Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Tres Hermanas

First off, I don't speak Spanish so this headline could be mangled big time. It is suppose to be translated into English as Three Sisters. This is the first three of six full sheet watercolors I'm painting for the Three Sisters Restaurant here in Sacramento. This is a mucho favorite Mexican restaurant that my wife and I like to dine and get take out from. I went in one afternoon about a month and a half ago and proposed to one of the sisters that I do a watercolor for each of their booths. I went in armed with samples of my work so they could see what type of hombre (gringo) they were dealing with. We swung a deal on a handshake. Half to be paid in U.S. dollars and half in dining credit. Here are the first tres on 140lb cold press h2o paper. The next tres may be Mexican cuisine related. Getting hungry?

39 comments:

Marian Fortunati said...

Hey... I'd say they got a GREAT deal!!!
Also good for you... food, drink and some great publicity.

Beautiful work, David!!

Nava said...

Ahhh - nice!

Very nice.

Very very nice. (shall I continue the series?).

So much energy and happy colors. I think I'd ask to sit in the both that has the dude beating a pineapple to make a margarita. It's incredibly bold! I wish we had a favorite Mexican here - ours happened to be one in Page, Arizona, with some remarkable memorable food. A bit too far to become a favorite, though.

Myrna Wacknov said...

Wonderfully fresh painting, David. And so smart of you to actively seek business and barter in a slow economy.

Mike said...

Tres cheers, amigo!! ;-)

Carrie said...

oh wow! i just discovered tres hermanas this last year. i work two blocks away from the restaurant and my co-workers love going there. i can't wait to see your work the next time i'm there!

David Burge said...

Agave?+Pineapple=tough work which deserves a great drink at the end of the day. Terrific composition David, exploding with energy.
The townscape is fresh and full of light. Great work, very attractive watercolours.

milindmulick said...

I like the three sisters the best.
All three are colorful and cheerful
great deal..
Tres cheers, amigo!!

Clive said...

Hi David, I haven't been browsing to speak of all summer so it was a pleasant surprise to see so much new and vibrant work here. Particularly like the watercolour, of course, but also the portraits. Oh, and those monochromatic watercolour portraits are lovely too. I'll have to come back just to review again, not just see new posts.

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks, Marian.

David Lobenberg said...

Very very nice will do nicely. Thanks, Nava!

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks, Mryna. I paint for food.

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks gringo fellow artist Mike!

David Lobenberg said...

Tres Hermanas rocks, Carrie. Didn't know you worked in my neck of the woods.

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks, David. I'm writing this towards the end of the day, and a tequilla libation is sounding reeeeal goooood right now!

David Lobenberg said...

Tres cheers back amigo Milind!

David Lobenberg said...

Thank so you up there in beautiful Canada, Clive.

http://www.onpainting.wordpress.com said...

What an execellent idea - I'm going into the nearest biker hangout to see if they want a painting per bar stool.

I really like the buildings piece, and they all do have the look of authentic Mexican work.

Theresa Rankin said...

Fantastic...great energy, color, composition and style....Bravo you are certainly a master!

Barbara Pask said...

All are very very nice. Trading painting for food and money, great idea. We spend the money on food anyway, hmmmmm.

David Lobenberg said...

Onpainting: Paint on biker barstools! I just knew that you were an artist that has been born to be free! Git your motor runnin, and thanks always for makin me laugh!

David Lobenberg said...

Theresa: Thanks, mid western, vietnam cuisine eatin, and fabulous artist person!

David Lobenberg said...

Barbara: Trading ain't a bad way to go sometimes! Thank you for re- visiting my humble blog!

hj said...

Great work!
Explosion of colour !I am fan!

Barbara Muir said...

Wow! Now that's watercolour. I like
your colours and your style. Plus what a good idea getting your art into
each booth!

Felicitaciones.

Barbara

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks, Helene! I'll be posting about 3 (tres) more this mnth. and going into Nov.

David Lobenberg said...

Thank you, Barbara and fellow bold colorist.

Laura Frankstone said...

I love that top one--- so full of life, structure, color. I swear it's full of fragrances, too, somehow.

Robin Weiss said...

Great light and shadow in these! I think they will perfectly represent good food and good spirits.

Anonymous said...

Very nice! Good deal you made -- half money/half food. I'm hungry.

Oh, and nice paintings -- all tres. ;-)

Paz

http://www.onpainting.wordpress.com said...

Hey where are you - have too many tequilas at the restuarant?

David Lobenberg said...

Robin: Thank you...I tell my h2o students that most (not all) water color paintings that work are at a minimum strong in value contrasts, and that it helps to save some whites (white of the paper).

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks Paz!

David Lobenberg said...

I had NO tequilas, Onpainting, but I sure could take a few hits now!! I went to my optometrist yesterday to get a follow up exam on a floater in my left eye and the bastard found a small retinal tear and the start of another! "Yer fuckin me?!!!!" He replied "Hell no, and yer got some minor retinal tears about to start ta git outta hand in yer right eye as well, sucka!!..and...yer gettin yer ass over to the laser dept. to git this shit fixed NOW!" SIX HOURS from when I walked through his door, I came out with a huge patch on my left eye and the need for my wife to pick me up. Ever try to drive with one eye. Lack of depth of field can be a real bitch while motoring. After I called her, she calls me back with "The fuckin gas tank is on empty!! You forgot to gas my car (that's one of my honey do's). Fortunately, she made it to the Shell station on fumes, and I'm back home on a day off from painting to rest my poor eyes. I think that accident I was in was not very helpful.

Anonymous said...

David- I'm late to this post and only now see your last comment.
I hope by the time this gets to you, your eye surgery is long over.

How much there is to be grateful for that we often don't realize until we're without.

Now these watercolors- they're beautiful and just show how broad your range is.

David Lobenberg said...

Bonnie: Yes, there is so much we take for granted, but I guess that is the way it should be otherwise we could become hypochondriacs (had to look that up in the dictionary!). But you are correct that when something does go south, one gains a new appreciation of it ( i.e sight). What happened to people before laser eye surgery? Potential loss of sight, I guess...shudder.

Marian Fortunati said...

David,
Just read your blog comment post today and want to say I hope you are well soon.
Too scary!!
A bunch of us were talking at dinner the other night and were saying that we might be able to handle loosing a limb or our hearing, but to lose our sight would be so very very very difficult!
Be well soon.

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks so much for your thoughts Marian. The whole episode happened very fast and took me by surprise, but even as I was going through the laser procedure, I was thinking "how fortunate I am that this can be done!

Amber Massey said...

Wow, I love all three of those. I specially love the street scene - that red building, which I'm sure is a church, is just lovely against the sky. The restaurant is very lucky to get these! Were these from personal photographs?

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks fellow watercolorist, Amber! The reference photos came from a Tequilla web site, Flickr.com, and a current water color student of mine.