Friends and Fall Colors

Already packed for my trip up to Saratoga Springs, NY. Woooot!!!! I went up there last fall to do the commission you see here on this page for a good friend and client. This painting I've posted is from her property just outside the town of Saratoga. I also set up a little studio up there so I have some place to go that's quiet and away from the hustle and bustle of my main studio in Puerto Rico. It rained the whole time I was up there last October, as you can see by the light of this painting, but my friends assure me that good weather is forecast for this year. Yay!!!!

New catalogue of paintings

I am happy to announce that I now have a catalogue of paintings available in two versions. One is for internet viewing and the other can be downloaded and printed. The catalogue presents the paintings that I currently have available for sale in my studio. My friend Philippe Pascal of Philippe Pascal Media and Marketing created and published this for me and I have him to thank for the layout and design.

If any of you are interested in receiving the catalogue, either version, please just pop me an email and I'll get one out to you right away.

Life is good!

The Masks We Wear

Had a wonderful day in Second Life on Sunday! Started off with a lecture/discussion by my fellow avatar Emile Sands on the topic of masks and how they relate to the concept of avatars in a virtual world. It was fascinating. Afterwards we had a formal masquerade ball at a park across the street from my gallery where the lecture was. A Second Life jeweler made 8 custom masks for the event that were free to everyone coming to the event. We had a great crowd that stayed all 3 hours and best of all... I sold a LOT of paintings!

I have made a lot of serious contacts in Second Life in relation to my work, but it's also so much fun just being able to fantasize. I live in a very "casual" environment, and have neither the time nor inclination to dress formally. But in Second Life.... it's a hoot!

Another avatar friend of mine in Second Life, Wynd Ling, who owns a sim devoted to creative design in a virtual world has written about the ball on her blog. Check it out here!

First Place Award

I am thrilled to announce that my painting "Metamorphosis" was awarded First Place in Galeria Fusion Islena's collaborative exhibition with Puerto Rico's East End Art Guild. The purpose of the exhibition, titled "Simbiosis" was to meld the artistic efforts of the Art Guild with those of the gallery's. The Guild members, of which there are over 100, were asked to submit 2 pieces of work for consideration. The 28 chosen artworks were then displayed in an exhibition that opened in the gallery (located in the Centro de Bellas Artes in Caguas, PR) last Saturday evening, August 22.

The gallery owners asked leading members of Puerto Rico's art community to then award what they felt was the cream of the crop. I am so honored that they selected one of the 2 paintings I submitted for the top award.

This painting represents a new turn for me in my work is taking. It is a tremendous validation to receive such an honor at this point. It is a technique that I feel totally "at home" working in and to have it recognized affirms that I am heading in the right direction.

Life is good!

A visit from Tortola!

I'm so excited! I have a student coming over from Tortola (in the British Virgin Islands) to take 3 private watercolor sessions with me! Woot! She has come before but it's been a while since I've seen her and it will be such a treat to have her back. Each session is 3 hours, with hands-on, step by step instruction in the process of making a transparent watercolor painting.

It's a relaxed setting, the 2 of us working alone surrounded by the vista down to the northeast coast of Puerto Rico, laughing and chatting not only about the technique of watercolor, but our lives as well. I am so excited to have this opportunity!

Life is good.

The irony of it all

Just sitting here thinking about the process of making art.... the point of it all....for me anyway. I can't help but think how ironic it is that I require solitude in order to make something I want to communicate to the world through.

Hell-o out there?

Sign up!

I am now working on 2 newsletters.... one for real, honest to goodness LIFE and one for my virtual life. Why the two? Well, if you sign on to the first one, you'll get updates and musings about my exhibitions, workshops, projects and whatever. If you sign up for the Second Life one you'll get updates about where I'm exhibiting in the virtual world. For any of you sl'ers out there, my avatar name is Littleone Aries. Look me up!

If you go to the homepage on my website, you'll see where you can sign up from there. You can unsubscribe at any time so not to worry about me following you in to eternity!