Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Sorry Charlie, we have no cars!


Yup, this is Italy.  Had a lovely last morning in Firenze, before departure, meandering through new areas, having machiatos here and there, and arriving at the appointed time to pick up the rental car. Oh noooo!  The line!!!!  After waiting 1hr15, I got to the top of the line with my reservation #, and the agent said "oh dear, so sorry, we had trouble with our server and it let you make a reservation when we had no cars".

Yup.  That's what she said.

We stared at each other for a few moments.
The other people behind me got real quiet... perhaps waiting for me to hit her?
Operative phrase in Italy:  "oh well."

Long story short..... I walked down rental car row (Via Borgo Ognissanti)...... Hertz: nope, no cars. Sorry. Avis/Budget.... YES!  I'm paying twice what I should have, but why ruin a perfectly good vacation? As dad always said, "it's only money."  (Meaning no one was injured, so it's all good.)

Now.... one more thing to be proud of myself about. I got in the car like I OWNED it, circumnavigated the city, picked up my luggage at the hotel, and only took one wrong turn getting to the autostrada.

Oh, I suppose I should mention (truth in blogging) that I did piss off a few Italians at the toll booth. No one told me how it worked, so I blocked traffic for a bit--gesticulating right back at 'em!--while I figured out where the ticket came out!! HA! As Willie would say.......... "on the road again"... just a little bit later than expected because HEY! It's Italy!!

[Note:  cheating here, with the photo. That one was in San Gimignano. Too tired to edit more pics.]

5/26/14

Firenze - Day 2



I am so freakin' PROUD of myself!!!  Using my very best (bad) Italian, I negotiated a private viewing of the paintings I could not see yesterday because the rooms were chiuso. As you might expect, this being Italy, the rooms with the paintings I wanted to see were CLOSED again today!!  Erk.  The first guard did not understand the message written on the back of my ticket from yesterday--she passed me off to another guard to deal with it. Again, I explained--in Italian!--and bingo! she said (in Italian, certo!) she would let me in for "5 minutes". She released the red velvet rope barrier, and I went in.  Whoo-hoooo!  Not only did I get to enjoy the two rooms of paintings, all to myself, but I stayed there about 45 min.  She never came back! So, I am proud because I got to see the paintings, but moreover, because I negotiated this all in Italian!

After siesta time (well, a shower!--it's hot here--and a brief successful stint on the internet, making the car rental reservations--FINALLY!), I went back out to see what gives in Florence in the evening. Oh geez... what?  I will have to upload the videos later, when there's bandwidth to do so. I thought the folk/pop singer on the Ponte Vechio was good, until I stumbled into the Piazza Publico? (name? fact check later) and found the opera--complete with symphony--rehearsing. I guess they were rehearsing--some cheeky ragazza was hopping fences and gesticulating to the conductor and stopping the performance periodically... even more fun! Just had a giant grin on my face the whole time. (Post video later.)

Then, as if that weren't icing on the cake, I moseyed over to where the Pollock exhibit was advertised, to see if I might have time to scoot in there in the morning... and that museum was open 'til midnight!!  Ha!  So, of course, I went for it, climbing the 80 bazillion stairs up to it, through the chambers of (Eleanor and who all?, I didn't take notes) and through the ginormous hall of the (city councilors or something?) and some little private chapels and more flocked and gilded and filigreed and frescoed and.......... etc. until I finally got to the exhibit. Saw the 15 or 20 works (eh--I still don't "get" Pollock), and hustled back to hear the end of the opera, down in the square.
Treated myself to a cab, and got home sometime after midnight.

[Note:  pics were seruptitiously obtained with phonecam, so not great. The "autoritratto" held me spellbound for a while, tho', so am inserting it for the record.]

5/25/14


Firenze - Day 1



It's the end of the Certaldo workshop. Gracious Claudia drove some of us into Firenze, and I landed at the lovely Hotel Ferrucci, in the "oltrarno" (other side of the Arno, kind of like the "left bank" of Paris), where the most polite receptionist, Nicoleta, welcomed me. After depositing the baggage, I set out walking along the river, through the amply touristed streets to the Palazzo Pitti museum, with the intention of seeing the collection of "i Machiaoli" work. Well, sorry charlie--not enough guards showed up today, so those rooms are closed. I explained my disappointment to the security guard, who wrote a note on the back of my ticket to let me in tomorrow to the rooms that were closed.
5/24/14

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Rain day


It was raining today, off and on, so we did not go out into the field, which suited me just fine! Thomas set us up with some still life tableaux, inside the spacious art studio. I started this with a very thorough notan, and I think it paid off. Definitely my best effort here.... which makes me question my future in plein air.  Hm, long way to go with working quickly outdoors. I had the luxury of about 5 hours of working time on this, so it is complete. Except for a signature.

5/23/14

Another one started at the Villa


Much to finish on this one, but posting for chronological order. Verbiage to come.

