Triton Museum Statewide competition

 

I'm lucky to have gotten two paintings into this exhitition! 

Come by Friday Dec. 7th for the Artist Reception.

I'll be there and I'd love to meet you! 

 

From what I hear it's a fantastic show and I can't wait to see all the great art!

 

Triton Museum of Art

Cover Girl!

 

I never would have thought in a million years that my painting "Honoring the Elders" would have made the cover of that local yellow pages!  What an honor!  

 

 Thanks to Jeweler

Carolyn Victoria

 

 and

 

AC5 - Cultural Arts Commission of Contra Costa County.

 

Flower Girl

 

Flower Girl 20"x 20"  watercolor

 

It all started with this flower painting by my girl

 

 

She had asked if she could try my watercolors and this is what she came up with, that gave me the inspiration I needed to do a portrait of her, that and the fact that she NEVER lets her hair be put into braids or pony tails or anything, it's always free and flowing, so when she said I could braid her hair and tie it up like her Great Grandma's and she saw her self, she couldn't stop giggling.  I had a lot of fun painting this one, letting the paint flow and drip and make as much mess as Lily did when she was painting.   

 

Here's some of the steps it took to finally finish what is now one of my favorite paintings. 

 

 

 

I hope you enjoy seeing my latest work as much as I enjoyed painting it! 

 

Happy Hallowee Peeps!

 

"FrankenPeep n' Bride"  7"x5" watercolor

 

"Bride of FrankenPeep"  8"x10" watercolor

 

 

"Skelepeep" 7"x5" watercolor

 

Happy Halloween everyone!  I'm just having a little fun with my peeps!  Have a safe and happy time!

Dia de los Muertos Challenge!

 

 "Fish n' Quackers" 8"x10" Watercolor by me

 

 

"One of These Is Not Like the Others" - 6"x8" - oil on 1.5" gallery-wrapped canvas

by Jelaine Faunce

 

"Amor Eterno"  8" x 10" Oil on Canvas Board

By Geraud Staton

 

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, and then again next year!  This has to be my favorite holiday! For me it's visually exciting and full of cultural depth and to top that off, it's a time to celebrate with music and rejoicing and food to honor the loved ones that have passed into the next phase of the journey. 

 

I'm happy to have Jelaine join me this year with her Antonio - Huggy Bear - Fargas Pimp daddy and posse. . . . I just love her twisted mind!  ha ha ha

 

I'm also extremely happy to be introduced to the works of Geraud Staton, who's cunning wit that rivals Jelaines and a love of horror movies is a dude that I just had to know.  Just look at the expressions on the faces of his painting!  

 

What can I say about my painting?  well, a rubber ducky in skeleton drag and fish bones?  That'll work!  ha ha ha

 

If you'd like to purchase "Fish n' Quackers"  please email me at

pvlara@sbcglobal

 

 

 

 

 

Shell Keeper

 

"Shell Keeper"

My little Yellow Hammer is admiring grandma's abalone dance necklace, trying to see if he can see his reflection in the shiny shiny :0)

Hummingbird

 

"Hummingbird"  24"x18" watercolor

 

This is the portrait I started at the CWA Demo last month. I finally finished it and have to say I really like the way it turned out.  Didn't I say that I'd never paint that shawl again! ? well, all I can say is that I'll never paint that shawl again! well, maybe, but one thing for sure, I'll never ever be a pointalismist, pointal-eesta, pointologist, pointalitarian, point-er,  uh, dot maker!

Demo Night for California Watercolor Association!

I'll be demonstrating for CWA tonight!  Woo Hooo!  I'd love to meet you so come on down and watch me do what I do!

Demo begin sat 7:30 pm at the Shadelands Center, 111 N. Wiget Lane, Walnut Creek, CA.

Now there's something you don't see every day!

Here's something I've been working on for a little while now, let me tell you, when you want to grow and learn, there's nothing like trying something totally new. 

"Tricky" isn't the word I'd use for this one, more like "I hope this works!" Such an odd angle, unusual colors I had to mix and mostly low key values and not to mention the layers and layers and then more layers to get just the right walrus skin tones.

I think it came out pretty nice, I'm definitely going to try something like this again.

Demo day at Guy Magallanes' Studio

I had a great experience giving a portrait demo at Guy Magallanes' fantastic space today.  Met some pretty terrific people who I hope I've inspired to try out portrait painting. 

In a couple of weeks I'll be teaching the portrait workshop there and cannot wait!  This is gonna be fun!
(There's still some space available and I'd love to meet you!)

Portrait Workshop!

