Breakfast overlooking the beach of Monterrico is a good way to start a any day, but sipping on fresh black arabica coffee and listening to the surf crash on the black lava sand …. spectacular.
A leisurely morning and we are off with our driver Luciano to the highlands of Guatemala to visit the villages dotting Lake Atitlan. Luciano and I become fast friends chatting all the way – as it turns out he is from a family artisans specializing in textile weaving: Luciano offers to take us to his studio, but warns us the road is steep. A winding gravel road takes us straight down to San Antonio on the lake which is well known for their excellence in weaving and textiles. We meet his wife daughter and 2 sons who are busy working in the shop ( missing is his older daughter off at University).
A short drive from San Antonio and we arrive in Panajachel and to the all familiar Hotel Cicique Inn. We are greeted by Mariela at the reception and a welcoming cocktail. Off to the Circus for Pizza and live music. The painting in my Sketchbook is with red wine … I should have made note of the Malbec from chile as it is perfect to paint with.
Pueblos Mágicos, what an amazing way to break in the new year with the Travelling Brush. We had a small group of artists for this very unique art trip to of some of my favourite places in Mexico. Our group arrived January 3rd, starting our tour in this amazing Capital, if you have never been to Mexico City, there is a heap of cool things to see and do including some world class museums. Our first day included a visit …
I was attracted to this high vantage point because of the challenging perspective; as I painted I learned about Dubrovnik from the perspective of two locals caught in the daily riggers of mass tourism. Our painting group arrived in Dubrovnik after a beautiful drive down the coast from Split with a short interlude into Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to cross the Neretva River, along the famous 16th-century Ottoman bridge. Stari Most Bridge connects the two parts of the City …
I am lucky to have the opportunity to travel as much as I do and feel very fortunate to be in Croatia at this time, to explore such a beautiful country and discover my heritage. Once my group is on their way, I get the chance to visit the city of Rovijn in the Istria peninsula bordering Italy, and one of the first towns to fall to the Venetian empire in the 11th Century. Attacked several times over the next …
