Gosh I hardly know where to start! Taking a few minutes while baking in Santa Barbara heat today (93°+ which makes my brain, as well as my laptop, sluggy) to post a painting from a watercolor workshop which I am enjoying this week. A very dear friend generously gifted me this painting extravaganza here, as sadly she had to cancel as her mom became suddenly ill. Breaks my heart, but I’m grateful and learning much about many things — who I am as a painter and art teacher, how I want to organize workshops, what I have to offer students. An incredible opportunity. Did this painting on day one at the Old Mission, and I am accepting that my style is quite different from the very gifted teacher, Shari Blaukopf. Not a detail-oriented artist ovah heah. But I’m having a ball, and enjoying meeting new friends, including recent Academy Award winner Brian Connor and his delightful partner Mia. They are renting the master suite in this upscale hostel where I am renting a bedroom in Goleta and it’s the icing on the cake of this extraordinary six days — pool, hot tub, views of the ocean (big sprawling ranch house up in the hills), great kitchen, coyotes yipping at night along with frogs croaking and crickets singing. But back to Oscar! So Brian and Mia are exhausted from the LA/Hollywood hoopla and are taking it easy up here. Brian brought the Oscar out (AND his BAFTA), awards for Best Visual Effects for the movie, “Dune”. The coolest guy. So we hung out in the kitchen and took pictures and had some wine and had our own Oscar party (“we” also including the house-owner and another guest). So casual, so fun. Not to mention, Mia is a chef with her own restaurant in Montreal and cooks up amazing Thai dishes which they generously share. Obviously I’m a bit star struck and goggle-eyed about this excitement, so thanks for letting me name-drop. 

I’ll be posting more paintings in the coming days, as we hung out at the historic mission, the old courthouse, a fun and quirky architectural apartment complex, the wharf and other spots. I think I’ll find a nice shady spot under the pomegranate tree out here in the yard and do a small painting right now, in fact. Or maybe I’ll just jump in the pool. 

7″ x 10″ ink, watercolor on paper  = $90