December Water Colors!
Summer
in the tropics!. There is a subtle shift in the feel of the air. Drier breezes and
increasing sunshine bathe the rain drenched land. The Green/Winter/Wet season gently ends in early
December – and it was right on time.
I spent the last days of November with my good artist friend, Marie as
we relaxed while finding time to also paint.
She came over to do more experimenting with watercolor. And she jumped
in masterfully! That got me started!
I began work on my new Reflections series…beginning with a study of the window reflections in Frank’s house. I was still working on it when Billy "like my son" called.
He had several guests now visiting him at La Princesa hotel and asked if I wanted to join them for a day at the beach. I thought about it. My Achilles tendon surgery and other medical events had kept me off my feet and mostly confined to my home for the past six months. And nine months had passed since my last glimpse of the Pacific. It was time.
I said yes. There is nothing quite like the Pacific southern zone of Costa Rica.
We headed for Playa Ventanas. This jewel of a southern Pacific beach is a well kept secret and named for its two ‘window’ like caves through the peninsula on its northern edge. It is always exhilarating to watch the frothy surf surge through the caves.
Playa Ventanas was actually the first beach I visited over ten years ago, when
I found and bought my house. I visited it again with my sons and daughters in
law when they helped me move here Christmas Eve, 2008. Most importantly, it was
the beach where Frank and I had our first date – and where I first found myself
falling in love with him. Ah the special kept memories from Playa Ventanas.
While
everyone was enjoying the water and sun I took out my sketchbook and looked
around for something to paint. The coconut palm tree right above was perfect.
Using just four paints in my sketch palette, I relaxed into the simple pleasure
of playing with my brush. It felt soooo good.
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| Ventanas Palm Sketch, jan hart |
A
few days later, I found myself heading for the beach once again – to celebrate
my 76th birthday at another favorite spot called Villa Leonor, just south
of Uvita. This time my friend Brenda came with me to enjoy the Sunday barbeque
and the peerless seared tuna. While Brenda swam and played in the 78 degree
surf, I selected a stand of Bijahua blue leaved plants set against the jungle
background. I smiled remembering so many
times I had painted this subject over the past years. Even from this very spot.
Still, no two are the same. I really saw
the yellows on this, my birth day.
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| Beach Birthday Sketch, jan hart |
The
two December watercolor sketches sit beside the almost finished Reflection
painting in my studio. There, whenever I walk in or out the front door, I can
glance over to them and kind of catch them by surprise. Often it is during one of these brief visual encounters that the
normally silent right brain or Artist’s brain points out the one stroke that is
needed for finish.
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| Frank's Window Reflections, jan hart |
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