Category Archives: Clouds

Week Two Of The February 2026 Creative Gathering

I’ve had a hard time keeping up this week. Whoosh! That’s the sound of the days flying by. I’m in a stellar group who are also posting late at night.

From the bottom: Day six was the WIP for day 7, the yellow Palo Verde tree. That is an 8 x 8 inches. Day 8. Saguaro in the sun, 8 x 8. I had fun with this one.

Day 9. Thumb Butte. Gouache on Meeden pure cotton Watercolor Paper 140 lb. 5 x 7 in.

Day 10, 5 x 7 in. Succulent Garden. Prickly Pear, Cholla (forks), Ric Rac, Agave. Gouache & mixed media. I created the spines digitally. The spines on the Cholla are actually small stars. The agave was made digitally and the sun is something I have used before. Here I added some smudging to soften the details.

Day 11. Mingus Mountain. Gouache, 5 x 7 in. It was a cloudy gray day. I added a little color. A gouache fact. Light colors dry darker, darks dry lighter. It will take time and practice to know better what the results will be. For example, the front range here is much darker than I intended.

Day 12. Pine Trees. Gouache, mixed media 5 x 7 in. I had limited time, but I managed to get this out earlier in the day. (Not at Midnight. LOL) 😂 I painted the blended background on the Meeden block. I then painted ten practice trees. They were all horrible. In the tutorial I watched, she used a filbert brush. I only have two really old, small filberts. My tree looks nothing like her perfect sample. I am surprised and pleased with how mine turned out. The slightly separating brush, gave me tiny details that mimic pine needles. Fun! (Visit my Instagram profile to see better.)

I painted one tree, on a blank paper. I didn’t want to ruin the background. And I was trying to save time. In Photoshop I duplicated the tree, and flipped it horizontally. I then erased select areas to create a different silhouette.

I ordered a new palette. The long one. It fits my space perfectly. I thought I wouldn’t need the others as much. But I use them all. 😆 I continue to be amazed at how far the paint goes. If there is a unified look to the pieces, it is from using the leftovers.

Thanks so much for clicking, reading and viewing my gouache practice!
So nice to have your company!
Happy, awesome weekend to you!

Days 1 – 5 of The Creative Gathering, February 2026

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My 30 day gouache adventure is underway!

Shown in reverse order.
Day 1, Ball Cactus.
Gouache on Arches paper. 4 x 4 in. S.M. Delgado.

There is no doubt this is going to be a month of learning for me. Gouache can be used like watercolor, but it is very different. It is opaque. You can layer light over dark. You can blend. And if you goof, you can paint over it. I apologize for the blur.

Day 2, Prickly Pear Cactus.
Gouache on Meeden 140 Lb. hot press paper. 5 x 7 in. S.M. Delgado.

The reference photo showed the tuna’s as very pale pink. I didn’t quite capture the light in them. And my blending there is very uneven. I’m trying to convince myself it gives them a rough & rustic look. 😄 The spines were very few and mostly around the edges. I can see why this medium is favored for illustration work. I added the outlining and the spines digitally.

Day 3, Saguaro Cactus. Gouache on Meeden 140 Lb. hot press paper.
3.5 x 5 in. S.M. Delgado
I had several busy days in a row, so I went small and simple.

Day 4, Cloud. Gouache on Meeden 140 Lb. hot press paper.
3.5 x 5 in. S.M.Delgado.

I had a bottom layer of “light” in the foreground. And I added texture as well. But it didn’t work, and as I tried to rework it, I lost most of that. I really was focused on the cloud process. I kept working that to blend and soften. I’m not sure it is effective. To me it looks hard instead of soft. But the learning counts.

Day 5, Same Cloud. Gouache on Meeden 140 Lb. hot press paper.
3.5 x 5 in. S.M.Delgado.

You’re right. You are seeing double. LOL. I added a tree line, and some light on the mountains. It was a long day, that’s about all I had time for. I did get some ideas for my next piece. I’m looking ahead to tomorrow. After a long winter’s nap.

Thanks so much for taking the time to look at the first five days!

Happy Weekend to you!

Exploring the Phoenix Art Museum: A Day of Art, Friendship and Adventure

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Last week I spent an awesome day in Phoenix with an old friend from California. We had it planned for a couple of weeks, and I was really excited to spend time with Natasha Papousek. Getting there was an adventure in itself.

I drove through mist, light rain, blinding rain that slowed traffic to a crawl, and big fat rain with sunny skies above. Lucky for us, the rain in Phoenix was light while we traveled through town.

We went to the Phoenix Art Museum, and I am already looking forward to another visit. We saw Yayoi Kusama’s Fireflies Infinity Mirror Room. That was very cool, but intense. We only took a few steps in before returning to the calm light of day. Whew!

Moving on, we found Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan. The sculptures were bold and mesmerizing. Some were impossibly delicate and refined.

The Flowers of the Punjab textile exhibit captivated me with its intriguing and opulent patterns. Silk floss and cotton thread in floral motifs with geometrical borders and textures. All in rich golds, wines, and pops of vivid neon hues.

We sat for a bit, watched passersby, and talked about our plans for the year and other art business. Over the holidays, I spent some time organizing my art and photos of Mingus. I put together a small collection for Natasha. She treated me to some of her newer postcards. How awesome! We have been exchanging art postcards since at least 2016. (According to my blog posts.)

A cruise around the museum store was a must. We had a blast flipping through the exhibit books. Their call was loud and clear: take me home. We each snagged delightful loot, including gorgeous postcards and some artsy doodads—because really, who doesn’t need a desert-inspired eraser or a set of teeny colored pencils fit for a Lilliputian?

We hadn’t picked a lunch spot, but the aroma from the museum’s Alden restaurant was too savory to resist. Delightfully delicious!

On our way out, we spent more time with the Carlos Amorales: Black Cloud exhibit. We spoke with a guide and he was very excited to talk about the display. He told us it is a traveling show. And that everyone on staff volunteers to help install the butterflies. I hope you will follow the link, it is a very sweet story, the inspiration.

Views From Carlos Amorales: Black Cloud, Phoenix Art Museum

The drive home was thankfully, uneventful. I made a quick stop north of the city, and found out, I had missed a quick blizzard at home. I was able to catch some snow falling. And I made it home in time to catch the final moments of the sunset.

There were still thick clouds over Mingus, but there was no sign of snow to be found. The next morning, was bright and clear, and Mingus was lightly powdered.

Passing Snow & A Stormy Sunset. © 2025 Sheila Delgado.

This weekend my folks and I drove to Prescott the see the courthouse decked out in blue. The 90+ Courthouse Plaza trees that are decorated with lights for the holidays were switched to blue for three nights in honor of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. The tree tops were lit with white lights that mimicked snow fall or rain. The sidewalks and cafes were bustling with activity. But somehow, I managed to get photos that made the plaza look like a ghost town.

Prescott Courthouse Plaza in Blue. © 2025 Sheila Delgado.

The February Creative Gathering

The gathering is just over two weeks away. I have decided I am going to explore and try to learn gouache. I have wanted to learn for years, but I guess I’ve just been chicken. I am hoping I will find time to play before February first. Fingers crossed. I am curious, and hopeful, and slightly afraid. Cue the Jaws theme music.

This will be our 1st event of 2026, our 8th year, and our 14th gathering. We officially surpassed Leslie Saeta’s 30 in 30! She hosted for 5 or 6 years. I am so surprised; I thought it ran much longer. High five to the Creative Gatherers!

The countdown begins soon!
Let me know if you plan on participating, and what you think you will work on.
I hope to see you there!