5/22/14

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Two from San Gimignano



We hauled our gear up the steep cobblestone streets of San Gimignano and found superb spots from which to paint, not too far from each other. (We have such a great little group--nine painters and a few helpful spouses.) At the first location, the most awesome duo was playing/singing the entire morning, while we painted, and before they left, I just had to go buy their CD.  Sooooo sweet! Then we had a picnic lunch, overlooking the Tuscan countryside, and resumed painting from another location. I did not get as far with the second one.... the buildings are pretty much not addressed at all yet. It's a "block in".

May 22,2014

Paintings done in Certaldo



These two paintings were started on our first full painting day here. Neither are finished--that will probably have to happen at home. They are both painted from locations around the Villa, where our group is elegantly housed and well fed!

May 18, 2014

Paintings done down south



These are the two paintings I did down at Carlo's. The little girl is Denissa, whom I mentioned before. Her parents are the pleased owners of this painting now. The first picture is the one I painted after lunch out on the "trabocci", which I now believe is the generic name for those (former) fishing piers that are restaurants now.

May 16, 2014

A vicino di Francavilla al Mare



Couple more pics.... verbiage to come! (In the meantime, I'm sure you get the gist!)

May 15?

The Archeological Museum in Chieti


This is the Guerriero di Capestrano, which I saw in the afore-mentioned archeology museum in Chieti. He's about 7 ft. tall, carved out of stone.  A local farmer found him when his plow hit it.  Two more, quite similar, were found in Germany. I want to research this more, so inserting it as place saver.

May 14? 15?

Monday, May 19, 2014

Oh my! It just gets better and better!


We went to buy my bus ticket at the travel agency. Took his fiat (yet another car!) to the mechanic. Then up the mountain to Chieti for a visit to the Archeologial Museum. I didn't know we would be touring again, when we left the house, so--silly me--I had sandals on, and it was cold-ish and raining. We found a little shop where I could at least buy socks--ha! An Italian woman wouldn't be caught morta in socks and sandals!!! (Neither would I, if I had the choice.) Well, I got "fleeced" for the first time ever here--did not ask the price before I put them on.  Dieci euros!!!  ($14)  Carlo named them my "luxury socks"! haha

Then it was on to another incredible lunch. But wait... another dish arrived. And another... and another. I thought we were through, but then the ravioli arrived. Someone at the next table was celebrating a birthday, and they sent over glasses of Prosecco and a bit of a "traditional" cake (soaked in a liquor and honey). Yow. I sooooo overate, but oh! it was worth it!

Then we drove waaaaaaaaaaaay up a mountain to see the new-fallen snow. No place to turn around--the lodge was closed, so no road plowing had occurred--and had to back down the mountain quite a ways. (Yikes!)  But the view!  OMG, the view!!! (pic=place-saver--again, correct one is not p'shopped--will replace later)

5/14/14

A home-cooked meal


It was supposed to rain today, so I stayed "home" and painted. It did not rain (until nightfall), but that's OK, I finished the beachscape that I'd begun at Valle Vo, and started this portrait of Denissa. (pic to come!)

In the evening, Carlo invited a friend of his over to share in the utterly stupendous feast that he had cooked (pic). OMG, does it get any better than this??? [note: this pic is a place-saver--it was from Trabocci, it is not Carlo's feast--I forgot to p'shop that one. Later!)

5/13/14

Oggi, la dolce far niente


Yesterday's wild ride caught up with me--I had to unplug. A quiet walk on the beach, and a long nap. Later, a little poking around in this little town of Francavilla al Mare.

5/12/14

First painting


After lunch at Trabocci, I started a painting of my view from the table (pictured). I spent another bit of time on it back in Francavilla al Mare, not sure it's really finished. Oh well--it's impressionista!

5/11/14

From the coast to the mountain villages







What a remarkable day!! Driving south along the coast, then west up into the mountains, along ridges, through little villages in a little Triumphe Spitfire with the top down.  (Thank heavens for my SPF55!) Some of the towns we passed through:  Porto San Vito, Valle Vo, Ortona, Fossacesia, Castel Frentano, Guardiagrele, Roccamontepiano, Serramonecesca, and a visit to San Liberatore a Meiella. That last, is a (1000 year old?) church. Meiella is the name of one of the huge, eyeball-dominating mountains which you can get a view of from many vantage points around these parts. The Gran Sasso is an even larger one. ("These parts" are the region of Abruzzo.)

The water is an inexplicable green.  The closest I can come to describing it is "creme de menthe" (pictured) We had lunch on the wooden fishing structure (pictured), and it was a divine experience. Best mussels ever! Another "prima piati" is pictured.  I think the restaurant is called Trabocci, and the location is Punta Tyfano. (At least that's what was embroidered on the waiter's jacket.)

Then it was up into the mountains, along curvy roads and through numerous little villages. Curious but friendly people (pic) intrigued by the tiny sports car, and the strange human in the big hat in the passenger seat.

Date:  5/11/14

A day at the farm



My friend, Carlo--who was the foreign exchange student senior year, in my high school--has a large farm with vineyards, olive trees, pigs, and many other commestibles. It is called Le Ripe, which he named after the sandstone formations that are typical of the area. (picture 1)  I think I have never really eaten at all until the dinner prepared with his own--augmented with other--local produce. The olive oil is so grassy and fresh, you could drink it straight from the bottle. We visited his farm in the afternoon, after lunching on the patio of his architect friend Jean-Fanco's straw-bale renovation, which is very close to completion.

