What a wonderful season to keep actively living and enjoying an outdoor lifestyle where transportation is either by foot or bike. Food shopping is only what will fit on the hard plastic milk crate on the back of my bike or my husband's panier. After Bugamvilla's plein air, I came home and painted two more small paintings to use up the paint on my palette and to paint a couple more experiences that I enjoyed. I had the painting below to finish as well of the fruit vendor I pass by multiple times a day. 

"Sandia y otras frutas en venta "
6" x 11 3/4", oil on wood canvas, #20030426A

"La Vision Mas Amplia"
7" x 5", oil on canvas, #  It still surprises me where I will see roosters on my daily travels!
#20030426B

Sadly another season has ended with a wonderful group of varied artist. It is such a perfect set up, figuring out each week where to meet in town for the next week. Sometimes it was somewhere very public like the main square, other times we were invited to private homes or places where people were renting with others (with permission of course). The artists come and go depending on their time away and the skill level was from new beginners to experienced travel diaries, all are welcome. A drink or meal in a close restaurant usually followed for those available and good food, artist speak and laughter ensued, what fun!
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My sketchbook is an accumulation of my experiences while in Mexico as well as a trip back to Canada. I draw, paint, glue in objects/labels etc., all memories that flood back when looking at this sketchbook. It is for me and who I choose to share it with, not public consumption.

We were invited to Josephina's apartment complex with Tracy staying there. Happily Josephina joined in as we spread out on the different levels of patios and palapas. When the first person has to leave, we do a "Slap Down" (sound of books hitting the tiles) and take a photo of the "works in progress". Artist speak, laughter, coffee and food after were enjoyed at Taza Negra. .My view from the mid palapa area down the street and my sketch of Azteca Bungalows

Our intrepid and varied group met by the Las Hamacas restaurant/mini malecon area. Quite a few of us are leaving in the next week so it was the last Saturday meeting for me. I had my oil paints and palette packed away so it was sketchbook and watercolour fun for me. I sat in the alley way with a few others and sketched what was ahead. Shade is always my first priority so I tucked in next to a building and sat on the stairs. Some of the group had to leave early and the photo below is the remaining "works in progress". I had finished one and was working on the second which I finished at home after our coffee/breakfast and swim break.

An artist was telling me about a beautiful sketch in Gigi's sketchbook so I asked if I could see it. I was absolutely amazed to see a wonderful and accurate sketch of my brother Ken and his dog Star!! They were both in their happy place!

Our group was small (4 artists this time) and we met in the central jardin or square. We borrowed chairs from Laura as we sketched what interested us. Three of us tried our hand at Laura's restaurant and one artist focused on the church tower. As always it was fun to put them together, talk art, laugh and enjoy coffee and breakfast at Laura's.

Twelve artists gathered at Bugamvilla's Restaurant at 8:30am and set up on the walkway or under palapas to paint what inspired them. It is always fun to look at the "throw down" paintings in progress to see what the artists saw and how they executed it. Amy and I are the only two that worked in oils.

Below I used my "Artist License" to change the view from less sand to more water. As always, chasing the sun and shadows is such a challenge when painting on location. 

"Renta de Sombrillas"
8" x 10", plein air oil on canvas  #20002426