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.

Old Church Lantern

Old Church Lantern
plein air oil 8" x 10"
click here for Paypal
$195.00 + $10. s/h

This painting was done in Florence, CO., about 45 minutes south of Colorado Springs.  I was there this fall for a plein air event.  I kept wanting to make the building brighter, but stuck with the wonderful muted color of the stucco.

Once upon a time, this building was a Presbyterian Church.  But, as with many small towns that have churches of every denomination on very other corner, many of the churches combined and made a Community Church.  This church is now a private home.  When the home owners saw me painting near their house, they invited me in to see the renovations.  It was spectacular!  The alter had become the kitchen, the pews were gone from the main area and it was a wonderful, spacious living and dining area.  The upstairs choir area had become the master bedroom.  It was just amazing!

It's fun how sometimes you meet different people and get invited to somewhere you'd never get to see when you're out painting and people come to meet you and talk with you!

Yucatan Church

Yucatan Church
Oil  12" x 12" on cradled panel
click here for Paypal
$295.00 + $10. s/h

This past February my husband and I spent several weeks in the Yucatan.  I did some plein air paintings as well as studio pieces upon our return.  When editing my photos I realized that I had taken pictures of 36 different churches and chapels.  I guess I'm drawn to the architectural angles, and perhaps the significance of what these mean to the people who built them and worship in them.

From Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan, in the northwest you can drive diagonally across the state headed toward the southeast on a great highway.  Along the way you can drive the "Convent Route".  This consists of churches, cathedrals, convents in Mayan villages and towns.  Many are as large as the largest Catholic Church here in Colorado Springs, yet are sitting a a very small town.  They were built centuries ago in what I imagine were large(r) populated areas or colonial towns.  You can read more about this here.

I was fascinated by all of these.  We visited the first seven, then our rental car got hit (no injuries and very little damage, but stressful never the less.)  So, we skipped the last villages.