Nicci Carrera

December 14, 2013March 20, 2014 Nicci Art school, Australia, Travel

Impressions of Australia 7

From Otway, Victoria Australia, Great Ocean Road.

December 13, 2013March 20, 2014 Nicci Art school, Australia, Travel

Melbourne, looking down at the top of the first floor lights in the mall connected to the Sofitel on Collins, rendered in oil via Corel Painting Essentials. I need to comment that the only reason I took this picture was because I had spent the day hanging around Leanne Cole. My only artistic objective in tagging around with her was to have her “eye” rub off on me. I didn’t seek any technical instruction, which was good, given that I forgot the battery charger for my DSLR and so was just using the compact.

Here’s Maggie Island (I think) shot from the boat on the way back from our Great Barrier Reef tour.

December 12, 2013March 20, 2014 Nicci Skiing

Snow at Squaw Valley

On our first day of skiing, we only did two runs, but it was fun. And a good exercise in getting our equipment organized. It took several hours to find everything! With skiing, it feels crazy, all the stuff you have to put on and carry. But then when you’re on the slope it’s effortless, like flying free as a bird.

I didn’t bring my camera so I borrowed my husband’s Android Phab. (Half phone, half tablet.) Since I didn’t want to bug him too much I just borrowed it while we were in the Funitel, so these are taken through the scratched up plexiglass. Nonetheless, you’ll get an idea of the snow coverage on the majority of the mountain. There’s much more where they are making snow and the conditions for manmade snow have been perfect. We didn’t hit any rocks on Gold Coast, where we took our first runs of the year. That’s an intermediate (blue) lift at the top of the mountain.

And here’s an exciting news flash. I asked for a new jacket for Christmas so this year you’ll see me in something different. It dawned on me that while wearing the same jacket for 12 years is economical, it makes it difficult to tell the years apart in the photos.

The red is a reflection of hubby’s jacket. I’m hoping for a red one like his or maybe a blue one!

That is Lake Tahoe between the near and far mountains.

December 11, 2013March 20, 2014 Nicci Australia, Travel

Driving back from the Great Ocean Road, Victoria Australia

After our amazing photography tour with Leanne driving along the:

We took a short cut a get back to Melbourne that took us through vast areas of farmland. We were amazed as we didn’t realize Australia had this.

December 10, 2013March 20, 2014 Nicci Art school, Australia, Travel

Impressions of Australia 5

A digital oil painting of Townsville. I am back to my Bamboo digitizer. I was able to use the pen so this has some more of my own “touch”.

December 9, 2013March 20, 2014 Nicci Australia, Travel

Impressions of Australia 4

Magnetic Island, today. Off the coast of Townsville. I don’t have my pen with me, so I can’t sign them. Feel free to use these and enjoy them. If you post them online, a pingback to this blog most appreciated.

~Namaste~

December 8, 2013March 20, 2014 Nicci High Sierra, Travel

A white Christmas in Squaw Valley

I’m quite excited because Leanne Cole is going to feature my Christmas photos on her blog today. If you want to have your Christmas photos shown on her blog, send them to her. I think she’s doing them on Mondays between now and Christmas. Note, Monday her time is Sunday, for those of us in the U.S.

Plus, if you want to see some beautiful photos of what they are doing in Melbourne right now for the holidays, you must check out her blog. It’s gorgeous and sure to put a smile on your face. This post of the light show on town hall is amazing:

http://leannecolephotography.com/2013/12/08/weekend-wanderings-17-days-to-go-and-the-town-hall-is-lit-up/

Thanks to Leanne’s offer to post photos, I was motivated to get my husband to drive me over to Squaw Valley today. (He’s good at snow driving.)

First we went to The Village at Squaw Valley, a Tyrolean style complex with all the common areas and restaurants outside. It was super cold, so I was glad we went here first.

Because then we could go to The Resort at Squaw Creek, where we could enjoy their beautiful decorations while inside the cozy hotel. I loved the real pine trees outside the windows, contrasting with the decorated trees inside.

The gingerbread houses with the toy train running around it are amazing.

As we were leaving, I snapped this shot of the entry way. I like how they have the bell and the wreath and I loved that my camera picked up the snow flakes.

The hostess said they close down the hotel three weeks while they decorate! But surely they don’t close down everything? I don’t know, but the decor is everywhere.