Pages

Sunday, December 26, 2010



SOLD
These flowers are so big and bright with color. . . . they have to be one of my favorites. I think this year I'll be doing more flowers, they are just so full of color and shape and are perfection! I hope the holiday cheer continues throughout the coming new year!
Thank you for stopping by and seeing what's going on in my neck of the artist woods. More to come!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Happy Holidays Everyone!



Here's to wishing you a wonderful holiday, I wish you peace and many blessings!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Molcajete Madness!



"Three Pairs and a Pom"

This little piggy just can't stay away from the market! This time he's with his friend Mudhead from the Southwest, I hear they caused quiet a stir strolling down the stands! ha ha ;0)
So as you can see, we have a new computer! Yey and Ug! It's not all up to speed but we are finally online and ready to post. More to come soon!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Our Poor Computer!

Our little computer caught a virus that wiped pretty much everything out! :0( As soon as we get it back up and running I'll have some new things to show and tell!

Thanks for visiting and I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

My work space


It's been a very busy October but I'm still working and can't wait to show you some new paintings! (here I am painting at Canapo Gallery)



Here's some pictures of my studio. . and by that I mean the corner of the kitchen room where I work my magic :0) You might recognize my brush holders from the painting "I Scream!" Love those things! especially when they're filled with strawberry ice cream and lots of chocolate sauce!


Yup! That's an ice tray I use for my colors :0)

I love what you can do with yellow, pink and purple!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Eh Kneek


"Eh Kneek" 20"x 14" Watercolor
A big thank you to my Chumash sister Pink Cloud for the name of this new painting! Eh Kneek pronounced eh-nee-k means blossom and truly fits this wonderful and spirited young lady. To say that she is a bundle of energy is a big understatement! Sleep is barely in her vocabulary and there's no such thing as sitting still. Even so, I knew there's a calm inside of her somewhere and that's what I was able to see the day I asked her to try on this headdress. There's something about traditions that bring up a certain quality in people. After all the America's Next Top Model posing and peace signs and double thumbs up, I had her breath in the evening light and voila, there she was blossoming into a soon to be teen.
If you'd like to purchase "Eh Kneek" please email me at:

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Carmel by the Sea!




I'm happy to announce that I am now represented by CANAPO ART GALLERY in Carmel by the Sea. I will be painting "in house" this Saturday 10/9, starting at 11am. Please come by if you're in the area, I'd love to meet you!

Friday, October 1, 2010

Kiss Kiss Kiss


"Kiss Kiss Kiss" 8"x 10" watercolor

I thought that this old medicine bottle would be fun to put with the kisses, chocolate is good medicine! :0)

If you'd like to purchase "Kiss Kiss Kiss" please email me at:
pvlara@sbcglobal.net

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Ka-cha-nac


"Cha-ka-nac" 17"x 13" watercolor
I love when light has that sense where you can almost hold it in your hand, when it's something you can breath in and feel it cleansing your spirit. Just like drinking water or breathing air or feeling mother earth beneath your feet. That's what I was thinking of painting this portrait.
If you'd like to purchase "Ka-cha-nac" please email me at:

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Little Tuketuk



"Tuketuk" 10"x 8" watercolor SOLD


Me leave well enough alone? I just couldn't stay away from this little study I posted a little while ago so I fussed a little more trying to keep the study feel to it. I think I'll leave it alone now, I'm happy with the way it came out. I'm working on the more finished and larger painting of Tuketuk and I'm liking the way it's turning out. Can't wait to show you!

If you'd like to purchase "Tuketuk", please contact me at:
pvlara@sbcglobal.net

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Did Someone Say Chocolate? ! ! ! !




"Chocolate Kisses" 8"x 6" Watercolor by Pablo





"Bouquet Bonus" 8"x 8" Oil on cradled wood by: Diane Hoeptner


Here's our latest Challenge Painting! The premise was simple, a Hershey's Chocolate Bar. This was a challenge come down from heaven to me, I love chocolate! I won't tell you about the millions of ideas that lead me to my final image (or the six chocolate bars that it took for me to eat, uh, set up just to get the right composition)

I could go on and on about chocolate but I'll just leave you a few truths I've come to know about my beloved cacao which I consider nature's perfect health food. . . Chocolate comes from the cacao bean hence, it's a vegetable, when you add peanuts or almonds, you are getting protein, milk chocolate takes care of your dairy, dip fruit in melted chocolate for your fruit allowance and so on and so on! :0) Even Mr. Hershey himself saw the beneficial properties, did you know that his slogan was “a palatable confection and a most nourishing food.”

