Cyndie Katz is Painting in Morelia

Adelaide in the Window

2011-11-17T18:29:00.000-06:00

Just finished this really fun commission from Clay and Dorian Slate owners of Mexican Home Art a copper furniture & fixture company. They just had a lovely fountain put into their patio, but wanted something to fill the little adjoining wall.

Copper fountain behind a copper table

Before

They'd brought back some photos of trompe-l'oeil windows they'd seen in Spain and wondered if I could do something similar, but then because they also wanted a portrait of their granddaughter, we came up with this concept.

Adelaide!

Adelaide's grandparents

The arched window and stonework are in the style seen throughout Morelia.

IN PRAISE OF PAPAYA

2011-10-17T18:22:00.003-05:00

I'm back to my food series. These are all foods I brought home from San Juan Mercado in Morelia: Papaya, oranges, strawberries, blackberries, avocados, limes, and cantaloupe. The light parts of the background are metalic gold paint. Not sure it shows up great in the photo, but it's quite nice in person. I got the idea at church (where else) and now I'm totally inspired to use it more. (24X32, acrylic)

Did you know that Columbus named papaya, Fruit of the Angels? And that papaya has AMAZING health benefits? Here's an excellent article:
http://www.naturalnews.com/031844_papaya_health_benefits.html

Pozole

2011-03-17T15:59:00.001-06:00

This is the fourth in my series of food paintings inspired by the San Juan market. Pig heads figure big there and have always fascinated me. What do you do with a pig's head I always wondered. Then I read my friend Cristina Potters's post on Mexico Cooks! about pozole.

I love pozole! This is my cheerful painted version of it including some possible garnishes: avocado, sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, and cilantro.

(40X40" acrylic on canvas)

(If you saw the post before Oct. 17, 2011 you may notice that I repainted the pig portion ... I like this pig better.)

Nightshade Family Square Dance

2010-12-16T18:22:00.001-06:00

I'm doing a series of paintings of the foods I see daily at the San Juan market here in Morelia. Some of them I never cook with, but their shapes and colors are so intriguing it's fun to be able to explore them through painting.

This is the first in the series which so far has three paintings.

Acrylic on canvas (32X32 cm) / (12.6X12.6 in)

Posada Mandala

2010-12-12T21:33:00.000-06:00

This is one of a series of paintings I've just begun about food.

Here in Mexico, baby Jesus figurines are sold in every size from 2" long to life size. They all have a certain look, a certain turn to the hands, that I tried to capture.

The foods surrounding the baby are the typical ones that might appear at a Christmas celebration such as a posada: sugar cane, peanuts, oranges, and candy -- the colorful ball-shaped candies are called colaciónes. The white chunky pieces are peeled pieces of raw cane sprinkled with a little chile powder.

Acrylic painting on canvas (12.6X12.6 in.) / (32X32cm.)

Melón's, Ocho Pesitos Por Kilo

2010-09-03T15:06:00.040-05:00

Just got back to Morelia after 8 weeks in New England visiting family and friends and not painting a lick. So I was anxious to get started again. I've been working on this large canvas the last 10 days and also on a small (7X7") realistic child's portrait which I'll post on the portrait blog once the parents give me their opinions. Which type of painting do I like more? I love it all. Painting faces is a passion, but so is bold color. And having the two paintings going at the same time worked pretty well. I'm going to start two more over the weekend.

20X28" acrylic on canvas

Caña y Naranja (Sugar Cane and Orange)

2010-06-17T02:54:00.002-05:00

These girls are dressed for the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is December 12th but is such an important holiday the festivities start many days before. Kids and some adults dress in 16th century costumes like the indian Juan Diego, the one to whom the virgin appeared.

The girl on the left has long braids pinned to her real hair and is eating sugar cane chunks.

This is my last painting of my time here in Morelia. I'm going back to New England for the summer, but I already have ideas for when I return in September. It's been a wonderful experience to be able to devote the last ten months to painting.

30X40 acrylic on canvas

Mariposas Separadas

2009-12-14T20:15:00.000-06:00

I want my figure paintings to not just be "pretty" but to engage the viewer with a story or through identification. I think this painting achieves that.

Asthetically it's about how a good gray can make other colors SING.

