Grand Cayman Rooster

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Grand Cayman Rooster, 5″x 7″, watercolor on watercolor paper, 2023.

This is something I enjoyed painting while in the Caribbean Sea aboard a cruise ship.
When I travel I always take art materials and a camera (of course) with me because subject matter always presents itself. In fact I never have to go out looking for art subject matter, it quite often, literally, walks right up to me… as did this colorful feathered beauty.
When I’m aboard a cruise ship and working on a painting inspired by an experience on board or from one of the ports visited, I enjoy working in public areas. Sure, I could paint in the solitude of my stateroom, but I’d be missing the energy that is virtually everywhere people are gathered or through which they walk. Additionally, when I’m painting in a public space there is an opportunity to interact with the people who come up to see what I’m doing. Those interactions are always pleasant. Maybe it’s because people are on vacation, are relaxed and as such are simply their best social selves… but 100% of the time I’ve painted like this people are incredibly friendly and the interaction with them joyful. And aren’t those times the slices from the pie of life of which we all want more? 🙂

~ John Essex II is a retired art teacher who now lives what he calls the “beatnik artist’s life”. He is a two-time Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellow and an Indy Arts Council (Arts Council of Indianapolis) Creative Renewal Arts Fellow. Essex is also artist/owner of EssexArt ABC, LLC through which he keeps busy creating his own fine art, creates commissioned art, does caricaturing by commission and at special events, conducts private painting parties and is contacted regularly to play the bagpipes (yes… play the bagpipes). Essex also maintains two online print-on-demand stores where patrons can acquire gallery quality prints of his art as well as other products that feature his work. To view what Essex does, and/or to shop his online stores, go to: 
https://society6.com/essexart,
http://bit.ly/TPublic_EssexArt
To keep up with Essex and what he does at EssexArt ABC, LLC, follow him on:
Facebook at, https://www.facebook.com/EssexArt,
Instagram at, https://www.instagram.com/essexart_abc (@EssexArt_ABC)
Essex is also listed in the Arts Council of Indianapolis artist directory at:
http://www.indyartsguide.org/artist/john-essex-ii/

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