Keiko Tanabe

Gondolier X, Venice Italy Painting

2/28/2011 7:02:09 AM

San Bartolomeo is a church tucked away behind the Rialto Bridge. Some time after its foundation in the 9th century, it became the church of the German trading community that enjoyed an active commerce in this area. The bell tower was constructed when the church was rebuilt following the 1688 earthquake. The onion shaped dome with an octagonal drum is visible from the Grand Canal. The traffic on the Grand Canal, Venice's main waterway, is always very busy near the Rialto Bridge, with all kinds of boats going up and down and across the corridor. But skilled gondoliers would just paddle their [...]

Little Italy Sunset, San Diego VIII, California Landscape Painting

2/25/2011 10:36:08 AM

Little Italy is located in the northwest end of Downtown San Diego and just one trolley stop away from the Santa Fe Depot.I love this view from Little Italy, looking down the hill toward San Diego Bay. When the sky turns intense orange and brilliant red at the sunset, a pervasive mood changes dramatically from a postcard perfect scene of sunny Southern California under the blue sky to the one that is so atmospheric it evokes a deep sense of nostalgia as well as a sense of hope for the future.Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and [...]

Balboa Park Sunset, San Diego I, California Landscape Painting

2/21/2011 1:49:02 AM

With more than a dozen museums, several gardens, the zoo, etc., Balboa Park is America's largest urban cultural park. It has so much to offer that during the day El Prado, a wide promenade that runs through the middle of it, can be really crowded.When the sun goes down and the crowd begins to thin out, I think that is the most magical time of the day. Constantly changing but slowly fading, the soft light coming from the western end of El Prado reveals the beautiful silhouettes of the California Bell Tower and palm trees.Working with a limited palette consisting of [...]

Santa Fe Depot, San Diego Paintings

2/17/2011 3:36:34 AM

I can't think of a better place than Santa Fe Depot (Union Station) to welcome visitors to San Diego. It's such a beautiful place and I even think making a trip to see just that is worthwhile. The architecture, reflective of the city's Spanish Colonial heritage, is breathtaking. When passengers get off a train and walk alongside the historic building and rows of majestic palm trees, I see them just smiling. Once inside, then the interior makes anyone stop and say wow. The high ceiling, brilliant tile work throughout, cozy benches, and a little cafe... all create a very inviting atmosphere. As light [...]

Torrey Pines Beach, San Diego VIII, California Landscape Painting

2/14/2011 6:47:58 AM

This is one of my favorite views of San Diego. Halfway between Del Mar and the Torrey Pines State Reserve, where Highway 101 passes over the railroad tracks, we have this sweeping panoramic view of the coastal lagoon and the Pacific Ocean. While this painting was done in my studio, I like painting outside and Torrey Pines Beach is one of the local places where I enjoy doing so. Click to see other paintings of Torrey Pines Beach: Torrey Pines State Beach VI, San Diego 100 (#45), San Diego 100 (#29) painting en plein air near the Torrey Pines Beach Torrey Pines Beach, San [...]

Marseille Café, France I, French Landscape Painting

2/11/2011 12:25:33 PM

Anybody knowledgeable or any travel guidebook would say Marseille-bound travelers shouldn't miss their traditional fish stew called bouillabaisse. It is said that it was started by local fishermen who wanted to make a good meal with unsold or less expensive fish and shellfish. With several different kinds of fresh fish, cooked with some vegetables, herbs, olive oil and saffron, the stew is not only delicious but it has become famous worldwide as the one to be tried in Marseille. A major port city on the Meditteranean coast, Marseille has been an entry point for immigrants for centuries, making it one of the [...]

Top 50 Watercolor Painters Blogs by Lisa Clark

2/9/2011 2:57:07 AM

Lisa Clark, the creator of Ultra Sound Technicians, a web-based resource guide for those considering a career in medical care, just posted on her blog a comprehensive list of Top 50 Watercolor Painters Blogs. Based on her extensive research, she chose several blogs in each of these categories: blogs by male watercolor artists, blogs by female watercolor artists, blogs by international watercolor artists (I'm happy to be included here), instructional blogs, and specialized blogs. I find it very interesting that she wrote about watercolor for her main readers who will eventually work in the healthcare system. Art and medicine may seem like [...]

2011 Signature American Watercolor Exhibition Opens Tonight

2/5/2011 10:39:03 AM

The 2011 Signature American Watercolor Exhibition opens tonight in the Janice Griffiths Gallery at the Fallbrook Art Center, Fallbrook, north of San Diego, California. The reception is held in the gallery 5-7pm, February 5. This is a unique watermedia exhibition where only artists with signature membership in major watercolor societies across the U.S. were invited to enter their works. I am honored that my 2010 painting Road to Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto, Japan I was one of 60 works selected by juror Linda Doll to be included in the show, which continues daily through March 27. San Diego 100 (#83) - Fallbrook A larger image [...]

Calanques, French Landscape Painting

2/4/2011 9:38:12 AM

The coastline that stretches from Marseille to Cassis, called the Calanques, is incredibly picturesque. Massive, jagged white cliffs that were formed a long time ago rise almost vertically from the turquoise water of the Mediterranean. There are some small inlets which are accessible from the land and the sea. It is surprising to see a variety of vegetation on these white limestone rocks but they are the kinds that thrive on the abundant sunshine, wind and arid conditions. The area around the Calanques has long been a favorite for artists such as Paul Signac and Paul Cézanne. It is so easy to be [...]

Outdoor Market in Vence, France

2/1/2011 3:12:34 AM

Sharing a street with like-minded shoppers, admiring fresh produce, sampling artisan bread and local cheese, savoring the aroma of lavenders... During a travel in the south of France, a visit to a lively outdoor market on a sunny day could be an ultimate joie de vivre experience. Surely the charm of French markets lies in the simple pleasure of being a part of the scene but it also provides a rich artistic inspiration. Vence is a small medieval village on the hill, not far from Nice. Whenever they have a colorful outdoor market, the Old Town inside the walls is bustling with [...]