Venus

Venus – acrylic painting by Heni Sandoval

Venus is a new painting in my planet series. I’ve learned quite a bit about the mythology of Venus from the research I did for a couple of other abstracts last year. The abstract which I named Ishtar, of a eight pointed star symbolized the planet Venus’s star pattern as she travels through space around the sun from our view on earth. Ishtar is an ancient Mesopotamian  goddess very similar to Venus, the goddess of love and beauty in Greek mythology. The earlier abstract I painted, Golden Mean Spiral, was based on the spiral pattern found throughout nature. Venus as she continually moves through space in a golden mean spiral forms a beautiful rose pattern. It’s interesting to me that the ancients knew about this.

I started this painting planning to get the star formed around the planet but then I thought I’d already done the star; so, I then decided to paint Venus as she appears in space. Venus is the second planet out revolving around the sun and as seen from earth is always close to the Sun, sometimes she’s the morning star and sometimes becomes the evening star. Those transitions are when the star points are formed in the pattern. Venus is a white planet brighter than the moon and has pink clouds. Here on earth, she appears as a bright white star.

I began to imagine Venus as almost like a pearl from the seashell within the sea from which she was formed in the Greek myth so famously portrayed in Botticelli’s Birth of Venus painting. I put in the sun on one side and used pastel colors, on the other side of Venus, I imagined it as the sea with its mysterious depths. It was fun to play with and I’m pleased with the painting. Spring is here in Atlanta, a great time to see the gold mean pattern and appreciate all the beauty in nature.

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Sunflower Still Life with Black Cat

Sunflower Still Life with Black Cat – acrylic painting by Heni Sandoval

Sunflower Still Life with Black Cat is a painting that I’ve just completed.  I felt like doing a new still life and wanted to use the fish pitcher that my twin sister gave me on our birthday last year. It’s one of her many unique thrift store finds,  she’s got a great eye and is always coming home with fun items.  She thoughtfully passed it on to me as I like to paint both pitchers and fish. The pitcher usually stays out in the screened in back porch; I brought it in and filled with sunflowers to paint.

I decided to add a black cat to the painting to continue the still lifes with cats series.  It’s the fourth one in the series and with the two other cat paintings I now have cat note card six pack for marketing purposes.  I’m pleased with the cat, he’s standing for a change which I think works in this painting and it’s also bit humorous that he’s right next to the fish.   I had been wanted to paint sunflowers for a while now, as they radiate warmth and happiness.  The sunflower papier mache bowls I used to make were always quite popular.

It took a while to balance all the elements but I’m happy with the result. Our daughter is coming home for spring break next week, we’re looking forward to her visit.  It’s gotten chilly again today, hopefully it will warm up by next week during her break.

Mirror Fish

Mirror Fish – acrylic painting by Heni Sandoval

Mirror Fish is my most recent painting.   Two fish  are swimming together like the Pisces symbol of  two fish swimming in opposite directions.  My twin sister and I are Pisces; our birthday is coming up later this month.  Maybe that’s why I felt like creating a new painting of the two fish to add to the other double fish paintings I’ve done through the years.  In this painting I’ve tried to loosen up some and play with lots of vibrant color.

My sister and I are in good places at the moment.  We are happy with our lives,  our families are doing well and we’re enjoying the empty nest phase.  We are identical mirror twins, which means the egg divided after 7 days and so we are mirror images of each other. She is right-handed while I am left-handed.

My sister was visiting last weekend and when we stopped by to pick up coffee at the local Dunkin Donuts, we got attention for looking alike. These days we find getting attention fun.   Growing up we never felt comfortable with all the extra attention we received.   Both my sister and I always smile to strangers and over the years I’ve realized that we do that because people were always staring at us.

We are still very close and talk to each other 2 or 3 times a week but like the fish above with the different colors and along with every identical twin, we each have a unique personality.

A Murder of Crows

A Murder of Crows – acrylic painting by Heni Sandoval

A few months ago I learned that a flock of crows is called a murder.  That captured my attention and I decided that at some point I would paint a murder of crows.  I love crows and have painted many through the years.   Whenever I’m out and about and spot a crow I get the feeling that they have spotted me also and are closely watching. Maybe for that reason they seem intelligent, social, and somewhat mysterious to me.    After last week’s tighter still life painting I felt like doing something looser, a perfect time for this painting.

In A Murder of Crows I wanted to show a lot of movement and layers of colors through the sky and tree branches as if the crows were flying in in out of different dimensions.   I tend to wonder if they can see colors and dimensions that we are not aware of yet.  Scientist say dragonflies and cats can perceive more than humans and they are now learning that trees communicate to each other through their roots.  It’s all very intriguing to think about the miracle and wonder of our natural world.

