Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Baby Giraffe - completed

BABY GIRAFFE
22" x 30" on 140 lb. Arches



closeup of BABY GIRAFFE
(click on pictures to enlarge)


I'm baaaaacccckkkk - and want you to know that I had a great time on vacation! We visited my daughter and her family in Guadalajara, Mexico AND we also spent almost a week at Paradise Village (a resort) in Nuevo Vallarta. It was so hot and humid... I loved it! I finally felt like I experienced summer! We were on the beach and in the ocean each morning, then into the shady part of the pool later in the day when it was too hot to be out in the open. The ocean is so warm there that it literally feels like walking into a big bathtub. In fact, my husband said it was warmer than he takes his showers!!!

After supper, we went for long walks on the beach, and just relaxed. One night we walked a long way down the beach to where there is a turtle sanctuary /reserve. The kids got to release baby turtles into the ocean. Late every night volunteers go out and rescue the eggs which female turtles lay, and bring them back to the sanctuary. They bury them in the sand in neat rows with little markers for each one. When the eggs hatch, the caretakers keep the baby turtles until just after the sun sets before they are released. That way, the turtles' chance of survival is higher... especially from the birds which are not as numerous in the dusk. Each night, there is opportunity for those who have attended the talk and demonstration to actually take one of the little turtles and place it behind a line in the sand. Then the baby turtles flap their way through the sand and into the water. It was so wonderful to see those little creatures bobbing on the waves - little dark patches floating out to sea.

The drive to and from the beach was long and windy, up and down mountainous terrain - with 2 out of 3 kids getting carsick. But they were all troopers, and it was great to be together again. Our flights to and from Mexico were the smoothest I have ever experienced, so all in all, I can say that this was one of our best holidays ever.

Now that I am back, I have completed the painting of Baby Giraffe. Three years ago this summer, I took a picture of this little giraffe in the San Diego Zoo. He is part of my "pouring series" which is where I do several pours of pigment on the paper before I begin my painting. This sets lights and darks in various places on the paper. Two other creatures, African Elephant and Rhino are a part of this series. I do have plans for more paintings in this series, but they may be a while in making it onto my easel.

If you are interested in Baby Giraffe, or commissioning a similar painting, please contact me: jogiesbrecht@gmail.com

4 comments:

Lee Ann said...

Aw, I LOVE your baby giraffe. He has the sweetest expression. I think this is my favorite of this series :)

Unknown said...

Thanks, Lee Ann! I do think he is a sweetie as well! It was sooo hot the day we were at the zoo, and all he wanted to do was rest in the shade of his big mommy. :-)

Kim said...

SWEEEET!!

Thanks for the vacation, Mom. It was so wonderful. I wish we had had more time, maybe to do some plein air stuff, but there's always next year! In the meantime I'll just harass you on your blog.

Love you.

Unknown said...

Love it when you visit and harass me Kim! Next year, we'll have to have sessions of plein air as part of the kids' curriculum!