The Two Cuban Guitarists

The Two Cuban Guitarists.
This is the first stage of my painting process. First, I map a sketch from the original photo. Secondly, I apply the basic colors with differing tones. And on the third phase I continue to apply the basic colors for the remainder areas. My concern with this painting is to capture as close as possible the happy singing expression on their faces. This is an acrylic based painting on a 50 x 70 cm canvas. This weekend, I should continue with the following paintings in pending:
1. Ship Sailing The Rough Seas (this is a private work I can't show yet)
2. Machi In Front of Her House
3. Old Cuban Sitting in Front of a Blue Door
4. Stadhuis
5. Beautiful Woman
6. Parakeet
Again, hoping to get some free time due to the fact on Saturday I will take my wife and daughter to The Palm Island and Sunday is Father's Day.

This past weekend, I started with four new paintings. The first is one is sketch of an elderly Cuban cowboy smoking a cigar. The second painting is Two Cuban Guitarist playing a "Serenata". The third painting is sketch of the inside of a typical Cuban bar. The last one is the old Dakota Airport (first Aruban airport).

Eagle Beach

White beach, blue clear water, beautiful weather, paradise? Well, it's paradise, hmm, I mean Aruba. Relax, sitback and enjoy the calmness and serenity while staring at this painting, Oil based on a 11x8 canvas

This is a view of the oil refinery Valero (formerly known as Coastal Refinery and prior as Lago Oil Refinery) from Roger's Beach. At the other side you have Baby Beach. Both beaches are highly visited by both tourists and locals. The water is clear blue and calm. Oil based on 11x8

I was in need to practice to paint faces. So, I chose to draw and paint a woman face from a magazine my wife bought at the supermarket. Quite not finish yet, but fair enough to post on this blog. I hope by publishing these paintings, will encourage me to finish some. 12x24 Acrylic

The Fofoti tree at sunset. This was painted back in 2007 after driving along the Eagle Beach. At times I like to take my wife and daughter for a sunset drive near the beach. Here, you find many locals jogging after a hard work day while enjoying the sea breeze at sunset

This building is better known as Aruba Stadhuis. Nowadays it houses the registrar's office or when you think you are ready to engage in happy matrimony, this is the place you commit. (no turning back!)

One of my dreams is to travel and discover new cultures and people. One of the places on my list is Cuba. I don't know why, maybe because of my last name? I think, I might have some ancestors there. This is also a picture I found while doing some research on Cuba. This painting represents people, maybe neigbhors chatting while the men are washing an old car, which is widely seen around Cuba. This painting is also a work in progress.

(22x46, acrylic)

Prikichi

Prikichi or Parakeet is one of the many birds that you will see and hear early in the morning or at dawn. The most common Parakeet seen around the island is the green parakeet. The one painted is from South America, however is found in many Aruba homes and held as pets. Eventhough I don't like animals in captivity I enjoy painting this from a picture I found on the Internet. This is also a work in progess. As you can notice, I need to finalize the rope on which the parakeet is standing on. Painted on 16x22 canvas, oil.

Casibari Rock Formation

Casibari Rock Formation is one of the well visited spot by tourists. From the top of this rock formation you can see abeautiful nature scenery as well as the Hooi Berg or the Haystack mountian. This I painted in 2008 from a photo I took a couple of years ago. Painted on 16x24, acrylic.

Machi Sitting In Front of House

Grandmother or Machi in papiamento, the Aruba official language is a painting from which I created from an old archive of old photos I found on the Internet. I think this is one of the most beautifull photo of Aruba old days and kind of remind me of my own late grandmother.

This painting is a work in progress, and I do not know when I will be able to finish this one. I think it is still good enough to share this with others. This is an acrylic based painting on 22x26 canvas.

Cunucu House

This painting represents the traditional Aruba house. It was painted back in late 1992 before I went to college in the U.S. The funny thing about this painting is that I have many people asking me what kind of animal I have painted, a donkey or a goat. In fact, it is a donkey, but for those who think that it looks closer to a goat, a goat it will be. This painting is a 16x22, oil based (Van Gogh).