 I have a "commission"--to do a portrait of Denissa, the farm manager's little girl--and so I took photos of her and  got a few good shots I think, in spite of her shyness (pic 2). Perhaps I will start that tomorrow, since it's supposed to rain. (Hm. This will seem disjointed, as I don't have online access, currently, and so am unable to post; all I can do is write. And ponder my days.)

A few impressions from my time spent at the farm:  birds twerping, breeze in leaves, ancient mower moving between rows of olive trees, bees, smells of grass and hay, donkey braying, sun through dancing leaves, fly buzzing by, vehicle (tractor?) on road, cicadas (?) chirping, spots of sun moving across eyelids, shuddering hoot of a turtle dove, olive leaf shadows on my page.

Date:  5/10/14

On the train



Rome to Pescara, 5.5 hours. Hilltop towns, castles, sprawling valleys, vineyards, patches of wild iris, rusted relics, tall mountains thick with snow, half a moon, wind farms (turbines not moving much!), cobalt blue station signs, children with digital gadgets. Many people off. Many others on.

Date:  5/9/14

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Alma-Tadema exhibit at the Chiostro del Bramante

Along the bus routes, I'd noticed a poster for an Alma-Tadema exhibit, but I couldn't read it very well when it swooshed by me. So I was thrilled when a postcard landed in my hand with the location and a little map that allowed me to find it after searching for only... oh, say an hour!  And a lovely hour it was, poking around the Piazza Navona.  But on to the exhibit.

Two floors worth of OMG-freaking-WTF?! paintings by Alma-Tadema and others of his era---Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Burne-Jones, Waterhouse, Godward, etc.--were exhibited in what I suppose might have been an ancient palazzo. These are the romantic era painters, and the collector--Juan Antonio Pérez Simón--sure knows his beauty and sensuality.  I'm really at a loss to describe the emotive passion that his collecting tastes dictated, so I'll stick to the facts, m'am (and man).

There was a lengthy video about this collector (see bits of bio, below), and I was happy to sit in the cool darkness and watch in its entirety.  His collection is way more extensive than this very focused exhibit--I noted that he holds upwards of 4000 works of art, including everything from old masters such as El Greco to Dali.  In fact, the vid later mentioned that there had been an exhibit in San Diego with that very title!

No photos allowed, unfortunately, but you can find a wealth of his work by googling "alma-tadema paintings". There I was hoping to find an image of the utterly mind-altering painting called "The Roses of Heliogabalus", but alas, there is only an image of the little study (photo, above) for the painting. Said study was also in this exhibit. The actual painting is huge--perhaps 6 ft wide by 4.5 ft high. It is truly mind-warping in its impeccable draftsmanship, color, theme, paint handling, detail, luminescence, facial expression... I could go on and on. What a treat was this entire show! I must absolutely note, as well, that the darkened stairwell--which must be at least 1000 years old--had the walls covered in gently-lighted rose petals! GAH. Stupifying.

I saw this exhibit yesterday afternoon. The rest of the three days in Rome will have to wait, it's time to get on the road again shortly.
Ciao for now.

I read that Juan Antonio Pérez Simón is a "successful" (gross understatement!!!) Mexican businessman of Spanish origin, born in Asturias in 1941, who is also a well-known figure in the collecting world.  Here is WSJ article "A Collective Self-Portrait" http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303365804576430243584586866  and also visit this site:  http://www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com/en/events/el-greco-dali-great-spanish-masters-perez-simon-collection  ....for more about him and exhibits of his massive collections.

I want this house..........


....and her hair.  Perhaps later I will say more about the last three days. Have to pack tonight. And sleep.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Fa caldo!

(It's hot!)  Those were my first words, spoken to the lovely, after-shave scented man who met me at the airport in his black mercedes limo.  Boy was that a good call to not try to haul 80 lbs. of luggage on the train and then a bus and then walk the rest of the way to the B&B! Flight was shockingly fast and painless. Yeaaa KLM, with it's 13.5 hrs. total travel time from PDX (including plane switch in Amsterdam).   Had some glitches after waking up from a nap.  I have no telephone service, so Verizon was full of.... cazzate!  Have to resolve that situation tomorrow, somehow.  In the meantime, if you whatsapp me, I won't get it until I'm on someone's wi-fi network and plugged into the wall.  And email will be just evenings.

The great thing about traveling is you have to get creative in ways previously unimagined. Pic shows my improvised computer tabletop. That's my "easyL" painting palette/easel on its tripod.  If I were into selfies, you'd see me sitting in front of it, in the cool air on my own little patio. The hydrangeas look a bit like my rhoadies, which I left in full bloom. So I kinda feel like I'm sitting on my deck at home.  It's cooled down considerably, and I'm enjoying the peace and quiet of the Bamboo B&B in the Trastevere area of Roma.

It's 11pm here. Tomorrow the adventure begins. Buona notte!

P.S.  Whoops! I hadn't changed the time on computer. Really--it *is* 11pm!!