I am an artist (painter) living and working in the foothills of Puerto Rico's El Yunque National Rainforest. My studio sits atop a little mountain that affords me a view of the entire northeast coast of the island from San Juan to Fajardo and beyond. I choose to believe that the energy from my creations wafts upon the breeze to parts unknown, igniting the creative spirit wherever it goes.
I had the best time today! I'm now offering painting classes and projects for couples and families at my studio here in the foothills of Puerto Rico's Caribbean National Forest. I had a couple who flew over from Tortola to celebrate their wedding anniversary come up and do the "Be Me/Be We painting project. They're getting ready to have a baby in May, so there was a lot of love to celebrate with paint!
I provide all of the materials, guests just need to bring enthusiasm and good humor! Can't fail to make great things with that combination!
Just uploaded 2 new images to Fine Art America, available for reproduction. I did the paintings after spending the day up in El Yunque's Caribbean National Forest with Robert and Vicky Leedy and Lou and Mary Posen. It was such a great day, wandering the trail down to La Mina Falls. Both Robert and Lou are accomplished painters, so it was fun looking at the forest with the same "eyes" as my artist friends!
I am proud to announce that I am a featured artist in the magazine Arte Latinoamericano, a fine art magazine published here in Puerto Rico and distributed throughout the United States, South America and Europe.(numero 19: January to June, 2010). However, please note that the article itself was written by Richard Druitt, a most accomplished writer, poet and lyricist. It was in error that he was not given the credit due him for writing this wonderful article and I would like to take this opportunity to do so, as well as thank him for his unwavering support in all of my efforts.
I'm happy to say I'm opening my studio in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico to students now on Tuesday mornings from 9 AM - Noon. I have many years of studio experience and teaching that artists can benefit from. The sessions are informal, with each student bringing whatever project she or he would like to work on. I am able to advise on watercolor, oil, acrylic or mixed media painting.
My studio is a beautiful setting for painting. Students can work en plein air around the property or enjoy the comfort of a protected, open air studio space.
Reservations are required so just give me a "buzz" if you want to save a space! You can contact me at monica@monicalinville.com.
One of the fun parts of my "job" as a professional artist is giving private exhibitions and demonstrations to groups. Today I get to go to the Wyndham Rio Mar Resort here in eastern Puerto Rico and do just this. Yay! A day of sitting on the beach and painting, talking to people from around the globe and sending them home with a piece of my work is just what MY doctor ordered!
One of the things I love best about the virtual world Second Life is the people I meet from around the globe and the opportunities that arise from our paths crossing. A friend I made in world, named Juanita Duharo, is an Australian who owns a book publishing company in SL. We met when her company sponsored a virtual book design competition with the University of Western Australia, who also has a presence in world. She was kind enough to visit my recent exhibition of paintings "The Ceremony Trees" at the Angel of the Mysts gallery. She then wrote a little bit about it in her blog, Virtual Treeline. When things like this happen, I realize the cycle is complete. I brought my paintings in to Second Life to exhibit, someone from the other side of the planet saw it and wrote about it in her blog, bringing the exhibition back out in to the real world via a blog site and now people on the other side of the world have met me. It's not just a game, my friends!
Living as I do in a studio/home perched on the crest of a small mountain in eastern Puerto Rico, with the luxurious foliage of El Yunque's Caribbean National Forest surrounding me on 3 sides and a vista of the northeast coast of the island on the other, I have come to have an intimate relationship with the vegetation that embraces me every day. When looking and touching the majestic trees that I see at treetop level from my easel, I have come to understand that there is indeed a grand scheme to things. Nature has become my bible, my handbook on how to live my life. It tells me to understand, respect and support the connections that bind all together. Whether influenced by the movement and organic textures that inform my abstract work or by the radiant light coming from the late day sun that draws me in to the mystery of shadows and light in my representational work, my painting takes on the quality of ceremony.... a ritual of connection.... a celebration of life.
Today in my virtual world, Second Life, I am having an exhibition of paintings that is a collection of work that shows both my realistic interpretation of the trees that inhabit my world and my abstract interpretation of these same trees. My avatar's name is Littleone Aries and the Gallery is The Angel of the Mysts Art Gallery. There will be real time live music by the Seattle musician Edward Kyomoon and the event starts at 2 PM Pacific Coast Time. This would be a fabulous introduction in to the wonders of virtual reality. I hope to meet you there.
I'm excited and I'm nervous! Saturday morning (Feb 6) I'll be teaching the first of 4 painting seminars in Second Life. To my knowledge this is the first class of this kind to be offered in this virtual medium. I'll start with a general overview of how I put a landscape painting together and then move on to specifics such as composition & structure and color theory. What's exciting is that because there won't be any actual hands on painting being done, my friend at Snowcrash Digital has created very specific tools for me to use in demonstrating different methods of composition and color theory, designed specifically for the virtual experience! So not only will the students learn how to paint, but the teacher will learn how to work in a virtual environment. Living in 2 dimensions... I love it! Ha!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Ha! I had the best surprise this morning! I wrote earlier about having some friends up to the studio that own guest houses here in eastern Puerto Rico. (Coquis Hideaway and Villa Sevilla) I wanted to show them the painting classes and projects I've developed for families and small groups (even couples!) coming to the island. Well, Ray and Gwenn, who also have a website that is a MAJOR source of information about what to do while visiting Puerto Rico (puertoricodaytrips.com) were kind enough to write about it on this site. What's so cool is that they shot video of me doing this very quick demonstration of how you put a painting together. I've never seen myself in action before and it's a hoot! Or at least, I've never seen my HAND in action before! Follow the link I gave you for Puerto Rico Day Trips and take a look!
