Rua's painting

Lyns painting is resting for a week before I can varnish it, so I am looking ahead to my next project - He wants a painting with shapes and shadows,based on this one taken at the Brisbane Art Gallery. Of course the first thing is to study it and work out the maths.

Do you see the inverted triangle under the walkway, where the light and shade meet? I have decided that this should be the focal point of the painting.

The inverted triangle should be close to being in the middle rectangle

To get this to work I have had to alter some of the dimensions of the painting. The left-hand upper corner with the blow-up astronaut has had to be removed. I may be able to reinsert him later. We shall see.

While not all the inverted triangle is in the centre part, there are some nice symmetries, so I am going to go with that.
Meanwhile Lyn's painting has pride of place on the easel.

And Painting Number 3, Middle Earth, from a photo taken just out from Garston which is the furthest point inland in NZ is ready to hang - but we are running out of room.

It takes two to Tango - Tuesday 22nd October 2019

Sorry these videos should be at the end!!

We were all up and packed early and ready for the mini-bus to get us to Buenos Aires (BA). It is an interesting drive through the outskirts, getting a feel of everyday life in Argentina. We arrive in the city before lunch. Luma takes us off to a cafe as our rooms aren't ready yet. They we go on a walking tour. Since coming to Argentina we have been joined by a trainee tour guide called Floranzia. It is her moment to shine and tell us about her city, however she tells us quite a lot about herself, and the rest of her information was very long-winded and boring. Hence I cannot recall a lot of it!!!
This is the Casa Rosada, now used as parliamentary offices.

Just to the right of the lamp-post you can see some white doors. This is where Eva Peron famously appeared and famously declared "Don't cry for me, Argentina" 

In the Plaza de Mayo - statue commemorating independence from Spain

The obelisk in the Plaza de Republico celebrates 400 years since settlement - built in 1936

Virgen de Lujan is the Patron Saint of Journeys and on our trip through the Andes we often saw little altars to her

Many of the buildings have a distinctly European feel, and also the ornamental lights

Plaza de Mayo

After the dictatorship, the grandmothers used to gather to protest at the disappearance of so many young men and also younger children. Their  symbol was the white scarf.

Even a Synagogue, alongside the museum

A great photo opportunity

Even our bedroom had a very European feel 

Loved the mat! (Footsteps of Tango)

Well of course we are now up to the exciting part - A night of Tango!!

The location was in a lovely old theatre

The men line up on one side

..... and the women on the other

Then we put it together

Well we didn't do too badly

...but quite a lot of concentration was required  once the got to put the three sections together

Now here are a few shots from the professionals - they took my breath away!!

I must apologise that they are so blurry as it was so fast, but so structured!

The band and the singers were good too.

Lyn's Birthday Painting Week 4

Its a bit nerve-wracking putting putting dark features on a painting as they take a lot of work to alter, let alone remove. There is a theory that you never use Black on its own in a painting (except perhaps an outline), so my dark features are done with Green Black, but when you look at this painting at dusk, they appear black silhouettes. I've had to go down to the beach when I walk with the girls where there are lots of Norfolk Pines and Pohutukawa. It is very difficult as nature doesn't always conform to what we have in our minds eye which is much more symmetric and orderly.

Putting in the trees

The top of the Pohutukawa (caution wet paint.

Water detail and the grasses on the sandspit. In real life there aren't as many grasses

Surprisingly, the trunk of pohutukawa trees is not usually seen as there is quite a bushy base to the tree

More sky and tree detail

I've asked Duncan what he thinks, and he feels the weak spot is the sandspit. But I worry that if I alter that I will end up needing to do the estuary again, and at present I am very happy with that.

Food - and lots of it! - Argentinian style. Monday 21st Oct 2019

After  breakfast we have some free time to relax before our empanada workshop. They are used in South America in the same way that we might use a hamburger - as a substantial snack.

The dough was prepared the night before and divided into even balls

The different fillings have different shapes, chicken, beef, cheese

The instructors one is on the left, mine is on the right

And next we watched lunch being cooked on the El Asado. The smell is incredibly good, but after lashings of empanadas for starters I cant manage too much.

The fire is at the side, and raked underneath

Information board

The sausages are locally made - quite chunky meat inside

After lunch Duncan and the other guys went out for a round of golf - a bit of a rough course, so I relaxed with a magazine in the sun. Then  some of the group went horse riding. We are in the midst of  Polo Pony country, and just as we would have rugby grounds, they have polo grounds, and a large Polo Stadium in BA.

The golf course on the property

Duncan tries his riding hat on. Luma tries not to laugh.

Julene is an experienced rider, Bruce likes to think he is.

This is your horse, Sir.

First mount the chair

Part 1 accomplished

Foot in stirrup

Over we go

Push, Luma, Push

I don't know what she's adjusting now!

Team all ready to go

Off for a ride around the estancia

"Neigh, Thank goodness that's over, neigh"

Later that afternoon we were joined with a very British, very horsey lady and two polo riders for a talk by a polo horse trainer and trader. He used to work with the royal family, and had some snaps to prove it. It was a great insight into how the game worked. Player 1 was mainly defence, and may not be a very good player. Player 2 dashed all over the ground, with a rotation of fit, agile horses, Player 3 was the strategist and shouted the commands as well as working with Player 2. Player 4 was attack, and got the honour and glory of scoring many of the goals. This person was often someone like Prince Charles, and the job of the team was to make him look good.

We hardly needed any dinner that night, but we managed to stuff some down with the help of a few glasses of wine.