9/8 San Catarina Lachatao, Oaxaca, Mexico

For amusement value, technically, *this* is my last plein-aire painting from Lachatao. At an altitude of 6800 feet, some days you are in the clouds (literally). As it turns out, clouds carry moisture! This can be problematic for watercolor paper and paint. But I gave it the old college try...for about 5 minutes.

12 x 9 in (30 x 23 cm)

#watercolor #watercolour #aquarelle #PleinAire #oaxaca #landscape #abstract

8/8 San Catarina Lachatao, Oaxaca, Mexico

My last plein-aire painting from Lachatao. Again, in retrospect, I would have done my tonal values differently, but this is why we do these projects ay? To learn, get experience, all that...

Also, I'm doing that "social media thing" where you hold your painting up against the real background. Don't get used to that :).

12 x 9 in (30 x 23 cm)

#watercolor #watercolour #aquarelle #PleinAire #oaxaca #landscape

7/8 San Catarina Lachatao, Oaxaca, Mexico

My seventh plein-aire painting from Lachatao. Bright morning sun lit up the streets. In retrospect, I would have liked more contrast. Achieving strong tonal values in watercolor is arguably the most important (and most challenging) aspect of the medium, especially in plein air painting, where light and shadow are constantly changing in real time. It's hard!

12 x 9 in (30 x 23 cm)

#watercolor #watercolour #aquarelle #PleinAire #oaxaca

6/8 San Catarina Lachatao, Oaxaca, Mexico

My sixth plein-aire painting from Lachatao. The looseness of this one reflects my energy level just a tiny bit. I was committed to 2 paintings a day and on this afternoon of the third day I was gassed and *really* wanted to skip this session. But f you fatigue, I painted anyway!

12 x 9 in (30 x 23 cm)

#watercolor #watercolour #aquarelle #PleinAire #landscape #oaxaca

5/8 San Catarina Lachatao, Oaxaca, Mexico

My fifth plein-aire painting from Lachatao. A 45 min hike from the town center brings you to the top of Cerro del Jaguar ("Jaguar Hill). This location was believed to be the site of a religious temple and observatory for the Zapotec people at some point between 1200-1500 AD.

9 x 12 in (30 x 23 cm)

#watercolor #watercolour #aquarelle #PleinAire #landscape #oaxaca

4/8 San Catarina Lachatao, Oaxaca, Mexico

My fourth plein-aire painting from Lachatao. No paintings from the series were touched up after the fact, not because I have any strict philosophy on this. (Although I know some plein aire painters do!)

But this trip was designed as a learning experience, and by keeping the paintings "as is" I have a good record of what I need to work on in the future.

12 x 9 in (30 x 23 cm)

#watercolor #watercolour #aquarelle #PleinAire #landscape #oaxaca

3/8 San Catarina Lachatao, Oaxaca, Mexico

The third plein-aire painting from my visit to Lachatao. This depicts the central feature of the town: San Caterina Lachatao church, a beautiful colonial style building with beautiful mosaics of cut stone on the facade and these impressive red-orange domes on top.

12 x 9 in (30 x 23 cm)

#watercolor #watercolour #aquarelle #PleinAire #landscape #oaxaca

2/8 San Catarina Lachatao, Oaxaca, Mexico

The second plein-aire painting from my visit to Lachatao. A former gold and silver mining town founded in the 17th century, there are a fair number of collapsed, abandoned buildings in the village.

This location had pomegranate and grapefruit trees still producing fruit, the juxtaposition of dead and alive was surreal.

#watercolor #watercolour #aquarelle #PleinAire #landscape #oaxaca

1/8 San Catarina Lachatao, Oaxaca, Mexico

On a recent trip to Oaxaca, I stayed for 4 days in Lachatao, population 250, altitude 6500 ft. My goal: paint two plein-aire watercolor paintings a day. It was challenging, but I did it. Here are those paintings.

#1 of 8 is looking north over a valley to the pueblo of San Miguel Amátlan on an overcast morning.

12 x 9 in (30 x 23 cm)

#watercolor #watercolour #aquarelle #PleinAire #landscape #oaxaca