Thanks Giving / Harvest Challenge!

"Give Thanks" 20 x 15 1/2" watercolor by Jane Freeman

"Mi Abuelita" watercolor by Guy Magallanes

"Acorn Harvest" 8 x 10 1/2" by Pablo

I'm so pleased and honored to be joined by Jane Freeman and Guy Magallanes for this new challenge. I've been long time admires of their work and they continually inspire me. Make sure to visit their blogs and see some pretty incredible work! (just click on their names :0)

It's Acorn gathering season here in California, a staple diet of native people for centuries. So, in honor of a most traditional time, I've painted Acorns and Color.

If you'd like to purchase "Acorn Harvest" Please email me at pvlara@sbcglobal.com

Diablo Hills III

"Diablo Hills III" 10"x8" oil

Yup, another oily painting. . .thanks to the uh, "encouragement" of some pushy sisters, I'm posting my oils. More to come! :o)

If you'd like to purchase Diablo Hills III, please email me at:

pvlara@sbcglobal.net

Dia de los Muertos

"Vigilence" by Marcia Molnar



"Day of the (Dead) Drunk" 6"x6" oil by Jelaine Faunce

"Skullz" 13"x17" watercolor by Pablo

My favorite time of year also includes one of my favorite holidays. . . Dia de los Muertos. I'm so honored to have the UBER talented Marcia Molnar and UBER talented Jelaine Faunce (I think uber is French for mega creative and fabulous) join me in the celebration!

I feel like Marcia has exemplified the spirituality and heart of the celebration and Jelaine the humor and irony, I've sprinkled mine with symbolizm and whimsy. Please make sure to visit Marcia and Jelaine's blogs and enjoy their mega talent!

Marcia Molnar

Jelaine Faunce

Halloween Challenge!

"Trick or Peep!" 8"x10" watercolor by Pablo



"The Usual Suspects" 8"x8" watercolor by Chris Beck

It's Challenge time! The wonderful Chris Beck and I just couldn't pass up a good challenge especially when it deals with whimsy, candy, wonderful artists, candy, a good theme, candy, painting some of our favorite trinkets, candy.. . .

This time there are several artists involved so please take time to visit everyone's blogs and let them/us know what you think of our Halloween Tricks! Chris has a great slide show of all the work. We are joined by :

Janet Belich

Debbie Cannatella

R. Garriott

Jeanette Jobson

Ron Morrison

Diahn Ott

Suzy Pal Powell

Terry Rafferty

Kay Smith

Deb Ward

Brenda York

Witch Peep?

It's my favorite time of year and I've recruited some help from a little mummy to introduce my newest painting "Witch Peep?"

Totally unscripted and original Eric idea for this video. I love it! Hope you enjoy it as well.

If you'd like to purchase "Witch Peep?" Please email me at: pvlara@sbcglobal.net

"Witch Peep?" 7"x5" watercolor

Hills

Hills II 10" x 8" oil painting

Yup, another oily painting :0) These are the hills around our area

Watercolor Portrait Workshop

This week I had the honor and absolute pleasure of working with the wonderful ladies of Watercolor Connection. I am so grateful to be able to share my creative energies with them all. I had a blast and so pleased everyone got something positive out of my instruction.

Cup of Flower IV

"Cup of Flower IV" 10"x 8" watercolor

When my daughter mentioned her favorite cake is Red Velvet Cake, I thought, hmmm, how could I translate that into one of my paintings without actually having to make one or buy one. . . . . So, red flowers and measuring cups was an interesting take on the idea.

Hills III

"Hills III"   6"x6"  oil on canvas board

Blogger has changed things since I last logged on!  (way too long) so I'm trying to figure out how to work this thing. . . hope it works! 

Me?  oil painting?  yup, trying to get the feel for painting in oils to.  I like it!  Note to self, stop looking for the water container every time you go to clean your brush!

Summer Fun

Since I last posted, I've beeh here. . .

Lake Tahoe,

and here. . .

Eagle Lake.

and I'm revived, inspired, and ready to get back to making some artwork. Stay tuned! :0)

Plus, a visit to my favorite place in the world, Mt. Lassen! When I win the Mega Lotto, I'm going to buy Mt. Lassen :0)

Honor Song II

"Honor Song II" 12" x 16" Watercolor

I love the textures and images on these pre-columbian flutes and plate. Just some of my treasured items I've acquired along the way.

Taffy Two

"Taffy Two" 10" x 8" Watercolor

For medicinal purposes! :0)

This one is also available at Gallery Concord. Had a great opening last night and met some wonderful people.

Cup of Flower III

"Cup of Flower III" 8"x10.5" Watercolor

Still exploring my culinary talents (still standing by my motto: burn it till it's done!) and trying to incorporate them into some paintings. I love kitchen stuff especially because they are a vehicle to making delicious food, at least my wife makes delicious food and I try my best.

This little painting will be at Gallery Concord for the next three months unless someone just has to have it for their very own :0) So if you're in the area, come on by and check out a gallery devoted to watercolor.

We The Peep-L

We The Peep-L" 10" x 8" watercolor

Happy 4th of July! The peeps really wanted to wear Uncle Sam top hats but since I couldn't find any in their size, we settled for some flags lent to us by our hero neighbor (its true, I didn't have any flags either)

Enjoy the holiday!

