Golden Sun God

Gold is highly valued all over the world. I come from Mexico, a country where this shiny metal has had a big influence in its history and development. Long before the Spanish Conquest, gold was venerated, worn and traded by the different groups of Mexican Indians. Horrible crimes were committed just to enrich powerful people and its governments. The Spaniards arrived in Mexico in the mid 1500s and discovered its vast deposits. They used this valuable metal not only to make beautiful works of art for their kings and churches but its value help them developed their powerful “armada”.

In this painting, I wanted to represent four important facets in the production of gold. Starting with the left square, it depicts how gold is found deep in the earth, where miners have to go down in the dark to bring it up. The top square is filled with melting bubbles of this precious metal. The right square shows a cascade of gold, which can be cast in a wide array of shapes. The bottom square is filled with the warm image of the Mexican Sun God, who not only gives us warmth but it represents life for all earth creatures. Without the sun nothing can live on earth!

This three-dimensional 16” X 16” painting is done in acrylic-mixed media.

$ 250

Woodland I - Woodland II - Woodland III

In Eastern Canada, the Birch tree is abundant, and the forests around my home are filled with these beautiful white trees. It is one of my favorite trees. Also my favorite season is the fall; it is when the forest dresses itself in vibrant colours!

So, I decided to combine these two favorites by painting the background with what some people call “Mexican colours” and by lifting some of them, I discovered a forest of Birch trees! BUT why only white trees? They can be all colours!

So my “whimsical forests” where born!

These paintings are very popular and I have painted a few of them, which are now hanging in various homes. Although all are similar, each one is very different then the other. Those three are my latest series and with a size of 7” X 11”are like small windows of my imagination, these paintings are not planned, they just happen!

Woodland I - Woodland II and Woodland III SOLD

Sumac

The Sumac bush is one of the most abundant plants in Eastern Canada. It is a diverse bush; always offering something to look at.

In the spring, it dresses itself in vibrant light green long leaves, softly swaying in the wind. The white, or red, fuzzy, tiny flowers grow in cone-shaped clusters, which turn deep red once they have flowered.

These cones, called Sumac Bobs, remain on the plant all trough the summer, making a great contrast to the deep green leaves.

In the splendorous fall, the best time for this bush, the Bobs turn red-brown competing with the fabulous array of yellow-red-green-brown leaves! All through the winter, the Bobs remain on top of the bare branches like sentinels on top of the snow-covered bushes.

I love this bush! It gives me something to look at all through the year. This watercolour is painted on paper, but mounted on a 18” X 24” canvas, and covered with three layers of vanish to protect it from dust and humidity. This new technique allows me to present my watercolours unframed and without a glass cover, looking more contemporary and making it easier to transport.

$ 250

Equilibrium - Companionship - Harmony

I love stones! I have a collection of big ones in my garden and the small ones decorate my fireplace. When my grandchildren come to visit, they play with stones building for me towers which we call “Inuksuks” like the ones built in the north by the Inuits. One day, they built a few ones and I got the idea of painting them.

I love to paint textures and stones are perfect examples with all their colours, shapes and crevices. These paintings are not very big, they are only 10” X 12”.

Equilibrium has seven stones representing various things like the balance we need in life, the seven Hindu chakras or energy centres and the lucky seven.

SOLD

Companionship is a group of three “people”, each composed by three stones, representing a family or a group of friends having a chat.

SOLD

Harmony has five stones, each one very different then other, not only in colour but also in shape and size. It represents the understanding and communication of people of different races and backgrounds.

$ 120

Once a Yellow House

San Miguel de Allende is a small town in the highlands of Mexico; about three hours drive from Mexico City. It is an old mining town, which was almost in ruin a few years ago. During three centuries, it was part of Mexico’s silver mines corridor which enriched Spain and France helping them to develop their powerful armies. A group of American veterans discover San Miguel de Allende in the 1940s and decided to relocate to enjoy the clear blue sky and the almost spring-like-weather all year round!

People interested in the culture, history and art of Mexico have renovated many of the old colonial houses. Some have exchange hands a few times, while others show neglect.
This "yellow house" is one of them but …ah it is so interesting to paint! Watercolour allows me to show the texture of falling stucco reveling the building stones and the old colours still show their vibrancy. Old doors and windows show their age is this 16” X 20” painting.
SOLD

Energy, Bernal Mexico

The highlands of Mexico are filled with breathtaking landscapes! I miss the mountains! They elevate you to think that you can do anything, reviving your spirit and giving you strength to cope with life.

"Peña de Bernal" (Bernal Peak), is one of the tallest monoliths in the world, it rises straight out of the sierra to about 1150 feet. It's an awe inspiring volcanic rock, only second to Ayer's rock in Australia, and third behind the Rock of Gibraltar and Rio de Janeiro's Sugar Loaf.

It is located in San Sebastian Bernal, a small town in the Mexican state of Queretaro. The monolith was formed some 100 million years ago during the Jurassic period, when it must have been at least three times higher than today. It is a very special place and many people make a pilgrimage in to the highest point hikeable, visiting a little chapel about halfway up. On March 21, the Spring Equinox, people gather all dressed in white to form a human belt around the monolith receiving the energy of mountains and the sun.

In my watercolour painting, I wanted to convey this energy and height. The fresh light green depicts spring, and the San Sebastian church stands guard to this magnificent peak.

$ 220

PinkTrumpet Flower

The first time a saw these flowers is when I was in Mexico City visiting a friend who had a bush in his garden covered with about 150 of these beautiful flowers!

Their name is Burgamisia Aurea but they are also called Angel's Trumpet Flower and in Spanish people called them Floripondios. They come in various colours like white, pink and yellow. They fall down from the branches like upside down trumpets with gracious folds and pointy endings. They can grow about 10" in length looking like dancing girls with long skirts.

As soon as I saw them, I wanted to paint them! I have done two paintings of these flowers and probably will do more. This painting is 16" X 20" and the flower itself is about 12" long. I did it in watercolour because this medium allows me to show the fragility and beauty of this exotic flower!

$ 250