Eggstraordinary

Here's a recent still life I've been working on, "Eggstraordinary". I had been looking for eggplant locally (to paint of course) and have not been able to find it. (I guess it's not in season?) Luckily, I came across a box of lovely eggplant at the San Clemente Farmers Market on Sunday when I was hosting the gallery there. I could hardly wait to get back to my studio to paint it! I had this beautiful orange silk handy to wrap it with in this cute little dish that my friend accidentally left at my house months ago!
Now, I better cook something with eggplant in it pretty quick!

What is a Kaffir boom?

This lovely tree caught my eye months ago (before it even had these glorious red blooms) sitting at the corner of Laguna Drive and State Street, right across from the studio space I share in Carlsbad. It overlooks the Buena Vista Lagoon and the light on it (in the morning shown here) or in the afternoon is stunning. My attempt to capture it was a wonderful experience for me, then my search for it's name was a real challenge. (you wouldn't believe how many "flowering trees, specifically "RED flowering trees" there are!) Well, finally I decided that this must be the "Kaffir boom" also called a "Coral Tree" or "Flame Tree". I found that it originated in South Africa, but also grows along coastal areas. We're sure enjoying it here in Carlsbad!

"Overlooking the Buena Vista Lagoon"

Cocktail Hour 6" by 6"

Here are two of my recent "rainy day" paintings. (I've noticed that it's healthier to spend time painting this kind of set up than it is to consume it -and this kind of activity sure doesn't have the side effects one suffers the "next day" either!) "Gin and Tonic for Two" will be displayed and offered for sale at the Randy Higbee Gallery for his "6" Squared Exhibit".
102 Kalmus Dr
Costa Mesa, CA 9262A
Gala Artists' Reception will be held Saturday, April 16th. 5:00pm-9:00pm
The show will run through May 6th.

http://www.randyhigbeegallery.com/Randy_Higbee_Gallery/EVENTS.html

Contact me for "Tequila and Lime"

Both paintings will be framed in similar "premium" Randy Higbee "water guilded silver box" frames and will look great together in your kitchen or family room!

Southbound Getaway

Lately, trying to stretch, I've been painting larger studies outside. Here is one of my most recent, "Southbound Getaway" 11"h x 14"w on a canvas panel. In the past, it has been so easy to "see" the whole composition on a small panel (6" x 8" or even an 8" x 10"), that it was "more comfortable" for me to paint "smaller". However, when I would bring the painting back to my studio to create a "larger piece", this would sometimes pose a problem for me since much of the "loose brushwork" and "passion" of a quickly done plein air painting is lost on a bigger canvas. Thanks to my good friend and studio partner, Scott W. Prior, (who has been challenging me to "paint bigger") I feel like I've finally figured it out: If I use a BIGGER brush, and practice painting outside from life on bigger canvases, my translated strokes will be more "natural" and make the transition to "larger studio piece" more easily! For this particular plein air piece, I resisted the urge to grab my smaller brushes for ANY detail-and amazingly it seems to have worked!

Love is...

In honor of the month of February, I'm dedicating this post to "love". After having seen a short documentary on a singer/songwriter, John Mark McMillan at church last weekend, I've been thinking more about "what" and "who" I love and "how" I love them. First of all, I LOVE chocolate kisses, and chocolate/candy covered pretzels just like the next girl. That said, I've learned to LOVE to paint these and more otherwise fattening treats even more than their taste! Even so, that LOVE pales in comparison to the LOVE I feel for my daughter who helped me dip and decorate the pretzels for my sister's "Valentine's" birthday party, my son who sang to us as we celebrated her milestone, my husband who spent all day creating a delicious meal for the event, and all of my brothers and sisters, especially and including the "birthday girl"! This is a LOVE that I'm capable of, but there's an even greater love:

"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16

Weekly Classes Beginning January 24th!

Current Adult Workshops:
Monday:Drawing Fundamentals/Rita Pacheco
$400
Workshop Dates: 1/24/2011-1/14/2011
10:00am-1:00pm
Location: Prior Studios
Semi-private (maximum 6 students) begins Monday, January 24, Open to beginners or those interested in improving their drawing skills. This course will focus on the fundamentals of drawing from life: composition, proportion, perspective, light and shadow, foreshortening, value and texture. If you are unable to commit to 8 weeks, there is a $75 drop in fee for one session. Space is very limited.
*Materials: graphite pencils of your choice, kneaded eraser, 18” by 24” newsprint (I prefer smooth print) and backing board.
If you have any questions, please contact Rita: email: rita@pacheco.ws
cell: 951 965 2517 www.ritapacheco.com

Celebrating in 2011 (without a hang over!)

Happy New Year! 2010 went out with a bang for Rita Pacheco Fine Art; being awarded a "Juror's Choice Award" from the California Art Club, and First Place for the COAL gallery's Winter Exhibit, finding into a new studio space in the Carlsbad Village, and selling 5 paintings all in the last few days of December was huge fun! Worth Celebrating for sure! The rainy and cold weather kept me indoors a lot of the time and that left me with all of these beautiful and colorful still life possibilities! I've posted 9 new still life paintings on my website this morning, even one "black and white"! The two shown here are both 10" h x 8" w oil on canvas panels; "Gin & Tonic" and "Celebrate!" They are both still available and I can guarantee there will be no "hang over/side effects"!