Handy's Park, Memphis

Now that the Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival is in full swing, it may be a good time to post this vision of Handy's Park. W.C. Handy is considered by many to be the "Father of the Blues".

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Watercolor, 16x12", Arches Paper

Forsythia

This bush refused to stay within the confines of the fence.
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Watercolor, 7x5", Fabriano paper

Tennesse Farm

While on the subject of farms, here is another scene born from photos taken along one of our long car trips to New Jersey. I believe this is somewhere in Eastern Tennessee.
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Watercolor, 12x6", Strathmore paper

The Farm House

I drove through this scene about a dozen times and my wife -at my request- did her best to get a picture on the fly. But the trees always seemed to get in the way. Then it hit me...maybe if I stopped the car... yeah, it worked!
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Watercolor 12 x 9", Fabriano paper, rough

Blues Hall, Memphis

I like night scenes, especially -of course- when depicted in watercolor. For me at least, they are a little bit more challenging to paint than daylight scenes. Once in a while I overcome my fear and go for it. I know...the trumpet player looks like he only has one arm, but that's the way he looked...he had his right hand in his pocket...don't blame me.
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Watercolor, 20 x 16"

Rusty!

Rusty is our little two year old Lhasa-Poo. He is very friendly and sweet except when he becomes ferocious to protect his owners. He also becomes terrified during thunderstorms and shakes like a leaf for about an hour after it's over. And, he likes to eat anything except dog food.
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Pen and Ink, 4 x 6"

Friendship Churches

Village Church, by William Renzulli
Friendship Church, by Julio Rodrigues

Dr. William Renzulli is the best friend that I have not yet met personally. He has been a regular visitor to this humble blog and he has been very generous with his comments and encouragement. His artistic talent and versatility are in plain sight here at http://williamfrenzullimd.blogspot.com/.
We recently completed an interesting project: We both like old architecture as painting subjects. So Bill sent me some photos for me to pick one and paint. And I sent him photos for him to paint. We both gave each other complete artistic license and no deadlines. Today we are displaying the results of that friendly challenge. I have to say…I was unusually nervous painting my picture…but in the end I was happy with the result.
And Bill painted the church in my original hometown in Portugal in a way that I never would have thought, evoking an elevation/architectural drawing. I loved the concept and I think I came out on the winning end of this trade!

So Bill…a big THANKS.

The Silver Caboose

If you are hungry, you can’t go wrong here, on the north side of the Collierville Town Square. The lingering snow that fell a few weeks ago made this place look even more inviting.
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Watercolor, 12x9", Fabriano Paper

Happy Easter

With this beautiful Easter image, painted by my dear wife Maria, we wish everyone a Happy and Healthy Easter.

Freeport, Bahamas

This is the second piece from my trip there a few years ago. This outdoor market teemed with people looking for bargains.

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Watercolor 14x11", Strathmore cold pressed paper.

Late Snow, Collierville

Last week we had a winter storm that left about six inches of snow on the ground. Here, this happens maybe once every ten years, especially this late in the season. I knew it would not last long, so I got up Saturday morning and promptly drove to our old Town Square with my camera.
The snow covered several blooming trees, one of which helped frame this view of the old Train Depot.
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Watercolor, 12x9", on Fabriano Paper, rough.

Firenze, Italia

Back in 1989, I had to complete a work assignment in Florence, Italy. Yes, I know...it's a tough job.
Well, I courageously volunteered for the task.
This is Pallazzo Vecchio, one of countless architectural wonders in this fantastic city.

Princeton University, Nassau Hall

This is the second piece from my visit to the campus of Princeton University last Fall.
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Watercolor, 12 x 9", Fabriano Paper

Clematis

Ok, just to mix it up a little bit, there is no arquitecture here.
Just a very quick study of a humble Clematis flower in my
backyard.
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Watercolor, 2.5 x 3.5 ", Fabriano Paper

Lambertville Station

Lambertville, New Jersey is a wonderland of victorian architecture, quaint shops, galleries and other visual delights. It is located on the left side of the Delaware River across from another beautiful small town, New Hope, Pennsylvania. The old Train Station is of course, no more. On the other hand, the building is well maintained and it is now a popular restaurant.
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Watercolor, 12x9", Fabriano Paper

Bahamas Market

This was one in a row of souvenir stalls near our hotel in the Island of Grand Bahama back in 2001.
The gentleman on the chair was putting the last touches on a wood carving.
I sprinkled a little table salt on the wet paint to try to get a mottled effect on the tin roof.