I'm so excited and honored to be asked by Guy Magallanes (you may have seen him along with Joyce Faulknor on the TV show Art to Art) to do a Demo and Watercolor Portrait Workshop in June!

I'll be  Demonstrating how I paint portraits on Saturday June 9th, from 12pm - 3pm

and I'll be teaching my techniques in the Portrait Workshop on Saturday June 30 and Sunday July 1st. 

Space is limited and the cost is $200
at 620 Taylor Way Unit #2 - San Carlos, CA 94070

Email Guy Magallanes for more information or to register at guy@guymagallanes.com

Please make sure to visit Guy's Blog

Bluebird

"Bluebird" 17"x13" Watercolor

Great things happen on a 13th of the month! Whishing you the happiest of birthdays and many more Bluebird! Have you ever been in the presence of someone who exudes light and love and magic?

Sneak Peek

Just about done with this painting, can't wait for you to see it! :0)

3'rd Annual Peeps Challenge!

"Pod Peep-L!" 10.5" x 8" Watercolor by Pablo



"Hope Springs Eternal" 6"x6" Watercolor by Chris Beck

Well well well, I swore off painting peeps this year but when I was looking at chocolate, er, I mean fruits and veggies at the store, I heard them calling me and lured me into yet another challenge painting and I imediately pushed. . I mean asked my dear friend Chris Beck to accept the challenge. :0)

So, did you ever see that movie "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"? I didn't but I know all about it from another movie that I absolutely love. . "Big Business" where Lily Tomlin and Bette Middler are twins switched at birth. The moment they find out they see their twins, Bette Middler shouts out "It's Pod People!" apparently, she believes that aliens have cloned them in a "pod" and that's what gave me the idea for my peeps. . . . those bunz are still trying to take over the peep world!

My blog is doing all sorts of crazy things today so I haven't been able to link Chris's Blog here. . .so please check her blog out by clicking her name that you'll find on the list of blogs to the right. I'll try to get this resolved soon.

Demo Painting

Here it is, this is the painting I demonstrated on for the workshop this week. I touched up edges, softened some areas, punched up colors here and there and I think I'd better stop before I over work it. :0)

Portrait Workshop

I had the great honor of being invited back for another portrait workshop for the Watercolor Connection group!



I so admire the camaraderie of these women and I truly appreciated hearing their stories during lunch (not to mention the chocolate cookies!)

Pushing myself to complete a portrait during the two day workshop was a challenge, and I have to say that I almost did it. It's about 98% done, I just have a few touches here and there to resolve before I post the painting.

A great big heart felt thank you to the class!

Hair!

Did you know that painting hair is just as tedious as detangling knots out of super long bed-head hair?

More Progress

Boo Peekee!

More work in progress

So far so good! Trying to keep it fun and lose and watery for now. Can't wait to get to the details! My favorite part!

On my easel

Ok, so I don't work on an easel for my watercolors, I work on a table in the kitchen.

This is one of the four paintings I'm currently working on. I can't wait to finish so I can show you them in all their glory, and, to work on another few I've already drawn out.

That's what happens when you brainstorm and dive right into all the ideas at once!

I Heart U

"I Heart U" 10.5"x 8" Watercolor

This is the third set up I did for a Valentine's painting, as I was explaining to my much better half, "I just cant seem to find the right composition or lighting ! I don't know if it's the things I chose to put together or maybe I'm over thinking things again" to which she replied . . . "I don't really care, I just want that candy!"

That's just one of the unending reasons why I love that woman!

Happy Valentines Day everyone! Love is love in any language :0)

If you'd like to purchase this watercolor, please contact me at:

pvlara@sbcglobal.net

Pear Deconstructed II

"Pear Deconstructed II" 10.5"x 8" watercolor

I'm not so much into painting fruits and veggies but I had painted a green version of a cut up pear a couple of years ago and really liked the idea so I had to try it again. I may have to try more food items and see if I can't come up with a twist like this.

(It's been said before but the painting is much better than this picture. .. .. for some reason, the darks and nuances aren't translating as well. I'll have to take another photo and see if I can't get a better shot.)

If you'd like to purchase this one, please email me at:

pvlara@sbcglobal.netcut

Kachina

"Angwusnasomtaqa" 7"x5" watercolor

Just a little "Crow Mother" kachina to start out the new year of painting.

If you'd like to purchase this painting, please contact me at:

pvlara@sbcglobal.net

En La Sombra

"En La Sombra" 29"x 19"

Back in the days before scans and digital cameras were available, at least to me, I painted this watercolor. Long sold, I wish I had it around to take a new images so you could see the nuances in the shadows. I have to say this was one of my favorites because it was one of the first paintings that I learned how to give life to the cast shadows.