Ecuador

My travels through Ecuador this month have far surpassed my expectations and my expectations were pretty fantastic. My soul was crying out for the rainforest for a while now and it´s finally content after spending some time in the Amazon jungle and being as close to nature as one can possibly get. Every time I visit the jungle I find new colors and textures that amaze me...how does nature sculpt such intricate patterns? It astounds me that you can find actual primary colors almost patchwork quilted in the feathers of a bird like the Paradise Tanager and the Amazon Trogon.

I could hike these forests all the way down to Brazil if they´d let me! I´ll definitely be back in the spring to visit the Galapagos. There is just so much for the nature lover or adventure lover to do here it´s overwhelming.

I had an amazing experience a few days ago in Coca where my inn had a garden full of wild animals running around. I was in absolute heaven especially since there were NO tourists anywhere to be found and about 10 squirrel monkeys jumping all over me eating plantains from my hand, entertaining me like old friends. Also running around were coatimundis, another huge black fluffy monkey, green macaws, a wolverine, and jungle turkeys. I could of stayed there all week and been totally thrilled!

Quito is an adventure in itself...So different from anywhere I´ve been to date. There is a wonderful sense of culture here and picturesque views from every angle. One part of the town is cobblestones and colonial buildings, the old town, while the other is new and modern, so whatever suits your mood for the day I guess. The whole experience has been sensory overload which is why I travel. Like I always say after each journey...I think I need a vacation now!

Lighting...ooh la la

Over the years, I've sold hundreds of paintings online and have had the chance to meet some amazing people, most of whom I have never had the chance to meet in person since they usually live out of state or out of the country. Every now and then my collectors will send me photos of my work hanging in their homes or offices, which is always so cool!

So, lately I've been working a lot with clients in person as well, helping them to select work and, in some cases, to hang work in their homes.

Well, suddenly a light bulb went off...literally!

Better late than never, but I've started to notice that not everyone thinks about their lighting when hanging art. Which is something you just kind of take for granted as the artist sending your work out to the world without ever seeing where it will be hanging. But, lighting is just as crucial an ingredient to a painting as the paint itself. Adding a little light will completely transform the way a painting looks. The colors will change dramatically depending on the intensity of the light in the room.

This is especially true with my own work in particular.

When I paint, I I work under a full scope of lights to create interesting textures and colors, all the while sculpting the way that the light interplays with the surfaces I'm creating.

Anyway, I always have fun doing a little lighting demonstration for my clients. Their faces light up, pardon the pun, when I show them how adding light can make their painting "come alive."