… After a few days spent shaking the effects of jet lag, we met the instructors and students for the Etruscan Places painting class. The week was carefully structured to allow for optimum benefits of which there were many. San Donato is a working fattoria near San Gimignano. Here all of our needs were met, those which included two teachers, delightful fellow students and copious and beautiful scenery to put on canvas. At weeks end, I felt full of new ideas with which to face the next nine weeks of painting solo.

On Saturday we headed south to Castiglioni d’ Orcia, on the slopes of Monte Amiata which is the birthplace of the painter, Lorenzo di Pietro. Our hostess at Casa Cristina greeted us with smiles and wine from the family owned winery. Our apartment fortunately was situated on the second floor with a lovely balcony where I painted the rolling hills and dramatic skies to the south. Every moment of good weather was filled with painting the scenes at Pienza, Bagno Vignoni, and the nearby fortress. As would become our routine in the coming weeks, the rainy days were spent sightseeing and shopping at the many street markets. At the end of our two weeks we said goodbye to our gracious hostess, Cristina, and drove east towards Umbria.

Fabrizio, our host at Castefarneto, a 14th century farmhouse, met us on an overcast Saturday afternoon. Our apartment here boasted superb views on Mount Subasio and was situated conveniently near Assisi, Perugia and Spello. Just a walk out our door, I painted stormy skies, tidy vineyards, and plowed fields. It was during this stay that after suffering a toothache for several days, Fabrizio arranged an appointment with a dentist. The Doctor prescribed antibiotics for a diagnosis of infection with a possibility for a root canal. Although, I was still not feeling well, I longed to paint. In the garden the persimmons were abundant along with the olives which I assembled with a small copper pot. A small still life was designed on the dining table near the glass doors where perfect directional light entered. So all was not lost and I was able to complete a small painting which I called “Fabrizio’s Garden,” otherwise known as “Italian Root Canal.”

From here we headed south to Frontignano for our one week stay at Tiffany Cottage, our apartment in a 300 year old farmhouse. Here we enjoyed a week of perfect painting weather. I completed eight small works by just walking short distances around the property. Rolling hills, castles, churches, vineyards, quaint buildings were all within view. The final day was a stormy Friday which we spent purchasing spectacular Italian ceramics. These items were shipped home to use in still lifes at a later date. Some of these I used in the painting titled “Sinopia’s Fortune”.

Saturday morning we prepared for a six hour drive north to Santa Margherita, Liguria. Along our route it became apparent we were in a completely different climate zone with lush vegetation and palms. Our hostess greeted us with a tour of our spacious apartment which would be our home for two weeks. Il Portico is situated on a steep hillside with gorgeous vistas of Santa Margherita harbor and the sea. I completed many paintings from the balcony and other nearby scenes of the waterfronts of Rapallo and Portofino. About seven days into our stay we drove south to visit the impressive mountains of marble at Carrera. One week later we said goodbye to our hostess and headed for Florence, our favorite Italian city.

Florence is truly the city of art and whether artist or lover of art the sights here are overwhelmingly stunning. Because of the convenient location of our lodging we were able to walk easily to the museums, shopping district, galleries, and restaurants. A full day was spent at both the Pitti and the Uffizi. During our visit two years ago to our great dismay, the Dutch room at the Uffizi was closed. This time fortune reigned and we were able to gaze on the entire collection including the Rembrandts.

Also during our previous visit to Florence we had the great pleasure to form a new friendship with a fellow artist, Kevin Sanders. Kevin came to Italy from Tennessee ten years ago to follow his dream of painting. Arrangements were made to meet him again, and Thanksgiving Day was a delightful holiday talking old times and art. Later, two visits to Zecchi’s Colori Art Supply resulted in a wealth of rare pigments, brushes, mediums, and paints to ship home.

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