Portuguese Grapepicker, 16x20 Oil Painting, Terceira, Azores

NFS

I painted this before I knew what I was doing. I had not taken classes or workshops, but I read a lot about painting. Imagine, children, it was the 70s and there was no Google or YouTube to consult. We lived in the Azores Islands and I really wish I had known more about painting and had preserved on canvas the scenes I saw there every day. I'd like to go back and do better next time.

Carmen

Beautiful Azores, 12x12 Oil on Canvas, Landscape of Terceira Island, Azores

Purchase

My family lived for many years in the Azores, Portugal and it was a lovely place to be, with beautiful scenery and warm, friendly people. They are nine volcanic islands about 850 miles west of Portugal, and we lived on Terceira. Street bullfights were an exciting event, with men holding one end of a long rope and the bull on the other end, charging at people in the street. I learned that bulls can easily run up steps or jump over walls. They also have bullfights in a ring, but never kill the bull.

I think I need to go back for a visit, especially after reading Diana Marcum's book, The Tenth Island, about the Azores. That is what inspired me to paint this.

Carmen

Azores Hydrangeas, 10x8 Original OIl Landscape

$125, Click to Buy

I lived on Terceira Island in the Azores for a few years, and I loved all the flowers there. Best of all were the blue hydrangeas growing on the sides of the road. Things grew so well there that there was a house that had a tree growing on the clay tile roof. It rained all winter and the climate was mild, so gardens were quite lush.

I saved some aster seeds one year (or so I thought) and the yardman planted them all around the house for me. Turned out they were lettuce seeds, so I had a nice edible border around the house and the yardman never stopped laughing about it. 

Carmen