Oh! about our paintings? Well, the lovely and super talented Diane joined in the fun so please visit her blog to find out about her chocolate painting and check out her other fantastic paintings. My Lily provided the kisses and Milton Snavely provided the chocolate bar for "Chocolate Kisses". This was by far one of most delicious challenges on all levels!

If you'd like to purchase "Chocolate Kisses" please inquire here:


http://canapo.net/

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Taffy Spill


"Taffy Spill" 12" x 16" watercolor
Taffy always reminds me of my wife's Grandma who simply loved salt water taffy. This painting was inspired by Jelaine Faunce's "Color Therapy" series. I loved the whole idea and the paintings she came up with.
For my therapy, I decided to paint with a lot of blue, now blue isn't my favorite color but the combination of blue and green (not turquoise) is! I love it! I enjoyed painting glass again and since I hadn't painted colored glass before, I truly enjoyed the challenge.
If you'd like to purchase "Taffy Spill", please email me at:

Monday, August 16, 2010

The dog ate my homework!



So, this is what's left of a full sheet painting after Angel, our new-ish pup decided to chew on it. They are both about 9"x13" or so, I haven't had the courage to really measure! In a way, I like them better this way but dang! that was a full sheet painting!, and I thought baby proofing days were over long ago!

She also chewed up a full sheet portrait I've been working on which will now be smaller close up. I am working hard on finishing some new paintings so stay tuned! Thanks for visiting every once in a while.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Is Summer Really Almost Over? ! ! ! !

Hello and thanks everyone for stopping by and leaving comments. I've been away for vacation and keeping the kids busy lately, can you believe summer is just about over? ! wut happened? !



I have been painting, finished a private commission and a couple of small paintings I'll reveal soon, can't wait to show you! I hope everyone has been creative and healthy this summer, I look forward to all your posts and stories of your adventures!


Monday, July 5, 2010

Some Kind of Fruity Drink



"Some Kind of Fruity Drink" 7"x5" watercolor

I'm not going to say this too loud but I think I'm getting the hang of these smaller paintings. . . . I think it's all about appropriate scale of subject matter and size of image. I will keep at it because It's nice to be able to finish a painting in a day including interruptions! Stay tuned!
If you'd like to purchase "Some Kind of Fruity Drink", please contact me at:

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Portrait Study


Portrait Study 8"x10" watercolor
This is a little study for an upcoming larger portrait. I love that the kids will still go along with photo shoots in their regalia. Not too many eye rolls or goofy faces this time! I love it!
If you'd like to purchase this painting, please contact me at:

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Shadow Frog


"Shadow Frog" 12"x16" watercolor
Cute little wooden frog and wonderfully textured Zapotec blankets. . .some of my favorite things to paint! Trying to push myself, I finished this one in about a day and of half (including cooking, cleaning, running back and fourth with the kids for play dates, walking two dogs, bbq with neighbors, hosing the kids down when it was 102 degrees!) Barely enough time for chocolate! no wonder I'm so grumpy! :0) Note to self, the kids would be much happier with me if I ate more chocolate!
If you'd like to purchase "Shadow Frog" please contact me at:

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Chuchy's Brother


"Chuchy's Brother" 18"x 24" watercolor

Such a quiet soul, always listening, thinking, watching the world around him. "L" is one of the most beautiful boys you'll ever meet! Blessed with honey colored eyes, amber skin and golden hair. He's truly an amazing looking young fellow but I'm more impressed with his spirit.

So it's been a longer journey than I anticipated finishing this one and I love the way it finally came out! That hair was almost ready to do me in with the sheer volume, trying to balance between wanting to paint every little strand and making sure to let the paint be paint. I really learned a lot about technique and patience . . . . . . I'd say more technique than patience! :0)

If you'd like to purchase "Chuchy's Brother", please contact me at:

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Work In Progress . . . almost done.



