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Repetitio Est Mater Studiorum

8/19/2018 4:50:18 PM

Repetitio est mater studiorum" (Repetition is the mother of learning). I work hard when I'm serious about learning something new but I don't know if learning by repetition is the best way for me. I'm a kind of person who doesn't like reading manuals so I just start playing with a newly purchased product and figure out how to make it work (well, sometimes, never). I like to just dive in and learn by doing instead of reading or taking notes or even seeing how things are done beforehand. It may be natural for a person like me to get bored with the [...]

Dive into the Unknown

6/16/2016 11:17:53 AM

I have been a traveler most of my life, much longer than I have been a painter. A recent talk with a friend got me wonder how travel has been impacting my creativity now that I can call both painting and traveling my passions. Whether you are a fearless, adventurous type or prefer a more organized group tour, travel is all about getting out of routine to explore and discover the unknown. It usually rewards you with amazing experiences that enrich your life and makes you appreciate what you have in your life. When I travel, I am not keen on [...]

Watercolor Artist October 2014

8/28/2014 7:52:43 PM

To a painter, a brush is just like a good knife to a chef. One of my essential tools is a mop brush. And I am happy to say that an article of me talking about it appears in the October issue of Watercolor Artist magazine. I used "Central Park II," one of my recent paintings of New York City, to demonstrate how I used a mop brush in this painting. In this issue, I am also honored to be among some of today's finest artists working in watermedia, such as Direk Kingnok (cover artist), George James, Carol Evans, Chizuru Morii Kaplan, [...]

Central Park, New York City II, American Landscape Painting

5/1/2014 2:14:47 AM

One of the things I repeatedly tell my students is, before painting, have a plan for your creative process and picture your final picture. Easier said than done, but isn't it true that this is so easy to forget? Maybe we are too eager to paint. Maybe we don't think it's that important. Or we think a painting has to be done intuitively - we are artists after all, right? Please read this: Seasoned athletes use vivid, highly detailed internal images and run-throughs of the entire performance, engaging all their senses in their mental rehearsal, and they [...]

Vienna III, Austrian Landscape Painting

9/21/2012 5:22:09 AM

If I was asked what would be the single most important quality in a painting for me, I would say a good design. Without it, the chance of producing a good painting would be very slim. But again, a good painting to one person may not be so to another. Beauty does lie in the eye of the beholder. That said, most of us intuitively agree on what constitutes a good design simply because we know it when something feels "right." I never studied the art of design formerly. So when I started painting, I knew nothing about principles and rules such [...]

Vienna II, Austrian Landscape Painting

9/17/2012 6:05:47 PM

Fiakers are to Vienna as gondolas are to Venice. Fiaker is a name used in Austria's capital city, for a carriage drawn by two horses. In the historical center of Vienna, one fiaker after another was passing by me every ten minutes or so. The rhythmic clickety-clack of the horses hooves so soothing and relaxing, it put me in the mood for a Viennese waltz. Vienna, Austria II Click here for an enlarged view of this painting. Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 11.5 x 11.5 inches (29 x 29 cm) Frame/Mat: No Purchase: Please send me an email for details. - Join me on Facebook and follow [...]

Prague (Czech Republic) Paintings

9/22/2011 2:28:04 AM

Despite a threatening sky, streets in the heart of Prague were full of life. Here in the city's Old Town, tourists moving about with their travel guidebooks were everywhere, proving that Prague is one of the most visited cities in Europe. Many squares and alleys, surrounded by magnificent architectures, were also crowded with shoppers, diners, street performers and onlookers. This elegant quarter in Prague has such a wonderful atmosphere I wouldn't be surprised if there was quite a large number of artists in the crowd who traveled there for new inspiration and ideas. I thought, like Rome and Paris, almost anything in [...]

