The cafe series...

A wonderful artist Johanna Spinks is off to France to do a five week residency. Love the idea. She will have a marvelous time.http://portraitpaintingbyjohannaspinks.blogspot.com/ to see her things. She will certainly have time to enjoy the scenery in the villages as well as the famous towns and their museums. In the meantime, I thought I might bring out my cafe series from Italy for you to see. This is a 7x5 oil called "Waiting." Just a little something fun.  There will be some more later this week.

The Perfect Day...

Today was the perfect day. The weather was at its very best. The sky was incredibly beatiful. I managed to study this morning, write a little, paint without a deadline, cook a great meal, and enjoy it leisurely on the patio over looking the lake until the sun finally set. Perfect. There have been few days like this recently. I am grateful for it. It reminded me of another day in Italy in Panzano near Florence... It was much like the day in this 24 x 30 oil painting. Can you feel the sunlight?

Italian Landscape - Vicino Panzano - the next step...

This project was begun by an invitation to do a show with five other artists for a gallery in Raleigh, NC. Judy Jones, the gallery owner and a marvelous printmaker, decided that it would be interesting to see the results of a show called "Painters under Pressure." This intaglio print that I posted yesterday is of a location near Panzano, Italy. The print image is 4 x 10 with the sheet size being 10 x 16. To hand tint them, I simply used a watercolor wash. Each print then became individual and unique. I did left a few untinted because I loved the pure simplicity of the print and the texture of the paper. Our show opens tomorrow night for Raleigh's First Friday Art Walk.

Italian Landscape - Vicino Panzano

This is an intaglio print that I created this week. The image is a location near Panzano, Italy were we stay frequently when we go - a serene location with lovely rolling hills and vineyards in every direction. The print image is 4 x 10 with the sheet size being 10 x 16. I used a rich chocolate colored ink on creme colored Italian paper...hmm, I must be hungry... Here is the full image and a closeup detail. Tomorrow I will take the prints and hand tint them.

Children - Italian Piazza Visitors

So taking a little break on Friday before the mass of visitors come to the studios for our First Friday Gallery Walk...wine, music, friends, art...a great combination. In the meantime I will share with you a little 14 x 11 oil painting from the series of children I did in Italy. Enjoy!