Blogging twice in two days!! I think I'm finally getting the idea! The other thing is that my technology has finally settled down to work reliably, and everything is all in one place. The photos I am posting today are from trips that we took a few weeks ago, during the dark times when my laptop was misbehaving (and I thought I had lost some of these)

We have visited the little town of Panchimalco twice. The first was on he occasion of the opening of an art center founded by Miguel Angel Ramirez, and we went with Ken & Diane Templeton (and Emperatriz, of course!) Miguel Angel has developed a program of art education for the children and young people of the village, and on Saturday mornings or vacations, it is not unusual to see groups of kids with sketchpads exploring the scenic environment that he has created around his studio. This day was for speeches not sketches, though.

The second visit was with Diane, who was hoping to commission a special portrait of her (soon to be) granddaughter, Emperatriz (Em for short)(I like that!). So here was more time and open space to roam the studio area and the town. Of course there were colorful doors and windows, and a few people too!

Work in progress

Finished

Shrine to Msgr Oscar Romero, a martyr of the revolution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93scar_Romero 

This painting, by one of the young artists' atelier, is about 8 feet high and at least 15 feet wide

The church in Panchimalco

This tree was probably here before the village

The Guys Under the Tree

A Nahuatl cultural historian

and bird caller

And happy salesman!

The Tree

an artist

Carol and artist (his work is in the background)

an artist

Street scene (well, I had to take this!)

Miguel Angel Ramirez

From under The Tree. It was quite a day!