Evening Sky

Look ma, no water! I have not painted with oils in about 25 years [I started when I was 6 months old! ;0) ] Let me just say this. . . . . they're oily in a good way! More to come :0)

Pomo Girl

Ok, I'm just going to say it! I love my little Pomo Puff! :0) one of the best models I've ever had. I know I annoy the heck out of the kids when I have them pose and do photo shoots but I just can't help myself! ha ha ha ha

(Pomo tribe from Ukiah northern California in case you weren't sure why I call her that)

Artist Interrupted :0)

Has it really been over a month since I last blogged! Yikes! Well, all I can say is that it's been a flurry of activity here with end of school stuff for the kids, UC Davis graduations (so very proud of my niece!) and surprise visits from family down south. Exhausting and wonderful at the same time. Don't get me wrong though, I have been painting but the interruptions haven't let me finish most of what I'm working on. Not to worry! I'll be posting something new within the next few days once I get them photographed and get the house back in working order! :0)

Shaker Portrait 1

"Shaker Portrait 1" 12"x16" watercolor

Eric was so pleased when he created his own topping for his pancakes out of a little sugar and cinnamon and I happened to have noticed him looking lovingly into a shaker he filled with his creation. :0)

Peeps Challenge ! ! ! ! ! !

It's that time of year again!

Chris Beck
Jelaine Faunce
and I had so much fun last year creating paintings with these cute little marshmallow treats that we just had to do it again. :0)

Enjoy our Peep Paintings and don't forget to check out their blogs to get the story behind their paintings!



"Bunz" by Pablo, 8"x10" watercolor

This year, my peeps are ready for a hostile Easter take over, thinking that bunny ears are the perfect camouflage, they are riding in on blocks with their street gang colors and collective rapper names yo!



"Spring Peepers" by the fabulous Chris Beck

"Jackrabbit" 6"x6" oil on hardboard panel by Jelaine Faunce

Show Reception Tonight!

"Ka Cha Nak II" 20"x14" Watercolor

All 20 paintings are done and hanging and ready to be viewed! Now to figure out what to wear :0)

www.galleryconcord.blogspot.com

Just Three More Days! :0)

I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of work I had to choose from for the show! Either I've put in a lot of hard work to have enough paintings or I haven't sold a thing in a long time!

ha ha ha ha ha

Work in Progress

So far so good! Tricky tricky skin! It's so easy to turn skin tones into corpse tones or just plain old people of a wrong color! Over the years I've learned not to use cobalt blue as a toner for Shadow skin, I understand cooling down warm tones by using blues but too much cobalt turns into corpse! ha ha ha (in fact, I rarely use cobalt)

Countdown begins!

Only one week till the show opening and I'm getting nervous, I'm not much of a social person especially when eyes are on me, but it's exciting that I'll get to show lots of my work at once. :0)

I'll slowly reveal what's been going on in my "studio" :0) As I work on this one, I've been having empty nest syndrome and the kids aren't even old enough to leave! Our oldest will be a teen way too soon and that's got me thinkin', I'd better paint them while they'll still let me!

Pink Cloud's Grandkids

These are my Chumash sister's grand kids, so beautiful and cute! I love their regalia and the fact that they don't mind wearing it. This is one of the paintings that will be in the show.

Featured Artist!

I am pleased to announce that I will be the featured artist at Gallery Concord! The show will run from April 1st (no foolin! ) through June 26th.

Opening reception will be on April 1st from 6:00pm - 8:00pm.

I'd love to meet you if you're in the area.

Gallery Concord

1765 Galindo Street

Concord, CA 94520

(925)691-6140

Sneak Peek :0)

Hello again! It's been way too long since I've posted anything here but I have been painting steadily and getting some new paintings ready for a show. Here's just a hint of what I've been working on. . . . no I haven't gone rogue on my realistic style and converted to expressionism, I just thought it would be fun to show what goes on behind the scenes so to speak on a painting.

These are areas of a new painting I think are beautiful and something I absolutely love about watercolor, washy, runny, free :0) I've been asked in the past to loosen up so I tell them to step closer to my paintings and this is what they usually say "It looks so real but up close I see how much like a painting it really looks like!"

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Beso" 11"x8.5" Watercolor

22 years ago on Valentine's day I summoned up the courage to tell my friend I was in love with her. 22 years later she's still the first person I think of when I wake and the last person I think of before I fall asleep.

Valentine's Challenge!

"Dulce" 8.5" x 11 " Watercolor by Pablo

"My Victorian Valentine " Acrylic by Cynthia

I'd like to introduce a friend of mine, she's been creative all her life and thanks to my gentle nudges (ha ha ha ) I've finally gotten her to share her work with the world! I'm so excited to do this challenge with her so please take a moment to visit her blog:

"Cynfullthings"

As for my little painting, I was at the store looking for veggies (that's right, I said veggies :0) ) and found the Sweethearts in Spanish! I also discovered that I had these heart shaped measuring spoons and had to use them in a painting, what better day to show them off!

Love is love in any language!

Rosy

"Doña Rosy" 17 x 13 watercolor

Doña M.

Here's another drawing, this is Doña M. These sketches were made on a Canson's Classic Cream Drawing pad with my favorite all time pencil. "Prismacolor Ebony jet black extra smooth"

Another drawing

Little Shell. I'm having fun drawing just to draw.

Now that the kids are back to school, I'm exploding with ideas and trying to keep up with actually getting them done. Here's a sketch I did while watching highly intellectual TV programs (things like "Dude, what would happen" and "Wipeout") I love drawing and am really getting it more and more. More to come! :0)

Amaryllis

I can never remember how to spell Amerilluseseses! Amerilly, Amarilis, Amarillus . . . . . Spell Check says: Amaryllis

That reminds me of a story of our little girl saying "I will Himp-lo-tize you!" and mom trying to correct her saying "It's Hipmo-tize!"