6th WORLDWIDE PAINT OUT - Rio de Janeiro 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
6th Wordwide Paint Out - Rio de Janeiro 2008
The event this year in Brazil was different from the past ones. This time I´ve decided to invite all plein air painters groups and individual artists from Rio de Janeiro and neighbor cities for the 6th Worldwide Paint Out broadcasting in a web art community and the response was great. I was surprised by the level of engagement of all involved. Not only nearby cities but other states decided to register with IPAP(International Plein Air Painters), like São Paulo with three groups. We had even artists on their own from North and Northeast of Brazil, painting these days and sending us the photos and reporting their experience.
A According to the weather forecast there was 80 % possibility of raining. The place we had chosen was Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, a beautiful spot to paint plein air, but no shelter available in case of an incoming shower. Rodrigo de Freitas , one of the most beautiful sceneries in the city is preserved by National Patrimony and it portrays a rich ecosystem; it is known as the heart of Rio de Janeiro- for it is heart shaped- , embraced by Corcovado and Christ the redeemer (elected one of the seven modern wonders of the world).
It is surrounded by parks, roller skating ring, a heliport, and jogging /bicycle paths, besides several multi sport courts. On Sundays and holidays, paddleboats offer visitors a unique view of the forest covered mountains framing the loveliest lake in Rio.
Fortunately it was a sunny just a bit hazy morning and the forecast didn´t prove right. Artists started to come at 8.00am some in small groups, with their easels and canvas willing to find a good spot to compose their paintings.






What a pleinair painter can´t do for a good composition?
Few inches backwards and we would have to rescue a painter from the lake...

Others found a nice spot under a tree...



The interaction with the public:
Observe the perfect handling of the brush:


Plein air Painters new generation coming...

Canvas and eseals: Perfect integration with the scene...





The Brazilian Contemporary Master Lydio Bandeira de Melo (In blue shirt)

Who didn´t save efforts to go to easel from ease...


Making remarks with the authority of his almost 70 years of artistic life....




Time for the official photo:
I was trying to gather the artists ...

Almost got it . There are some missing...But I could not locate them

Standing: Claudite,Leonídia, João, Juan Cuenca,Vera Braga, Alexander A., Angela, Alexander A., ângela Chefer, Cândida Ferreira,Solange, Lú, Sousa , Sandra Nunes, Eli Epstein, Ana Moura, Reynaldo Caó, Dyandreia Valverde,Gilson de Souza, Oliveira Celso ,Flora, Ignez Rodrigues,Thiago, Silvânia Paraíso,Augusto Marques,Virgílio Dias
Bandeira de Mello arrives and of course another picture has to be taken
We see some late comers in this one but there are still a lot missing here...

standing: Charlene,Rafael, Oliveira Celso, Thiago, Zenaide, Dyandreia Valverde,Gilson de souza,Lício Maia,Ana Moura, André, Cristina Bicalho, Rudson, Rita ,Lúcia, Souza Rodrigues,..., Bandeira de Mello, Sandra Nunes, Virgilio Dias, Carlos Lacek,Solange, Cândida,Leonídia, João Barcelos, Arimatéia.Sandro Nolding, Zito
As a hostess of this event, I guessed I wouldn´t have much time to paint, so I decided to take my pochade box and do a small sketch. I couldn´t imagine that it would be almost impossible to use it.
Just after most of artists had already finished their works I could open my box and get my brushes to work.

Am I alone? Can I stop talking?

not yet.

We know that the artist´s life can be lonesome and the International Paint Out promoted by IPAP provided a wonderful opportunity to share experiences and thoughts. Great names of artistic scene answered the call; it was a feast for the eyes to watch them working together, united by the love of plein air painting.
The Worldwide Pain Out - Other Brazilian States
Thanks and Congratulation to the artists who immediatelly accepted the invitation and organized the meeting at their places, promoting Plein Air Painting:
São Gonçalo- Organized by Encontro com a Paisagem
São Paulo Capital 1- Organized by Cíntia Midori
São Paulo Capital 2 - Organizado pelo Grupo Umapaz - Maricy
Peruibe -Organized by Paula
Maceió -Organized by Paulo de Tarso
Belém -Organized by Heloísa
Espírito Santo- Jorge Magalhaes
Minas Gerais - Mário
click to enlarge

Posted bySandra Nunes at 8:06 PM 6 comments
Labels: Bandeira de Mello, impressionism, IPAP, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, landscape painting, plein air painting, Rio de janeiro landscapes, Sandra Nunes, Virgilio Dias, worldwide paint out
Largo dos Guimarães seen from Almirante Alexandrino street - Santa Teresa
Saturday, September 6, 2008
I´m back to my Santa Teresa series of paintings. I´ll post some here as it is more immediate although there are some new ones in my website also at http://www.sandranunes.com/gallery.html
Climbing Almirante Alexandrino street on foot can be a breathtaking experience (pun intended).
We have an astonishing view of Santa Teresa rooftops and Guanabara Bay in the background. The street´s sinuous design is a plus leading our eyes to the tram.

