I just recently returned from two great weeks in Mexico. Last year this "get together" was nicknamed "Paintapalooza" and was 12-13 of the countrys best (in my opinion) painters all meeting in Port Clyde, ME. This year the place to be was in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico right in Frank Gardners backyard and the name is "Creative Convergence". The final tally was 15 painters from all over the U.S. and this photo shows most of them so I will list them from left to right. Colin Page,Frank Gardner, Kevin McNamara, me, Ernesto Nemesio, Jeremy Lipking, Logan Hagege, Paul Shulenberg, Scott Burdick, Jerome Greene, Peter Kalill, Ignat Ignatov, and Marc Hanson. The man sitting in the center (name here when I remember) runs the ranch we were at. Not in the photo is Jeff Bonasia (he is taking the photo) and also Alexey Steele, he was on his way but not in Mexico at the time of photo.
We stayed for two weeks and painted the days away, slept very little, ate great food and in general had an amazing time with 14 other painters, all of whom I now call friends.. Thank you Frank and Julie ( Hi Erin! ) for putting up with us.. I'll be back..
This Photo is from a great day at Ranch (name of ranch here when I remember..?.) that included painting, horse riding (not for me), an authentic Enchiladas lunch that included black beans and an amazing Pico de Gallo that had cactus in it. The day started clear enough for the horse riding and some painting but eventually thunder and lightning moved all of us under a 15'x15 tin roof car port. Determined to make us comfortable the exceptionally nice ranch personnel started a small grill fire to cook corn in the husk to be served with a spicy salsa along with dragging out the beer cooler. We spent one and a half maybe two hours all chatting and eating and drinking. Good times!
Photos of paintings are in the works.. soon.
Quote: "Take solace in the example of Vincent van Gogh. Look at some of his early drawings -- they are dreadful, as if he were sketching with a potato. But how far he came, quite quickly, and what enormous heights he reaches."-- Danny Gregory
9 comments:
"Some guys have all the luck". Robert Palmer
Can't wait to see all the paintings that came from this trip.
His name is Felix, the ranch is Xotolar (Shotolar) and the cactus fruit that was in the pico de gallo was Xoconostle.
That was so much fun.
I'm still tired.
See you soon.
Oh goodness! Except for the fact that yall were all men, I wish I could've been there! So many of the painters that I admire (including yourself!) that I would've loved to seen all the work done. Great experience it looks like for you all!
Hi Mick, you are right... I was very lucky to be part of this trip.. but I think "Some guys have all the luck" was Rod Stewert..?.
Hi Bill, I'm not sure yet about what I'll post and what will see the round file..?.
Thanks Frank, I will edit soon. True I am still tired and healing from injuries inflicted in the field of painting battle. Mother nature is brutal.. Thanks again Frank.
Hi Denise, Thank you so much for the kind words.. and yes an unbelievable experience..
It's true Rod did record it, but Palmer's version appeared a long time before it. He just never had the same profile as Stewart. Just checked my rotting vinyl collection to find that it was a bad attribution on my part as the lyrics were in fact written by Jeff Fortang. Sorry for the diversion, hope it doesn't keep you from posting the fruits of the trip. Time for Raquele to get out the camera.
No female painters?
Nope, this group started out as a few friends and slowly and is still evolving. I don't think its a conscious decision to exclude anybody. This topic keeps coming up between email, facebook, here and others blogs.? I am just lucky to be invited.
Maybe someday I'll get the chance to join you 8 )
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