Stone painting

Orange fish

Fugu

FUGU (puffer fish)

Fugu is the most poisonous fish, and has become one of the most celebrated and notorious dishes in Japanese cuisine. One plate of raw fugu (sashimi) can cost as much as USD50.

Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

Burano on a wooden box

Acrylic on wood and Zorro

If you like colorful city, you would love Burano in Venice. Famous for its crystal, Burano is also one of the most charming and picturesque cities in this planet. Strangely, the scene that I really wanted to paint since I visited this city 10 years ago was the laundries that hang from one balcony to another. So I put this scene on one of the side of the pencil case.

Alone and landscape painting

I've tried to do some sketching and black and white painting, but colorful paintings suit me better. This week, I am in the mood of painting trees - both on silk and paper with acrylic. One is inspired by a Vietnamese artist who's paintings have been copied extensively and sold everywhere.

Landscape on silk 

Landscape on paper (acrylic)

Venice - acrylic exercise

The trip to Venice is only left in the memory. All photos we took from the trip was 'eaten' by virus in my computer, and eventually crashed my computer. That was the time I underestimated the power of viruses and when I had the 'it-won't-happen-to-me' attitude.

I ask the acrylic painting members in my class to do this painting after we learned a little bit about perspective. And, for this assignment, I asked them to mix the acrylic paints with water and have the watercolor effect on the painting. It was started last week, so I am looking forward to seeing others' pieces tomorrow at the class.

PS: I agree with Fabienne that the water in Venice is not all that clean, but I believe we could see some blue sky and that's why I picked blue for the water. It is a reflection of the blue sky.

Taos pueblo, New Mexico

Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-storied adobe buildings have been continuously inhabited for over 1000 years. It is the longest continuously inhabited place in the entire country.

 I found this painting on the attic of my parents-in-law's house exactly 10 years from the date of the painting. I have no memory when the painting was actually done, but I remember I painted this because the scene of the pueblo was impressive, and I'd never seen anything like that before. We stolled around the hill to see some of the houses, and felt that time has stood still. People live almost like how their ancentors lived 1000 years ago.

Another thing that I like about this pueblo is the earthy orange color, one of my favorites. It was a watercolor painting, so I must have painted this before I even knew about silk painting. I feel like I have found a treasure in the attic..

Silk painting group get together

Anita, Suresh' wife, Hanin, Fabienne, Veronique, Helena & Nelima

(Front: Suresh' daughter, Sachi)

Egg painting and coffee

Landscape-2

Couldn't sleep and finished another landscape painting. There's always an 'incident' when I take my doggies for a walk. This time Zorro ran after a tiny white furry dog, seized him and flipped him upside down. Scary but funny. The dog was perfectly fine, but the neighbour came out with a shovel and almost hit Zorro if I did not stop him. OMG! The adrenalin kept me awake at night.

I love the scene of rolling hills and mountain in the background. This painting was made on alcohol-treated silk, and using a combination of wet to wet and dry brush techniques. Inspired by Robin Purcell, watercolor artist. Will do more Asian landscape soon.

An evidence of obedient dogs

These doggies love food very much and it is amazing to see them sitting there without trying to get those meat chunks. Of course they were drooling profusely, but they waited for me to pick up my camera, took their picture, put the camera back in the drawer, and finally I took the meat chunks and let them eat from my hand. ^_^

Not a good week

Many things happening this week, and not all good. My "security/parking/cleaning/coffee" guy resigned yesterday, and I am not sure whether he had too much to do or nothing much to do.  He came to do the school last year from a country side by bicycle with his father without anything, and could not understand a word of English. I turned him down but instantly reversed my decision because I could not stand his father's teary eyes. Now he is a student in a university majoring in accounting and speaks and writes English. Sad that he left, but I do wish him the best and hopefully he has a better job now.

When I feel blue, I paint with a lot colors, and it helps. A combination of bright yellow, green and a little touch of orange surely lifted up my mood. This is a landscape painting on the cover of the Artist magazine. The original painting was a watercolor painting on paper, but I try it out on alcohol-treated silk.

My two black labs

In Kiev now, and I miss my doggies. I sketched them using black Derwent water soluble pencils. They look more like two big puppies in this drawing, just the way I'd like them to be forever...

Kiev is a charming city with the blend of Russian and European touch. The city landscape is decorated with enormous and ornated buildings - some are historical - while the wide sidewalks serve as the runway of the Ukrainian fashion concious women. Subways are deep inside the underground tunnels with thousands of steps. Can't imagine if the escalator does not work.

Had dinner at Hydropark last night - a big Soviet style amusement park establishment. It was a windy and cold evening. Lonely planet recommended 'shashlik', borshch, vodka, and deruny (potato pancakes), and they were all good. Like usual, we ordered one too many.

Summer Program

Now open for registration.

New project - Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov is one of the most beautiful cities that I have ever visited. The rolling hills, red-brownish rooftops and the winding rivers with dark green trees on the side are just a perfect combination for a painting. This drawing took me a few weeks to finish, and from now it is time to put the colors.
As much as we like the city, we also had a slight unpleasant experience there where we got stood up by a Czech man who lived in Latin America. We happened to become 'friends' because my knife flew off my hand while we're dining... (It was definitely the wine.) Unfortunately, it did not hit him but landed on his lap; and to make the story short, we started talking, and at the end, agreed to take a canoe ride together in the morning. My husband and I woke up really early and went to the meeting place - the bridge where there's Jesus on the cross. He and his Latino's wife never showed up.... We searched his caravan in the park, and found nothing. We theorized that he might be kicked out by police in the middle as it was illegal to park there. Anyhow.....  I had the best canoe ride with my husband, which we would not have done if the guy did not come up with the idea. The scenery was stunning, the cold breeze with the tranquility of the wilderness were incomparable. Happy 10th year Anniversary, Baby!

"Mom" by my sister, Pipin

Mom was reading her extra-large Bible in a tatami room, Tokyo, December 2010.

(Water color painting, by Pipin Dean)

Painting like Cezanne

 Painted while visiting my family in Bandung. Some apples have turned into mangosteens, and lemon into mango. Never mind. It is Asian afterall.



Original painting by the Master, my inspiration.

New Global Art brochure

We support any effort to save trees and animals.

Silk painting classes - SCHEDULE

I am hosting a few silk painting classes for beginner, and here's the schedule:

Tuesday from 3-5pm
Thursday from 9-11:30am
Friday from 2-4pm

Besides, I also teach acrylic painting on Wednesday from 2-4pm and drawing and sketching for adults every Saturday afternoon.

Venue: Global Art Cambodia, #206 Norodom Blvd. Inquiry: Malin at 023-213-584 or anita@globalartcambodia.com

Silk painting classes and workshops

Silk painting workshop for the Women's International Group

in Phnom Penh, April 26, 2010

wow, that's almost a year ago. How time flies!

Hanin, Neelima and Swapna, have finished their basic classes and

they are now ready to explore their creativity and hidden talents.