San Diego Workshops

12/10/2010 8:28:34 AM

Last weekend I had so much fun with a group of 25 very enthusiastic students who attended my workshop at the Education Center of the San Diego Watercolor Society. I did four demos over two days and in between everyone was busy painting, learning, critiquing, exchanging ideas, socializing and inspiring each other. Here are some photos and some of my demo paintings. I am scheduled to do another weekend workshop, Capturing Light and Atmosphere in Watercolor, at the San Diego Watercolor Society in September, 2011. Register early at the SDWS website. Firenze, Italy IX Julian VII Barrio Logan, San Diego II Click [...]

Antwerp, Belgium II, Belgian Landscape Painting

11/29/2010 4:13:03 AM

In my last blog post, I talked about how I simplified a busy city street scene by focusing on one element (Antwerp I). While I think doing so helps a lot to make a strong painting, the very essence of a crowded cityscape is often found in its busy-ness, and you feel you just have to paint it all. Instead of having just one star player, I included many in this painting to convey the mood of a popular town square -- beautiful guild houses, people enjoying themselves, colorful awnings of cafes and bars, and again, a horse carriage. Too many cooks [...]

Antwerp, Belgium I, Belgian Landscape Painting

11/24/2010 2:56:58 AM

The Town Square of Antwerp is really an impressive place as it's surrounded by handsome tall buildings with beautiful architectural features. These are guild houses. Each has a distinct character but all are richly decorated and covered with windows in front. Then there are the City Hall, the fountain, pubs, shops, and needless to say, people who come here to walk, drink and eat, or just relax. The place has all the charms that would make any painter of city scenes want to try his hand at capturing a moment. My idea for this painting was not to depict all kinds of [...]

Roma, Italia XXXIX, Italian Landscape Painting

9/22/2010 3:34:36 AM

At the base of the Spanish Steps, shadows of palm trees in the square grew longer and longer as the sun set. They crawled up on brightly-colored walls of the surrounding buildings like they wanted to reach the sky but soon they were absorbed into the warmth of orange walls. The square, Piazza di Spagna, was full of people and there were also several horses waiting for riders in their carriages. When Charles Dickens came here in 1845, he described the crowded square as a meeting place "for artists' models, who would dress [...]

Puerta del Sol, Madrid, Spain

8/16/2010 2:21:45 AM

Despite what I said in my recent blog post, I love Madrid for its urban vitality and sophisticated cultural scene. The area surrounding the Puerta del Sol, a short walk from Plaza Mayor, is especially lively. Always crowded with shoppers, tourists, business people, students and onlookers, it seems everything takes place in this square, the most popular in Madrid, or in all of Spain for that matter. I even found a bear there. The bronze statue called "El Oso y El Madroño" (the bear and the berry tree) is a city's symbol and many locals adore it and use [...]

Roma, Italia XXV, Italian Landscape Painting

2/15/2010 1:29:50 AM

The Pantheon -- what an awe-inspiring place! This magnificent domed temple must be the work of angels, as Michelangelo put it. After experiencing the sheer exhilaration and an almost surreal sensation while being inside, can one simply leave here and move on to the next sight? I think many visitors would like to linger on for a while. To stay for another 30 minutes and admire the exterior of the Pantheon wouldn't be such a bad idea. In this painting, at a cafe-restaurant appropriately named Bar Pantheon, people are enjoying that and whatever else is going on around them. [...]

Sevilla, Spain VII, Spanish Landscape Painting

1/13/2010 1:54:02 AM

This scene, just outside the Seville's majestic Royal Palaces, may look like a snapshot of any tourists but this white horse was so beautiful I couldn't pass up an opportunity to make a quick sketch of it. In fact, there are many horse-drawn carriages waiting for riders near here and the Seville cathedral. These old-fashioned carriages with bright yellow wheels must be a really nice way to enjoy the atmosphere of the city's particularly charming neighborhood of maze-like alleys and flower-decked patios. Sevilla, Spain VII Click here for an enlarged view. Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 8.25 x [...]