Posted bySandra Nunes at 9:10 AM 0 comments
Labels: almirante alexandrino street, landscape painting, largo dos guimaraes, pleinair painting, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Teresa, santa teresa tram, tramway
Winter in Paris Gardens - Praça Paris
Monday, August 18, 2008
Autumn Colors
There are in Rio de Janeiro special places where passersby must stop or at least slow down their pace and enjoy the show mother nature performs. This week I went to paint in “Praça Paris”, one of the most beautiful gardens in the city.
At this time of the year colors blow up, it is a finished work of art in rich tones of ochre, oranges and reds. I went there with my painting equipment to face the challenge of translating my emotion to the canvas, for some time I stood still immersed in that profusion or colors as if I were in one of Akira Kurosawa´s movies. It was hard to decide if I should just sit and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere or if I should stick to my plan of painting.
I took a deep breath and my senses, dazzled by that scenario, refused to squeeze paint on the palette. A short time elapsed until the process started up. I was led by the falling leaves blown by the wind, landing on the easel as well as on the palette as if suggesting what to do next. I launched quickly the composition, the drawing flowing from my hand, I didn´t have time to spare. There was no shade in the place where I decided to work. The glare of the white linen in the sun reached my eyes and the colors started to take their place from the brush to canvas mixing ones to the others composing the images, abstract washes becoming leaves, sky, soil...

I was immersed in that profusion of colors, the brushstrokes coming one after the other, I kept observing the cool blues and grays far away involving the church (Outeiro da Gloria) and the warmer ones inside of the garden, shinning under the light of our winter sun. The morning haze disappeared slowly giving way to the beams through the leaves of the mutant trees.
People jogging, exercising, students in their blue and white uniforms, lovers exchanging caresses, homeless people lying in the shade of the trees….and I was pleased to be there in communion with nature…I entered in the flux…
Sometime later, I really don´t know exactly how much. I started hearing some comments from the passersby; at these moments I generally stop to evaluate my work, and give way to the left brain. I would like to have stopped earlier to take pictures for my records. I like to do this, so that when the painting leaves my studio to meet its owner I keep a bit of that moment. Of course a lot of it remains in the memory, each painting has its own history and that remains impressed inside of me…
Winter in Paris Gardens -(Praça Paris) oil on linen 40x90cm - Sandra Nunes
Posted bySandra Nunes at 10:03 AM 2 comments
Labels: autumn colors, colors, kurosawa, landscape, oil painting, outeiro da gloria, plein air painting, Praça Paris, Rio de janeiro landscapes, Sandra Nunes
Children´s and Teenagers` Rights
Sunday, July 6, 2008
I ´ve been painting in Santa Teresa for a while and I`m associated of Chave Mestra,(Santa Teresa Visual Artists Association), this way I´m getting more and more involved with the community issues.
I was invited to participate of the eighteenth anniversary of the Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente (Law establishing children’s and Teenagers rights).
The event is produced and promoted by a Non Governmental Organization that works with the community of Morro dos Prazeres in Santa Teresa.
The aim of the event is to promote a discussion among the civil society about what has changed as well as what can be done to improve what is not working.
There will be Lectures, debates, workshops and Art exhibition


I accepted the invitation and this is one of the works that will be in the exhibition. This is not like the ones I´m used to post here, but it is enough to go out anytime and we watch to a scene like this:
Sinal Fechado - The little Malabarist oil on canvas 65x54cm - Sandra Nunes

Posted bySandra Nunes at 9:10 PM 0 comments
Labels: child work, Children rights, malabarist, Morro dos Prazeres, pleinair painting, Sandra Nunes, Santa Teresa
Here comes the tram!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Continuing my Santa Teresa series, I´m still working on small and large formats . These small canvases or panels come on handy to work en plein air specially in Santa Teresa, climbing its slopes and walking on its narrow, almost non existent sidewalks. (please check the beginning of this series in my official website www.sandranunes.com).
I stopped just in front of Curvelo Tram Station and imediatelly its red roof bathed by our winter sun called my attention , so instead of painting the yellow ochre building with its acqua windows, I decided to work quick and simplify a composition with the red roof thatwas almost shining at that time of the day.
Then it was the time of children from the local public schools to leave. It was a great chance to give some movement to my theme. They ran shouting, calling their companions to catch the crowded tram.
So this painting could only be named:
Here comes the tram! Santa Teresa oil on canvas 22x27cm
Posted bySandra Nunes at 12:56 PM 5 comments
Labels: curvelo, pleinair painting, Sandra Nunes, santa teresa tram, tram, tramway
Under Repair
Friday, June 6, 2008
Under repair oil on canvas 38x61cm
Posted bySandra Nunes at 9:18 PM 2 comments
Labels: boats, oil on canvas, plein air painting, Rio de janeiro landscapes, Sanda Nunes
SouthwestArt Magazine
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
World Tour of Contemporary Landscape Artists...
Posted bySandra Nunes at 6:38 PM 0 comments
Three Falls Waterfall - Penedo
Friday, April 25, 2008
About 190 kilometers from

Early in the morning I sat comfortably on a stone, listening just the murmur of the waters and birds singing...
Opening the paint box was a natural gesture...

After a couple of hours, tourists start to come...

Suddenly I realize I´m on a trail...that stone was on the middle of the way to the waterfall...

Time to stop...

Three Falls Waterfall - Penedo oil on canvas 16x22cm

Posted bySandra Nunes at 8:08 PM 0 comments