Acrylic on two corrugated cardboard panels, each 30X40"

Note: When glassed and framed a painting on cardboard looks like any painting on paper. The painting on cardboard idea came from Jamie Wyeth who trumpeted its attributes in a video I saw at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine last summer . Edgar Degas put ballerinas on cardboard. So I figure I'm in good company.

Here's one of my paintings on cardboard framed:

Flor y Sandía

2009-12-02T09:14:00.000-06:00

I don't do a lot of still lifes, but they're a good break from figure painting. I used all the primary and secondary colors here except purple (poor purple).

30X40", acrylic on corrugated cardboard. To show how large that is, here it is on a wall.

Muchachas de la Prepa

2009-11-23T13:50:00.000-06:00

One of the things I enjoy about living in a Mexican city is seeing all the students in their uniforms. Kilts and sweaters are typical uniform elements and white knee socks with black flat heeled shoes are mandatory through high school.

These girls are on afternoon break.

30X40" acrylic on corrugated cardboard.

Twelve Mexican Girlscouts

2009-10-30T12:40:00.016-06:00

One day I was walking down a side street and this group of girlscouts was coming toward me. I begged them to stop for a photo... and I took three. I am always attracted visually to groups in uniform. Isn't the color of their shirts great?

This painting is actually a triptych, but I can't seem to get Blogger to put all the pictures in a row even if I make the small enough. It's 90x40", acrylic on corrugated cardboard.

Mexican Girlscouts Get Faced

2009-09-26T08:15:00.003-05:00

Thanks everyone who checks my blog. I've got nine 30X40" panels going at the moment -- mostly figures -- and I'm anxious to share something finished, but all week I've been working on my technique for faces... and whenever I'm not satisfied, I start over. It's been a tough week, but I think I'm finally getting somewhere.

I'm happy with the two girls on the left...and I've finished 3 others, so only 7 more scouts to go.

There are four scouts per panel, so it's my largest painting to date.

Huachinango

2009-08-31T16:34:00.003-05:00

Back in Morelia to stay for awhile and PAINT! I'm working large on cardboard with acrylics. This painting is 24X30" It's my favorite fish dish, huachinango al mojo de ajo (red snapper fried with garlic).

The Tesoro, Ixtapa

2009-03-16T09:38:00.008-06:00

The pool at the Tesoro Hotel at Ixtapa is a lively place hosting loads of Mexican families and lots of Canadians. What a fun painting challenge... I wish I could've stayed a week to paint all the scenes at the pool and on the beach. It's a bit of a challenge using oils in this environment, but totally worth the effort! (12X18)

(10X4")

Silla plastica ubicua

2009-02-28T11:17:00.009-06:00

Finally got out to do some plein air painting with my friend Mimi Weisbord who always finds the best artist houses to rent in Patzcuaro. This one is part of a compound with an enormous central garden. Roaming through the garden are two white cats. And there are, of course, plastic white chairs. If there's a family who doesn't own at least a couple of these, there's another family who has several extra. The cat and I both find them quite comfortable. (20X25 cm., Oil)

After lunch I painted this tiny (5X7) oil because I had to capture the blue wall inside the neighbor's house.

Gaspacho Stand

2008-07-14T04:00:00.005-05:00

In Morelia there is a special concoction called Gaspacho that is a mixture of chopped pineapple, mango, papaya, watermellon, jicama, and some shredded cheese. It's put in a tall glass and orange juice is squeezed over it. Then chili is sprinkled on it -- your choice pica or no pica (hot or not hot). Of course you can choose no chili at all (but nobody does that). It's delicious.

This is a typical Gaspacho stand. There are many in the bosque/park.

Acrylic on paper.

Alejandro the Bird Man

2008-07-13T03:59:00.005-05:00

This is an old neighbor who used to sell chicken on the sidewalk in front of his house. He'd cut it up any way you wanted and pound it into fillets for frying if requested. His other business was the song bird trade. I was sad when I realized that he'd moved out of the neighborhood, but glad that I'm made this painting. Acrylic on canvas.

Estudiantes

2008-05-18T06:59:00.008-05:00

In a photograph of children in the spring parade, I noticed this group of student observers standing in the background . They were more interesting than the paraders and, of course, I loved their red blazers.

Acrylic on canvas.

Roofscape Morelia

2008-04-17T17:57:00.003-05:00

This is the view east from my rooftop -- typical Mexican city rooftop jumble. It's wonderful up there in the evenings. Oil on masonite, 8X10.

