In The Plaza

"In The Plaza"

plein air gouache  6" x 8"

please contact me if interested

My husband and I recently returned from spending the winter in Ecuador.  I guess that you could say we've become like the snow birds who head from here in Colorado to Arizona.  But, we've headed the  last few winters to Central America, Mexico or South America.  We love the warmer weather, the colonial cities and culture, and the adventure.

I am an oil painter, but wanted to try gouache and water color on this trip as there is so much less to carry, a faster drying time, no easel, etc.  It took awhile to get used to the lack of creamy, mixable oils and the some what chalkiness of gouache.  But, the ease of portability balanced 

that out. I'll post more soon about what I took.

This painting was done from the roof top of our Airb&b in Cotacachi, which is about an hour and a half north of Quito.  We loved this town.  It has a population of about 10,000 (of which about 500 

are ex-pats.)  The picture of the same church below is from the roof of a friends' (an ex-pat) roof top. 

Many indigenous people live in and around Cotacachi.  To me it was wonderful that they are proud of their heritage and still wear their native clothing, even many of the children.  In so many of the towns we've visited only the older generation still wear traditional garments.