qui.  BYE!

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Day 27 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Yes, I'm counting down the days...the challenge is getting to me, but knowing I learned a lot, I realize it was a good thing!  So let me take you on the adventure for day 27, which takes us to Venice, Italy!

Venice, Italy

On our trip to Italy, we went to Venice and well, although the buildings are dilapidated and in need of paint, but the ambiance of the city took my breath away.  Let me tell you ladies, if you like fit men, those gondoliers are FIT...it takes muscles and stamina to push those boats down the canals! 

This painting looks finished doesn't it?  Well, it isn't.  (Besides the lack of a signature, what else is it missing?)  An oar!  Haha!  I didn't realize I forgot to put it in until I took the photo of it!  So here it is, with the oar in the painting.  

All goes to show a few things...everybody forgets things...and well, we all make mistakes...but funny thing is, the painting works with or without it.  I think because as a viewer, you know it's Venice, and you know he's steering the boat with an oar, you don't necessarily need to see it.  That's quite cool.

I didn't use many colors for this painting, I used Permalba's White and Black, Cerulean Blue, and Cadmium Yellow Light...that's it.  Well, I take that back, I did use some original formula Titanium white as well because it was needed when I did the reflections.

Here is how I painted it.  I started with a general sketch.  I went in with cerulean blue mixed with Permalba white, using a flat brush for good coverage.  Then, after cleaning my brush, I mixed Cadmium Yellow Light with the Permalba White.  I wanted a greenish flash experience where the two meet in the sky, and it certainly wasn't hard to accomplish, it nearly made itself!  The setting sun was made with a real pale yellow, painted on real thin.  That's one place I got out the original formula Titanium white...I did a process called, "Fat over lean" which means, I put down a thin layer and topped it with a fat layer of paint.  I added in some gray clouds, and I mean, I simply dabbed it on, not really giving it much thought...and then went in with BOTH whites, one gives great coverage (the original) and one gives it flow (Permalba).  I mixed the two using my trusty "Hake" brush.  I love that thing to blend clouds, I use them in oils and acrylics, although I will be the first to admit, it's far easier in oils.

I went onto the water, looking for patterns, where the colors lied...and to get in that bright white of a reflection, I took out the original formula and applied a thick layer of it with a palette knife.  To use the palette knife, I only load a think "roll" of paint along the edge of the palette knife.  I learned that from TV art, not in school.  So yes, it's good to watch old PBS artists, you never know what you're going to pick up!  

Then I did the black with an angular shader.  I purchased a new angular shader, it was a red sable, which it's said that it's one of the better brushes to use...well, I didn't see any difference from my el-cheapo synthetic brushes...so don't waste your money.  When I got to the part of painting the gondolier, I used a small round to get the head shape and body. 

I finished it off (or so I thought I finished it off), with some dark gray put into the buildings to look like the sun was hitting it.  All along forgetting to put in the oar.  

Not until I started writing this blog did I think of the oar...and that was after I posted the photo.  

Such an amateur...haha!

If I was teaching a class, this is one I'd do to show color mixing, what to do first, second, and so on.  It's one, if I had the ability to, I'd make it into a video.  Of course, I'd need an editing crew!  

One thing about those TV artists is they seem to get the painting done in a half hour...no...no, no, they don't!  It's edited.  The same way the renovations on the Home and Garden Channel aren't done in an hour!  Think!  

Here's the original photo I took.  I only took it with my iPhone...if you can imagine that.  We were going out to dinner and we were going to walk to the restaurant (no, we weren't going to walk on water).  There happens to be a great walking system set up between the canals!  And the concierge at the front desk said, "We can taxi you there."  (In Venice, that means a boat...a taxi is a boat.)  So we took them up on their offer.  (Pay those prices they should!)  It wasn't a gondola though, it was a regular boat and I was standing on the boat leaning on the cabin to take the photo...it was so stunning, I just love Venice...and yes, I'd go back.  