San Diego 100 (#93) - Christmas, California Landscape Painting

11/30/2009 11:46:05 PM

It is not likely we will have a white Christmas in San Diego, but I can't really say it is not going to happen. It may happen -- only if you go to the mountains and the weather cooperates, that is. Then, Julian would be a perfect place to be. In my San Diego 100 series, I included several scenes of this charming mountain village. In fact, I have painted Julian more frequently than the other locations. In the spirit of the holidays, I did another to add to the series. May your holidays be merry and bright! A snowy day [...]

Julian III, California Landscape Painting

10/31/2009 1:02:17 AM

Julian III I have painted and blogged, many times, about Julian, a small town in the mountains north of San Diego. In each of my blog posts, I tried to choose a different topic about this favorite town of the people in San Diego, but what would Halloween be without a little scary story? Here's one about Julian Hotel. I never stayed there so I don't know how true the story is... Happy Halloween, everyone! Julian, California III A larger image of this painting is available on request. Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 13 x 6.5 [...]

San Diego 100 (#35) - San Pasqual Valley, California Landscape Painting

3/19/2009 8:58:16 PM

San Pasqual Valley (SD100-35) When we are in the San Pasqual Valley today, it is hard to imagine the bloodiest battle of the Mexican-American War was fought here in 1846 (There is an interactive website on this topic here for those who are interested). At the end of the war, San Diego no longer belonged to Mexico and became part of the U.S. Located in the north of San Diego, this valley looks peaceful today. There are dairy farms, citrus orchards, lakes... We can enjoy picturesque landscapes of the tranquil countryside. Every year, volunteers reenact the event at the San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park, and many families, both American and [...]

San Diego 100 (#18 & #19) - Julian, California Landscape Painting

2/25/2009 7:02:36 PM

Julian (SD100-18) Today I have two paintings of streets in Julian, a mountain hamlet about an hour's drive east of San Diego. Many people go there for apple pies which this town is known for. Crisp mountain air not only makes good apples in and around Julian but also attracts many who love the great outdoors. Founded as a mining town during the gold rush, Julian still has historic buildings that line up on its main street, creating a unique atmosphere. Here, on most days, horse-drawn carriages are a part of the streetscape, like the ones depicted in these paintings. San Diego 100 (#18) - [...]

Sevilla, Spain III, Spanish Landscape Painting

2/8/2009 3:55:06 PM

Daytime hours are long in the summer. This was probably around 9pm, as I recall. The intense blue sky made the building look blindingly white. The sweltering sun was finally getting ready to give way to night, but families were not sitting down for dinner yet. People came outside to enjoy walking in a cooler air, children were still playing outside. Read related post : A Mirage in Andalusia. Sevilla, Spain III Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 10 x 7 in (25 x 18 cm) Mat Size: 14 x 11 in.(white 14 x 11 in) Purchase: Sold [...]

Spanish Horses, Jerez de la Frontera, Spanish Landscape Painting

2/7/2009 7:38:48 PM

Although equine art is not my main genre, I enjoy painting horses occasionally. The aspect that attracts me most about equine subject is the role of horses in human life, or how they are important in our daily lives, in transportation, sports, agriculture, entertainment, etc. This scene depicts a training session of pure-bred Spanish Horses at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in the city of Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. They were beautiful, elegant and very intelligent. Spanish Horses, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain A larger image of this painting is available on request. Media: [...]

Kentucky Watercolor Society Aqueous USA 2008 National Exhibition Opening Reception is Today

10/3/2008 8:55:06 AM

I am pleased to announce my watercolor Marseille St-Charles has been awarded the third place in this year’s Aqueous USA, a national exhibition of watercolors sponsored by the Kentucky Watercolor Society. The show was juried by Lian Zhen, a renowned Chinese watercolor painter and author of two books on Chinese watercolor painting. It runs until November 8 at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky. There is another wonderful exhibition you might not want to miss in the Bluegrass state. The 2008 Fall Open Juried Exhibition presented by the American Academy of Equine Art runs now through November 2 at William G. [...]