Took down the "Love is in the Air" show at the Cultural Center in Ajijic.  Great reception and good turn out during the event.  We were able to hear from the juror a bit of a critique for our new paintings.  Its a bit nerve wracking at first as you really hope there won't be negative feedback, but once it begins, it really is an eye opener and very helpful to hear about color, composition, the "feeling" of the painting versus just being a "painting for sale".  The Lake Chapala Guild was very fortunate that we had both levels of the center and could display both new and retrospective works.  

Its difficult to see the paintings come down as they really created a "vibe" in the space and the empty walls today - just didn't seem right.  However, there's already another show slated and advertising already up. And... I'm preparing paintings for the next show going up at Galeria Sol Mexicano.  It will be a smaller venue housed in more of a shop/gallery setting as the owner has permanent displays of other consigning artists.  The space for the event is really colorful and will add to the paintings that will go up.

The most difficult part at the moment is getting the paintings ready.  I had prepared to produce smaller works, but the frames are not wired and will not work with their "S" hook system - so now I have to finish much larger work that I had to hope to keep for the Juried show coming up in the middle of March.  To have such dilemmas - I shouldn't complain!

Yesterday was the start of the weekend open studio for the Ajijic Society of the Arts (ASA).  Two members who are jewellers and myself are stationed behind the walls at Adobe Walls Inn (B&B) in Ajijic on Av. Sept 16th.  We had over 230 people come in  and peruse the paintings and jewelry.  It was a terrific atmosphere with people and friends mingling and asking questions or just watching our demonstrations.  The weather turned beautiful which made the start of the event that much better and warmer.  Some of the questions that came my way included "What type of paints do you use?", "Where do you purchase your materials?", "Who does your framing?".  Many just commented on the bright use of colors - Daniel Smith Quinacridone being some of my favorites!  I had put together a binder of my last year's activity in galleries or with some of the groups I'm involved with - that wasn't really looked at.  What people enjoyed was being able to look at my sketchbooks with my preliminary drawings or looking over the storyboard that I set up.  I'm off again this morning to reset up my painting area and continuing with the painting I started yesterday - the inside wall and doors of the old building that we are displaying in - lots of great tourquoise on the old doors and purple in the bougainvillia.  Thanks to everyone who has been a visitor to this blog and the open studios.  More to come next week with the Lake Chapala Guild Show opening on Saturday.

With all the strange weather elements happening around North America, I've found it easier to be indoors happily creating warmer and more colorful watercolor creations.  Lately, it is trying to utilize Daniel Smith quinacridone colors to really make the picture say "wow". I have several upcoming shows to look forward to and the difficulty is to choose the theme.  I keep asking myself what will keep me inspired and focused and not wandering off every few minutes when I have self doubts about what it is that I am doing and trying to put on paper.  The first of the series of shows is coming up the weekend of the 7&8th in a little area of Mexico called Lake Chapala.  The Ajijc Society of the Arts is having an Open Studio event to showcase several artists and jewellers.  I met with our sponsor "Adobe Walls B&B" and found out the space is just fabulous - old wood, lots of teracotta tiles, a really artistic environment to set up the easle and paint while people come to look at the collections of work.  Its been rainy and cold down here in a time when the weather is usually sunny.  However, all the artists are crossing their fingers hoping that the clouds will indeed pass soon.  The society's website is http://ajijicart.weebly.com/.  The weekend of valentines has me at another gallery show at the Ajijic Cultural Center with members of the Lake Chapala Painting Guild.  As this is a jurored show, I have to wait until the paintings are accepted before I can put them onto the website.  One of the Guild members mentioned trying to include a "love" theme as well as new work.  So I've been busy painting a scene that depicts "Friendship" day in Mexico.  There are loads of vendors carrying streams of red and colorful helium balloons with great sayings of U're great! or Te amo!  I've added some tradional background to the vendors and hope it will make its way to the judging.  The guild's site is http://www.lakechapalapaintingguild.org/.  To all of you reading - happy painting and happy friendship/valentines day!