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“Ciao amici” is an Italian greeting used at meeting and parting.  It speaks of warmth and friendship and we heard it often from Debra, our super workshop hostess, who was busy making everyone comfortable.  This is my fourth year working with Debra and her husband Ivano and they always manage to make Italy feel like home. 

I have been back in Michigan for a little over two weeks.  It’s been a busy time recovering from jet lag, catching up with family and friends and teaching a color workshop to a wonderful group of artists in Alma, Michigan.  Now I look forward to going through my paintings, sketches and photos and reliving Italy on my easel as well as sharing it with you in my blog.

I landed a few days before the workshop to spend time in Florence painting on my own and visiting the sites where I would be taking the students.  It was pure bliss painting and warming up for the upcoming workshop.

The skyline of Florence from the Bardini Gardens.

My second day in Florence I awoke to the news that I had won the Award of Excellence for Pastel Painting at the American Impressionist Society.  I went to my favorite art store, Zecchi's to celebrate by purchasing a new set of watercolors.  Also shown are some paintings from the previous day.

I shared a beautiful apartment right off the Piazza San Spirito with Debra and Ivano.   The students stayed at a hotel right on the piazza.  I like this section of Florence, because you are away from the throngs of tourists that swarm the Duomo and Uffizi.  San Spirito feels like a neighborhood with a cast of regulars that meet at the market, fountain, and restaurants.  It is in a section of the city called the Oltrano where the narrow streets are lined with artists’ studios where you can peek through the windows to see sculptors, woodworkers, painters and other artisans busy at work. I feel at home there.

Painting in the Piazza San Spirito.

The workshop had good weather and we took advantage of the pleasant temperatures to paint as much as possible.  They were an enthusiastic and energetic group of women, who were eager to learn and push their abilities.  This being a workshop run by the Zamperlas, there were also plenty of tours, which included museums and artists’ studios while we were in Florence.   We dined at local restaurants to taste their special offerings and took a cooking class where we learned how to make ravioli from scratch and cook lobsters the Italian way.   There was an abundance of pasta, wine and laughter every evening.

We cleaned the paint off of us for dinner each night.

Later in the week we moved up to Fiesole, which is a small picturesque town set atop a mountain overlooking Florence.  Here we toured and painted ancient ruins. We also painted from the balconies of our hotel that looked to the north. 

I painted the storm clouds rolling in from the balcony of Debra and Ivano's apartment.

The cloud reminded me of Goya's "Colossus" painting.  It dwarfed the landscape as the setting sun highlighted it's growing strength.

Goya, "Colossus"

Debra purchased the painting for Ivano's birthday present.

 On our final morning of painting, we took our sketch books to the top of the mountain to paint the church.  We soon realized that the gathering crowd was there to attend a wedding and the groom’s father took photos of our sketches.

After the workshop several of us went to Cinque Terra - a series of five towns built into the mountains that rise from the Mediterranean.  I knew it was a tourist area but it lived up to its reputation for awe- inspiring beauty.  The color of the sea as it meets the cliffs is unlike any water I have seen and is impossible to capture with a camera.  I can only hope to do it justice in future paintings.

Riomaggore,  the town where we stayed at in Cinque Terra.

Every year I gain a new appreciation for the beauty of Italy and return with new inspiration. This is a brief summary of my experiences and I will be sharing more with you in the future.  Until then, Ciao amici!

Painting at Bardini Gardens

Debra and I have received several requests for an Italy workshop in 2018.  We will schedule one if there is enough interest.  It would be the same format as this year, with the focus being on color and personal mentoring, all mediums are welcome.  Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.