I've had a busy spring preparing for my trip to Exuma last July and my 1st show at the Sandals Resort. What an experience and what an amazing resort, talk about great staff, but the best part for me was to share my work of local scenes, that staff and guests of the hotel could relate to and admire.
I had such an amazing trip and was really successful with my beach painting this time. I was able to really focus and ended up with a couple of pieces that I really like. There's something so different painting on the spot, the mood of the painting has so much more movement, with the flow of the water on shore, the waves and the constantly changing colours in the sky. Plus, with a couple of new painting accessories, mainly my new painting tray, it really helped. To have a tray that can hold all the necessary colours with room to mix and then to be able to close up the tray and keep these colours, saves me time and money. When packing for a day of painting on the beach, keeping supplies at a minimum helps. I want to have everything I need especially if I am alone without the amenities of food and water but I want to be able to walk around and explore too.
Painting on the beach in the hot summer sun, energizes and frees my soul, leaving me with a peacful and calm feeling so its all worth it.
Stay tuned for these newer paintings to be added to my gallery.
I did the usual camera work while walking around town and I am currently working on some of the George Town buildings, such as the local market. The straw market is filled with beautiful hard working women, creating beautiful baskets, and crafts. the colours in their work are like an abstract painting, in realistic forms, for everyday use. I have several around my home in Vancouver. I finally finished my first of many paintings to come of the market.(see attached painting)
This last trip was very inspiring and brought back my passion for the abstract paintings on large canvases I did while in college and continued to do up until my life led me to Exuma. I find thoughts of Exuma guide me through my latest abstract watercolours, thoughts of missing the island guiding my brush leading the blues around the paper in an expressionist style.
I feel more and more at home when I go to Exuma, always safe always made welcome by familiar faces and friends and I find it harder and harder to say goodbye, even though I know I will be back one day.
Joanne
