Paintings, Oil On Board....

  I have had some struggles this trip...the weather, mainly. When the sun has come out, it's been so windy and cold that I just don't feel like working out in the elements. I hate to say it..but...

been there done that. I am just betting that it will be warming up...eventualy, before we have to leave this beautiful country.

  I have managed to get some work done, between rainstorms and wind gusts. The finished paintings below are all 8X8 inch, oil on board, done while standing or sitting out in the country side. 

  

  We will drive around most days, looking for a good place to stop and work. I like to find somewhere that has a safe place to set up, is out of the way of traffic, and will offer more than one option for painting. It's sometimes difficult. There are very few places along the roads to pull over. We usually end up down a gravel road, where I only need to worry about tractors or locals coming home for lunch.

  I am still waiting on the nice weather coming this week to really get into more gouache pieces. I have done a few, but I see that the next several days are supposed to warm up, and that will be good.

  So for now, these are a good sample of what I've been working on. The weather, the light, the subtle nuances of the life here... all part of what makes this such a rich and rewarding experience.

This an image of two small farm buildings, out in the fields. I love these useful buildings. They have molto character! The color is the main thing, happy and fresh,  What I am trying to convey in a small painting like thi is the sheer joy of painting, and the painting process itself. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be me. And it just has to be this moment. BASTA!/DONE! 

This is the first oil of this year's trip. It's been more worked...trying to put in a lot of visual information. I like the all over design.
From top to bottom, side to side, there are a lot of interesting things going on. Hopefully, I expressed  the loving eye embracing all of it.

Fauve Color! I Love It.

Here is a good example where you can see that the light in the sky has been dim, and subtle.

A brief moment of Umbrian Sun on the Landscape. 

Painted, fresh casually and relaxed.

More subtle color and light. Trees can have such a beautiful rhythm.

Lago Trasimeno in the distance, fields of color and a lonely road to travel into the scene.
This is Janelle's favorite so far.

My old friend Michael Kainer, dubbed me "Captain Color".  I guess this is why?

I probably will re-work this painting, near the top?

This is kind of a Grand Umbrian scene.

  This last one below is the latest of the larger canvases from the studio here. 

   I'm really happy with the way it is going on this. You can see the smaller "inspiration" painting I am working from, on the left...

  Not finished yet, but getting close.

This painting will be re-stretched and ready to be exhibited in the gallery, soon.

  We look forward to showing the paintings in the gallery soon.

Work Continues In My Umbrian Studio

  Still working and trying to pierce the "Blue Heart" of Green Umbria...otherwise known as Lago Trasimeno.

   Here is a very immediate style of painting...as you will see in the video at the end of this post.

  

  Drips and slashes of the paint. 

  Working quickly, the painting reveals itself to me. Much intuition is at play here.

  In the video, you will see two small images of mural paintings that live in our apartment. I have let the colors seep into my consciousness, and now I will interpret those feelings into these moments.

  This is the second approach in the studio for this painting. I had to let the paint dry from the first working. Now it's ready to receive a second coat of coloring.

  The painting has more "tooth" now.

  The painting isn't done yet...it needs something more. I will look around the studio and see if there is something interesting to inspire me.

  Below:

  The finished canvas, with a textural element included, though I'm not sure it is evident in the photo.  

  You will have to see it in the Carmel gallery, stretched and hung on the wall.

  You can definitely feel, and get an idea, of how the weather here has been. This comes through in the painting.

  Everything is food for the artist's eyes.

  The detail, below...Can you feel the late Spring rain storms?

  The next, and final, canvas awaits.

  We drove to Cortona today to purchase some more paints. I will work from one of the 8X8 inch pieces I have finished here, which should be full of color. I am excited to do it. The sun has come out to play, and I'm soaking it up like an Umbrian hedgehog!

  Below are some of the smaller works I've finished, between rainstorms.... More to come.

A short video from the studio. The second painting, larger format, of three.

Working Away In Panicale...

  Janelle here at the helm.....

  As much as I appreciate the pressure Johnny is under to "perform" while we are here in Panicale, I can't help but enjoy just watching him in action. 

  Back at home, I am rarely around to see him work. I'm at the gallery working, and mostly get to peek at works in progress in his studio. Even these viewings are accompanied by "It's not done...don't judge it yet!"

  So I get a big kick out of being here, watching paintings created on sight, in the moment. Sure, I'll go take a long walk, but I do get the rare opportunity to see a painting worked from start to finish. It's pretty cool.

Johnny scoping out a subject to paint onsight.

  I know my job here is to chronicle his work, and I take it seriously. He may not work every day, but when the sun has been out, it seems like we go all day. We drive around the immediate area, from place to place, trying to capture the perfect moment.

Setting up to work.

  A few days ago we had a day of much needed, and completely appreciated warm sunshine. So nice to have our bones warmed by the sun. We decided to just stay in Panicale to paint. It didn't seem right to get into the car and drive.

  We hiked down to a place we know well, after all the time we've spent here. It's an olive grove that is also full of wildflowers. Perfect for Johnny to paint and for me to walk.