Crow in the Moonlight

Crow in the Moonlight -acrylic painting by Heni Sandoval

Crow in the Moonlight is my new painting which I began early in the week and finished up on Friday.    I had felt like doing a moodier dark painting after the recent light and airy sunlit mermaids I’d done.  The last few days have been very sad and disturbing here in the States and I’ve been glad to have the distraction of painting.  It seems to me that the powers that be like to keep us divided.  We’re on in this together, my heart goes out to all who are  suffering.

I’ve  painted many a crow and thought it would be fun to do a moonlit scene to add to my collection.  I enjoyed every moment of painting this, it’s great to be back painting again.

Running Gazelle

Gazelle Running

Running Gazelle is a new painting in the African animal series for my Heni’s Happy Paintings Etsy Shop.

Images of gazelles have been showing up in my life lately.  I looked up the symbolic meaning of gazelles, they symbolize graceful feminine energy.   That made sense to me, they are such beautiful graceful creatures running with ease in groups.  I also love their dark curved antlers which are  so striking.  I wanted the painting to have the bright sun with lots of color to enhance the joyful feeling of running.

It’s a busy season, our daughter gets home next week for her winter break; we so looking forward to seeing her.  My wish is for all to have a joyous holiday season!

Purchase print here: Running Gazelle

 

 

Crow Visits a Girl in the Garden

Crow Visits a Girl in the Garden – acrylic painting by Heni Sandoval

Crow Visits a Girl in the Garden is my most recent painting.  After painting the Girl and Wolf, where the girl’s face was so small, I  felt the urge to paint a larger portrait. The crows are back in our neck of the woods so they’ve been on my mind.  I thought it would be interesting to place a crow with the girl in a garden scene.  I’m fairly pleased, it was a fun challenge.

It is quite chilly this morning and the leaves are just starting to turn, feels like fall now.  The sky is bright and it will be warming up shortly,  It’s great to have such a beautiful weekend after the past few dreary, rainy ones.  I plan to go visit a local art festival this afternoon.   Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

Purchase print here:  Crow Visits a Girl in the Garden

Mom and Baby Elephant

Mom and Baby Elephant – acrylic painting by Heni Sandoval

Mom and Baby Elephant is a recent painting for my Heni’s Happy Painting’s Etsy shop.  Several people have asked for an elephant print.  I love elephants myself and so I decided to paint one.  I’ve chosen an African savannah scene with a mom and baby which will go nicely with the lion paintings.

I have been thinking of Africa lately as my sister and brother in law were in Nairobi for a few weeks earlier this summer, she sent back photos and wrote about her amazing experiences there. One day I hope to travel to Africa also.  I chose to paint a mom and baby for a couple of reasons.  My other mom and baby painting of dolphins is the best seller of my shops. Moms love it for young children’s rooms and so hopefully this one will be popular also.

I’ve been thinking about motherhood lately as my daughter recently graduated from high school and will be off to college soon.  It’s been such a privilege for me to be her mom as she has grown from a baby to child to young adult.  I’m excited for her next phase in life.  My husband and I will be empty nesters, a big change for us too.  This painting will serve as a memory for me of this time.

Purchase print here: Mom and Baby Elephant

Happy New Year!

Mexican Jumping Pears – acrylic painting by Heni Sandoval

Mexican Jumping Pears is one of my early pear paintings.  I chose the name because the colors and the bowl reminded me of Mexico. The pears look like they are celebrating, almost jumping out of their bowl with the colorful movement all around them.

Today I feel like celebrating, yesterday my girl completed her college applications.  She has already gotten accepted to UGA which is no small feat and has now applied to two private Northeastern colleges.   She worked diligently to get them done.  The teens these days work so hard with their demanding school work and their extra activities. I’m glad that she can now can relax and see what happens.  My husband and I are happy and very proud of her, wherever she ends up.

I’m looking forward to getting back to my painting routine and hope that everyone is off to a happy start to 2015!

Caribbean Dreaming

Ever since I was lucky enough to spend two weeks on a fishing boat in the Caribbean and learned to snorkel, tropical fish have amazed me.  It was  magical to witness these vivid colored and various shaped fish gliding along as if choreographed in a backdrop of coral in light dappled aqua water.

I painted Caribbean Dreaming a couple of winters ago during a cold spell to lift my spirits.  I find it freeing to paint fish  because pretty much any thing goes, you can play by layering colors as the fish starts to appear and the background can also be just as colorful and layered.

This year January has been unseasonably warm but cold weather is sure to come for a bit and I will definitely  take time to paint a new fish.

Available here.