2240 West Alameda #7 / Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 / 505.982.4561 / info@johnfarnsworth.com
Watercolor
9" x 6"
NFS
Watercolor
9" x 6"
NFS
Watercolor
9" x 12"
NFS
Watercolor / 16" X 20"
(Guanajuato, Gto, Mexico)
6" x 9"
USD $150
Watercolor
12" x 9"
Congratulations: Eric Weber and Jay Olson
Watercolor
12" x 9"
USD $550
Some twenty years later, I went back there, and, to my delight, found it virtually unchanged. Although a much larger city had grown up around the outskirts of my old friend, the original parts of this 17th century Colonial Gem had been preserved. The only real change was more people on the sidewalks. The traffic problems can't increase, because the streets are so narrow, and many run through stone-
On my first morning there, I was so excited to be back in Guanajuato that I jumped out of bed before daylight, hurried across the cobbled street in front of my hotel, the San Diego, next to the Cathedral, and into the small park, el Jardín de la Unión. While waiting for the sun to come up and dispel the mountain morning chill, and for the sidewalk cafes to open and begin serving their delicious breakfasts (while street vendors stroll by selling fresh gardenias; and musicians, down from the hills, strum their guitars and sing plaintive Mexican love songs and ballads that bring a tear to my eye and coins to my hand), I climbed into the ornate wrought iron gazebo or bandstand and painted the church. Just as I was blocking in the background hill and statue, the morning sun came and gilded them. When the painting was finished, I glanced at my watch. It was 8:30 in the morning. At home, I usually work late into the night and sleep until 10:00 or even 11:00 in the morning..
Guanajuato, the birthplace of Diego Rivera, is an ideal place for walking and painting or photographing. Just about an hour from San Miguel de Allende, it's better known neighbor, Guanajuato offers a great deal to the traveler who wants to get just a bit off the beaten path.
On February 10th, 2001, I traveled, by bus, from El Paso, Texas, to Cuernavaca, Mexico. On the way, I visited Chihuahua, San Miguel de Allende, Queretaro, Mexico City, Morelia, and Patzcuaro.
I arrived in Cuernavaca on the 24th, and on the 25th, took possession of "Manitoba 48", a lovely rental home which we shared for a month with our friends, Ann and Del Gibson, Gari Smith and Kayce Verde, and my sister, Colleen Farnsworth.
On February 28, I was joined by my wife, Thea, and Colleen, who had flown into Mexico City and taken the bus south over the mountains to Cuernavaca.
On March 4th, the Brady House Museum and Cultural Center in Cuernavaca was the entrancing backdrop for a gathering of thirty of our best friends to celebrate my 60th birthday. After cocktails in the garden, we were treated to a personal tour of the home and collection, then we walked four blocks to the Restaurant Casa Hidalgo for a fabulous dinner at two long tables set up on the patio, overlooking Cortez's Summer Palace.
Several days before and after the party were spent visiting with our many friends who had flown down; and shopping, visiting Mexico City, and neighboring towns and villages, hanging out at Manitoba 48, and exploring Cuernavaca. Especially its restaurants. At one point, a group of us rented a van and driver and spent a day exploring (and getting lost in) Mexico City, where we visited the studios of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo and topped off the day the fabulous food and fantastic margaritas of La Fonda el Refugio Restaurant.
Thea and I traveled by bus to San Miguel de Allende for a couple of days, after all our friends had departed, except for Gari and Kayce, who were staying on to the end of the month. There, we visited with our friends, Charles and Kay Giddens, who had recently sold their Little Tree Bed and Breakfast in Taos, and moved to San Miguel de Allende, and Ann Cole, who had traded her house in Taos for a house in San Miguel de Allende for a month. On the 15th, Thea flew back to Taos, and I got down to some serious painting and photographing. On the 27th, I returned to Mexico City for a couple of days, then on to Zacatecas by bus.
This was my first visit to Zacatecas, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It's a small colonial city filled with beautiful architecture, interesting museums, and an obvious northern influence. The Rafael Coronel museum has the largest and best mask collection I've ever seen. And it is housed in a breathtaking old ruined monastery.
From Zacatecas, I took the bus directly to Ciudad Juarez, and on to El Paso, in time to arrive back in Taos for the Taos Talking Pictures Film Festival.
These are the watercolors painted during my trip, and they are sure to be followed soon by many more, so come back soon and often.
Yours, John Farnsworth
GUANAJUATO CLOUD STUDY #1
Oil on panel
10" x 14"
NFS
GUANAJUATO CLOUD STUDY #2
Oil on panel
10" x 14"
NFS
Available as a Giclée Fine Art Print
GUANAJUATO CLOUD STUDY #4
Oil on panel
10" x 14"
NFS
GUANAJUATO CLOUD STUDY #3
Oil on panel
10" x 14"
NFS
Available as a Giclée Fine Art Print
These oil on panel cloud studies were painted en plein-
Watercolor
9” x 12”
USD $550
Cuernavaca, Mexico 2001
Watercolor
12” x 16”
NFS
Watercolor
12" x 9"
Sold
Watercolor
12" x 9"
Sold
GUANAJUATO MARKET
Oil on panel
16" x 20"
NFS
Available as a Giclée Fine Art Print
Watercolor
12” x 9”
Sold
Watercolor
9" x 12"
USD $550
Watercolor
9” x 12”
USD $550
Cuernavaca, Mexico 2001
Watercolor
9” x 12”
USD $550
Cuernavaca, Mexico 2001
FLOWERS IN A TALL VASE
Watercolor
12" x 9"
Sold
FAMILIA
Pastel / 32" x 40"
USD $6500
Framed
FAMILIA
was named winner of the BEST REPRESENTATIONAL AWARD
at the 27th Annual Taos Arts Festival Taos Invites Taos exhibition
Judges:
James Moore, director of the Albuquerque Museum
Aline Brandauer, curator of contemporary art at the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe
Dorothy Peterson, art connoisseur from Roswell, New Mexico
Taos Invites Taos is an invitational exhibition, featuring 165 best-
PADRE, HIJO, HIJO
(Father, Son, Son)
Oil on Canvas
50" x 40"
Sold
The family tradition is still strong in Mexico, especially among the Charros. As with horse people everywhere, young and old alike participate.
This group represents a Grandfather, his Son, and his Son, in turn.
CHARRO CON CABALLO
Oil on Panel
8 x 10 Inches
Sold
RANCHERA
Pastel on Sanded Paper
11½ x 15 Inches
$2100 Framed
Tired, but strong, this beautiful Mexican Ranch wife has traveled to Ciudad Juarez to attend the National Championships of Charreada.
Here's a detail of the painting at about actual size.
CHARRO
Oil on Panel
12" x 9"
Sold
VENTANA
Pastel on Sanded Paper
11½ x 15 Inches
Congratulations Betteanne Rutten
VIEJO
Ink and watercolor
6 x 9 inches
Sold
ART YOU CAN LIVE WITH