Just outside the walls of Panicale, on a hillside washed in sunshine.

  Johnny had already gone down this path and seen some olive trees that looked promising to paint. He set up his chair and paints, and I snapped a few shots before taking off on my own adventure.

  After checking out if there were any wild tulips blooming yet, and taking a good, long stroll into the wilds, I retuned to find a painting really coming alive.

The start of something good, I think.

Just so nice to have a warm, sunny day.

Not a bad spot to sit and paint.....

Almost finished.

  Later that same day, we worked our way over to the other side of town, to the public park. The park has an incredible view over the valley and Lago Trasimeno. There are benches and pic-nic tables. We rarely see anyone here, but I imagine in summer it rocks.

  Anyway, it was just that magic hour before sunset, when the light goes all golden... Perfect.

Johnny setting up in the public park, outside Panicale.

  I happen to know that Johnny loves this view. He dreams of it when we are back home. We don't have these huge vistas over valleys that span centuries. As a man who loves his history, I think he has an attachment that far exceeds the esthetic quality....it's so much more than a "view" to him. It's Hannibal conquering the Romans in 217 B.C. It's castles dating from the 12th century and land of the Etruscans. 

  The history here has a big effect on him. He incorporates it all into the work.

Taking on History

  A sweet scene, our new little friend, Andrea came along with his lovely Grandma. They just happened to be walking the dog in the area, and stayed for the longest time. Young Andrea was fascinated by Johnny painting, and his Grandma expertly explained all that was going on, the mixing of colors, the application of paints.... I asked in my lame Italian if she was an art teacher..."I would love to be, but no...I was a seamstress when I was younger."

  These moments, they are precious to us.

Andrea and Johnny connecting an an all together artful level.

   Andrea was very curious as to why there were no buildings in Johnny's painting. There are many, in reality. But, as at home, Johnny tries to imagine the landscape "senza" man's development.

Finished.

   Even thopugh the weather has been dicey at best, Johnny has a nice batch of 8X8 inch paintings drying.
  We are happy.

Just some of the finished paintings so far.

Studio Away From Home

  Welcome to my temporary studio. There is no electricity, no warmth, no running water. But..

It is a studio where I can paint larger format paintings. I brought 3 canvases over from the States, rolled into a plastic tube meant to carry fishing poles onto flights.

  I purchased an easel in Deruta, along with large tubes of oil paint, brushes, palette, etc. to equip my work space here. There is a window for light, and an extra large, warm coat I bought at the farmers market for 3 euro. So I'm happy.

Getting set to work.

  I had a local framer, Fabio, make me some stretcher bars to pin the canvas to. It works, but I plan to tighten things up more when the paintings are back home.

  Below, you can see that I will be working from a smaller painting I've already finished here. It won't be exactly the same, it's just a starting point. I've already finished 15  8x8" oil on panel paintings, which is a good start. Especially considering the weather and light have not been the best this year. Something about a late winter storm throughout Europe...it just won't quit. One has to carry on, regardless. 

  I plan to have 25 completed small paintings, 3 large format paintings and I hope at least 20 small gouaches by the end of our time here. Yes, for me this is a working vacation.

  After all, I am here to be inspired.

  Dim light, but I will take what I can get. It's fun...it's great.

  I'm a lucky painter.

My large warm coat. A third layer of warmth.

  Yes, very old fashioned, it's true. But, it's still a beautiful thing, the artist working in his studio.

  Below, you can see the extendable, black paint "carrier" in the background. Also, you get an idea of the quality of light from the open windows here.

Sorry about the "cliche" beret, but it does keep my head warm!

  Laying in the colors. Everything will change over the next several days. I'm going to have to work hard, covering the whole canvas. 

  At this point, a later stage, the painting will still go through more changes. I may still work on these large paintings back home?

  A very happy Artist, below, continuing to face the challenges of creating a good painting. 

  It ain't easy, folks.

Janelle tells me I'm making quite the fashion statement.

  Below a couple of short videos of this work in progress.  Enjoy.

Painting In Gioveto

  Late winter cold makes it hard to enjoy spring and get inspired to paint.

Bundled up on our morning walk.

 Good light the last day or two, but still cool.  

 Searching for a motif in the morning light. My bag and supplies are in a cardboard box. Light and efficient, it works very well.

Sporting my new hat from the farmers market.

  One of our morning walk routes takes us through this little borgo named "Gioveto". Setting up I am pleased that there is good light today. Just the sounds of roosters and barking dogs.

  Standing to paint like this, below, requires focus and directness. 

  The painting will only take a short amount of time to actualize, I have to put in a life times worth of "feeling" into these moments.

  It becomes an ebb and flow of what to put in , what not to put in...My feelings are at the end of the brush. 

  That is it. That is what it all comes down to. 

  The painting will reveal who I am and what I have to offer in this moment.

Color, color, color.

Artist in the Landscape/Landscape in the Artist

  Distant medieval hilltop, modern times.

  What does it all mean? Only you, the viewer can decide.