YUPO FRANGIPANI

This may be DONE!  Waddaya think?

CANYON COUNTRY IMAGES

We've had a  lovely time revisiting Canyon Country, around Bluff Utah.  We're moving back south to Camp Verde AZ for a couple weeks to enjoy really warm weather, then back north [no planned route as yet] and will land in the Denver area by May 11th.

We've visited some favorite old familiar places and some places that have long been on 'The List'.  Pictures are from Valley of the Gods, Mexican Hat & the San Juan River canyon formations, Montezuma Creek Canyon rock art & cliff dwellings, and Monument Valley.  There's a shot of the horrible pollution in Monument Valley, coming from the coal-fired power stations that are on Navajo lands but owned by Big Power [granted, there's also lots of blowing sand/dust].  When down in the formations, the visibility is pretty decent -- thank goodness!
ENJOY. . .

Frangi PIP

Started a Yupo piece yesterday, the bloom on a frangipani tree. We stayed at a little ocean-side lodge named the Frangipani on Bequia in the Grenadines; the trees were in bloom -- a real treat because they're oh so beautiful. No drawing involved here, just go with the flow! I do love the loose, juicy images when working with watercolor on Yupo. Here's the PIP (Painting in Progress) and my reference photo.

STUFF HAPPENS, PLANS CHANGE!

We had planned to spend this week in Durango CO, visiting my son Greg (who is on spring break from his doctorate studies at the University of Alabama) and my grandson Miles (who is a pizza chef & actor & is about to move to Boise Idaho).  Unfortunately, Greg tore his hamstring & felt unable to travel and have fun . . . so we extended our stay at the Cadillac Ranch in Bluff UT for another week.  However, I'm going to Durango for a couple days to have some quality time with my oldest grandson!

We've been having a great time exploring around here: Valley of the Gods, Monument Valley, Goosenecks State Park, Moki Dugway & Muley Point, Montezuma Creek Canyon, etc.  I'll be posting some pictures soon. I'm collecting 'canyons & cliffs' booty to work into a new abstract acrylic painting.

While we love it here, we're spoiled by the warmer weather farther south and will head back down to Camp Verde AZ this Saturday, stay there a couple weeks, then start migrating north with the sun.

MINI COLLAGE CREATIONS

We met some wonderful folks while at the Ajo Heights RV Park in Ajo Arizona, SW of Phoenix and about 40 miles north of Organ Pipe National Monument. I got such positive reactions to the acrylic/mixed media/collage paintings I did and that encouraged me to continue exploring this type of art.  I wanted to give our good new friends something to remember me/us by so I made a series of miniature pieces.  These are acrylic on 300# rough watercolor paper, with collaged painted papers, textured rice papers, shells, stones including local copper, dried dead cactus pieces, bird feathers, sand, seed pods, etc.  Many incorporate metallic pigments.  The watercolor paper was hand-torn to give rustic edging; the paper was mounted on foam-core and everything was finished with a protective coat of acrylic polymer.  These pieces make great 'RV Art' as they are tiny and light-weight.

MIXED MEDIA FUN!

I recently completed a 4-part painting, aka 'quadtych', using acrylics on Gesso Board.  This piece was designed to fit in the corner of our 5th-wheel RV trailer where I have my studio set up.

I've just been exploring acrylics a couple months now.  This one incorporates lots of texture using gesso, painted & textured papers and corrugated cardboard, sand & stones including copper pebbles, prepared tyvek, and lots more.  It was tons of fun to create, and fairly challenging.  The use of metallic acrylics emits constantly changing highlights throughout the day.  All-in-all, my hubby & I really like the completed piece.  I've included a photo of the work mounted in the corner of the trailer.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Left Ajo AZ Saturday and landed in Bluff UT Sunday afternoon. Uneventful drive, smooth sailing, sad to leave Ajo but happy to be at Cadillac Ranch RV Park in Bluff in the heart of Canyon Country. Saturday the 22nd we go to Durango CO to meet Grandson Miles and Son Greg (who is on spring break from his doctorate program in Tuscaloosa Alabama) to celebrate Greg's 50th BD and Miles' planned move to Boise ID. I'll post some photos soon.

A Tropical Adventure

Just back from a lovely trip to Barbados and the Grenadine Islands of Bequia and Union Island.  Had a great time, had nice accommodations, ate super local cuisine & fish, and got in a couple sailing trips with snorkeling.

We spent the first few days in Barbados, then flew a small plane (Twin Otter) to Bequia, sailed on the Friendship Rose to the Tobago Cays for snorkeling, had a water taxi pick us up in the Cays and ferry us to Union Island for a few days, then the 1-hour flight back to Barbados.  It was a perfect two weeks!

The first pictures are from Barbados: the view from our room, looking out at where the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans meet; and a typical seaside village (shot out the window of our tour van).

Bequia: frangipani bloom (also name of our hotel), a delightful rainbow over the harbor (shot from our room), the biggest sailing ship in the world, the Friendship Rose schooner, us kids on the beach.

Union: 2 shots of the Scaramouche, which was in the first Pirates of Caribbean (Johnny Depp reportedly loved it), Scaramouche crew -- this ship actually sails without aid of engines!, a shot of the Windjammer Mandalay (which we've sailed twice between Antiqua & Grenada), and an amazing caterpillar.

We had a great time, very relaxing, and always so enlightening to experience cultures other than our own.  Still trying to recover from jet lag, but enjoying our own bed & pillows immensely.