7/22/2014 3:18:50 PM
An interesting effect occurs when I learn something new in painting - my vision changes. This has happened time and time again throughout my artistic journey. There are rarely lightning bolts of knowledge that fill me with insight but rather a slow realization that I see the world differently than I did before and that change influences my artwork. When I first began painting I worked in the typical fashion of most beginners where I would carefully draw objects then color them in. I marveled at demonstrations where the artist would block in a landscape with light and dark shapes regardless of the objects in the painting. Watching as the painting materialized through a series of smaller light and dark shapes seemed like magic and I marveled that the artist could see what was before them in such a simple way. I struggled for years with this approach, never quite trusting that I could get a painting without a detailed drawing first. Plein air painting forced me to paint in a fast and succinct way and a shift occurred in my vision where I began to identify the world around me in large tonal masses. I began painting shapes of values regardless of the objects that were present. Now when I look at a scene I do not see “barn, tree, or house,” - I see it as a series of light and dark shapes.
When my vision changes my art progresses.
I knew my recent trip to Italy changed my vision but I was not certain how. I have been painting long enough that I understand the restless nature of the muse searching for a way to reveal what is different. This is often accompanied with a sense of unease and uncertainty. I thought I would come home and paint Italian landscapes with cypress trees and stucco buildings, but what called to me was a painting of two boys at a beach. The scene could be from anywhere and is a universal moment of boys lost in play. What was different were my colors and approach. I found myself reaching for pastels that I rarely use - brilliant blues and yellows to create the sense of sunshine and water. The light in Italy is very yellow and clear which creates vivid colors. In Michigan, where I live, the light has a lot of red in it and the humidity creates a veil of atmosphere that dulls the local colors.
Another change occurred in how I approach figures. When we were in Florence, we visited the great museums of the Uffizi, and the Pitti Palace and saw beautifully painted figures turning and twisting. The Accademia was our last visit and nothing prepared me for the power of the iconic statue of David. He is the perfect sculpture personifying gesture. He is at one moment relaxed and tensed in a stance of concentration before he loads his sling to slay the giant. It is the perfect “about to” moment. Gesture has always been important in my work but after viewing such great and finely crafted work I find myself slowing down and paying attention to details that will enhance the gesture. The boys have had their feet and ears enlarged slightly and special attention paid to the weight and twisting of the figures. I have been playing with this painting trying to add in any elements that will add to the feeling of boys at play. This is my first large painting since my return from Italy. It is only a start; my vision has changed and I am excited to see how this will transform my work.
7/11/2014 10:34:49 AM
What to leave home- phrase book. Before the trip I knew that I would usually be accompanied by an Italian speaker and was lazy about learning the language. My husband purchased a pocket sized phrase book before we left. I am not sure who organized the chapters but when we wanted to ask about a train schedule or where the bathroom was the information was not easily found. While staying at a (phenomenal) farmhouse B &B outside of Sienna our host picked up our book and randomly opened pages to read out loud to us:
“I am here on business” “Io sono qui per business”
“Can I give you a hug?” “Posso darti un abbraccio?”
“I do not eat Dogfish” “ Non ho mangiato palombo”
“Do you have any sexually transmitted diseases?” “Avete delle malattie sessualmente trasmissibili?”
The phrase book was used mostly to amuse Italians, and not very helpful for day to day interaction. It would be best to learn some common useful phrases before you go.
Bring good walking shoes and a scarf- Good quality comfortable walking shoes are a must. Italian women manage to traverse the cobblestones in high heels but for me a pair of Skecher shoes did the job. They are like slippers and allowed my feet to grab the cobblestones, after a day of walking in the city my feet were surprisingly not sore. A scarf is must have accessory and can be purchased all over the city. Italians know how to dress and scarves are used to fancy up any outfit. For females, they can be used to cover bare shoulder or any hint of cleavage when touring the cathedrals.
Bring a good appetite- Italy is about food, the presentation of food, the taste of food, the sharing of food. Meals are not to be rushed and take out is unknown except for tourist areas. Italians are warm generous people and food is a great source of conversation. I had some of the best meals of my life while I was in Italy. I think it is a mixture of fresh ingredients, and cooks who care deeply about tradition and season with a big dash of Italian pride.
Bring a really good camera- I hauled my Nikon D3200 around everywhere and while it is heavy and bulky the 26 megapixels made it worth the effort. I can zoom in to the shots and create dozens of compositions from a single photo reference. I also purchased 32 GB sd card before I left and never had to worry about running out of space for the 2000 plus digital images. The downside is resizing the photos to post on this blog and Facebook.
Pack your palette with lots of yellow and blue green pastels- I packed about thirty pastels for plein air painting in Italy. The greens I brought with me were too gray to capture the light. Light in Italy is bright, clear and very, very yellow. The shadows on trees are intense blue green; the Midwestern gray greens in my palette did not do justice to the landscape. Next time I will be bringing a full range of yellows, from the lightest yellow/ green to a saturated yellow/red. For foliage I will bring a variety of blues including the most saturated blue greens, also some violets for general shadow colors. If you are taking oils, viridian, or a phthalo blue green, cadmium yellow medium, and permanent rose are a must for your palette.
Yes, you did read words, “next time,” in this blog. We are currently making plans with Artensity to return to Italy for another portrait/ figure painting workshop in 2015, it will be similar to this year’s adventure but with some very exciting changes. If you would like to join us, please let me know and I will add your name to a list of people who will be contacted first when all the plans are set.
Ciao,
Vianna
