Russian Day

The Plein Air Convention organizers brought in Nicholai Dubovik from the Surikov Institute of the Russian Academy in Moscow. He spoke with such truth and depth while doing a demo. First comes drawing, and then the plein air experience - it is the most organic proces in the education of an artist. Students go out painting for 2 months in the summer when the light lasts until 1:00 am, 1000 miles north of Moscow. A program is being setup for artists from North America to go and experience this - for 2 months.

Second Day at the Workshop

Frank did a wonderful demonstration this morning. The block in exercise of yesterday was expanded to deeper attention to values. There was a white carriage standing in shade, and he started on a canvas primed with leftover mud from his palette, then drew in the basic shapes and started with the lighest value to key the painting. Frank said to not stare at anything for too long because it will expand, change colour, move forward....

We painted in the afternoon - I am not finished with mine yet....will postone later.

The house at the horse ranch where we eat lunch and keep our supplies.

Evening sun from Los Frailes.

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Mexico

Arrived last night in San Miguel - it is warm, the scent of flowers was in the air, crickets were chirping, the stars were out, and we quickly went into the town centre just to see the town square with the beautiful lit up La Parroquia church. Mariachis were playing and it was like entering into another world. I start a plein air workshop with Frank Gardner on Monday for five days.

Spain museum trip

Just returned from a trip to Barcelona and Madrid with my daughters. My prime motivation was the big Joaquin Sorolla exhibit at the Prado in Madrid, but I also saw the Picasso museum, Antoni Gaudi's church and park, the rest of the Prado, and Sorolla's house which is now a museum. It was a phenomenal experience and very motivating. On Sunday, at least one hundred artists of all levels were painting around the Prado. Later an exhibit was held for the public. More later....