February 14, 2015

Happy Valentines Day! Sorry, no candy or valentines today, but we have painted our own warm and loving valentine greetings. It's the next best thing to a bag of conversation hearts.... but easier on the waistline.

And so we begin. To quote Shakespeare, "If music be the food of love, play on...."  But no frills, pianofortes or violins here. Hector's colorful guitar is music stripped to its essence. There's rhythm in every brushstroke.

Alan uses Yupo to paint his self-portrait. And, in the tradition of many fine artists, he's hidden a message. Look at the reflection in the his sunglasses to see a secondary portrait. Yes, it's the apple of his eye. Aww, how sweet!

But lest you think he's getting too mushy, he has another "aww" painting. It's Jake, his dog.

What says "I love you" more than hearts and monkeys? (Elaine and Madeine are trying to start a new tradition.) Elaine's painting of an ancient sculpture celebrates maternal love. It's a sweet simian mother and child.

While Madeleine's capuchin monkey is all about the fun and playful aspects of the day. Don't you love that face?

Suddenly, we seem to have developed a fascination with birds lately. Mark adds a tropical bird to his snow scene.... surrealistic, but beautifully composed. In honor of the day, let's call it the "bluebird of happiness."

Mohammed goes one better, featuring two birds and a butterfly! Take note of the beautiful mottling on the butterfly wings and the bark texture.

What would Valentines day be without flowers? Sara's delicate paperwhites aren't the typical red roses, but they are exquisite.

While we're on the subject of romance, Madeleine is sketching her next painting.... a row of cottages in Costa Rica. What a lovely romantic getaway!

There's romance in the city, too. Abla is beginning to add paint to her urban snow scene. The buildings at right look wonderfully atmospheric. We're eager to see how this progresses.

Bill, too, is working on an urban landscape. We love the train and the delicate skyscrapers in the background.

Ken's skyscraper is less dreamy, but equally seasonal. There is a lighthearted, whimsical quality to this painting that makes the whole building look like shimmering stained glass.

Can a cemetery be romantic? In Greeta's hands, yes! This beautiful painting celebrates some intriguing memorials. Like the Taj Mahal, we see these as memorials to love until death.

And in case you were waiting for another one of Greeta's lovely glass paintings, we won't disappoint you! These glass baubles are as sparkly as jewels. So apropos!

The library table is back... with a vengeance! Sara brought a library book featuring the watercolors of John Singer Sargent. Best known for his beautiful oil portraits, he turned to watercolor later in life. And the results are incredible. We were awed by his paintings and his mastery of the medium. Each series was more beautiful than the last--Venice, Bedouins, Florida, landscapes, even World War I. This was truly an inspirational book.