Art

Ballerina: Vencerem (We shall overcome)

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Ballerina: Vencerem (We shall overcome) was produced for the 13th annual Art al Career (Street Art) fair in Picanya, Spain. It is organized by the Dones de Picanya (Women of Picanya in Valencian) . Picanya suffered significant losses in the floods in October 2025. There is still much work needed there: houses, bridges, businesses and much more. The metro is still not working.

This painting is about the overcoming the obstacles on the path to recovery, symbolized by her dancing on the fender of a wrecked car. The lettering in the painting is actually straight. Getting a perfect photo was not possible in my studio.

Ballerina dones de picanya final
Ballerina: Vencerem (We Shall Overcome) 1.8 x 1.4 meters, property of Dones de Picanya (lettering camera distorted)
Balleriana dones de picanya final with me

Futbol (soccer) players in ink, male figure drawing and portrait

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Futbol players, pen drawing
Futbol players in ink, 21 x 30 cm, 8.3 x 11.7″

I saw this image in a Spanish newspaper and took a photo. I used a permanent marker

Figure drawings and portrait in ink
Each drawing 21 x 30 cm, 8.3 x 11.7″

These are done with a non-permanent pilot V Ball pen and a brush with an integrated water reservoir. Pen in right hand and brush in left so I do not switch hands. I may have then used Tinta China (Chinese ink) to enhance the dark areas.

Castle at Vic sur Aisne, pen and ink drawing

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Vic sur Aisne
Castle at Vic sur Aisne, pen and ink, 21 x 30 cm/8.3 x 11.7

We came here on our boat last summer. The locals refer to it as Donjon de Vic-sur-Aisne. The first castle was built in the 8th century. It was part of the defense that stopped the Normans in the 9th century. The keep was built in stone in the 12th century to a height of 25 meters with walls two meters thick. The castle was badly damaged, the battlements and parapets dismantled and the towers destroyed. An abbot rebuilt in the 17th century, adding a chateau with a mansard roof adjacent. The castle was French headquarters in WWI. The front was just a few kilometers.

Here is my post from our visit https://garyjkirkpatrick.com/lots-of-locks-but-no-bagels/

Ballerinas, three watercolor paintings (version 2)

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Studies for a larger painting. Images updated. Abstract

ballerina in abstract background 1
Ballerina in Abstract Background 1, 21 x 30/8.3 x 11.7″ watercolor
ballerina in abstract background 2
Ballerina in Abstract Background 2, 21 x 30/8.3 x 11.7″ watercolor
ballerina in abstract background 3
Ballerina in Abstract Background 3, 21 x 30/8.3 x 11.7″ watercolor

Music video: Paintings, watercolors and figure drawings, 2024

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Some of the art I produced this past year. Most of the watercolors were done aboard Viking. There is limited space and I have to put everything away each time so larger paintings are difficult to mange. It’s perfect for watercolors though!

It was a wonderful year for cruising once the rains let up around June 1. Before that it was rather dreary and the Maas (Meuse in French) was running quite fast as we headed against the current on our way south.

If you have not seen our video about the cruise from Haarlem, near Amsterdam, to the French border, go to https://garyjkirkpatrick.com/at-last-our-narrated-video-from-amsterdam-to-the-france-2024/