I'm almost done and so ready to polish off the rest of the chocolate! woo hoo!
The bulk of this painting has been mostly yellows, pinks, orange and burnt sienna colors so it was time to cool things down. I whipped up a batch of purple using Alizarin Crimson and scraped the last little bit of Ultramarine I could find from my palette, kinda reminded me of licking the plate after finishing chocolate cake. . . .uh, I mean watching the kids do that!

Next on the menu is to clean up edges, even out the skin tones in areas that dried a little blotchy, and give the hair that wispy effect. Then I'll be ready to show you the finished painting in all it's glory! I can't wait cause I have another one I'm working on that is feeling left out! I'll show you that one soon!

Friday, May 28, 2010

More work in progress




The eyes are just about done, I've added more color and details being careful not to give too much visual information, enough to make things believable but not enough to spell it all out for you. I'll come back to those eyes later for finishing touches but for now I have to get to the hair and define more of the nose and mouth. I'll also work on the skin tone and punch up the shadows to really let that sun lit area to shine.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

More work in progress







Doesn't this look creepy! The kids think I'm painting a zombie mwa ha ha! So, I'm back from a self induced chocolate coma. . . . ready to do more work on this painting.
I've started on a few of my favorite things. . . eyes, nose and mouth! (ok, not really the nose but I guess I'll have to paint it!) I've started defining the eyes with some yellow so they have that "inner glow" when I finish up the details later on and I've started defining the nostril and mouth with some permanent rose and a little blue and burnt sienna.
The eye brows can be tricky and end up looking like they're painted on if your not careful, so I started lightly with burnt sienna and will keep defining them with some other colors as I go, I don't want to over do it just yet!
Ok, back to my chocolate!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Next Step



And I thought Chuchy's hair was a workout! So, now I've started on the hair. . . . again, just straight forward painting, it's good to know your brushes and what they can do for you, which ones will hold lots of water, which ones are more stiff and will "draw" with paint for you. I'm keeping one thing in mind . . . as soon as I finish this step, more chocolate! ! ! ! Ok, not really but it's great incentive! Oh, technique? um, I put water down in the area then float some color into it, push it around, remember shape, lights and eventually darks.
Colors I'm using for the hair is New Gamboge, Permanent Rose, Burnt Sienna, accidentally dipped into the last bit of Ultramarine Blue (you may notice some grayish tone in the upper left area) and some Burnt Umbar.
I also did some work on the skin tone, punching up some of the warm areas with New Gamboge, cooling down the shadowy area with Permanent Rose (I stayed away from the Cobalt Blue this time) and a little more Burnt Sienna.
Now it's time for Chocolate! More soon!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Work In Progress



I haven't really done a full blown "wip" in a long time but I keep getting asked about my process so I thought I'd show you how I do what I do. You may or may not be surprised or disappointed that I paint very straight forward, no tricks, no masking fluids, no white, no stretched paper, not even taped down onto a board, just good old fashioned "brush, paper and water" oh, and I guess paint helps! :0)

The first step is to draw out the image, now drawing to draw is much different than drawing for a painting, I try not to add every little detail because I want to do that with paint. I definitely don't shade anything because the graphite makes colors look dirty. I also try to stay on the lite side with the pencil pressure so I don't have any ghost lines or have the lines show through the pigments where I don't want them to show.

The colors I'm using for this stage is New Gamboge, Permanent Rose, Permanent Blue (because I ran out of Ultra Marine) and a little Burnt Sienna, oh and lots of water! I'm painting on Arches 140lb coldpress paper.

The technique I most like to use is wet into wet because I like watching the colors move around and mix together and also to drop other colors into the wash. I like to say "slop it on and make it work!" and the most important part of any painting for me is to have chocolate while I'm waiting for things to dry! yum!

Stay tuned for more!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Chuchy



"Chuchy" 20"x14" Watercolor

M. refers to himself as "Chuchy" which is such a cute and totally him thing! He is so beautiful and mischievous and full of boy energy! I hear he's got a great ear for music and it doesn't surprise me, he has that rare sense of creative energy around him. I feel like he's another one of my ever growing clan of kids, it will be a joy to watch him grow. On this particular day his hair was somewhat tame which turned out to be a good thing for me painting wise! I can't wait to do another painting of him!

