“Street Vendor- Sucre, Bolivia” (18×24)

Street markets are very prevalent in Latin America. They are able to give great insights into the local people and their culture. The sights, sounds and smells are unforgettable. What caught my eye in this scene is the almost psychedelic nature of the woman’s shawl (carrying wrap) The vivid patterns immediately catch your eye and makes you aware of the dimensional quality…it is quite full (“shop ’til you drop?”) Culturally on the other side of this woman is a western dressed man in slacks and a sports jacket. Perhaps he is more curious than actually wanting to buy something. The Indian woman sitting in the door, simply watching the world go by, adds to the emotional content of what was occurring What also gives some dynamic quality of the painting is that the street is going slightly up hill. This is a little unsettling when the eye wants to make everything perpendicular. The weathered wooden doors came out nicely as well as the tile roof . Even the cardboard box on top of the corrugated covering tells part of the story.