Sandpiper at Sunset on the Bay of Banderas
Sennelier soft pastels on Colourfix sanded pastel paper 9″x12″ Private Collection

I think this is my best pastel painting since I first picked up a soft pastel stick.  I am trying to overcome a tendency to over work my paintings, part of the age-old issue of knowing when to stop. and I believe I succeeded with this one.  From a photo taken by my husband Robin.

In early October we were very lucky to find a fantastic deal to go to Mexico for the first time, to Nuevo Vallarta, so we grabbed it, and we loved everything about it (“virgin” Canuck tourists at our best).  I can sure see why so many of our countrymen do it every chance they get, especially when the snow starts to fly around here!

Robin is a great photographer – while I lay back enjoying the sunset and the sandpiper (and an appropriately-if-not-accurately-named Tequila Sunrise), and wondered how to take a good photo of it with my iPhone, he got up and took the pictures for me. He has a great “eye” and this composition really appealed to me for a painting.  (I want to get him another camera, as we lost his Nikon while on this trip – our own fault, leaving it in the cab after a morning dash to do some tourist-shopping and then spending the afternoon at the Cheeky Monkey!)