Palazzo Pretorio

I've joined the Fine Line Artists Van Gogh Project with the intention to study this wonderful artist during February, in an attempt to improve my work by drawing some inspiration in line, colour and composition from a master. Of course I've dashed right in with a charcoal sketch, when I really should be making a serious plan of attack and pondering exactly what is is that makes Van Gogh - Van Gogh. In a way, I think the answer is in the fact that I couldn't wait to get started when I saw, for the first time, his drawing The Weigh-House (Building in Eindhoven) posted by Casey Klahn as part of his Van Gogh project.

The charcoal sketch above (26cm x 20cm) is from a photo I took a couple of days ago when we were walking the dogs in the late afternoon sun. The big building is Palazzo Pretorio (1412), which has been modified since medieval times. It is currently our local library. The small church on the right is the Church of S. Angelo (12C) which is now the Municipal Art Gallery.

I think Van Gogh would have been attracted by the dramatic shadows and the interesting pattern of grass and paths. I've never sketched a landscape in charcoal before (hate getting my fingers dirty!) but I must say I'm really excited by the potential. I may come back to this picture a few times during the project, to see what I can make of it in pen and ink and possibly watercolour.

Natura Morta con Muffa

NATURA MORTA CON MUFFA (Still Life with Mildew)

Since I can't beat it, I figured I could find beauty in it! Thick stone walls combined with central heating can cause some interesting things to grow on one's walls. Come Spring we hope to get the painters in and then, maybe, I'll look back fondly on our Muffa. And in the Spring the dry pods can be replaced with new poppies. Maybe then this watercolour will have a companion.

My Life in a Cupboard

Great excitement this week when my studio furniture finally arrived from Ikea. It rather took the shine off things when I discovered it was in more than 100 bits - not counting knobs, screws and Allen Keys! HWEM did offer to help but I quickly pointed out that my father was a carpenter. Besides HWEM had already dealt with the two delivery men from Florence whose truck was too big to drive through the gate and up the narrow streets of our town. Fortunately our dear neighbour, Lorenzo, happened to be passing and came to the rescue with his Ape (a little three-wheeler 'truck' that is actually a motor scooter at heart) .

Neither of my 'heroes' looked in great shape after loading and unloading the boxes and carting them up two flights of stairs. It only took two days and a crushed finger for Carpenter's Daughter to get it all assembled! That which was once cupboard is now Studio. When my special studio light eventually arrives, I won't even miss the window!
If those cupboard doors look a little crooked it is because I was a little unhinged by the time I got the final bits in place.

I'm still sharing space with dog leads and Snowy's wardrobe of coats - but what is this blog called after all?

And in case I sound too deprived, I do still have my little table at the window overlooking the garden.
I'm actually the happiest cupboard dweller in all of Tuscany.