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Watercolor, 12 x 12", Arches paper

Memphis, South Third

Downtown Memphis has changed quite a bit -for the better-since I arrived here 16 years ago. A lot of old decrepit buildings have been transformed into modern apartments overlooking the Mississippi River sunset. The area exudes new life and my wife and I enjoy frequent visits there on weekends.
I recommend the extraordinary Peabody Place Museum where incredible treasures of Chinese Art are displayed . I was in awe at the intricate - and very large - oriental carvings in semi-precious stone and ivory. This is one of my favorite places to visit here and I don't think it gets the recognition it deserves.
This view is from the skywalk to the venerable Peabody Hotel, the Grand Hotel of the South. We went there to check out their Sunday Brunch. And, we were definitely not disappointed.
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Watercolor, 7x5", Fabriano Paper

Old Train Depot, Elizabeth, New Jersey

Train Depots are slowly disappearing, and whenever I run into one, I make sure I put my camera to work. Later, the camera delegates to the brush for the next step.

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Watercolor, 12x9", Fabriano Paper

Church, Asheville

This sketch resulted from a trip to Asheville, last year. It is a very picturesque town in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina.
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Watercolor, 7x5", Fabriano Paper

Pennsylvania Farm House

Rural Pennsylvania is a treasure trove for those of us who like farms, barns and country scenes. As I was driving by I noticed the bright sun against the storm clouds and that always gets my attention.
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Watercolor, 16x12", Arches cold pressed paper

Church, Collierville

Churches are always favorites for me to paint, especially the white steeples that almost always stand out from their surroundings.
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Watercolor, 12 x 9", Fabriano Paper, cold pressed.

Town Square in the Fall

The Collierville Town Square is a very well preserved space that retains the flavor of an old time small town. Every year in the Fall, I wait for the right time, then get up early one Saturday morning and spend some time taking pictures of the great Autumn foliage and the store fronts in the Square. The Burning Bushes in the foreground caught my eye and I finally painted this scene a few days ago. This painting was made from a photo I took there in 2005.
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Watercolor, 12 x 9", on Fabriano Paper

Victoria, Canada

This is the Government Palace in Victoria, a coastal city in British Columbia, Western Canada. Its scenic harbor, fantastic architecture - victorian, of course - and mild climate atract many visitors. It is also a favorite area for wealthy canadians to retire.

I painted this small sketch in my travel sketchbook.

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Watercolor, 5 x 7"

Bushkill Falls

This place is in Northeastern Pennsylvania, in the Poconos area, near the Delaware River. I must confess...this sketch is based on a print that I was ogling in the gift shop. Instead of buying it...money is short...I decided to paint my own. Ok, it's not nearly as good, but it was a lot cheaper.
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India Ink and Watercolor, 5 x 7", Arches cold pressed paper.

United Methodist Church, Washington, NJ

While visiting family in New Jersey, this Church caught my attention not just because of its beautiful towers, but also because of the unusual green stone used in its construction.

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Watercolor, 4 x 5.5", Strathmore Paper

Double Deuce

Beale Street, in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, breathes Blues and Rock. Double Deuce, on the eastern end of Beale, breathes Country and Western, which makes it sort of unique. It all adds to the diversity, and we all win.
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India Ink with watercolor wash, 5 x 7"

Yosemite National Park

It is very hard to describe the overwhelming natural beauty of the Yosemite Valley in central California. It has to be seen in person. The next best thing may be looking at the fantastic Black-and-White photographs of Ansel Adams. His superb talent and infinite care in setting up his camera, time, and place was complemented by his skills to manipulate the image in the Dark Room to increase contrasts in strategic areas. All this resulted in the arresting images we admire to this day.

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Watercolor 12 x 16", Arches Paper

The Alamo

With all due respect to other Texas cities...San Antonio is special. Whether or not you are having a bad day, the River Walk will lift your spirits. And a visit to the Alamo will make you think...highly... of all the sacrifices people have made well before we were born.
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Watercolor, 9x12", Strathmore Paper

Germantown Commissary

Where I first enjoyed Southern Barbecue many years ago... and I continue the tradition to this day.
It is a very popular spot located in the heart of Germantown, Tennessee.
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Watercolor, 8 x 11", on Fabriano cold-pressed paper

Road to Jersey II

This is another one of the tranquil farm scenes you might see when driving along Interstate 40 in Tennessee.

Happy Holidays!

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Princeton University

We traveled to New Jersey over Thanksgiving holiday, and were fortunate enough to visit the campus of Princeton University. I was fascinated by the history of the place and by the beautiful architecture in the campus. The fall colors added to the show.
We had lunch at Lahiere's, a great restaurant where Albert Einstein used to hang out, and we sat next to his favorite table, under his portrait. Ok, I felt about one-inch tall, but still, it was a great experience. My thanks to my brother and my sister-in-law, the hosts.
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Watercolor, 8x11", on Fabriano Hot Press paper

Rum Boogie Cafe

The name says it all. This is a classic spot for great food and great music in the heart of Beale Street, Memphis. One among many.

