Megan Delehanty Everest summit photos

Megan Delehanty, happy and wind burned on the summit of Mount Everest, May 23, 2009.

Another member of her team, near the top. By the time Megan reached the summit the clouds and snow had moved in so she had no view.

This looks very scary to me! Megan says it was 5 ladders strong together over a craves that opened up when the ice moved. Going up it was only two ladders, the ice moved, so after she summited this greeted them on the way down.

Megan is my husband's younger sister. She has climbed mountains all over the world but summiting Everest was her ultimate goal. It has been a long haul getting there but she did it! We are so proud of her. Megan is home now, and we saw her slide show of this latest climb last night. Unbelievable! Click on the link Megan Delehanty Mountain Climber in my list of links to read about her adventures and see her fabulous photos. She continues to update her website and her blog with more photos all the time, so check back.

Now is the time

If you are not planning to travel this year, you may not have noticed this; but travel bargains are everywhere. We Americans are staying home this year, so the travel industry is hurting. This is especially true in Europe. My friends in Tuscany and France tell me their towns are eerily quite, the Americans are staying home.

As a result airlines are dropping their ticket prices to the lowest I have seen since I began teaching over seas in 2001. Last year the least expensive round trip ticket I could find to Rome was $1,100. and that was flying out of San Francisco not Sacramento. Now you find round trip tickets to all the big airports in Europe for $700. - $800. right out of Sacramento. Just search on http://www.kayak.com/ and you will find bargains!

Tour companies are offering discounts to fill their trips too. Toscana Americana is offering a $200. discount per person for those who book my Watercolor Workshop in Santorini by June 26, 2009. The dates of the workshop are September 26 - October 3, 2009. My workshops are for small groups and are priced to include everything accept air fare. So, for US $2,549.00 per person double occupancy or US $2,649.00 per person single occupancy if booked by June 26, you could join me in Santorini, Greece (pictured above). Here is the link for all the details www.toscanaamericana.com/delehantysantoriniwater.html.

Some students that have taken my workshops add extra days in Paris, Tuscany or wherever and I have to tell you this is the year to do that too. You will not find the hotels you choose to be full, in fact you can probably negotiate for a lower price than quoted on their websites.

I am not getting any younger, and I love these prices so I am off to Europe to teach, paint and explore for a whole month this fall. Consider joining me now; because when the economy improves and we Americans start traveling again, prices will go right back up again. Now is the time to travel!

One time only Studio Sale this Saturday

"Chianti Autumn" watercolor 28" x 22" was $950. now $475.

"The Conversation" a watercolor 24" x 18" was $850. now $425.

this sale only, watercolors at 50% off

Oil paintings up to 24" x 24" just $100.

One Time Only Studio Sale

this Saturday, June 13
4:00 - 9:00pm

my studio at the back of Elliott Fouts Gallery
4749 J Street, Sacramento

(916) 736-1429

Can't make it?
Go on line now through 9:00pm Saturday, choose a painting and call the gallery for the price.

What is a prolific painter suppose to do when there is a long recession and paintings are piling up? I decided to let all my collectors and friends come get some bargains and make room for all my new work. I won't be doing this again, so as they say "hurry on down!"

Loomis Art Loop Studio Tour

For those of you who are not able to attend the Loomis Art Loop Studio Tour this weekend here are a couple of photos I took this afternoon when Julie and I finished hanging our shows. Julie Hirota is a quilter and textile artist extrodinare, and I am pleased to welcome her to my home. She will be demonstrating some fun things on the sewing machine and I will be demonstrating painting watercolors on Aquabord. We will be open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm tomorrow, Saturday May 9 and Sunday May 10. For a free map and a look at the work of the other artists on this studio tour go to www.loomisartloop.com.

Welcome

New Painting

My latest painting is titled Retro Iris as it has an Art Deco look achieved with gold leaf. I am loving the luminosity that my watercolors create when painted on Aquabord. This is a 12" x 12" mixed media (watercolors, gold leaf, and acrylic edges) on Aquabord with two inch edges. It is for sale this weekend during the Loomis Art Loop here at my home studio. $400. and yes I take Mastercharge and Visa. Just call 916-652-4624 or 916-214-4624 or come by the studio at 8041 Boulder Creek Road, Penryn. For a free map to all the studios on the Loomis Art Loop including mine, click here, www.loomisartloop.com.

Rooster by Homer Rail on Aquabord

"Rooster" by Homer Rail of Placerville California

I recently taught 3 Aquabord Classes where students learned techniques for painting watercolors on Aquabord. Aquabord is a clay surface on hardboard created for water media. Once it is painted you spray it with Acrylic Gloss Varnish (I us Golden) and the painting does not need to be framed under glass.

The students chose their subjects, and designed their compositions so the variety of paintings was great fun for me to see. The class was only 4 hours, enough to get everyone going on the Aquabord, but only a couple of students actually finished their paintings. I asked them all to email a photo of their completed paintings so I could see them when they were done. This is the first photo I have received.


Homer's subject was perfect for Aquabord which has a tendency toward vibrant bold colors. This rooster is really strutting his stuff and Homer did a terrific job of using the clay surface to create the bright feathers, he put the color down boldly and lifted where needed to model the feathers and shape the rooster. I like the subtle shadow and grass too. Great job Homer!

OK, now where are the photos from the rest of you???????

Seven people have requested that I teach another of these Aquabord afternoon classes this summer, so I have scheduled one for Saturday July 18 at University Art Center in Sacramento from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Please contact me (not University Art Center) if you wish to enroll in that class.

Spring has Sprung in the Loomis Basin

Spring has sprung in the Loomis Basin and it is beautiful! The late spring rains brought forth a bounty of flowers as you can see in this photo. (Our home is almost hidden by the spring growth!)

"April showers bring May flowers," and the perfect time for the artists of the Loomis Basin to open their studios and show the public what we have been creating all winter.

The sixth annual Loomis Art Loop Studio Tour will take place on Saturday May 9 and Sunday May 10, 2009, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm both days. Sunday is Mother's Day, so treat Mom, (or ask your kids to treat you!) to this wonderful art studio tour.

New at my studio this year: One stop, Two Artists! Julie Hirota will be joining me here at my home studio showing her contemporary textile murals and demonstrating her techniques. I will be showing my newest work, and have some older pieces sale priced. My demonstration this year will be watercolor painting on Aquabord, a clay coated hardboard that does not need to be framed under glass.

Here's a sneak peek




"Bali High"
watercolor on Aquabord

Sandy Delehanty

I will be demonstrating my techniques for painting watercolor on Aquabord.

"Reflections"

by Julie Hirota

Textile Mural


Julie will be demonstrating her textile techniques for our visitors.


To download your free Studio Tour Map and view photos and biographies of all 12 artists on the studio tour visit this website ttp://www.loomisartlooop.com. Hope to see you Saturday May 9 or Mother's Day May 10.

Sandy and Julie