Rooftop Flowers, 8x10 Floral Oil Painting by Carmen Beecher

$99, Click to Purchase

This is the finished product from Monday's group session. I can't seem to stop painting San Miguel--it is like being there again, but without the Margaritas. 

I watched Jesus, the yard man, training bougainvillea up the wall, and the one in front of our villa had a trunk the size of a large tree. In the courtyard Jesus kept them tamed by nailing fishing line between two nails and weaving them in and out. I once asked a gardener how to best grow bougainvillea and he said, "With neglect." It's true. Put one in a vacant lot and see what happens.

In the Courtyard

Tiny Dancer, 8x10 Original OIl Painting by Carmen Beecher

$199.00, Click to Purchase

While in San Miguel de Allende I got to witness a big Aztec festival, with scores of people in bright costumes and huge feather headdresses. They were dancing in the streets, celebrating their conversion to Christianity. So many people dancing in unison, wearing bright colors and glittering outfits presented quite a wonderful sight, but this little girl was my favorite, trying to keep up with the grownups.

Here are some of the adults in their costumes. I was so lucky to be town that day!

Bajio Mountains of San Miguel

Carmen and I saw very different sides of the wonderful Mexican city of San Miguel.  While she was a city dweller navigating the cobble stone streets and tiny sidewalks, I resided outside the town on a little farm overlooking the Bajio Mountains.  The elevation of San Miguel was quite an adjustment for me...dry and cool.  So dry in fact that most of the farmlands surrounding the mountains were various shades of brown and gold at this time of year.  But I was engaged in studying the psychology of color so the "local" tones did not stop me from interpreting the countryside from a feeling side.

Here I am sketching out two different scenes from our front porch.  One is 6 x 12 on board, the other is a 6 x 6 canvas wrapped board.

I did the under paintings in acrylic while still in San Miguel and brought them home to finish up in oil. See the blue house to the far left of the composition?  It was such a happy color that I could not resist letting it literally color my entire view of the beautiful area.

6" x 6" oil

Bajio Mountains

6" x 12" Bajio Panoramic 

And here's the panoramic view front out our front door scanning to the right and beyond of the blue hacienda next door.  The fields were either dried husks or land being plowed up to ready for planting.  Scrub trees often marked the property lines between haciendas and several times we stopped the car to let sheep or cattle cross from one field to the next.  Bright yellow blossoms were the most vibrant natural color along the highway but I never did find out the name of its weed-like plant.  The jacarandas were within days of bursting forth.

So these pieces came out warm and cool, dry and verdant, brown and green...a melange of contrasts just like the country.

Cindy Michaud 

San Miguel Morning, 8x6 Oil on Canvas

Click  to Purchase, $99

It seems as though I've been gone forever. First we went to Virginia, then my sister and I flew to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. There we got to experience the beauty of the city and the company of lovely people. Cindy was there also, but we didn't get to see each other, alas.

San Miguel hides many wonders behind its weathered walls and ornate old doors. Its architecture is influenced by the Spaniards, who were influenced by the Moors, so those doors frequently hide a beautiful courtyard decorated with tiles, fountains, and flowers. On my first morning there I looked down upon such a courtyard and saw this little bird posing in the warm light. I only got one painting done while there, but I did fill my journal pages.

Rooftop Garden

What's Behind Door No. 4?

The music was unbelievable. This page from my journal represents the music we heard, two different nights, completely different from each other. The music at Mi Casa was so beautiful that it reached deep into the soul.