Painting Furniture to Match Your Painting
When I asked my cousin the where abouts of a painting owned by her mother she gifted it to me the next time she visited.
My favorite aunt, an artist herself, had hung this painting over her bathtub. This painting is ingrained in my childhood memories. I don't know if I even realized the subject of the painting is ummm ready for a bath...
I painted the chest beneath the painting this weekend.
Paw Print Painting
Last Saturday I taught a painting class to a great group of people at San Clemente Art Supply Shop.
Most of the class had not painted before however their finished paintings were very good and their enthusiasm was wonderful.
The students were given non toxic children's paint to create the prints from their pets paws. They stamped the paw prints on canvas and brought them to the class. They were very creative in the different compositions they arranged on the canvas and the methods they used to get their pets to cooperate.*
In class we used acrylic paint to create flower bouquets and designs around the paw prints. A good time was had by all.
Wonderful students and art!
* If you try this at home with your cat, the best tip I got was to wrap your cat in a blanket during the paw printing.
Chateaux For YOU!
The location for the September Anywhere Art Tour Week One has been chosen by our panel of experts. We will be touring the Loire Valley in France. We will visit some of the amazing chateaux including Chenonceau pictured below. Can you see your sketchbook filled with watercolor sketches of chateaux, gardens, quaint streets, windows and more?
Week Two will be a tour of Giverny and the Normandy regions.
What do you think? Let me know your thoughts.
TOP 5 Reasons to Visit SCOTLAND Again
We are arranging another workshop in Scotland next April 1-10. You might be asking yourself, "Why does Barbara want to do another watercolor workshop in Scotland so soon after this year's workshop?"
BECAUSE:
1. We need to see more of this fascinating country which includes brilliant landscapes, hauntingly beautiful castles, lakes and vistas as well as sophisticated cities with fantastic museums.
2. We have the opportunity to travel again in April with Scottish native, tour guide, Brian Collie, whose tours make history come alive. Brian's knowledge of all the spots to see in Scotland is endless.
3. The Isle of Skye! We will spend 4 nights closeby so we can paint, explore, discover, sip, and adore this mysterious Hebride Island.
4. To learn more about Scottish pubs, Scottish people, Scottish museums, scotch and Scottish scones.
5. To see more of the Scottish Highlands and visit the seaport harbor town of Oban.
Fiddling With Watercolors
Trying to capture the feeling and mood I had when we visited Podere il Casale agritourism in Tuscany.
After learning about organic farming and cheese making with organic animal milk I immediately wanted to bring a goat home and incorporate more organic living into my life style.
I am learning more about organic living and incorporating new ideas for healthier living into our lives but no goats. Painting and dogs will have to suffice.
Transported to Ireland While Painting
This morning I began my post trip painting and found my self back in Kilkenny looking out a picture window at this view.
Finished up this painting I did in my sketchbook on the trip.
Cute-ta-fy-ing Your Travel Journal After Your Trip
Cute ta fy ing is a word I think I invented. It's definition is: (verb) to make something look cute or attractive.
Cutefying is what you may need to do to give your pages in your travel journal eye catching panach after you return home. Or at least I need to do this because I paint whenever I find a spare moment during my trip. I might be looking out of the window of a bus, having tea in a tea room or sipping something in a pub (I discoverec hot whiskey in Ireland).
Now that I am at home and I can sit at my table, have access to unlimited water, and time I can devote some time to fleshing out and cutefying my pages. I will need to erase extraneous pencil lines, brighten some colors and add borders and text.
How to Know When It's Time to Go Home
1. You have eaten all the Gelato you possibly can.
2. You have said good bye to the major landmarks from a good picture taking vista. Plus you have taken enough pictures (approx. 601).
3. You have completed all the pages in your sketchbook.
Say good bye, stuff your suitcase as full as you can, be sure the gifts of wine are carefully sandwiched between the dirty clothes and your new scarves, then board the plane, and fly back home.