By the way ladies...if you ever get to Europe, don't take a lot of bags, take one small purse, and of course one large canvas throw-away tote for your plane carry-on, because when you get to Venice, well, ANY city in Europe, but especially Venice...you're going to be amazed at all the purses, and the prices are more than reasonable.  My husband purchased a lot of glass.  I got purses.  When we were packing to leave he asked me, "Do you know how many purses you got while you were here?"  I said, "Oh, I guess three or four."  He said, "NINE dear, NINE!"  But my nine purses weren't as much as his glass...so there!  And yes, all the glass was shipped home which cost (the purses all fit in my luggage, I'm an expert at packing and stuffing a suitcase), so I came out ahead.  

Would I ever go back?  MOST DEFINITELY...it would make a great girls vacation.  After all, we could check out all the gondola drivers!  

This oil painting is 6" X 6" gallery wrap painted black on the sides.  $30 plus shipping.

I must wait for the paint to dry before I can ship it out.  

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www.kathleenevekelly.com

Day 26 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"TILLY!"

Today's painting takes us down under to the continent of Australia!  A few years ago my husband and I went to Australia, and one thing I wanted to do was to hold a Koala.  Well, first place we went was the Taronga Zoo, in Sydney (later Princess Kate and Prince William went there).  But you may not hold Koala's in that "state" or "Providence" of Australia.  (What the big deal is I haven't a clue, but somehow Kate and Wills got to...they must have connections...haha.)  

Here's the actual photo I worked from...taken at the Taronga Zoo.  (I know I made a ton of mistakes...I'm pressed for time and yes, I'd like to paint a Koala again!)  

Here's a pic of me at that zoo.  In fact, this may be the same Koala, I'm not sure, there were so many!

And yes, you guessed it, I LOVE Koalas.  

It was hotter than hot that day as you can tell.  This was in the gift shop, and I was determined to get a picture TOUCHING a Koala if nothing else.  So I opted for a stuffed one.  Little did I know what was to be in my future!

So when we went to Melbourne, we went to the Melbourne zoo, but they didn't have a petting area for the Koalas but we learned a lot about them.  I think if I come back I'd like to be a Koala...for many reasons.  

So now we go to a small city named Kurunga...went on a train ride, which was cool, saw "Baron Waterfalls" which were very photographable, but I wanted to pet a Koala.  (When I have my mind set on something, I have my mind set.)  Well, guess what?  Yup...I got to hold a Koala and so did my husband and her name was "Tilly."  

Again, a super hot day, and remember I live in Florida and I love heat, but the weather down under was horrendous.   My husband also got to hold Tilly.

He loved her so much he wanted to take her home.  (Thank goodness the animal controller reminded him she wouldn't get through customs.)  But she was adorable...she would look right at you and she was gentle and very loving.  Although we heard different from the Australians, the contact we had was in a controlled area and it was fun.  This little Tilly didn't want to leave my husband's arms...I think it was love.  Haha!

You'd think we'd have ended there with zoos...after all, we'd been to three already on our trip...nah...we had ONE more to go to...the Australian Zoo, home of the crocodile hunter!  And this is where I got to pet animals I never DREAMED I'd get to pet...like this Bengal Tiger...and yes, it's real.    Ever hear that expression "Eye of the Tiger"?  Well, I got to see it and experience it.  The reason I could get so close and pet the tiger (I even held it's tail), was there was a zebra off in the distance and well, as nature takes it, Tigers love Zebras...yum...(Yuk!)  

I also got to pet...

a Kangaroo!  (Oh, they are so soft!)

...and I got as close as I could to an emu.  Everyone told me I was crazy...like as if that would stop me...haha!

I've fed giraffes!  (Same place Kate and Wills did...isn't that cool?  But we did it first!)

I once petted a cow in Ecuador...well, actually I fed him carrots...and he was such a piggy!

My husband's a big animal lover too, as you can see, pets and their people do start to look alike.  This was my Shar-pei named Carmella.

While in Australia, Ken stopped to pet a cow.  To his surprise, the cow WANTED to be petted, and petted and petted!

