"Grace is everywhere"

"Grace is everywhere"
Originally uploaded by Agave Latte

A new painting detail- a painting I finally finished for my friend Vivian.
Mucho colors with a passion fruit flower, kitty, hummers and flowers!

Happy Blue Moon and New Year!

Passion Flower Birds
Originally uploaded by Agave Latte

Just a hint of my newest Pastel called "Passion Flower Birds". This painting will be on display at Mission Trails Regional Park for the Month of January. Details below in the last post. I bought the clay bird in Santa Fe, New Mexico years ago at the Indian Market. The passion fruit was grown in my garden. The vine has a mind of it's own....and sprouts up everywhere! It's a weird and wonderful plant.

"Sunday Morning Walk I"

Sunday Morning Walk I
Originally uploaded by Agave Latte

This transparent watercolor will be part of my exhibit at Mission Trails Regional Park in January. Here are the details:

Mission Trails Center Gallery Invitational Exhibit

“The Creative Seven”
January 2-29
Reception: January 10th, 1 to 4pm
Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor and Interpretive Center Gallery www.mtrp.org
One Father Junipero Serra Trail San Diego, CA 92119
619.668.3280 Open Daily: 9:00 - 5:00 p.m.

J&J Ranch

Many Thanks to Jill and Jerry for a CA Winter Wonderland adventure! We had a blast at their Rancho, singing Mexican songs, dancing, eating yummy food, shooting pool and best of all relaxing with good friends....

Hummer Tree of Life

Hummer Tree of Life
Originally uploaded by Agave Latte

I'm pleased to announce that I'll be teaching at Art Unraveled www.artunraveled.com , a mixed media conference held in Arizona August 2010! I will be teaching a workshop called "Batik Flora and Fauna, a mixed media approach"
Hope you can join me! This will be a relaxing, fun workshop where you can play with watercolors, colored pencils, and acrylic.

Funky horse

Funky horse
Originally uploaded by Agave Latte

Along the route of the Dixon Studio Tour www.dixonarts.org I spotted this tall funny horse just as happy as could be. What a great attitude!

Apple Farm in Dixon, New Mexico

Apple Farm
Originally uploaded by Agave Latte

My friend invited me to this wonderful place in New Mexico for my birthday weekend. Her cousin and his wife live there off of a secluded dirt road enriched with pinon, sage, apple New Mexico air. The farm is a wonderous place with happy cats, a dog and hundreds of wild birds feeding in the garden. My birthday cake was a yummy baked apple with ice cream and berries!

and another great workshop!

This is one of my favs to teach......paper mache is so down to earth and fun. Hope you join me!

www.bravoschoolofart.com

Casa de Milagros
Fee $74.00 members $86.00 non-members
Materials fee $15.00 Supply list available upon registration
2 Wednesdays, Wednesdays, Nov 4 & 11 6 – 9pm

Milagros can happen to everyone! Build your House of Miracles from the ground up with light paper mache techniques, paint and collage embellishments. Your structure will house a unique small pamphlet stitch book with collaged pages. We’ll start with house construction and paper mache, building your own unique style of home. Bring in several simple ideas drawn in your journal ahead of time. Don’t forget to add a window or two. While the paper mache dries we’ll create a small pamphlet stitch book that reflects the milagro theme. This can be a memory or a hopeful event for the future! We’ll paint and embellish the house with contrasting acrylic paint layers and collage. The Milagros will be added on to complete the casa. Viva la Vida!

House of Cards Book

New Workshop coming soon to Bravo School of Art! http://www.bravoschoolofart.com/

House of Cards Hidden Piano Hinge Book
Fee $74.00 members $86.00 non-members
Materials fee $10.00 Supply list available upon registration
Sunday, November 1 10am – 4pmSunday, December 13 10am – 4pm

Explore Book Arts with Helen Shafer Garcia in a contemporary mixed media approach with a deck of playing cards as the foundation for your book. A concertina fold hidden collage/painting will be revealed when the book is open on the spine.
We’ll paint, collage and alter the playing cards to build a colorful, embellished book structure. Learn how to layer collage pieces and paint over allowing some of the original imagery to remain. Treat yourself to a day of wet paint, glue, paper and fun!

In Kyoto we visited a very old well known traditional Japanese style paint supplies shop. Generations of Saiundo Fujimoto's family have owned this shop dedicated to hand made powered mineral pigments and plant based watercolors for "Iwa-enogu" style painting. He and his family also make beautiful bamboo brushes. I bought a watercolor set and 1 brush. The shop was packed with ancient drawers filled with incredible colorful, textured artist things.......