I had been here to paint last year with the plein air group and was not disappointed this year with the view and colours. It was a gray day but that made the flowers stand out even more. I took a photo of the scene before I started (below) as well as our group's WIP (work in progress). I think the rain scared away most of the  plein air artists. It was so unusual to get rain, it was lovely to feel and smell it.

"Road To Escondito's"
​8" x 10", plein air oil on canvas pad, #20029324, Not For Sale Yet

This was a fun day. Four artists and myself joined a group for an afternoon at a banana farm. We enjoyed a breakfast in the family's restaurant (Red Lobster) in town, hopped on a group bus and enjoyed an afternoon in 3 fresh spring water pools, painted, sketched, toured the farm and enjoyed a late barbequed lunch, what a day! Picture on left: The painting in progress, bananas are just to the right of the easel. Below right: A different type of larger bananas with the seed pod hanging.

"Banana Babies"
10" x 8", plein air oil on canvas pad, #20025324   Not For Sale Yet

Last year I did the #100dayproject, completing 100 3"x3" sketches. I never thought it was a project I could have success at but after finishing the #opusdailypractice and completed 28 sketches, I just continued on. It was fun looking for something to sketch in my daily activities. This year I decided to do 100 greeting card fronts in 100 days on water colour paper (5"x3 1/2") so I could use a variety of media using what I have while away from Canada. This time, it is something that inspires me in my day, it might be something I have seen, a Zentangle, an idea from online, IG or Facebook. Some of them I might go back and work on but the idea is down, if not complete. Below is the first 10 of 100.

The Saturday plein air group decided to go by the Malecon. Some sketched on the malecon, 1 painted on the beach and a few of us under umbrellas, views for everyone. I loved the colours of the rocks and the fishing boat resting on the sand. Pictures: Left, the view, Middle, my painting in process. It is interesting that my view from where I stood had the boat tilted (on pop bottles) not flat like the photo shows. Right, the plein air artists "WIP" works in progress. We take a photo when someone has to leave.

"Cleaned Out And Ready For Work"
8" x 10", plein air oil on canvas pad  #20018324   Not For Sale Yet

​What a wonderful group I have painted with in Mexico!! Amy volunteered to teach an oil painting class of a still life. She borrowed Janice's house so we could be sheltered and all together, set up 2 still life vases with flowers, cloths and lights. There were 6 of us, 3 at each still life set up. The class was fun, informative and productive. A huge thank you to Amy for all her expertise and work to set up and to Janice for opening her lovely home!! Top left: my easel and view, Top right: other still life, Bottom left: our paintings in progress

"Our Gift"
10" x 8" Oil   #20015324

It had actually rained the night before (almost unheard of) so the ground was muddy and wet. Only 3 of us ventured out for this week's event. The Red Lobster restaurant was chosen as the tables are under a roof and the view of the street is pretty and varied. I chose the bougainvillea tree across the road. I loved the old blue wood door behind it as a background. We sat and enjoyed a coffee together and I finished the painting at home.

"After The Rain"
8" x 10" plein air/studio oil on canvas pad  #20012324

Happily finished this art challenge in my little travel sketchbook. The paper is thinner than what I thought so had a hard time adding water colours and dark felt pen bled through to the other side so I often had to add Gesso to cover the blank page first.

Top left: Day 16 "Texture", Middle: Day 17 "Spectrum", Top right: Day 18 "Joy" Bottom left: Day 19 "Family. Middle: Day 20 "Vibrant" left over paint on my palette and ink. Bottom right: Day 21 "Fly"

Top left: Day 22 "Sharp". Middle: Day 23 "Face" a variety of faces in the bus station while we waited. Top right; Day 24 "Sky". Middle left: Day 25 "Momentum"., the fun of "floaties" in the waves Middle: Day 26 "History" bits of some of the new and old buildings from the patio in Guadalajara Centro. Middle right: Day 27 "Opus" (dictionary meaning is "opus means art" Bottom left: Day 28 "Abundance" plants so easily grow everywhere in the heat and humidity of sea level Mexico. Bottom Middle: Day 29 "Self" ​a continuous blind (not looking) line drawing in felt pen (I had to practice a couple of times to make it look human and was happy with the result, looks like me!).  Thanks @opusartstore for #opusdailypractice

Galeria Amiga is opening a show tomorrow of work produced in art classes at the CENAC (The Center for Arts and Culture in San Patricio). There have been paper mache, acrylic, oil, paper collage and other classes with art produced there. I will have the 3 paintings below in this show. Show your support for these growing artists and enjoy seeing what you can produce by taking a class next year.