No matter where we go, the animals flock!  (Get it...flock?)

No, we really weren't pointing to penguins, it's a fake photo (the only one I have), but we did see them on Philip Island in southern Australia for their nightly Penguin Parade (google that...it's so cool).  We were forbidden to take photos as they are the smallest penguins there are, about the height of a Barbie doll.  Very unique...but...I did get pics of penguins at the Taronga Zoo...swimming, and at the Melbourne Aquarium walking around on snow and ice...pretty cool animal!

When we were in Australia at the Taronga Zoo (yes, that is the real background, isn't that a great shot?), Ken got to hold this gigantic bird.  The handler told us its eyesight was so good, it could see a rodent all the way over at the Opera House if it was there.  Simply amazing!

In New York City, we took a horse and buggy ride around Central Park.  I'm not much of a horse lover, but this one was nice...I think he really new how to pose!

At the Australian Zoo, we got to pet the oldest living tortoise.  Wow, are they ever unique, when you touch them, they feel you, even on their hard shell.  (Needless to say, we love zoos while vacationing, but the best ever was the Australian Zoo, by a long shot, and trust me, we've been to a lot of zoos.)

This was one of my favorite animals of all times, it's called an Echidna.  We got to pet it (in one direction only), and feed it a mixture of raw hamburger meat with fillers.  It's little tongue tickled my hand, I giggled like crazy.

Okay, one last photo...taken close to home at the zoo in Tampa called the Lowrey Park Zoo.  

For those who know my family, know who this one looks like...hahahaha...

I'm so bad...accurate, but bad...haha.

Hope you enjoyed my journey of zoos I've been to.  I just had to paint a Koala...very unique and soft and fuzzy, but quite heavy, far heavier than I ever dreamed they'd be.  Oh, by the way, at the Australian Zoo, we had free reign to the hospital Steve Irwin designed to see all the hurt Koalas...some were just coming out of surgery and were zonked out...they get his by cars all the time.  So sad.

I highly recommend if you ever get to Australia, don't leave without going to the Australian Zoo.  Even if you're not an animal lover, the place is amazing.  And go all out...get the biggest "Grand Adventure" like we did so you get insider access to pet animals only others can watch you do, get driven around in a golf cart so there's no long walks (trust me, it's the size of a good sized city), you get your own tour guide, and best part, they give you a photographer for the day and they print out some photos for you to take home immediately and the rest are put on a disc...and they even feed you all day, it's so worth it.  Pricey, but it's one of those once in a lifetime experiences.  I hope you get to go sometime.  

To return to my website, click below:

www.kathleenevekelly.com

But...if you wish to know what colors and brushes I used, read on!

The colors I used for "Tilly" are:

Permalba White and Permalba Black

Indianthrone Blue

Burnt Sienna

Cadmium Yellow Light

Vermillion

Red Rose

The brushes I used to paint Tilly are:

3/8th Angular Shader

#4 Filbert Bristle (it was ratty)

5/0 Round (small)

#2 Round

Liner

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed painting this and long to paint it again.  Larger though...and as a landscape style canvas.  I think it makes such a difference when you like what you're painting.  

See you tomorrow!

Day 25 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Puerto Plata, 
The Dominican Republic

This 6" X 6" Gallery wrapped painting was completed from a photograph I took while vacationing in The Dominican Republic last year in a small town called "Puerto Plata".  The food in the Dominican Republic was really good, the scenery in some parts were gorgeous, others simply sad, but the driving was mad!  So glad I had time to see sights like the above painting to balance things out!  I would never want to return, as while turning our D.R. money in to the bank at the airport, wouldn't you know some of the money was fake!  How were we to know?  It looked real and we got it from an ATM at the local grocery store.  Good thing they believed we were telling the truth...well, they believed me, my husband was busy dealing with the rental car company charging us nearly $1200 for a flat tire replacement.  (Oh, trust me, that was settled.)  Go back?  NOPE...  Paint it?  Sure.

Here is the photo and the painting right next to one another.