Pichi Afternoon

2008-04-17T17:44:00.005-05:00

This is one of my favorite paintings because I love working on cardboard. It's afternoon at Pichilinguillo (a small/rustic beach on the Michoacan coast). Those are kids fishing out on a rock in the center. The fishermen are shooting the breeze, and the señorita in the foreground is taking it all in. Acrylic, 12X16.

Domingo en el Bosque

2008-04-02T15:35:00.009-06:00

This is a little plein aire painting done over the weekend. I like the painterliness of it. There's a lot of action in the park, particularly on Sundays. That's the little amusement area in the background. The skateboard park is in the foreground. Oil on masonite board. 8x10.

A similar painting will be in the Small Works Invitational at the Prince Street Gallery, NYC, June 17-July 5th.

Templo Carmen

2008-04-02T15:20:00.008-06:00

I had a wonderful time painting this plein air piece in the little park next to Casa de Cultura in Morelia's centro. So many people sat next to me on the bench to watch and/or chat. One man left to go home & get a book he'd written, brought it back and gave it to me inscribed. Mexicans are so supportive of artists in general and this is such a beautiful city that I'm a fool not to paint outside every day I'm here. Oil on canvas, 8X10.

The painting will be in the Small Works Invitational Show at the Prince Street Gallery, NYC, June 17-July 5.

Pichilinguillo at Semana Santa

2008-04-02T14:05:00.009-06:00

My daughter says this is my best painting. But I think that's because I told her she's one of the swimmers. It's a plein air of Pichilinguillo, a remote beach midway along the Michoacan coast that was written about in AIM - Adventures in Mexico Newsletter a couple of years ago. Semana Santa is the two week Easter break in Mexico where everyone tries to get to the beach for a few days. Oil on canvas, 10X14.

Painting a tinaco

2008-03-14T15:20:00.012-06:00

My friend Bunny bought this house in centro Morelia two years ago and has been making tons of improvements ever since. One thing that bugged her was the water tank (tinaco) in her main patio. So she had me do a trompe l'oile treatment on it and now it blends in quite well. I think if you click on the images, they enlarge.

Chile Negra

2008-03-12T21:20:00.007-06:00

This painting gave me the opportunity to try something I've been thinking about for awhile -- painting a frame on the canvas and using it to reiterate the theme of the painting -- in this case, chili negras. In the background are the mountains of Morelia. I wonder if anyone will want a painting of an older woman cleaning a chile. To me she is full of grace -- plus Mexican quisine would not be complete without chile negra. (approx. 20X24)

Oil on canvas.

Carneceria, San Juan Market

2008-03-10T20:04:00.005-06:00

There are loads of butchers in San Juan market. That's chorizo hanging on the right. Yum. Oil on canvas. approx 10X12.

Selling Ollas

2008-03-08T20:30:00.005-06:00

Ollas are earthenware pots for cooking beans. They are glazed on the inside, plain on the outside. Light and porous, they hold heat fabulously. 24X36. Acrylic on canvas covered plywood.

La Oferta (The Offering)

2008-02-20T10:44:00.009-06:00

Acrylic on canvas. 30.5X19.5 SOLD

Cathedral, Morelia

2008-02-15T08:45:00.012-06:00

This is a small plein aire oil painting of the main cathedral in Morelia. Boxed ficus trees are in the foreground, underplanted with poinsettas from Christmas. This painting has been chosen for a show of small paintings at the Prince Street Gallery, NYC this June. Oil on masonite. 8X10.

Waiting to Dance

2008-02-15T06:53:00.004-06:00

These kids, dressed in traditional garb, are waiting to do a folkdance for their parents -- always a good opportunity to tease the person next to you. 20X24, acrylic on canvas.

Que le damos?

2008-02-12T10:27:00.004-06:00

This is the San Juan market of Morelia. It's all abundance and color. "Que le damos?" What can we get you? 20X24. Acrylic on canvas. SOLD

Preparing Nopales

2008-02-11T13:42:00.003-06:00

This woman is preparing nopales -- she's cleaning the spines off a prickly pear cactus paddle, something women in the San Juan market are constantly doing. One buys nopales already striped of thorns and cut into strips. They taste a little like slimy, tart greenbeans, but even better. I was pleased with the simplicity of this painting -- simple task, simple painting. It's part of a series of paintings about our local market. 18X24. Acrylic on canvas. SOLD