New Challenges

my next project

OK! I admit to have played hookey for a bit but I needed time to unwind after that whirlwind period of show preparation. Now most of it is over.  I still have the show going at the bank in Impruneta but that will end on Monday after a month. The personal show  that is part of my prize from the show in Pontremoli hasn't been decided yet so, in the meantime, I am again painting and preparing panels for it.

But I have a new project. . .  the cement blocks in the photo.  I will be decorating them in some way. . . a murales. . . something that I have never done before but it is very exciting. At this point I am researching materials as well as considering the theme.  Most likely it will be an Etruscan theme since this is the same hotel, Hotel Fontermosa, www.fontermosa.it  that I decorated years ago with Etruscan themes.  The blocks, really ugly, had to be placed here at the entrance to protect and reinforce the hill behind. During heavy rains  the erosion has triggered dangerous landslides that fell into the entrance area below.

Thank you for visiting. I promise to write again soon.

. . .three days!

"Connections - Red #1"  50x70cm  oil, cold wax on paper on panel

It took me 3 days to fully register and believe that I was actually the first place winner catagory painting at the "International Competition of Art 2015 Donna di Fiori" held in Pontremoli (MS) on April 25.

The reason ?  Probably the lengthy process from beginning to surprise ending that was involved. In early February the application was filled out and sent to the organizers of Pontremoli in Art 2015 with a photo of the painting I presented.  This was a juried show, therefore, the first selection was made via photograph. Once the selection was finalized and I was notified to be part of the group of selected artists, payment was made to cover costs of a catalogue and organization. Next, the painting had to be delivered to the city hall of Pontremoli.  My husband and I took it up personally. It was a beautiful day making the 2 hour drive  pleasant.  Beautiful to see the mountains and the white marble quarries where Michelangelo selected his marble. It was market day in Pontremoli that
Saturday so I had to take the painting into the city center on foot.  As I walked through the crowd with my canvas tucked under my arm, I asked for directions from a sweet lady along the way who wanted to take a peak at my painting. Maybe she brought me luck.

The next step was a request to know whether or not I would be present at the festivities and show.  The organization had generously offered rooms at great prices and I accepted.  Since the 25th of  April is a National holiday in Italy we decided to program a long weekend of vacation in Pontremoli.
I booked a room for two nights at a bed and breakfast which turned out to be in the Villa of Artists where the school, Studio Giambo, has their headquarters and studios. It goes without saying that I was getting more and more excited by the program and the event itself never thinking, I swear, about winning or not. It was to be a "fun" weekend. A welcome weekend to encounter other artists and art lovers.

But, there was a "BUT".

 I had already pulled my trolley out and begun to decide what to pack when that night my husband came home with the shivers and a sore throat.  No decision was made, waiting and hoping that it would be all over the next day but it wasn't. Strangely my reaction was very calm. I had completely accepted the inevitable. We just wouldn't go.  No problem.

So, on the 25th the day  was quiet and long with no news from the show which was normal.  ------until....... until around 9:00 that evening  when I got a telephone call. It was a friend of mine, also participant in the show and member of Art-Art, the organization that I belong to in Impruneta and had introduced me to this competition. ". . .excuse me if I call you at this hour but I just came back from Pontremoli and I didn't have your number. You won first prize for painting .. . ."
She, by the way, won first prize in the category sculpture.

The prize is a satisfaction enormous in itself, but also entails a future personal show in Pontremoli at a date to be announced,  Lots of work to be done................

The latest addition to the Red series, Connections.Connections

Connections Red, #6   50 x 60cm   oil, wax on panel.

Everything's happening at once...!!!

Impact - 70x90cm oil on canvas

 The month of May sees me in shows on 4 different fronts. I honestly don't know how it all  happened in the same month. I didn't try I assure you because getting everything organized is proving to be complicated to say the least....framing, shipping, delivering,  etc. etc..

The first show will be inaugurated on April 25 in a mountain town called Pontremoli, in the province of Massa in the region of Liguria.  It is very near the beautiful white marble quarries in Carrara where Michelangelo chose his materials. This is an international juried show of artists and will last until May 10 with possibilities of personal shows to follow.

I will then be in another show at the Gallery IAC of Art-Art, Impruneta, running from May 2 thru May 10.  I will be presenting 4 paintings including the one you see above.  The theme is "Music".

Connections #6   50cmx60cm  Oil, wax on panel

From May 1st (a holiday in Italy) Mayday, thru to May 30
I will exhibit a variety of my work, 8 paintings, both on canvas and on paper, at the Bcc of Impruneta, the Cooperative Bank of Credit which is situated in the central piazza of the town of Impruneta. Every month the bank donates their window space to artisans and clients in the area as an important venue.The newest of my Connections series (at the right) will be one of the paintings included.

And last, but not least, because I did it last year as well and had a great time, I'll participate with Art-Art at the Slow Food and Art Fair that is held annually at Greve in Chianti. This is a one day event, on April 10 which is the clue of all my dates.  How I'll make it to remove everything  from everywhere I don't know.. . .I'll find a solution ...........