I was pressed for time, I started painting at midnight, so I didn't paint on the sides of this one, however, here is a collage to show you how nice it looks, and know I would continue the painting onto the sides if you'd like or paint it all one color if that is what you'd like.  

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Day 24 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Bahia De Caraquez

Bahia De Caraquez, or informally known as "Bahia", Ecuador has a little hotel on the beach with four red hammocks just waiting to be used.  I just knew I had to paint this!  

Here is the original photograph and as you can tell, I took the hotel out on the right to make it less busy looking.  I took a lot of artistic license with this one! 

Here is what this 6" X 6" oil painting looks like from all the sides.

I normally don't post my collage photos taken from the easel, but I have a painting still drying on the easel from yesterday!  

"Bahia De Caraquez" is $30 plus shipping.

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Day 22 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

SPROUTING HORN

Sprouting Horn Beach Park is on the Garden Isle of Kaua'i, Hawaii.  It is where you can watch a blowhole sprout a plume of sea water into the air.  The water sprout occurs whenever the waves are forced under the lava shelf and up the through an opening in the rocky coast.  It may blast upwards to 50 feet when violently forced.  I saw it go up about 15-20 feet tops.  It sounds like a big woos of water like a whale does when it's coming up for air!  

It's not a big attraction, only takes a mere five minute to watch, and there's some vendors nearby, but for the most part, it's still cool to see mother nature at her finest.  

Here's a collage of the painting.

And here is the reference photo I took when I was there.  Actually I took so many photos because you have to time it just right...and this was about the best one I took.

I opted to not include the shrubbery in front.  The paint was just too wet.

This 6" X 6" is painted on the sides and will sell for $30 plus shipping.  

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Day 22 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Tower Bridge, London

Many think, as I once did, that this is the London Bridge!  No, I was informed by the British Tour guides on the boat, it is indeed the Tower Bridge! So here is my painting for today.

I painted it on all four sides as well.  I wish the background would have been more dry, as it presented problems to me.  this is one I'd like to try larger.  I'm not pleased with this painting, but I'd like to give it another shot.

Here it is shown from all three sides.

And here is my inspiration photo I took while riding down the Thames on a boat.

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Day 21 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Three quarters the way done with this challenge!  Pat on the back time!  I had three subjects I wanted to paint, but, had to figure out which one to do first, and I was having a serene type of day, so I chose a serene, calm photo from which to work.  But my other two were the Tower Bridge in London, and the Moulin Rouge in Paris...but they need backgrounds, which need to dry, so I made the decision to paint one of my favorite subjects and one of my favorite places in the whole wide world...you guessed it, Hawaii.  This time the island of Kaua'i.  At the famous Tunnels Beach.

TUNNELS BEACH, KAUA'I

While my husband snorkeled, I took photos.  It was in the afternoon but the sky was bright over the distant mountain.  Tunnels Beach is located at the north end of the island, in the area of Haena.  It is supposedly the ultimate for snorkeling and scuba diving.  The crescent shaped bay is fringed by palms and Ironwood trees.  The golden sand beach has lush jungle and mountains making this a picture perfect beach.  

Lava tubes form the many underwater caverns and that is where Tunnels gathered its name.  If you ever go to Kaua'i, don't miss it.  Parking is difficult, but not so bad from Haena Beach Park and walk a bit.  

The mountain in the background is called Mount Makana (Bali Hai).

This is one painting I'd like to do larger for sure.  Of course, the dream would be to paint it on location.  I tried once from the Princeville Resort a few miles away, but I was using someone else's supplies, and I didn't like the type canvas she used, it was more like a slippery board, so I didn't get a good effect.  Since they were done in oils, they also didn't dry in time to take home in my suitcase, so a wait staff at the hotel who kept watching me paint and commenting on how much he loved it, I surprised him when I left and gave him the painting.  He was  happy.  That's all that matters.  I couldn't do anything else with it!  He said it was the best tip he ever got.  I said, "No tip...gift!  You don't have to claim it on your taxes!"  He laughed and then thanked me.  