The original ink sketch is shown, along with the final version which includes a light watercolor wash.

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Ink and Watercolor Wash, 5"x5"

Lucaya Beach, Bahamas

This unassuming bar is in the Island of Grand Bahama. Right after our beer, we had to run for it, because a tropical storm came out of nowhere and broke up the party.
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Watercolor, 11x15" on Arches cold pressed paper

Sandy Hook Lighthouse, New Jersey

I lived in New Jersey for many years and I have a lot of great memories from that time and place. Many people think of New Jersey as over populated and filled with refineries. Actually, most of the state is rural. The northwestern quarter of the state is especially beautiful with its rolling hills, old barns, covered bridges and victorian architecture.
It also has lots of good beaches. Sandy Hook was the closest one to my house, so I kept showing up there...and the locals seemed to tolerate it.
The Sandy Hook Lighthouse has been there since 1764. It is one of the oldest lighthouses in the country.
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Watercolor, 5 x 7", Fabriano Paper

Old Memphis

As you descend the Mississippi River in a Paddle Boat cruise, you might see these old buildings dating from the golden age of the cotton trade.

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Watercolor, 11x15", Arches cold pressed paper

Memphis Music

In my native country of Portugal, painting on ceramic tiles is a very old tradition, originating from the times of the Arab ocupation of the Iberian Peninsula in the Middle Ages. In this painting, I tried to emulate this art form on watercolor paper. Some people have said it looks like tiles...some others have said it looks like I was painting through a window. In any event, this painting shows one of the most popular spots in Memphis. Lots of live Blues Music and Barbecue!
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Watercolor, 12x16", Arches paper

Eads Pottery

I first drove by this place about twelve years ago and I thought then, the building was about five minutes away from total collapse. I am glad to report that it is still there. Hopefully it will be there for a long time (Eads, Route 205, Tennessee).
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Watercolor, 9 x 12 ", Fabriano Paper, cold-pressed.

Beale Street, Memphis

Last Sunday we went downtown, enjoyed the great weather and a great blues band playing outdoors. I used one of the photos I took to remind me of the details for this painting.
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Watercolor, 9x12", Fabriano paper hot pressed.

Hunt Phelan House, Memphis

This was painted yesterday after a painful visit to the dentist and after the anesthesia wore off...actually, come to think of it, I think its lingering effects may still be seen in this watercolor... it limited the amount of detail, which I think is a good thing.
The Hunt Phelan house was built in the 1820's and served as Ulysses Grant's headquarters during the Civil War. After being closed to the public for a while, it was tastefully renovated as a great Inn, and four-star restaurant. We are now fortunate to again have access to this historic place.

Watercolor, 5x7", Fabriano paper, rough texture.

Alcatraz

This is a tiny sketch from a trip to the beautiful city of San Francisco. The old maximum security prison is now a museum.

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Watercolor, 1.5 x 3.5 inches on a cold pressed sketchbook surface

Wisteria

For three years straight, its blooms were killed by late frosts. When it does bloom, my backyard gets a facelift.

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Watercolor, 5x7" Fabriano Paper, cold pressed

Sun Studio, Memphis

Speaking of Sun Studio, here is how I saw it in 1995. A lot of Rock-and-Roll history here.
A big THANKS to the late Sam Phillips; We owe you, Mr. Phillips.

Blues City General Store

Memphis is the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock-and-Roll. Let's see...Jerry Lee Lewis, Johny Cash, Roy Orbison, B.B. King, Carl Perkins, Rufus Thomas among others...and of course...Elvis Presley. They all recorded their work at Sun Studio (originally, Memphis Recording Service) on Union Avenue.

This watercolor shows yet another hint-to be found on Beale Street. It was painted for the WKNO Art and Antiques Auction to take place in early November.

Party's over (Beale St. Memphis)

This image is part of a mural in the lobby of Fedex Forum in Memphis. The works on this mural celebrate the long and enduring musical tradition in the city of Memphis, Tennessee.

Old Collierville Presbyterian Church

Located at Walnut and Mulberry St. since1886, the Congregation moved to a new location at Poplar and Peterson Lake Road in 1965.

The Barber Shop

This is the Northwest corner of the Collierville Town Square as I saw it in 1994. The small white building was a barber shop at the time. The small trees are now big trees.

McGinnis Lumber & Hardware

It's been around for a long time in the Collierville Town Square, and you can always count on finding the doohickey you need with friendly service. This watercolor is now part of the April Art Exhibit at the Burch Library; I am very grateful to the Library for giving me the opportunity to display my work.