Thinking like an artist

Well, we're in to day 3 of my "How to Think Like an Artist" workshop here at my studio in the foothills of Puerto Rico's El Yunque Caribbean National Rainforest and we're having a ball! The focus of the projects is to teach the students how to work WITH their paintings and not ON them. I also believe that creative people are problem solvers, so the projects I have developed purposely leave the students with major hurdles to overcome, using the basic elements of painting to do so. It's intense and it's hard but it definitely makes them think and they try things they never would ordinarily do in their own studios. Teaching is good for me too as it reinforces these same elements in my brain too! Sometimes I get lost!

Life is good.

Making art and making friends

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!

New giclee reproductions available

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!

The Ceremony Trees

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.

Weekend in the rainforest

Whew! Time flies! I go up once a month, on the last weekend of the month, to the El Portal Visitors Center at the entrance to El Yunque's Caribbean National Forest. I set up an exhibit with 4 other artists as well as a work space to paint. It's just a glorious location to work! Beautiful environment, artists that are good friends and great company, and the opportunity to meet people from all over the world... what more can I ask for?

Anybody in Puerto Rico? Come join us! We're there starting tomorrow, Jan 27 through Sunday Jan 31st, 9 - 4:00 PM each day.

Rainforest Inspirations

I spent the other day up at El Yunque's Caribbean National forest with my good friends Robert and Vicky Leedy and my new friends Mary and Lou Posner. Wandering the trails up there in the rain forest is an absolute feast for my eyes. Did I take pictures? Of course! A ton of them! But mostly I just absorbed.... the light, the textures, the colors.... knowing that no matter WHAT I paint, these things will surface. They live with me now in my soul.

Morning Musings

Today just seems like a day for musings. It's still dark....I often get up before most of my neighbors' roosters! Seems appropropriate to watch the sunrise together with the hens from across the road. First the glow to the east over Fajardo and Vieques which will then become light on El Yunque and the rainforest just beyond my window. In these days of uncertainty, it is good to know that the sun always rises.

I was so excited to discover that my new website designed by Philippe-Laurent Pascal of Snowcrash Digital is now up and running! We were having domain transfer issues so it took a little while. I happened to click on a link to my site from the Puerto Rico Day Trips website and voila! Instead of my old site the new one is in place. Yay! We're still building it, with pages about my workshops and the family and corporate painting projects that I do, but for now you can see a broad selection of my work. Today my little mountain top, tomorrow the world! Visit please: monicalinville.com

Ooooo! The glow has come!

Family painting projects

As an artist who also teaches painting workshops and team building painting projectsat my studio in eastern Puerto Rico, I invited the owners of two area guest houses to come visit my studio and participate in one of the painting projects that I have tailored to families, couples and small groups coming to Puerto Rico. Not only are my projects unique ways to spend quality, creative time with loved ones, but they're wonderful activities for rainy days in the tropics or sunshiny days as well!

Ray and Gwenn came from their guest house, Coquis Hideaway and Wally and Marina came from their guest house Villa Sevilla. Both guest houses are an easy drive from my studio, and are also located up in the mountains of eastern Puerto Rico, not far from El Yunque and the Caribbean National Rainforest. They're guests are welcome at my studio to take classes, work together on group painting projects or simply enjoy the collection of original paintings and fine art prints that I have here for sale.

The picture you see here is one my friends created together from my "Be Me/Be We" project. I provide all of the materials (water media) and everyone just gets to play with paint. This activity is really just about releasing your creative spirit and doing so with family and loved ones. The result is always a fun, free, spontaneous abstract painting that I mat for you and you get to take home as a unique momento of your time spent here in the Caribbean.

It's a blast!