Monday Plein Air in the manana. Meet at location. 9:00 am Aug. 1st 2011

The market scene we painted in the studio week. This has a lot going on but you have to simplify simplify!!c Try to see the big areas. Don't get caught up in too many little details. Sometimes hard to avoid.Learn to generalize and see how little you can put in and still have the feeling of a lot of details.

On the far end Ann and Sheila and Dee and Joan, just beginning the market scene.

In the studio, from the left, Joan, Delores,Magdalena,Leslie and Joan B.. Hard at work. We worked on  this one  in 2 sessions.

Plein Air: August 1st.This week we will switch back to the morning, as there's a very interesting corner at Recreo at Terraplen that is best to paint in the morning.We will meet at 9:00m there at that corner instead of going to the gallery first. Many of my plein air enthusiasts have left San Miguel, so I'm thinking we will have a small group on Monday.
In the studio we have been working on various projects, a market scene and a still life with a copper vase.

Plein Air from Relox photos July 23 2011

This is the  colorful corner we were painting . The sun and shadow were a bit weak just as I took this picture. The values were actually stronger then this. The location of the gallery is upstairs in this yellow building the other side of this upper window, facing the Jardin or plaza. If you're not in San Miguel right now you might like to try this scene at home.

The doll sellers in their colorful dresses and skirts like to hang out in this area.

I'm calling this the challenge of painting outdoors.Or what can go wrong! We just got started when this bus parked in front of us!! Luckily they moved after  some suggestions from Liz.

A perfect afternoon painting on Calle Relox . Liz and I among the throngs. "We" were definitely the entertainment on the street today  We had crowds around us at times. Funny though when you're involved in you're painting one barely notices. saludos Donna

Plein air class in San Miguel Monday 2pm July 25 2011

I was hoping to post a few more pictures but alas ...no time . Soon though. Plein air Monday  I'm hoping to paint from calle Relox as it's been closed while they have been hammering and chipping,  pulling up the cobbles and putting them back in again. Who knows why they are doing it? But it's always a great opportunity when a street is closed off as the sidewalks are so narrow to paint from.The street scene is great looking either direction on Relox. I'll keep my fingers crossed they haven't completed the street.

This week in the studio the oil/acrylic class  will  be finishing our market scene from last week in the studio.Everyone was complaining it was too complicated !! I  wonder why?? Tuesday morning the watercolor class will give it a try too. The challenge is in simplifying the subject. happy painting Donna

Monday's Plein Air July 18 AFTERNOON ! .. 2 to 5pm

 Note the new time slot .We'll meet at the studio at 1:45pm  and go out from there. It'll be exciting to paint the afternoon shadows. See you soon Donna

'Reflections' New oil painting. July 15 2011

"Reflections on glass Pitcher" oil on canvas 6 x 8" 

This was this weeks daily paintworks challenge Reflections! Fun to do. Donna

More Students Work for the painting challenge Jul 15 2011

From Delores, a great study in warm and cool. Lovely reflections.

Joan's, entry in the paint what you paint with still life. Good design Love the brushes bursting out of the can.

Karen's still life with her palette and paints.It's hard to paint the pallette you're trying to use, but she did it! Well done.

Donna's students enter the Painting challenge! July 2011

Steve's watercolor 11 x 15" You can almost pick up that brush!

Leslie's entry in the Painting challenge 6 x 8" oil 

 wow! I love that price sticker on the tube of paint!

Yvonne's entry watercolor 11 x 15" on hot press paper. Great reflections!

Entry for The Daily Paintworks Challenge. July 7th 2011

"Pitcher with Paints " 9 x 12 oil on panel

I was checking out Carol Marine's daily painting blog when I noticed this week's painting challenge was paint your painting materials. This had some appeal so I challenged my watercolor students and the oil class to take it up as well. The results were very good and I hope they will all post their work to the Daily painters site too.I'd like to post them here as well . We'll see if they can get them photographed and sent to me. I was really pleased they did so well and it was fun to see what everyone chose to do. Donna

Plein air Monday, July 4th 2011 meet at studio

Watercolors in the Jardin

Hi all, we'll meet just before 9am  at the studio and weather permitting head out around the area. Possibly the little plaza in front of the San Francisco Church, if it looks interesting. It would be nice to have some sunshine too.
A great re-opening party last night here in the gallery and spilling out into the hallway .Canada Day as well! A shared open house with the Spanish school Centro Bilingue (director Sara Murillo) who has moved to this upper floor too!We had a ribbon cutting ceremony with the minister of tourism fellow Cesar Rios cutting the yellow ribbon and words of congratulations. Very nice touch. So lots of students of Spanish, teachers , Donna's students family and friends and collectors.Artist Dan Rueffert stopped by, he's just opened a studio/ gallery on Sollano #28. A place we looked at before finding this place.Artist  Suzy Taylor also came by. It was a great mix of all ages and backgrounds.Plenty of food and refreshments for everyone's pleasure. Despite the rain that broke out just before opening time, a great turn out! We even sold some paintings.!! This is good.

From the Jardin last Monday! Steve, Leslie and the 'girls' with backwards caps! Yvonne and I.

A Plein air fashion statement or.....actually the sun caught us and we tried to protect our necks! Thanks for viewing Donna