ART OF CRUISING THE CARIBBEAN - 1

"AS THE MIND CLEARS, THE EYES SEE MORE." - From Four Seasons Resort

ENRICHMENT AND INSPIRATION As an artist these are my main goals in taking a cruise or vacation. As I said before, I get my best ideas and inspiration for my painting while on a vacation. I get energized and inspired that I could hardly wait to get back to my easel and paintbrushes. Although painting is not my primary source of income, it's my passion. I feel fulfilled and happy, when I am painting or creating. On the other hand, if I don't travel, routine depletes me of my creative energy. So I need to travel to clear my mind and spirit of clutter, tension and routine. But most of all to enjoy a creative life.

CHARMING CARIBBEAN Last February of this year, my husband and I took a cruise to the Southern Caribbean. Although this was our third cruise to the Caribbean, indeed it was still an exciting trip. As you know, we are island addicts and never got bored visiting as many islands. Prior to our seven-day cruise aboard the Crown Princess we stayed in Puerto Rico, where we embarked on our cruise.
HYATT HACIENDA DEL MAR IN PUERTO RICO This is the vacation club where we stayed to re-energize our bodies and refocus our minds. It is true that as the mind clears, the eyes see more. Life is gracious and unhurried at this beachfront destination located on Puerto Rico's famed Dorado Beach. Hyatt Hacienda del Mar is the perfect place to call home away from home - on the water, surrounded by tropical splendor and steps away from a wealth of relaxing activities and amenities. Come and join us and see this place through the imaginative eyes and point of view of an artist.

H....................HOSPITABLE, HANDSOME, HAPPY, HEAVENLY
Y....................YUMMY
A....................ALIVE
T....................TANTALIZING
T....................THRILLING


D....................DAZZLING
O....................ORDINARY (NOT)
R....................RADIANT
A....................ALLURING
D....................DARLING
O....................OPULENT

HOSPITABLE Think outside the box. See and look at a vacation place beyond its number of stars. Being a Hospitable Host outshines even the finest -five -star hotels like Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton. Hospitality is subjective. Welcome to the Hyatt Vacation Club! Yes, this luxurious vacation club chain is very hospitable, friendly and not too formal. They go out of their way, to pamper their guests without being robbed of too many tips.

HANDSOME Of course my husband couldn't surpass the "handsomeness" of this Hyatt Vacation Club. As they said......"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." If you ask me what I think about this guy, I'd say..."Si! (YES!)..... he's handsome. He would be a good subject for a portrait painting.

HAPPY According to research the happiest people in the world are those who build sand castle. Where else do you build a sand castle but on a white sand beach? Then invite Michelangelo and Rodin in your imagination. Play and sculpt sand castle together for hours. I bet, you'll be the happiest people in the world. It's an artistic adventure worth your time.

HAPPILY and merrily pose beside a sand castle. If you can't own a real Castle, this is the next best thing to having one. Living in a castle is not a guarantee that you'll be happy. Building a simple sand castle will bring you more happiness, because you'll not be burdened with a huge mortgage payment. You'll have more time to enjoy a creative life.

HOSPITABLE RECEPTION...........and of course very attractive lounge. The receptionists have romantic tones and musical voices with Spanish accents. Most Puerto Rican's are bilingual. Part of the task of the arts is to overcome border (language barrier).

HEAVENLY VIEWS Having a heavenly time from our balcony. What is more inspiring to an artist than a heavenly views with countless swaying palm trees and azure ocean beyond. I don't know about you, but this is my idea of Paradise. I am itching to paint, but when on vacation, it's my break time.

HEAVENLY PANORAMA Am I DREAMING? NO!!!!!!! This is a living colorful paradise set in Hyatt Dorado Beach.

YUMMY Indulging and craving for Japanese Food? This is Paradise but we get hungry too. Time to feast our bodies. Let's have teppanyaki dinner at the Zen Garden Restaurant inside the resort. The food is so...... ......yum....yummy. The cooking show was entertaining and the service ...... so good.

ALIVE This place is sooooooo.....alive with beautiful and colorful tropical flowers. Think complimentary colors (red and green) with tint of yellow. Complimentary colors will make you feel alive. No wonder, while on vacation, everything look brighter, bolder, and more beautiful.

THRILLING Whoever designed this waterfall is a very talented person. What is more thrilling that hearing the sound of running water from this exquisitely man-made waterfall? In Japan, the running of water is a ceremony. Everybody would listen. The sound of the falling water would be almost overpoweringly thrilling. I think of how many people run water in the sinks every single day and never hear it. When was the last time you listened to water and looked at a waterfall? It's thrilling! If there's no waterfall around, open the faucet in your home and listen. Isn't that thrilling?
TANTALIZING Electronic engineers could design a powerful water-dam but only an ordinary landscape designer or architect could built a tantalizing and wonderful water-fall like this?

