“Solola Market, Guatemala” (18×24)

Third World cultures always fascinate me. They seem to exude a vitality that is authentic and satisfying. This small village next to Lake Atitlan offered an opportunity to enjoy the the weekly market with all its color and social interaction. The man walking up the hill is the focus…he is leading you into the painting. You can almost feel his effort through the swinging of his pant leg. Other participants also play a role…the woman drink vendor and dog, the group of men in discussion, women hidden in the shadows and other people going up/down the street. At the top of the hill there is the church and above that…the dynamic sky. Earth tones in the roofs and ground offer a nice contrast to the other vivid colors found in the people’s clothing and the building on the left. What also works is the level of abstraction as you go farther into the image…eventually there are simply colors with borders being vague and indistinct. The eye seems to put it all together in a pleasing manner.