I spent a week last October with my cohort, Sue Pappas, scouring Napa Valley and Sonoma for romantic or scenic vignettes to paint for her outdoor art company. We were sent to check out the Kenwood Inn and Spa in Sonoma. We were told it was one of the most romantic inns in the area. We were not disappointed. Nooks and crannies and spaces all made to make you feel like you were in the Mediterranean or Tuscany. There were arbors and frescos with fountains, flowers and vines everywhere. It was, indeed, beautiful. This lovely pond, with a working waterwheel, was breathtaking. We didn't stay, we weren't a romantic pair... and the rooms started at $800 a night! We moved on to find more nooks and crannies, elswhere! Till we meet again, tomorrow, ciao.
I admit it...I LOVE Italy! I got so spend a month in the beautiful country in 2003. It's been ten years, but the memories are still strong. I went to an art school in Terni for 2 weeks and we traveled about sketching and painting en plein air. This picturesque old hotel, in Assisi, was a place I would have loved to explore, and eat lunch at, but our transportation was waiting to whisk us back to Terni so I had to satisfy myself with a few photos to remind me of it, and now you, too. Beautiful flowers, friendly people and amazing food....I dream of returning. I belong there :) Ciao!
Today is Roxane's birthday and Curt Ahrendsen requested a very special painting to honor her special day. Every 4th of July a group of us dress up in assorted prom dresses, tiara's and boas, and walk in the 4th of July Parade, in Frisco, CO. We ARE the Rocky Mt. Queens! We walk to remember our loved ones that we have lost to cancer and to honor those that are fighting the fight! Roxane joined us for the first time last summer and we had a blast. We are perennial favorites for the parade crowd. If you are in Summit County for the 4th this year, dress up and join us. If you are a Rocky Mt. Queen at heart, and know it, you are always welcome! In closing, I hope your sense of humor is in full gear, my Queen, and... "Happy Birthday, Roxane! Love Curt"!
Today's painting is for your viewing pleasure only. This date was reserved and adopted in honor of Chad Wolk's birthday by his Mom, Rosvita Wolk. She sends a special message to you, Chad. "Happy Birthday with love and happy memories, Mom". They have both spent quite a bit of time sitting on our front deck admiring the view...Chad, many years ago when he lived with us for a ski season and his Mom, whenever she has been on her way to the annual Championship Master's SKi Races. Great memories for us, too!
It's Saturday! I've been up painting since 6am...lots to do. It's a GOOD complaint, not really a complaint at all. My husband "stops in" to let me know he and his buddy are going fishing. I love that we are both able to do what we both love doing. I used a photograph I took last fall at one of the Healing Waters Fly Fishing weekends that are hosted twice a year on a privately owned ranch near Kremmling. The Blue River flows through the property and it is absolutely pristine and breathtakingly beautiful. If you study the shape of the mountain in the distance you will see why it is called Sleeping Indian. My husband loves getting to be a fishing guide for these amazing warriors that come for 3 days of fishing and camaraderie. They are inspiring. Im so lucky that they let me tag a long and plein air paint.
Hello and good day! I thought we would visit Italy again. This time we are going to Venice. The bridge of Sighs, or the Ponte dei Sospiri, was built in the late 16th century. The bridge is how prisoners were taken from their "trial", or examination as they referred to it, in the Doges Palace, to their more than likely final place of habitation. The prison or prigoni as it is called in Italian. As the prisoner was taken to his cell, or execution, his last sight of, Venice, was through the filagreed windows built in to the walls of the bridge. This famous bridge is probably one of the most photographed and painted sight in the ancient city. I'm just one more in a long line of artists to try and capture it in paint. I REALLY misjudged how difficult this image was going to be to paint on such a small surface! One more lesson learned, for me anyway! Hope you are having a fabulous day...ciao.
This is the view from my studio window. Pretty spectacular, eh? One set of windows faces West and looks upon the Gore Range and North towards Kremmling. The other set faces South and starts with Mt. Royal and goes South through the numbered peaks to Breckenridge. It is thought that the North light is ideal for painting, and yes there are times I have to pull the shades because of the intensity of the quality of light our thin mountain air produces. But I would rather have that option than live where the skies are grey all the time. I'm a Colorado native and have lived here most of my life and I guess I'm spoiled and sometimes take for granted our beautiful blue skies! Enjoy your day, my friends. Peace out.
Driving between Silverthorne and Denver can be a challenge! It can be a white out snowstorm on the West side of the Continental Divide and sunny, short sleeve weather in Denver, just a short drive away...usually. It's always a crap shoot whether you make it or not. Problems could be weather related, they could be the tunnel is closed because of accidents on the road caused by inclement weather, or ... it could just be the dang weather! On the way to the airport yesterday morning we were treated to a fog show as the highway meandered among the clouds. The surrounding mountains would peek in and out of our vision with just pieces emerging into sight, the rest just disappearing into the abyss. It was beautiful and today's painting is a rendition of what I remember going towards Idaho Springs. Enjoy your day and come visit our part of the state...sometime when the weather is cooperating :) AND EAT SOME ICE CREAM! Today is the day that the Ice Cream Sundae was invented, in New York City, 120 years ago! Ciao and tune in tomorrow for another "educational" episode!
The beaches around Siesta Key are famous for their pristine beauty and white sand. We like to visit in the spring and shake some of the cold white stuff out of our bones. Once again my husband, Bill, likes to spend his days fishing and I enjoy spending my time painting, and reading, and painting, and reading, and painting ...well you get the picture! It works out quite well as we do something together, separately! There had been a terrible storm that beat against the windows all night and then, early in the morning, I was treated to this wonderful, peaceful scene. The air was wet and heavy and the clouds were thick and colorful in the early light. It's my favorite time to be out painting, when no one else is up and about and the quiet is almost deafening!
One of my favorite "holidays", April Fools Day. Remembering replacing sugar for salt in the sugar bowl, putting rubber worms in my Dad's salad, tying shoelaces together ...stupid fun stuff! It was hard to think of something to celebrate this special day in a painting. But here goes....Mother Nature's Fools Day Joke. Snow on spring flowers. Hope you think of something silly to do to your loved ones today...I NEED to get on it! Peace out.