All Posts

(Part 1 of 2) My first stop will be in Oaxaca, Mexico that I visited a week ago. Oaxaca is a wonderful city, with a long and rich history. It is filled with energy, color and arts. And, last but not least, Oaxaca is considered the culinary capital of Mexico. Mexican Honeysuckle While there, I visited several museums including the Museum de las Culturas de Oaxaca, a masterpiece in its own right.  It is housed in the former convent of the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán built

What sets Dolores Porras work apart are the bold colors and unexpected imagery she chose over traditional designs. Plates, bowls, vases, and pots come to life with human faces, fish, cacti, flowers, iguanas, and mermaids—often painted in bas-relief. Dolores Porras transformed everyday utilitarian objects into true artistic chef-d’oeuvres. Her creations have been captivating audiences in Mexico and beyond. Dolores and  her husband Alfredo had a close working relationship. She

The extraordinary journey of Vlaho Bukovac, from his childhood home in Cavtat to Paris Art Salons & Exposition Universelle For years now, during the summertime, I have been returning to Cavtat, a slice of paradise nestled along Croatia’s stunning Adriatic coast. At the time I discovered it, I had no idea that it was the hometown of Vlaho Bukovac, the father of Croatian modern painting. From humble beginnings, Bukovac ended up shaping the art culture of Croatia, the Balkans an

When I visited Adam Fenstera and his wife, artist Mickey Waring, for their annual spring party in  Metuchen, N.J., I was blown away by their art-filled home —but, it was the tiny magnet sculptures on their fridge that stole the show 🐟🧲🎨 I asked Adam all about them. Here is his story! Chimney Sweep How do you call your creations? I call them “Magnetic Personalities”.  They are mini shadow-boxes with magnets on back so they can serve as refrigerator magnets.  As such, these

In most French villages you will find a chateau. This past July, I discovered and explored the castle of Grignan where a renown author wrote exquisetely crafted written letters—many of which I had read. In fact, her collection of letters has a permanent place on my bedside table. Grignan is a village nestled on a sunlit hill in the Drôme Provençale, in southern France. Since 2019, the village has been ranked among Les Plus Beaux Villages de France . One of many reasons to vis

🖌️ Philippe Cognée (born in 1957 near Nantes, France) spent part of his childhood in Benin , before returning to France in 1974 to study art. Labyrinth The artist graduated from the École des Beaux-Arts in Nantes.  Later,he  became a resident at the Villa Medici in Rome in 1990 — a turning point in his career. That’s where he developed his unique, technique: painting with encaustic (pigmented beeswax) and then melting the surface with heat — often using an ordinary iron