Drawing and Painting: David's New Hobby

Ecuador has been a great place to learn new things . . . Spanish, golf, and now art.  Starting last September, David has been taking drawing and painting classes.  Working with a wonderful artist teacher, Chilean maestro Carlos Gonzales, David has progressed from paper and pencil through charcoal and graphite to watercolors with twice weekly classes.  It has been great learning a new hobby with an extraordinary teacher.  The week before Christmas, my first watercolor was on display in a frame shop in a shopping center near the house!  I was so jazzed, the painting was framed and became Shelly's Christmas present. Although admittedly much of it looks like kids' art on the fridge, here are some of my recent works:

Shelly's Christmas Present

Graphite and pencil

Glassware---a class project

A French bridge

From a photo of Arches National Park, Utah

Drawing still life

Watercolor clouds were featured

Maestro Carlos, Classmate Bonnie, and Yours Truly

Northern Ecuador waterfall

A view of San Francisco Church from the top of
Hotel Gangotena in Quito Ecuador

Banos Street Scene

Margarita, anyone?

Guayaquil's New Year Tradition

Christine and Shelly see Superman

During this week after Christmas, Guayaquilenos head downtown to the Avenida 6 de Marzo to buy their "manigotes" . . . . paper mache dolls of all shapes, designs, and sizes.  Take them home, and stuff them with fireworks and messages about all the bad things you want to forget about the "ano viejo" the old year.  At the stroke of midnight on December 31st, folks around here set fire to these dolls---stuffed with fireworks, these guys make a huge racket!  Then the new year can begin without any of the bad things from 2015.  The marketplace for manigotes was our destination last Sunday -- wow!  what a selection!  Here are just a few.