I have thoroughly enjoyed this month long #opusdailypractice challenge by Opus Art Supplies. It was fun to paint or sketch to the prompt word but was not necessary; the idea was to do some art daily. I kept most of my sketches small in my travel Canson XL mixed media sketchbook 5.5" x 8.5". This took the pressure off from doing a full painting. Using the daily prompt made for a creative way to look at the world around me. Thank you @opusartsupplies !!

Daily word prompts from top to right - Mosaic, Togetherness, Future, Motivation, Abstract, Colour (photo reference by Roger Mirka)  Below from top left to right: Nature, Champion, Growth and Imagination (bottom left - using colours randomly from my acrylic palette lid for "Imagination")

This outing location was trickier to find and harder for those walking. With some people headed home, our group was only 4 this morning plus 1 painter painting in oil closer to home. We found a lovely shaded spot right next to the lagoon on a very quiet road. It is always wonderful to see what catches an artist's eye while painting in the same place! This painting ended up quite smudged from carrying it in the basket my bike. . Using a bike to get home with a wet oil painting adds to the plein air experience!

"Mexican Colours"
8" x 11 1/2" plein air, oil on canvas pad   #20022223

This is the second year that I have participated in the February Opus Art Supply's 28 days of creating with the hashtag #opusdailychallenge. There are prompts for each day that you can follow...or not, just create and post if you can. The first one on the bottom group (Fantastical) is made with my 19 month old grandson Jack on my lap, a labour of love!    #opusdailychallenge   @opusartsupply

Daily word prompts from top right to left: Wonder, Adventure, Safari, Space, Contrast, Balance, Emotion, Infinity, Loyalty      Below: Fantastical, Unity, Grit, Passion, Amour, Action, Curves, Climb, Innovation

#opusdailychallenge is a month long art challenge for any artists of any medium to create daily and if possible to post on Instagram. So far I am 14/14 on this challenge. As I am not in my studio, my supplies are limited, but not ideas. There is a prompt for each day for an idea, but not necessary to follow. So far, I have been able to come up with an idea with the prompt. I am making 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch sketches in my sketchbook daily. Today's prompt aptly is "Amour". This small sketch is of designs that people use as symbols of their passion or love. I had penciled them in and then painted around the ones I wanted to keep.

Another wonderful morning well spent, in the company of artists enjoying the beautiful views and sharing tips and tools of the trade. We met at the Villa Obregon malecon and tried to find a shady spot. The first sketch was under a palapa but should of been using my time on the beach first as it was cloudy. I painted as long as I could on the beach until the sun won out. Without a table to put anything on and fear of dropping my brushes on the sand, this was painted with one brush while holding a plastic plate as a palate. I found out early that oily brushes and sand do not play well together.

"Villa Obregon Malecon"
​8" x 11" Oil on canvas pad  #20008223

I love starting a new sketchbook although the clean fresh pages can be intimidating! This one is hand made with the idea that I can put a holiday, 6 months together or whenever I feel it is full enough and sew the "signatures" together. This one is water colour paper and about 5" x 7", perfect for dragging around with me. The top water colour painting is of the sunset on New Year's Eve in Mexico, palm fronds and the third is a sunset taken by Jouni on the floor above us, amazing. Everything in the foreground was just silhouetted but the "zebra" sky was amazing. The bottom right is a water colour that I painted after my plein air experience. I had so much fun I wanted to capture the essence again in water colour instead of oil.

Often pulling my sketchbook and water colours out, interest and conversations with people you know and those you don't yet, often begin. Bugambilias is a restaurant behind my favourite area to swim and Elias is one of the friendly faces with a cold beer at the ready. In his very little spare time, he is also an artist. It was wonderful to engage in the language of art (he has very good English) and he brought over this large framed painting of six wild cats that he painted in acrylic. He also used coconut husks and fishing line for the whiskers. This piece is very layered and textural which photos do not show.  We have been invited to view some of his other paintings at his parents, so excited to see more of his work. Instagram: @eliasangel1977

"Wild Cats" by Elias Plascencia Ramirez  @eliasangel1977
Mixed media, framed