Have Watercolors Will Travel

Who paints a daily watercolor and posts it to the world wide web? Maria Elena Sandovici for one. Are there two or more who do such a thing? Not that I've discovered, although I'll admit I haven't looked that hard. Specifically, these watercolors appear on today's featured blog Have Watercolors Will Travel, the latest addition to my BLOGROLL page. Although she seems to have some favorite subjects (Galveston Island, walks on the beach, European Vistas, dogs), her imagery is unfettered by any fetishes. Most of her pictures are free-wheeling, but many are carefully drafted and executed and I suspect were not done in a day. One of my favorites is the Hotel Monteleone (easily found in her Archive list on the right of her Home page.) I wonder how she translates her quotidian watercolor into electrons. Does she scan them? Does she take photographs of them? How do they get from paper to my iFad? The lady has a secret.

As for blog rolls, I've adopted the singular habit of actually offering an opinion of the blog rather than just posting a simple list as most sensible bloggers do. But I've learned something interesting by doing that and Ms. Sandovici's blog is a good example of my epiphany. You may find you have more in common with somebody than at first you thought if you take some time to cipher on it.

The first time I thumbed through her watercolor blog (which I was led to do by the event of a mutual Twitter follow), I didn't perceive anything kindred about it, other than we both use Google Blogger (you know, blogspot.com), and we both chose the same simple template. Very superficial commonalities those are. Actually, we seemed to be very different people and bloggers.

But I did like her watercolors. Because I did like them, I started considering adding her to my BLOGROLL page, which on My Irrefutable Opinion means a write-up. So I visited her blog again to piece together her story. I noticed something. She paints, and I draw (cartoons.) She is evidently more interested in content than jazzing about with the features of her blog. Here, here. Me too.

She writes. Why, so do I. Not at her level though. I dabble in short stories. She's just completed her second book. More about that later. The point is: it resonates.

I got lucky too. On her blog, at the behest of a friend and/or colleague, she addresses a list of questions about herself in a post and I hit the jackpot. Like me, she does not blog about her profession (she teaches comparative politics.) Say, my background is academics too, although I currently do things that are allegedly of practical use. Let's not go there. I too choose to blog creatively instead.

Here's the kicker though (extracted from her blog):

What everyday thing are you better at than every one else? What's your secret?
... I'm a good cook. I can be creative even with limited ingredients, and I can make things that are healthy and yummy.

Well, bonk me on the head with a silver hammer and call me a Beatle! I resemble that! I do that routinely. Who woulda thunkit? And to think that when I first encountered her I assumed we were separated by a moat.

To be sure, we have our differences. She professes to be very comfortable doing serious writing using the notes app on her iPhone. Not me. Not fat fingered me. Not Mr. Magoo me.

Now, about her books, which I haven't had the opportunity to read. Her first book, Dogs with Bagels, is "a story about the American Dream gone bad." You can find a full synopsis by following the link. Now she has a sequel coming out, called Stray Dogs and Lonely Beaches, and you will find her at a book signing in Houston on May 9 (see her blog for details.) Congratulations!

Yes, there's been a lot of Michael in this post about Ms. Sandovici's blog, but that's because I learned a lot when preparing my opinion of it. Her watercolors are terrific. I wish I could tell you more about her books, but I definitely recommend her blog. It's the only place I know where you can get your daily watercolor. You can also keep up with her by following her nom de Twitter: @sandoviciME.
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