View of San Sebastian

 

Last year before starting the Camino de Santiago, I took a short vacation in San Sebastian. I couldn't find a great way to get to Saint Jean Pied de Port, so I went with what seemed to be the cheapest option at first. In retrospect, it wasn't cheap simply because it created a mini vacation within the Camino adventure. But it was a great palette cleanser between real life and the arduous pilgrimage. The flight to Barcelona was less expensive and shorter than any other option. I spent one night at a Barcelona airport hotel and then took a short and inexpensive flight to San Sebastian the next day. After the mini vacation, I bussed to Pamplona and then to Saint Jean Pied de Port. I don't think there is an easy way to get to SJPDP, and this option allowed me to see one of my biggest bucket list destinations. 

I was first inspired to visit this town in college because Ernest Hemingway mentions it in The Sun Also Rises, making it seem luxurious. It did not disappoint. I stayed in a nice yet affordable hotel within a ten minute walk of the beach. I loved exploring the hills, the beaches, and the shops. Because I was getting ready to embark on the Camino, I of course didn't partake in any shopping, but I took the time to acclimate myself to the tapas bar culture. This segment of the trip became practice time for ordering the food I wanted in a language I don't speak, and while alone in places that are meant to be social. It was awkward. But, what is an adventure without awkwardness? My hotel bordered a residential area, and my favorite place was a small bar that served wine and tapas. It was frequented by elderly locals who all knew each other and engaged in boisterous conversations that I couldn't understand. They pretty much ignored me while I furtively observed their interactions as my evening entertainment. 

The view in this painting is located at the base of Mount Urgull, which holds the Sacred Heart Christ Statue at its peak. I hiked the hill in preparation for the Camino, as the first day of the pilgrimage is thought to be the most challenging. On the Camino, you are rewarded with gorgeous views of nature. In San Sebastian, the high climbs are rewarded with views of the Bay of Biscay, the town, and its boats.

Oil on 24" x 36" stretched canvas. SOLD.

Sunny Cafes in Aix en Provence

 

Mostly everyone was searching for shade on this hot day in Aix en Provence. Everyone except the couple walking toward me as well as myself, of course. Only the hearty dared to walk in the sunlight in search of the next cafe serving Aperol spritzes. Pro tip: everyone in Aix serves them! Oil on 24" x 20" stretched linen. SOLD.

Teatime

 

A painting of an antique teacup and some macarons from Gaby et Jules in Pittsburgh, PA. Oil on 6" x 6" stretched linen. 

Mountain of Cheese

My vision of heaven includes mountains of cheese and rivers of pino noir with lifesavers/rafts of pitted, oil-cured olives (do olives float?). This painting is 16" w x 20" h. This painting will be for sale on ArtQuiver.com on December 24. SOLD.

Orange

I don't paint still lifes much unless they are part of an interior scene. Plus because there are so many of them in the world, do I really need to create more of them? I just painted this one for fun and because I liked how the sunlight made the pericarp (that's technically what the white part is called) and the pith (which surprisingly contains nearly the same amount of vitamin C as the flesh, according to Wikipedia) glow. This painting no longer exists as pictured...see "A Smart Snack".

Before Dinner

This was inspired by the same restaurant as the painting in my last blog entry. The waiter placed items from a table onto a chair to prepare the table for the next dinner party. It is 8" w x 10" h. SOLD

Before Dinner

The painting was inspired by the interior of a restaurant in Quebec City, Canada. I vacationed there (and gathered subject matter) in May. This was the perfect cafe...it smelled like a combination of candles, wine, and the age that builds in old structures over time. It was dimly illuminated with candlelight, chandeliers and the light from the window. The place added warmth to an otherwise cold and rainy day.SOLD

After Dinner

This is an oldie...I painted it in 2006. The painting pictures a lady finishing a glass of wine after dinner. SOLD