wherein I give myself painting lessons …

The gourd shown in the left column is named Schoolmarm. I taught myself to paint reflected light, which you can see on her velvety homespun sleeve. With each gourd, I try to give myself a new assignment, a new painting puzzle to solve.

With Pilar, shown here on the right, I tried to inject movement. I painted her in the costume of a dancer of Baile Folklorico, like the ones I have seen performing at El Mercado in San Antonio, Texas. I think I got her eyes just right.

The gypsy girl, Carmen, shown here on the left, achieved some movement. I added a kick of her knee to the tambourine. Her little ankle bells show above her bare foot, and you get the idea she is haughty, sensual, attuned to the music, even if it is only in her own head. With Carmen, I learned how the shape of the gourd dictates its “front.” I have learned, the hard way, to keep my eye there. If I turn the gourd to paint it at a new angle, the dimensions shift and it will look like a bad attempt at Picasso. To see a demonstration of all the sides of this particular gourd lady, see Carmen 360° on the Show and Tell page.