Jacarandas in Maui!

Upcountry in Bloom

Here's my latest painting of the Jacaranda trees in Maui! I just love the color of these beautiful trees! I was in Maui over a year ago now and we drove all over the beautiful countryside in search of these trees. I went down this exact street but it didn't look like this. The trees weren't blooming...and everything seemed a little dry. I was lucky enough to have discovered a wonderful photographer from Maui on Facebook. His name is David Schoonover. I contacted him to ask if I could use his photos of the Jacaranda trees as reference for a painting. He said ok! He actually ended up being from a town not far from me! It's such a small world. I was so glad I asked him! I didn't want to copy his work but use it as a reference so I went on Google maps and took a tour through Upcountry on Maui until I found the same street. Believe me, it took a while but it was fun! I found other paintings I want to do later.

google maps reference

I just discovered another resource for photos that are ok to use. Richard Robinson gave the tip on his website. It's called, appropriately, "Paint my Photo", and has many photos that members have uploaded for other artists to use. My ideal would be to bring my easel to Maui and plop it down right in front of that tree and paint the day away...but reality sets in, and until that day comes, I'm happy to have these great resources and gracious photographers available to me!

Dreaming of Hawaii...

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If you've been following my blog over the years, you know just how much I love Hawaii. I really can't choose a favorite island, although, I have yet to stay on Oahu. I've flown in there and have seen the busy freeways, so that has always detoured me, but I'm sure it has it's unique characteristics just as each island has. This particular painting came from a photo I took on my last trip to Maui. I can't believe it's almost been a year since we were there! I need to put it out there that it's time to go again. Maybe the next time we'll be searching for our new home, or at least dreaming about it. I would really even live in a hut if I could live there! 

I find the idea of growing my own food and picking fruit of the trees, collecting water from rain, and maybe having chickens, so cool. 

This painting is of the upcountry in Maui. There are quiet meandering roads up there and they're lined with jacaranda trees. This is one of my favorites so far. I hope you all like it as much as I do! Sometimes it happens that the paintings that I'm the most please with aren't the most popular but I usually have a pretty good idea about it. 

I have so many paintings in my mind and just can't get them done fast enough! I love painting! I love bringing the ideas in my head to canvas and coming up with a finished piece that will be

around forever. It's such a feeling of accomplishment. And if somebody decides they want to live with it forever, well. that's even better! This is the best job ever!