Asian Trip 2009 First Destination: Bali

APRIL 9, 2009:

Here I am waiting to board the plane at JFK airport:

I'm now waiting for my flight to Singapore with stop over in Frankfurt, Germany. I'm writing this at the gate, waiting to board my plane. I've been lucky so far. I was able to get a window exit seat from my flight from NYC to Singapore. Although I checked in only one luggage, I'm glad that the lady in the Singapore Air counter was able to let my luggage go directly to Bali so that I didn't have to haul it the whole time I am in Singapore Changi Airport. Hopefully, if my plane is on time, I expect to land in Singapore very early in the morning and my flight for Bali won't be until night at 7:30 pm.

I got a window seat:

A Stop-over in Frankfurt, Germany. It will be an 11 hour flight from Germany to Singapore, where I will take another plane for my first destination -- Bali.
Arrived in Germany watching the screen for my connecting flight to Singapore:

My plane in Frankfurt:

Waiting in the boarding gate: I changed into my capri pants since
I know that when I in land in Singapore, it will be very hot and humid.

How I amuse myself during the long flight,
I did a drawing of a girl I saw traveling with her parents:

Below is my miniature art studio which I used inside the plane: The size of the sketch pad is 2x 3 inches, the colored pencil set is the size of a business card and the mechanical pencil is only 3 inches long. I also have a portable brush pen where I can put water inside: no used dipping it in water.

An aerial view of Europe:

Traveling Paper Doll

Two days from now, I'll be leaving for Asia.

I've created A Traveling Paper Doll just for you:

I used to play and make my own paper dolls when I was a kid . I still enjoy making them for my daughter Bianca to amuse herself during long trips. Now that I will be flying solo for the first leg of my trip to Singapore and Bali, I have to amuse myself for the long flight by:

Drawing...... Journaling.... finishing a draft of a picture book dummy I'm working on:

Stretching and Walking around the plane ( when there's no turbulance):

Chatting with friendly passengers (I always meet interesting people on board) :

Meditating......

Watching lots of Movies, ...

Listening to good music....Drinking lots of water so I don't get dehydatred......

and of course Reading.....

Here's my travel reading list:

See you on board!

Little Girl Series: How it all started

Well, my Little Girl series paintings started with a daily sketch. Everyday I decided to make a sketch of the little girl. I used a big 18" x 24" newsprint pad for the sketches and they serve as my studies for the final paintings. As you can see, I have lots and lots of them already. All I need to do is choose among one of them and start painting! For the finished piece, I use Acrylic on a gessoed stretched canvas , also size 18 x 24.

Here are my sketches inside my flat drawer:

A more close up view of the Little Girl sketches:

"Little Girl in Autumn"

"Little Girl in Winter"

Now ,here is a sketch and the finished painting of The Little Girl who Draws

The sketch:

And Voila, the finished painting: The Little Girl Who Draws
By Maria Madonna Davidoff

Bali, Indonesia

Some sketches from the Island of Bali, Indonesia 2007

This was a sketch from my favorite cafe called Three Monkey Cafe in Ubud.

An early morning walk through the rice terraces.

In front of my breakfast table..

Happy New Year!!

Some sketches from our European trip , Dec of 2008 done in my Moleskin artist book.
This was a sketch during our flight from New York to London

Another one in the plane (British Airways) It amazes me how other people pass their time away during the flight--some pick their noses.

Lobby of Vienna Intercon Hotel at 6:00 AM. I woke up very early and couldn't go back to sleep. So I went to the lobby and sketched.

My lunch: Goulash--I loved it and decided to get the recipe and bought some ingredients to take home. I ate this in a local restaurant in Vienna--far from the tourist spot.

A chic Viennese girl. I loved her outfit, beret and all.

Train ride from Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary ( someone is sleeping)