Here's a close up



If you'd like to purchase this painting, please contact me at:
pvlara@sbcglobal.net

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

This Little Piggy




"This Little Piggy Went To Market" (again) 8"x10" Watercolor


I love my little molcajetes. . . they are one of my fondest memories of my Grandma. I don't know why but I would ask her every single day "what is that and what is it for?" and she would tell me every single time I asked without getting annoyed (that I know of) "it's for making things!"

I've been working on some portraits and can't wait to show you, in the mean time, I painted this "little" one so I could post something new. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed hearing my granny in the wind.


If you're interested in purchasing it, please contact me at:
pvlara@sbcglobal.net

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Peeps Challenge!



"Me and My Peeps" 5"x7" watercolor by Me SOLD



"What did you expect from marshmallow eggs?" 6" x 8" Watercolor by Chris Beck



"Late Bloomer" - 6" x 6" oil on cradled hardboard panel by Jelaine Faunce
IT'S REVENGE OF THE PEEPS! that was my first choice of titles for my painting which is actually the second one I did for this challenge, I had a mishap on the first one, serves me right for calling them yellow belly marshmallows! (the other title being "one of these things is not like the others")
Actually, this his was pure bliss. . . not only did I get to do a challenge with two of my favorite artists (my peeps) but I got to work with candy! I'm always amazed and so pleasantly surprised when I get the images sent to me, such wonderful takes on the challenge theme and this was no exception, these paintings make me happy!
Please check out their blogs: Chris Beck & Jelaine Faunce
If you'd like to purchase "Me and My Peeps" please contact me here:

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Broadface Kachina



"Broadface Kachina" 7"x5" watercolor
So I'm trying hard to get a handle on these small paintings, I don't know why I have such trouble painting small, maybe I should use smaller brushes or use less water?
One of my favorite times was to spend a couple of week with friends down in the Southwest. What a great adventure, what wonderful people I met and what a spiritual experience!
If you'd like to purchase it, please email me at:

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Best Of America Watermedia Artists Vol. II.



Great News! My painting "Story Teller" is on the back cover of "Best Of American Watermedia II" ! Two other of my images are included in this volume and I can't wait to see! It should be out very soon so I'll keep you posted.
Please check out Best of Artists website

In the mean time, here's "Story Teller".

SOLD

Friday, February 26, 2010

Spilled Flower


"Spilled Flower" 13"x17" watercolor
Here's another one of my food inspired paintings. I don't have much to say about this one other than I'm really glad it worked out, it was quite a task to work on the glass! Oh yeah, I ran out of Ultramarine Blue a couple of paintings ago and had to use Permanent Blue which I've never used, I didn't know what was going to happen but that was just another surprise that worked out.
If you'd like to purchase it, please contact me at:

Thursday, February 11, 2010

1&1/4 Cup of Flower



1&1/4 Cup of Flower 13"x17"

I realized that being Mr. Mom for the past 7 years has crept into my art in such an unusual way. . . these last few paintings that I thought were my enjoying the Food Network Challenges are really about me painting my surroundings, making food that I hope the kids will eat, cleaning, laundry, taking care of to create a good environment that nurtures caring, loving, creative kids. I've learned so much about being a good parent especially when I thought I was doing it all wrong.

So, I look at these new paintings in a new light and have found that they really do reflect just another part of who I am. In addition to my culturally identifying images, it's just another facet of my evolving life. I hope you enjoy them as much as I've learned from them.

If you're interested in purchasing this one, feel free to contact me at:
pvlara@sbcglobal.net

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

I Scream !



"I Scream!" 17"x13" Watercolor

I've been on this food kick since we've been watching the Food Network challenges and that inspired me to challenge myself with the past few paintings that had something to do with food or kitchen stuff. Of course I couldn't do the typical fruit in a bowl or ice cream in glassware so I borrowed the kid's finger puppets and voila! It was quirky enough for me!
I was nervous about painting this one with all the reflected light and shiny ceramic cones, but it was refreshing to do something that was new for me. I love the challenges of watercolor (especially when it works out!)
If you are interested in purchasing it, please email me at:

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Purple Tomatillos II



"Purple Tomatillos II" 8"x10" Watercolor
Finally a new painting finished! Can I just say that I've decided to celebrate Chinese New Years and start my year over again! This has been one unusual, exhausting and frustrating beginning to 2010! I'm now channeling my energies to create a better and more creative year, this painting being the
start of it all.

If you'd like to purchase it, please contact me at pvlara@sbcglobal.net