RED. . .Almost One Year.

Connections - Red 5    oil, wax on panel    50x50cm 

Almost a year has gone by since I decided to limit my palette with red as dominant color. (blog post "Red- - -Who's afraid ...") I started out very hesitant. Inspired by the force and brilliance of the color itself, I was still intimidated. By combining it with  black I intended to soften any harshness but that was silly as you can well imagine. That was the beginning.

Now that I am on my fifth painting with red as protagonist I'm feeling happily at ease, in fact, liking the choice. I've learned so much.  I can thank, (never enough), Janice Mason Steeves for her counseling: to play, to accept challenges, to simplify, to be aware of contrast, . . . . .

I don't have a general plan for the sequence of my paintings. I used to do drawings as preparation but now, one after the other, I rely on intuition.  One painting is naturally the stepping stone for the next.  Something just clicks in my mind inspiring the sequence. I've noticed in the recent paintings the appearence of new colors. From the begining using mostly red and black, now lights, yellows, oranges and greys, are  presenting themselves. A sign that red has become a part of me and not a fearsome, intrusive element?

My theme is always the human body, the spinal column in particular.  My next project, constantly on my mind, is to be able to put into words why this particular part of the body is so important for me.

RED #4

final painting

Red #4   Oil, wax on panel    50x50cm

 

one of the first stages of the painting

This painting was a challenge for me both mentally and physically. 

Begun at the end of 2014 it has taken  months to arrive at a conclusion. I started with the paint that was left on my palette, no ideas, I didn't want to waste the paint but just wanted to cover the panel as a start.

Continuing, I had difficulty putting my head and heart into what I was doing.  Then with the new year, my flu session and other challenges caused a major block.  I was stuck, working but without a vision of what I was doing. This happens at times. Until, suddenly, reason sets in unexplainably, and the road straightens.

The path is clear.

See Blog Post:  Presenting a New Year Resolution.

Visit to the Museum 0f 20th Century Italian Art on a cold, sunny February morning

Santa Maria Novella

  

The Museum of 20th Century Italian Art in Florence is a jewel that has recently been added to the vast number of art museums in this city and is just across the piazza from the famous church of Santa Maria Novella in the heart of the city (near the train station) The white marble facade was literally glittering under the brilliant light of this morning's sun.

This museum is set in what was once the 13th century Hospital of St. Paul  recently restored to house this collection of approximately 300 works of  art including paintings, sculpture, video, installations and documents. The museum presents an itinerary that passes from the '90's to the 20th century, reconstructing the cultural period when Florence was at the center of the national and international cultural scene.

I realize that, with very few exceptions, contemporary Italian art and artists are not well known outside of europe  but I wanted to share  my visit to this new museum with you. The collection ranges from the avantguard of the early  1900's to the artistic expressions of the past few decades  including  futurism and  informal art. You will see  well known Italian artists such as Sironi, De Chirico, Giorgio Morandi, de Pisis, Lucio Fontana, just to name a few worth noting. But you will also be introduced to lesser known artists, as I was, who will invite you to appreciate their art work as well.

Following are photos that I was able to take in the museum  because now, in Italy, without a flash, photos in art museums are allowed:

Alberto Viani - "IL Pastore dell'Essere"  - 1963

The Cloister of the ancient Church of St. Paolo

Cloister and 1st Floor Colonade

Installation by Maurizio Nannucci  -  1988

The actual show begins on the second floor. 

 .

"Superarchitecture"  1966-1967

Remo Salvadori "Spazio per un Racconto N.2"  1967

Mario Oddone Cavaglieri  "I Fidanzati"    1919

I discovered Alberto Magnelli. Born in Florence, self taught, he later moved to France where he lived and worked. There is a small video in his section, black and white, in French with English subtitles, where, fascinated, I spent at least twenty minutes watching and listening. What struck me were his words about a painting. - Whether it be figurative or abstract, a painting must be looked at thousands of times to be appreciated. Each time something new will be seen if the artist has been sincere and has tried to express a concept.-

Alberto Magnelli   "Contadini col carro"  1914

Sound shower
In the next 2 photos you can see at the upper left hand corner a long transparent tube attached to the ceiling. Curious,  I asked what they were and  was told  "a sound shower". A perfect term. These "showers" are used  to concentrate sounds and  direct them, whether they be in the form of words, music or any other "noise",  to one selected and specific area without disturbing the rest of a room or gallery. This first "shower" transmitted a symphony written in honor of the artist, Antonio Donghi, whose paintings were on the wall directly below. The next produced  an interview with the specific artist whose work is hung on the wall. I had never seen this type of technology used before in a museum and found it very effective.

 sound shower - Donghi "Fiori (Dalie)"  1923

sound shower

My hope is that if and when you are a visitor in Florence you will take time to visit this museum.              

For more info and photos go to;

 http://www.museonovecento.it