I’m back from Europe safe and sound, and I can’t wait to tell you all about Cornwall, but first, let me continue with the story of my week teaching at Fattoria Bacio in Tuscany…. After a morning spent painting at the villa on Wednesday, we enjoyed an afternoon tour of the Fattoria Bacio vineyards. Alberto […]
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Hanging Around the Villa
After a full day in the bustling city of Siena, it was nice to have some time to relax at the villa on Wednesday. Wednesday morning, and every morning, when I woke up and looked out my window, I just had to smile…I was in Italy! One of my sketches of the view from the […]
Sketching in Siena
We took the train into Siena on Tuesday and spent the day walking around the city. Siena is famous for the Palio de Siena, a horse race that is run twice a year around the Piazza del Campo, the large sloping square in the center of town. There were no horses to be seen on […]
Certaldo – A Hilltop Gem
The medieval town of Certaldo is just a few miles down the road from Fattoria Bacio. It’s so perfectly preserved that visiting it is like stepping back in time. Certaldo is a lesser-known Tuscan hill town, so we almost felt like we had it to ourselves yesterday when we visited. We spent hours wandering about, […]
Fabulous Fattoria Bacio
We’re happily ensconced at Fattoria Bacio now and loving every minute of our time in this beautiful place. The villa is perched on top of a hill, surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and hilltop homes. It couldn’t be prettier and the amount of visual stimulation for an artist is almost overwhelming! I feel like I’m […]
Fun in Florence!
We finally made it to Florence! Yesterday’s frustrations were forgotten after a good night’s sleep and a delicious breakfast. We set out on foot in the late morning and took in lots of the popular sights as we meandered around the city. We didn’t see everything we wanted to, but we had a good sampling […]
The Day We Were Supposed to Be in Florence :(
Guess where I am……………no, not Florence…… Hint: Look at the magazine covers. Yes, I’m in Paris! For eight long hours. In the Charles DeGaulle Airport, waiting for a flight to Florence. This isn’t what I envisioned when I dreamed of seeing Paris someday. Our flight was delayed last night out of Pittsburgh, causing us to […]
On My Way!
Finally! I’m on my way to Italy! I’m traveling with my mother Saundra and my friend Candy. Tomorrow we’ll be in Florence, a bit jet-lagged perhaps but ready to explore that beautiful art-filled city. I’m hoping to share lots of pictures from my travels, but it’s all dependant upon finding internet access, which isn’t as […]
Compact Carrier for Travel Art Supplies
I’ve been looking for a new carrier for my travel art supplies lately, and I think I’ve found everything I need wrapped up in one compact package. Allow me to introduce the… Kutsuwa Dr. Ion Super Mega Pencil Case The case measures 8.5 x 5.3 x 3.2 inches and has two separate zippered sections which open book-style. […]
The Perfect Plein Air Sketching Setup
I’m always on the lookout for new ideas to simplify my plein air/travel sketching kit and when Marc Taro Holmes first introduced the idea of using corrugated plastic boards as a base for his palette, sketchbook, and tools, I thought it was a great idea and have been using it ever since. (Corrugated plastic, sold […]
