Janelle here writing today. And posting photos, which is always the fun part for me.
We are both missing our other piece of heaven, Panicale. It's only been two months since we were last there, but still.....we think about it every day. I really enjoy looking through the thousands of pictures we take while there, and I've been doing just that for the last day or two.
We are getting ready to show this year's paintings in late August, and now seems like a great time to take a little look back. No videos this time, just some shots of Johnny hard at work, and maybe a couple of him not so hard at work.....
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Working on a gouache while straddling the wall just
outside of Panicale. A view Johnny loves. |
One day we headed over to Valiano, which is about thirty minutes away. I was happy, because there is this great little restaurant there, and I was looking forward to trying it for lunch. Anyway, Johnny set up his stuff and started working, and I took a nice long hike into town to make a reservation for our lunch date. Before heading off, I took a shot of him as he started working.
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Typical working mode for Johnny. Love his "office".
I was heading up the road, to go to the little town up that hill in the distance. |
As I started walking, just enjoying all the sights and sounds of the country side, this huge tractor came slowly down the road.
Here's the thing, we always try to find a spot for Johnny to set up that is out of the way of traffic, etc. But it seems that every once in a while he just can't help but be in the fray....I was so glad this rig was going slow, so I could get a good photo of it as it slowly headed right for Johnny.
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You can almost see Johnny on the left of the road, across from the red car.
He only needed to scoot out of the way a little, but the dust was everywhere.
Oh, the perils of the artist's job! |
The lunch was great, by the way, and I will do a post about it on my blog,
Live Pronto, soon.
I'm excited about the new work Johnny did from this trip. We are still in the process of having things framed, so we are slowly getting it all together.
I always enjoy hanging out while Johnny is working. I'll either bring something to read, or take a long walk. The area is so lovely, I am always happy to head out and explore. Then I get to return and see whats been happening while I was away....
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A favorite spot to paint, on the way to San Feliciano, very near Lago Trasimeno.
You can see a glimpse of the lake in the distance. |
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| Another gouache, this one featuring an old farmhouse in the yellow flowering fields. |
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Johnny carrying his folding chair and messenger bag with all the painting stuff.
Just looking for the right place to set up. |
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Oil on canvas...this became a perfect gift we left for some wonderful pals.
Near Varacca. |
Johnny is going to kill me for all these photos, I think. But the thing is, I enjoy watching him figuring out where and what to paint.
Geez, when I look around, every view seems great, but I have learned that it's not as easy as that, of course. It often takes several stops along a drive, or on a hike, to find a good spot to work from. He'll often want a place that he can do several paintings from.
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Looking for somewhere to set up, just outside of Panicale, which is in the distance.
We were most likely walking on this day. |
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Guess he thought this was a good place to work. May have been
before we got the folding chair... |
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Just checking out the scene. We were in Binami, I think...a nearby town.
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| Plenty of inspiration to be found on our morning walks. |
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A rainy day, so we are hanging out at Bar Gallo.
Johnny is using a paper placemat to paint the view on. Whatever works. |
These trips are fun on top of more fun, for me. For Johnny, it's a different story. His is a working vacation, to be sure. There is always that little cloud of pressure hanging over his beret...Must Get Painting....
Well, maybe not always...
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What's that about "all work and no play"?
On the boat to Isola Maggiore. |
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| Out of focus, and really happy. |
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And then there's that "glass of wine at sunset" thing.
Tough job, dude. |
Saying goodbye to Panicale is always hard, but we have a fantastic place to return home to here, also.
Until next Spring, we can always look back at our photos, pinch ourselves over our good luck, and keep on working hard to make it all happen.
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Johnny saying "arrivederci" to Panicale on our last evening there.
Just one more glass of wine, Aldo, per favore...... |