Yes, this is definitely one I'd paint again.  

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Coliseum, Rome, Italy

September of 2011.  

I didn't bother putting the letters inside the arches. 

Funny thing, when I took this photo, I was having trouble with my camera, don't know to this day what the problem was, but once I had the horse drawn carriage stop to allow me to take a photo, this is what I got! 

Cuenca, Ecuador flower

Cuenca, Ecuador Flower

While visiting Cuenca, Ecuador, I couldn't help but take plenty of photographs of the lovely flowers they have there.  Painting flowers is my least favorite subject.  I don't know one flower from another, but I do know one thing, I like taking photographs of flowers.  

Cabo San Lucas Hacienda

"CABO SAN LUCAS HACIENDA"

This is actually the Sheridan Hotel in Cabo San Lucas.  The place is beautiful and I'd love to return.  It was right on the ocean, and the waves there were perhaps some of the best I've ever seen.  

The grounds are tastefully decorated, trimmed neatly and the courtyards have beautiful tile work.  The food at the hotel was wonderfully delicious at all the restaurants on the hotel's grounds.  I would go back in a minute.  The room was pretty too.  Many spoke English and their gift shops were just enough, not overly done.  

The Eiffel Tower

EIFFEL TOWER

This is the most-visited paid monument in the world. The Eiffel Tower, named after the engineer whose company designed and built the tower, was erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the World's Fair.  The Eiffel Tower was originated by Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier.  Initially Eiffel himself showed little enthusiasm for the project.  So many stories surround the tower like how artists protested it at first, sculpters and architects didn't want the untouched beauty of Paris to be disturbed, and how when the Germans occupied France during 1940, they closed down the lifts (elevators for us Americans) and weren't repaired until 1946...what the German soldiers did was hoist a swastika, but the flag was so large it blew away just a few hours later and was replaced with a smaller one.  It was the tallest structure in the world until the Chrysler Building was erected in America.  It houses two restaurants of which I was so fortunate to dine in the gourmet restaurant, called "Jules Verne".  I can't recall what I ate, but I do remember on the plate was a huge mushroom, turned upside down and shaped like the tower. 

I truly loved this painting but it found a home before the oil paint was dry. 

Here is what it looked like on all three sides.

Here is the photo from which I worked.

Now for a more personal note on why I LOVE the Eiffel Tower so much.  It's not just because it's a beautiful lattice shaped sculpture or it's romantic, it's far more than that.  For years in school, (starting in fourth grade, I started learning French.  I recall watching it on the TV at school (a big deal back then), there was a show on PBS and the lady would say something in French, and in our best French, we'd have to repeat it back.  She would point to her ear when she wanted us to listen and point as us, and say "répétition" (sounds like RAY-PA-TAY) and we'd speak out loud the best French we could.  By learning it at such a young age, I quickly learned the days of the week, numbers (which is NO small feat in French), and how to make pleasantries like hello, how are you and goodbye.

Fast forward to my senior year in high school, after taking French in junior high, where we had headphones to listen to it, and we spoke into the microphone and the teacher graded us on what she heard.  But it was my high school teacher, Mr. Schneck who got me into learning where to put the accents, what's written as one word but links into another while talking, etc.  By my senior year, I was writing French poetry (not good though), and reading French newspapers and books.  Yes, I had to look up a lot of words, and back then, prior to the Internet days, I spent a ton of time at the library trying to learn what it takes to learn a different language.  

All I can say is I know enough to "get me in trouble".  Haha!  I'm FAR from fluent but it doesn't intimidate me.  Nowadays, with translating phones, it makes traveling easier!

My senior year of high school there was a trip to France offered and I so badly wanted to go to it.  But my parents said no.  (End of, no lip from me, whatever my parents said, I obeyed.)  But, I was crushed.  I really wanted to go, but the money just wasn't there for such a lavish trip.  When the kids came back over the Christmas holiday, all I heard was all the fun they had.  GRRR!

I did get the opportunity to go to the Bahamas though as a senior class trip, so don't feel any pity on me.  Of which I might add, I paid for by babysitting brats for years.  No wonder I never wanted kids!

