Painting Progress and Book Reviews

I worked a little bit more on the bowl of fruit painting last night. Maybe it doesn't seem like much progress, but I'm trying to be patient and let the layers dry before applying the next. Watercolour is new to me and I get excited by the colour and keep adding more and before you know it, it has turned into mud.


Then I stopped and finished reading this-
I have to say that I really did not like it. Now I am not normally the kind of person who will just dismiss a book. I can almost always find some aspect that I find intriguing or worthy. I think that in the case of The Time In Between I just didn't like or believe the characters, except for maybe the dad. They seemed self-indulgent and foolish, making decisions that seemed dangerous without regard for themselves or one another. Has anyone else read this? What did you think? I am surprised that this was a Giller Prize winner. I usually like Giller Prize winners. For example I really liked Clara Callan, Mercy Among the Children, and A Fine Balance; as well as finalists such as A Complicated Kindness, A Recipe for Bees, and The Island Walkers.


Now I can move on to this-
Light on Life- The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom by B.K.S. Iyengar.
I read the Introduction:Freedom Awaits the other day and it was as though Mr. Iyengar was speaking with me; his words were so personable, simple, and true. I think that I am really going to enjoy this and that it will inspire a more dedicated practice. I will keep you posted.

Life is just a bowl of....mangos?

I woke up this morning with the regrets of excess. This trip has been wonderful, don't get me wrong, but there is only so much luxury one can handle before they start feeling, well, like a lump on a log.

So today I vowed to attempt a bit of studioing. Although it is only the very beginnings of a painting, I at least feel I'm more in the looking mind frame. Enough so that I can justify a jump in the pool!

Red, red, everywhere

Nothing is really quite so great in the lush green of the tropics than the colour red. The perfect compliment, it's no wonder that many of the flowers here are red. I love seeing poinsettias in their full glory-- not just temporary Christmas decorations slated for a quick and spindly death in wintery Edmonton-- but real shrubbery filling yards. Look at this house I snapped this picture of the other day -- gorgeous. These people obviously love red. Even their house is red!

Signs, signs (for jodie anne)

So I have a bit of a signage thing, a whole collection in fact. I don't really know when it started, but I am fascinated by signs--especially hand painted signs. Maybe this fascination is growing because now in a wonderful world of computer graphics anybody can have a "perfect" sign. Now what fun is that?

Jodie Anne's dad is a sign painter, which I have always thought would be a great job. Although I think I would only like to hand paint signs. It really is a fading art. And if I'm being honest, the novelty would probably fade pretty quickly after a few figure skating club banners.

I really liked this unsubtle stairway plea to come and spend your money. Maybe they thought if they hid their message within pretty tiles and nice words like beautiful and good friends, that their request to buy would be less noticeable?

Well, there is a little sampling so far. Now I have to put on some sunscreen and get to the pool -- so I can work in my sketck book as promised. It is studio day after all.

Going to the Chapel(s)

Visited a street in Waimea today that had several places of worship. This photo is from this street. Isn't the custardy yellow church pretty with the aqua sky? Such a strange composition, but I like it.


And then there was this one-



















Man, do they know how to do colour here!

Incredibly unfair

Ms. Lauryn Hill will be performing the evening that I will be boarding a plane to leave paradise. How sad. When I first saw the gig posters I was ecstatic....then I saw the date, tried to justify extending my stay by a day or the possibility of watching her perform and then miraculously getting to the airport on time. But the Voice of Reason kindly but firmly said it just wasn't going to happen this time. Ah, shucks.

Dirve with Caution

I promise to dirve with caution-- only because that African Tulip tree matches so well.