Finding a theme

I finally have a dedicated space for an easel and pastels. I have always wanted to have a place where I could leave all my pastel painting materials there instead of having to put stuff away. I figured that was the best way to find time to paint.

I hit the fear to start problem again. First off, what to paint? that took me a while to overcome and a failure attempt at a landscape.

I love landscapes in pastel, but... I took a turn and realized that maybe it's not my thing. I must find something that I am good at in a natural way.

I decided to go back to the human figure - something other artists have told me I am pretty good at that is really hard for them. Back when I was in kindergarten Mom would draw ballerinas for me and I would color them. Later, I started drawing my own and apparently some teachers were impressed at how I could draw them giving a sense of movement.

Pastel is not the best medium for face and finger/hands details I found. You have to "suggest" a lot. Then again, it's not that what catches your eye in this painting, but the correct proportions and the three-dimensional effect.

I am always learning with every drawing. I am happy I found a subject that inspires me. More ballet figures coming up hopefully!

Spring time

A painting of the tulip fields

Sun light sneaking in thru the trees in a friend's garden

Loosening up

Just sharing my last piece. I started this with Janet and I went crazy with purple – my favorite color. The lightning is what makes it look so strong.

Wrapping it up

Most my friends and family know that when I start something - anything, it can be a class, a project, organizing around the house- or in this case a pastel painting, I have to finish it.
Otherwise, it will just sit there to remind me that there is stuff that needs to get done.

Well... I do this to myself. Pastel artists I know would put the painting aside. And I mean aside in a drawer, or stored in another room where they dont have to see it. I, however, put it on my painting table, right against the wall as a reminder: you need to finish this Ale! :)

I left this still life - my first attempt under the wonderful and excellent guidance of Janet Hamilton- undone. I left the grapes half way and I refused to get them done. For some reason, I didnt feel like filling up a bunch of grapes with color. It didnt seem fun.

But the rest of it, the apples, the bowl, had turned out pretty good and so thats what pushed me to start over. As always, once I reach the finish line - though, do you ever reach it in art?- the magic feeling of accomplishment comes once again to feel my soul with gratitude. I am grateful that I can work on something like this, put it together and make it look like four apples and a bunch of grapes in a copper bowl!

Paintings with meanings


Last month or so, a friend of mine asked me to paint a picture he had taken here in Washington state. He was on fishing and on vacation. It's probably the best piece I have so far in my portfolio. Everyone who has complimented me for it is amazed by the colors. Purples - my favorites - right? :-).
My friend truly loves it. I heard him say he looked at the painting and it reminded him of being there... such a privilege to be able to make people feel this way. Thanks for the opportunity!

Sunrise in Methow River, WA.

And then there is another very special friend of mine. Someone who I have known for years now. He has been there for me when I needed him the most. He is born and raised in Seattle. He took this picture very early in the morning of our beautiful skyline. What a great shot! The reflections are so perfect that make it hard to accomplish. It was a fun work to do.

The sun comes out in Seattle

I am still here

I have not blogged in a while and a lot has happened since then.

Reality is that it´s hard to find spare time to paint when you are working full time. So it´s so true that you have to make the time to do it. Still, when I am home, I have a strong tendency to procrastinate.

I went down to Argentina for vacation and then I went back for a family emergency just 15 days after I was back in the states... grandpa passed away. It surely marks the end/beginning of an era in my family.

So this time, in seven days, I decided to stay home with Mom, and concentrate on one of the things I seem to love, painting. My Mom has a lot of art supplies - she is currently working with oils-. I decided to give acrylics a shot. It was my first time with brushes and on a canvas.

Then I ventured at something I had never done... painting buildings. Its crazy how detailed you can get with a tiny brush. I like acrylics because they allow me to do what I do with pastels: block a whole section with a base color, then let it dry - which does not take more than 5 minutes- and go back to add more colors on top of it without them getting all mixed and messy.

Now my Mom shows the two pieces when friends come to the house. -Look at this one, and then, look at that one! it took her one day to do it!-

"Nothing more rewarding for me that seeing my Mom in proud mode ha!"

Bellevue Arts Festival and Marla Baggetta

Super excited about meeting my favorite artist, I decided to walk by who knows how many booths of the Bellevue Arts Festival to find Marla Baggetta. The goal was to get to meet her and of course buy one of her paintings! yeah, go Ale! ...

This fair has gotten big - I was telling myself - as I walked and walked almost about thru all of it and when I started getting kinda dizzy (didnt have water with me ha) I saw it. The beautiful paintings that I had only seen online or in the form of prints were there in front of me. Marla was not there at first but I met Mike Baggetta - another great artist- and chose one of her crazy awesome pieces.

After a while I got to meet her. She has a great smile all the time and she is very warm. She remembered me from facebook! (see she doesnt have just 200 friends there ha).

This is a picture I took with my shaky hands - I was a bit excited.

the one on the left side of the picture is the one.
I stop many times of the day in my living room to look at it. It gives me a deep feeling of peace. Thanks Marla for doing what you do!