DAZZLING See........ a dazzling display of natural beauty - dancing blue-green ocean, swaying green palms, blue sky, and white waves. What a dazzling and colorful scenery for future landscape paintings!
ORDINARY? NO way! The countless native palm trees and fresh green coconuts look ordinary but not here in the Caribbean. When you see acres and acres of palm trees they look amazing in huge numbers. This island is surrounded with countless of extraordinary palm trees in all kinds of heights, sizes, shapes, colors, postures and perspectives. I can see great beauty and inspiration on palm trees. It's not an ordinary subject to paint. I have seen lots of good art works about the palm trees and they are inspiring and wonderful.

ORDINARY? Nope! The palm trees may look ordinary but I find the them fascinating subjects for my paintings. The palm trees have many slim and creative lines with angles that could be twisted anyway I like to paint them. I could paint the palm trees as colorful as the Caribbean, with many vibrant colors. This is the impressionists way of painting a palm tree. You paint it not as you see it but how you feel about it.

RADIANT On a clear day............you can see forever. What do you see when the mind is clear? Blue sky, turquoise ocean, azure waves, green palms, red hat, tropical red blouse, white sand, and radiant smile. Learn to see like an artist. Notice the colors around you and you'll have a radiant life bursting with creativity.
ALLURING What is more alluring to an artist than relaxing on a secluded and serene beach? At this time (February) it was less crowded. This kind of setting jump starts my creative juices and gives me many ideas for future paintings.
ASTONISHING! Would you believe that there is natural gigantic rock on the beach awaiting for us? This is really an astonishing beautiful Caribbean hideaway. This is a perfect place for seclusion. I crave this kind of seclusion to be able to focus on my painting. Wish I can take this rock back home to California but it's only a fantasy. Wake up Artist!

DARLING Yes, this Hyatt Vacation Club is a...... darling including the artist standing before you.Oh my darling! Oh my darling......Ebb Tide! What will we do without artists in this world? It will be a dull world, huh?

OPULENT Yes, this vacation club has 3 huge swimming pools and two huge Jacuzzis. We preferred this secluded Jacuzzi with covered patio. A tired artist and a stressed-out husband needed all the pampering and relaxation from this kind of paradise before embarking on a cruise and then going back to reality. After four days in paradise, our minds are cleared and our eyes are ready to see more of the beauty of the Caribbean.

FAREWELL TO A PAINTING

"In my paintings, I try to touch you personally. I try to draw you into each scene so that you can share my dreams and my emotions. I want you to wander with a sense of wonderment through majestic landscapes and in flights of imagination......and bask in the warmth of inner light." - Thomas Kinkade

NOT ALL ARTIST ARE THE SAME I may not be as famous as Thomas Kinkade, renowned "Painter of Light" but we have the same creative aspirations and dreams as artists. Like him....."In my paintings, I try to touch you personally and to draw you into each scene so that you can share my dreams and my emotions. "

SOLD! SOLD! SOLD! SOLD! - "REFLECTIONS BY THE LAKESIDE"
ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING ON CANVASS (16" x 20")
On my older blog dated (April 6, 2007) I posted this beautiful painting on the Internet. I didn't expect that, two weeks later it will be sold. Imagined my delight. Nothing makes an artist happier than to see her artwork getting sold. But at the same time I felt sad at having to say farewell to my painting. This was not the first time, I parted with my other paintings. As always, every time my paintings and me are separated , I felt the void and missed them.

ARTIST'S NOTE: This painting was inspired by many past trips to Lake Tahoe. Last Easter (2007) my husband and I plus out two sons saw and enjoyed Lake Tahoe. We saw this beautiful lakeside resort area before it was devastated by wild fire. I get my best ideas for my paintings during a trip. The feeling of fresh breeze, serene and soothing evergreen mountain landscapes always inspired me. I could hardly wait to go back to my easel and paintbrushes.
I painted this painting when I was feeling blue about my long and difficult hearing problem. I always have a good fighting spirit. I moved forward and didn't allow this obstacle and limitation to stop me from using my creative gift. Thank God, I could paint with my hand and heart and not with my ears. My difficult situation became a blessing in disguise because I was empowered to be more creative. So this painting was created and many more paintings.

MY BEAUTIFUL BUYER I am sure she looks familiar to most of you. I featured her on my older blog (April 4th) during her birthday. She loves and appreciates art. I am picky where my paintings go. I don't just sell it to anybody. I screened my buyers. I want my paintings to be in good hands and homes of people who will take care of my them. I am happy that this particular painting is now owned by my cousin Cely and Dave. I know it will give them many pleasures in the years to come. It will also enrich thier home in Maryland, U.S.A.

A MILLION THANKS! What a consolation to know, that this painting and me are not finally separated. Someday, I will be reconnected to this painting, when I revisit Cely. "A million thanks to Cely and Dave, for being the proud owners of this beautiful painting. Thanks for believing in my artistic talent." This painting may not have the million dollar pricey tag of a Kinkade's painting but mine is.........PRICELESS. Because there are some paintings you can't put a price on. So long, until we meet again!