Fast forward a few years.  I'm in college, studying art.  An opportunity came about to go to Paris, France with the painting professor who did speak French fluently, and I could have painted on the left bank.  "Rive Gauche".  But, once again, after putting three kids through college, my sister's wedding, and now my education, there was no money for such a lavish trip.  My professor told me his trip was free, and I thought initially that because he organized the trip he took money from each of the students so his trip could be free.  Nope, WRONG.  His way of a free trip was amazing clever.  He was known for his paintings locally and what he did was tell his former patrons/clients that he was going to Europe and if they wanted him to paint a painting for him while he was over there, he'd take half down.  SMART!  No, he didn't paint over there, he took photos and worked from them...he was no dummy!  But the people never knew.  In fact, years later I was visiting a friend of mine whose parents had one of his paintings, and they told me the story of how he painted it over in Paris, but I knew better and kept my mouth shut.  The illusion was to not be broken.  Deceitful yes, clever, even more so!  

I was always determined to go to Paris, by hook or by crook...and I finally got there!  No wonder I have this look on my face, I was so happy!  

Here's my husband and I on the steps right below the Eiffel Tower.

I couldn't be happier, I finally got to the Eiffel Tower!  

But there's more to the story.  

Did I ever paint there?  No.  I was supposed to paint with a group in Tuscany, but getting off the plane in Paris, I pulled a ligament in my right arm (my painting arm), and couldn't lift my arm.  Thank goodness the day before when we were in Pisa, I purchased a scarf because it ended up being a make-shift sling for me.  The hotel was kind enough to bring in an English speaking doctor to take care of me.  (A perk with five star hotels.)  The concierge even got me my medicines for me!  

So here I am on top of the Eiffel Tower, and my arm is in a sling.  Oh, by the way, I purchased that sweatshirt right before I went up because I overheard others talking (in French) about how windy and cold it is up top.  I was prepared!

Here I was earlier in the day...with just a Tshirt.  It was warm at the bottom (which is painted a slightly lighter color than the top...so when you view it from the top, it's perspectively correct), but I knew it was going to be cooler up top.  

Windy?  Yes, VERY!  Cold...well, it was cool...and I was so glad I purchased that sweatshirt, I wore it throughout the trip!

I wore it another day while we were atop a tour bus, and again, it was a little chilly, and a little windy.

Here I am about half way up.  Arm in sling...and yes, I got plenty of postcards and little Eiffel Tower souvenirs.  Such a fantastic experience!

A few days later, we were dining in Paris and my husband took this shot, and I wrote on it with some computer program, I can't remember which, but, simply put, I love, love, love Paris...and the waitress who waited on us, her big desire was to go to America...she was quite good with her English!  I asked her for a business card with the restaurant's address and I saw her name on her uniform, and I promised her I'd send her a few postcards from America.  She was thrilled to hear that.  Probably more thrilled when I sent them to her!  To my surprise she didn't have a computer or I would have kept in contact with her, she was a lovely young girl.  I bonded instantly with her.  

One last photo...when on the tour bus, of course, what else would an artist see?  The Sennelier store!  (For those of you who don't know, Sennelier is perhaps the top name brand for pastels.)  Did we get to stop?  Oh heck, I was lucky to snap the photo!  

Didn't get to paint while in Europe, but perhaps some day I will.  For now, I'll have to use my photos I took to paint from!  And that's okay!  

Brushes used for this painting were:

3/4" Angular Shader (for the black background which I painted the night before)

6/0 liner

18/0 Round

#8 Filbert

Paint colors I used were:

Permalba White

Permalba Black (love this black)

Cadmium Yellow Light

Cadmium Barium Yellow Medium

Burnt Sienna

Cadmium Barium Green

Green Gold Hue

Permanent Rose

Cerulean Blue (that color seems to find it's way into every painting I create)

Who knows where I'll be in the world for tomorrow's painting?  

By the way, this painting SOLD the day I painted it.