Samuel Valentino's Blog, page 4
April 9, 2020
A Shelter in Place Easter
Everything we tried to order for Easter baskets were sold out! While the Easter Bunny has been called an "essential worker" (by Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's Prime Minister!), it occurred to me that we might not be the only home where he wouldn't be able to deliver. So I wrote this book to give a little Easter cheer to the kids.
I wanted to put it out there for free, since I hope and pray that a "shelter in place Easter" is a once-in-a-lifetime event. If all goes well this storywill be completely irrelevant by next year!
Here is the link to the whole book: A Shelter in Place Easter: book
March 27, 2020
Williamburg Fiddler
I've been wanting to paint this guy since we went to Colonial Williamsburg a couple years ago. Glad to finally get a chance to paint this! Granted, looking forward to when we all don't have to shelter in place, but getting some art done at least.
#colonialwilliamsburg
March 25, 2020
Let's all respect and love our elders
Up to now I've never, and I want to stress never, posted anything political. But seriously, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick? I couldn't help myself if you're going to say things like that.And I'll take any excuse to do Aztec art as well.
#respectelders #respectelderly #seriously
March 22, 2020
A little tale to lighten the mood during quarantine (inspired by my children)
Jack and the Social Distancing Beanstalk
Once upon a time, there was a boy named Jack. He and his mother lived in a hovel on the edge of the forest. Initially, it had seemed like an isolated shack; now it was desirable distance away from everyone. On the other hand, they still needed supplies.“Jack!” called his mother. “Take this wheelbarrow full of money, and go down to the markets on the Amazon River to buy hand sanitizer!”“Just one wheelbarrow?” he asked.“Well, get a small bottle anyway, if they have any,” she snapped. “Now, off with you!”He obliged, but on the Amazon, there wasn’t any hand sanitizer, at any price.Glumly he went back home, when up popped a stranger.“Hi there!” the little man chirped happily. “How would you like to buy some magic beans?”“Sure, if you can pass them to me from at least 6 feet away,” agreed Jack.The bag of beans were tossed to him, but Jack happened to sneeze before he could hand over the wheelbarrow, so the little man just ran away.“Hi Mom, I’m back!” he called. “I still have the money, and I got some magic beans too!”“You don’t know where they’ve been! Throw them out!” she screeched, so he did.The next morning, a beanstalk had grown outside the hovel, reaching all the way to the sky.“Now THAT’S what I call social distancing! I’m outa here,” he said, beginning to climb.At the top of the beanstalk, he saw a gigantic castle in the clouds. He snuck in, and saw a titanic giant amidst all his hoarded treasures. There were rolls upon rolls of toilet paper; hand sanitizer was stacked up in enormous barrels; and there was a goose that laid an unlimited supply of face masks.Jack took one look at the giant, and decided what to do. He coughed.The evil giant, hearing this, ran panicked out of the castle, fell down the hole where the beanstalk was, and smashed to bits on the ground.Jack lived happily in the castle, and, since he had so much, he was willing to share his treasure with others. By throwing it down, of course; there was no way he was going back down there.
The end
Once upon a time, there was a boy named Jack. He and his mother lived in a hovel on the edge of the forest. Initially, it had seemed like an isolated shack; now it was desirable distance away from everyone. On the other hand, they still needed supplies.“Jack!” called his mother. “Take this wheelbarrow full of money, and go down to the markets on the Amazon River to buy hand sanitizer!”“Just one wheelbarrow?” he asked.“Well, get a small bottle anyway, if they have any,” she snapped. “Now, off with you!”He obliged, but on the Amazon, there wasn’t any hand sanitizer, at any price.Glumly he went back home, when up popped a stranger.“Hi there!” the little man chirped happily. “How would you like to buy some magic beans?”“Sure, if you can pass them to me from at least 6 feet away,” agreed Jack.The bag of beans were tossed to him, but Jack happened to sneeze before he could hand over the wheelbarrow, so the little man just ran away.“Hi Mom, I’m back!” he called. “I still have the money, and I got some magic beans too!”“You don’t know where they’ve been! Throw them out!” she screeched, so he did.The next morning, a beanstalk had grown outside the hovel, reaching all the way to the sky.“Now THAT’S what I call social distancing! I’m outa here,” he said, beginning to climb.At the top of the beanstalk, he saw a gigantic castle in the clouds. He snuck in, and saw a titanic giant amidst all his hoarded treasures. There were rolls upon rolls of toilet paper; hand sanitizer was stacked up in enormous barrels; and there was a goose that laid an unlimited supply of face masks.Jack took one look at the giant, and decided what to do. He coughed.The evil giant, hearing this, ran panicked out of the castle, fell down the hole where the beanstalk was, and smashed to bits on the ground.Jack lived happily in the castle, and, since he had so much, he was willing to share his treasure with others. By throwing it down, of course; there was no way he was going back down there.
The end
March 1, 2020
My little cellist
Three things I love in one: painting, cello music, and my daughter.
February 21, 2020
February 11, 2020
Cupid: Target Practice
Gotta keep his aim sharp.
Happy Valentine's Day!
And yes, every time I try to type "Valentine's," muscle memory always makes me type "Valentino's" and I have to correct it.
February 2, 2020
Dragonfurit - completed!
Finished the painting! Good thing too, because we ate the dragonfruit.
January 29, 2020
Work in Progress - Dragonfruit
A work in progress - a dragonfruit for Chinese New Year. Needs a lot more work on the end details, and more shadows, but it's a start!
January 7, 2020
Chinese New Year banner
And one lucky rat starts off the New Year right by getting the cheese! Happy Chinese New Year everyone!
