O'ahu, second solo trip!

Have I mentioned how much I love Hawai'i? This trip I came alone because it was more of a 'work' trip (checking in daily for an hour). I believe everyone can benefit on a solo vacation, especially somewhere tropical. I spent a couple of days laying on the beach, driving through around the windward side of the island, sipping the best smoothie of my life with wild chickens, touring a royal palance, visiting the art museum, and seeing a komodo dragon up close for the first (and probably only) time in my life! Here are just a few photos of this unforgettable second trip to O'ahu.

Flower sketches

With spring in full force, I was inspired to draw and paint flowers that express the most exotic and colorful petals. The yellow hibiscus (in colored pencil) is found in Hawai'i as is the watercolor plumeria, and the Himalayan Blue Poppy is found in Tibet! Yes, there is a blue poppy growing on our planet, pretty amazing right??

Trinacria of Sicily in gouache

This is a painted celebration of my Sicilian ancestry in bold gouache on 8x8 canvas board. I got the idea from the artful tiles made in Sicily, and combining the trinacria symbol from the Sicilian flag. The symbol is Medusa representing the the goddess who fought off evil (not just turning men to stone with her gaze), and stalks of wheat symbolize fertility (as in agriculturally). The three legs represent the basic shape of the island.

In 1913, my great grandmother (just a teen) immigrated to the United States from Palermo Italy. I've held a sense of pride that I have roots from this beautiful and bountiful island. This is my second painting using the black and white outline in gouache that has Sicilian inspirations behind them.

Lady-Sun in gouache

The first in my Flowers and Friends series, this was a very fun painting. I love sunflowers, and usually grow them every year. Painted in gouache on canvas board.

Penguin quilt for school auction

This is the quilt that will change how I do quilting. I was asked to make a quilt for a school auction for a friend of a friend using colors of the penguin (the classroom motto). I've not indulged in solid colors for quilting before, but this quilt has changed that. While I love the beautiful patterned fabrics, solid colors really make a quilt stand out to me. The fabrics and patch were provided, and the person I made the quilt for wanted triangles. This is the finished result, and I'm so pleased with it. Some lucky kiddo now has this on their bed!

Nesting Dolls Gossiping Over Tea in gouache

I don't own any, but there is something I'm fascinated about nesting dolls. I remember as a little girl playing with a set at a relative's house. I loved the detail yet simple shape, I loved how they stacked inside one another and were all different. This is a painting of two of those dolls telling each other stories while sipping tea. Painted on  11x11 watercolor paper in gouache using the black and white outline method.

Newborn layette for a baby boy

One of my co-workers is having a baby boy very soon, and I wasted no time crocheting a newborn layette set. Crocheting baby stuff is an absolute treat. This features a jacket (because it's January), a hat, boots and mittens. I'm sure it won't be long until baby outgrows it, but it's fun to dress them up in this stuff at least once.