Tradition in Tuscany
Every time I travel to Tuscany, I come by and visit my old friend in Montepulciano
Organic Farming Fascinates Anywhere Artists
We were fortunate yesterday to visit Podere al Casale, an organic farm in Tuscany. On a private tour we learning about sheeps and goats and cheese first hand. I think I need a goat.
Here is the view from the farm. You can dine outside.
Here is Sandra, the owner explaining about all the types of cheese they make on the farm.
Exploring Etruscan History with Intrepid Explorers
Anywhere Artists not only paint when they travel, they also explore and discover with a sense of curiosity and wonder.
We find a mysterious garden.
We think it may have belonged to Lennie da Vinci, est. 1952.
We find a 15th Century Synagogue with a fascinating history.
I was able to go inside the sinagogue and view the rooms. The most interesting information I learned was that the Jewish population in Pitigliano (where we discovers the synagogue), had dwindled to 30 people prior to WWII and the people of Pitigliano managed to hide and save the Jewish population.
Authentic Tuscan Artistry
Anywhere Artists are always in search of authetic experiences. We do enjoy seeing landmarks and historic sights but we really enjoy local experiences as well. Today wr were able to stop at a ceramics factory and shop right outside Pienza. It was great to see the prices marked on the huge terra cotta planters and compare them to what they sell for in the U.S. I took many pictures of all the shapes and sizes of pottery and will have to be content with sketching them instead of buying them. I also did an in depth tasting of chicken cacciatore and need to report it tasted much better then what I have made from a recipe at home....
Perfect Laundry
I love to paint laundry but until today I had found towels and standard clothing to paint in Italy.
However today I found the laundry I have been searching for.
Mini Workshop in Tuscany Begins
We left Ireland at dawn to catch a 6:30 am flight to Rome.
We were greeted by sunny skies when we landed in Rome.
We are looking forward to a week of sketching and watercoloring some Tuscan scenery.
Our first stop today was Orvietto.
Farewell Ireland Dinner
Last night we had our farewell dinner one night early as a few group members were going to out all day finding their ancestors in a small village 3 hours outside of Dublin.
We toasted each other and talked about the 2 week trips highlights. This trip was filled with many visits to different parts of Ireland and Scotland to get an introduction to the countries since this was our first Anywhere Art workshop to these countries.
We were so impressed with what we saw that we already have a return trip planned for next April 2017. (See the page under European tours on this website).
The dinner was held at Roly's, a traditional Irish bistro in the heart of Dublin.
It's always sad to see a wonderful workshop end and say good bye to new and old friends. Many friendships have been made on our trips and I know we will stay in touch and many of us will continue to travel together.
Everyone enjoying the dinner. On the right is Owen Flynn, our knowledgable driver and guide. He made the history of Ireland come to life for us.
Everyone at the other end of the table enjoying themselves at Roly's.
Cobh
Yesterday we visited the seacoast town of Cobh where many emigrants left Ireland serking new lives in America. Cobn is also the last port of call the Titanic stopped at before it met with disaster at sea. We went to the Heritage museum and learned more about the emigrants and the Titanic. We were given names of people aboard the ships and we learned the fate of our "passenger names" in the exhibit. Eileen's person became an infamous pirate in Barbados.
New Friends in Dingle
Seamus, the wolfhound who lives at the Milltown hotel had me teach him to paint.
More Dingle Days
Today we spent a relaxing day, exploring the Dingle area, painting, making new friends and learning about Ireland.
Mill town Hotel, where Anywhere Art had a wonderful stay in Dingle.
Anywhere Art Workshop Goes to Ireland
Tis morning everyone got on a twin engine turbo prop plane and flew from Edinbugh to Shannon, Ireland.
We drove out to the Dingle Pennisula stopping at Tralee and Adare along the way.
The view from our hotel room window is below. I set up my art supplies so I could paint the view.
A huge Irish Wolfhound lives at this hotel and greeted us on arrival. I think tomorrow I will teach a lesson on how to paint him as well as the bay.
