Hey there Every one
This is the lady that I have been talking about. 
 In Banos, for Sabado Santos (Easter Weekend) some of the Ecuadorians to a pilgrimage walk from Ambato to Banos, 38 km or so.  The police shut down the highway for the night and people just start walking.  You have to go to Ambato before 4:30 pm and just start walking. There are thousands of people who walk, from all ages.  I have seen people with strollers, teenagers partying with boom boxes, old people with no shoes etc.  It is amazing.

Along the way there are little kiosks selling food and water and they are the major light sources along the way. Lights along the long snake of endless people. There is Pelileo a city between Ambato and Banos and that is really cracking with business to help the walkers.  But for the most part nothing but the night sky and just thousands of people walking quickly to Banos.  

When they get to Banos they go to mass in the church, visit the Virgin and sleep where ever they can. As they have walked for at least 6 hours if they cheated and started in Pelileo or more if they started in Ambato they are tired and they just crash.  There will be people sleeping in the parks in doorways etc, anywhere it is dry. And the next morning they might have breakfast or just get on the next bus to where they need to go next. Such resilience and devotion, you just do see that that often anymore, unless you live in places like this.

 I have done this now 4-5 times.  This was only the second time that I have not done it.  I missed it on my first year of being here, and this year because the weather was so bad that I didn't walk enough, I thought to harden up my feet enough in preparation.  The first year that I walked I had 7 blisters on EACH foot.

So that meant that this year I would be able to go around to take photos of the walkers.  

This picture is exactly what I mean when you do the walk, you are so tired but you are also so connected...  This little lady was probably only just over 4 ft tall, and had done the walk.  She was enjoying the experience and morning sun.  She was enjoying her accomplishment, her devotion and the simple pleasures of life a warm sun on her shoulders.

I am now looking to do the Loja and Quito walks.  If you have more information about those please let me know.  I would love to participate in those walks too.

This was done on water color paper with colored pencils

Enjoy the small pleasures in life, like fresh air and the warm sun on your shoulders.
Robin

Hey there all
It has been a bit of a trying time.  So there has been a bit of a lag in my postings.  Here are the excuses:  Personal family issues, Having horrible pictures taken of myself...(those were the huge emotional issues) Working on my coloring book ( 156 pages!), dropping my computer and trying to get a new computer up and running to replace it. 
This is windows 8 and I hate it.  The charms bar totally sucks..... I had to learn everything new.  HUGE LEARNING CURVE.

In regards to working on the coloring book there was so much to do for this.  The original drawings had to be redrawn and cleaned up, converted into digital form, clean that up, and do proto types.  The only thing left is the title page.  

What I want to do is this: provide an art journal for people who are just learning how to art journal, to provide ideas for people to do an art journal (prompts) and to create an art journal for people who like to color but don't like to draw.  Art journalling can be done multimedia, meaning using many different art products and ideas to fill it all in.  Art journalling is also a great opportunity for you to explore you.  Think of it like a diary, where you can express yourself for yourself.  You don't have to share this with anyone or you can.  With this form of expression, you can utilize two forms of expression, you can create art in the form of writing and 2 dimensionally with paint, collage, pencil etc.  I am hoping to create this book for those who desire to create and express themselves. 

 I created this laughing horse in Cafe Arte y Te in Banos, where the mixto crepe was a rare indulgence for me since I am 99% off wheat due to health reasons.  I decided to do this because frankly I have been taking myself a little to seriously lately, and not laughing nearly enough.  In the third slide note that the shading is all done with dark green, this is playing with the color wheel and it makes really interesting effects as a base coat.  The very last slide is an example of the coloring book.  You can print it off (I hope, let me know other wise).  Remember, it is just to have fun so feel free to play, color, write and explore.

Pray for my dad, and wishing you all a chance to express yourself, free yourself and let art help you to find a new part of you.