Why Visit the Azores in Portugal

I have a thing for archipelagos and the Azores in Portugal is one of my favorites. Each of the nine islands is quite distinctive in terms of landscape, geography, culture and product it’s noted for. I’ve visited eight of the nine, hoping to visit the hardest to reach and the tiniest, Corvo, in late 2021. This is my latest for Forbes on the Azores.

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Watercolors - Iceland’s Westman Islands

The only inhabited isle of the idyllic Westman Islands, Heimaey is just off Iceland’s southern coast. I had spent almost a week exploring this walkable island, including the verdant cliff tops where puffin birds waddle as well as the lava flow that in the 1970s swallowed up houses on the east side. Taking the ferry gives you the best perspective of the island’s precipitous cliffs crowded with sea birds.

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Photos - Travels in Niantic, Connecticut

Scenic Niantic, Connecticut radiates a chill vibe no matter where you wander.

A mere two-hour drive from New York City, the village of Niantic on Connecticut’s shore front offers cool breezes, scenic waterfront views, placid green spaces, and a calming vibe.

hi It’s easy to practice mindfulness in the early morning when walking the beaches in scenic Niantic, Connecticut.

On the Niantic River that opens to the bay, Connecticut’s Port Niantic marina couldn’t be more picturesque.

The village of Niantic on the Connecticut shore offers myriad opportunities to be enwrapped with nature.

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Land + Sea Watercolors - Abstracts from My Travels Part 2

My round-the-world travels provide endless inspiration for all my creative works, including my art, whether collage, pastels or watercolors. I tend to gravitate to landscapes, especially parks, gardens and woodland, as well as coastal venues. And these pieces below reflect that sensibility.


The birth of plants, with all their colors, textures, and dynamic energy.

Creativity born from the pandemic.

In my world, the brilliant colors of the sun drip through verdant forests.

For me, inspiration springs from a very colorful blank slate.

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World Chaos - My Collages

Unlike with my watercolors, when I’m working in collage, I prefer the surreal.
Though some of these were completed pre-pandemic, the symbolism feels particularly relevant now.

My surreal musings on the chaos of the world.

A balm for those weary of chaos.

My yin-yang of the state of the world: out of balance —the natural + the man-made.

More surreal musings on the chaos of the world.

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Sky + Sea Watercolors - Abstracts from My Travels

Even my abstracts are nature based. Here the sun penetrates the sea.

I see marine life in curious ways: with all their myriad shapes and colorful splendor.

I see the world in all its delightful mix of colors, shapes, and textures.

Many times I take my inspiration from the forms I see in the sky and sea.

In my sky, even the clouds have brilliant hues

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Watercolors - Travels in Spain

These are some of my watercolors from my many travels in Spain.

While Ronda, one of Spain’s Pueblos Blancos (White Villages) has always been a tourist focal point, I found plenty of serenity by hiking down to the bottom of the narrow gorge that defines the city’s geography.

Another of my daydreams: a village in Spain as seen through a rain-streaked window. Though I always prefer sun streaming through glass, in Spain even dreary weather is atmospheric and fills me with wonder and optimism.

Another pastoral village in Spain that gives me joy and instills me with a sense of tranquility and calm.

I spent many summers in this petite, isolated hamlet that’s snuggled in a deep, verdant valley three hours north of Madrid. Being enveloped by nature as I was there is what I crave right now.

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A Luxe, Activity-Laden Resort in Rhode Island

After months of sheltering at home, most people in the Northeast are craving a getaway that safe. Ideally — at least for me — that means staying at a resort with myriad outdoor activities where it’s easy to socially distance with your partner, family or by yourself; where you don’t have to forsake delectable cuisine and fine wines; where you can order a multi-course picnic served on your private deck overlooking a pond; where you can put your pandemic worries on hold as you luxuriate in a jacuzzi tub in your two-story contemporary villa. The 3,500-acre Preserve Sporting Club and Residences in Rhode Island is just a short drive from New York City. This is my latest for Forbes on The Preserve Sporting Club and Residences.

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Watercolors Part 3 - Landscapes

Until it’s safe to travel widely, I’m spending time painting. This is part 3 of my landscape watercolor series based on my domestic and international travels. Each image reflects a scene inspired by one or more of my journeys. (All of my paintings are available as prints.)


Sometimes forests have colors that only I can see.

For me, the sky and sea are one.

Even though the only forests I see now are in my dreams, they still snuggle me with comfort.

In my dreams, the colors of the sky, clouds, and trees can be unusual but no less beautiful and inspiring.

Entering each and every forest is a magical and transformative experience for me.

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