…virtually speaking, that is. Thanks to The Virtual Paintout Blog, I am able to join with many other artists around the globe, to paint from Google Maps street views.

This month, we were in The Azores, tiny islands off the coast of Portugal.

“Where the Purple Flowers Grow” – 12 x 16 inch acrylic painting on artist canvas board. 

SOLD, thank you!

If you click on this link, you will see the actual Google Maps view of what I painted above. The difference you will notice of the two, is that I painted with Vincent van Gogh in mind, with lots of dabs and dots of paint, and lots of color. The fun thing about painting with The Virtual Paintout blog, besides the fact that it is a great way to see the globe from your own computer, without having to buy a plane ticket…is that the owner of the blog, Bill Guffey, allows us to change the Google view scene into whatever we want to create with it…leaving things out, altering, changing up colors, using our art medium of choice. I love seeing what the other artists come up with!

“The Lonely Boat” – 9 x 12 inch acrylic on heavyweight watercolor paper.

I loved this quiet scene so much, that I had recreate it with paint. When I showed this painting to one of my art groups, one of the artists said, she could hear the waves, and smell the salt of the sea. A compliment, indeed! Every artist wants to know that someone can look at their art, and picture themselves IN the painting. Her comment made my day! I still feel like such a novice when it comes to painting, especially seascapes! So, that was encouragement I needed to continue on. Each painting I do, gives me more experience, and a little more confidence to try the next one!  

“The Lonely Boat” is available in my little art shop online, http://www.ArtcyLucy.Etsy.com