So we all needed a project during lock down.  I decided on a full fresco cycle.  Well, in the Cassetta, which is small but still, I am feeling quite grand. I adapted the traditional method.  Rather than watercolour in plaster, I used gouache in filler.  Meh, near enough. Turns out it is really flexible as a medium.  Yes, that Michelangelo has been pulling the wool over our eyes all this time.

Made a mistake? Sand it off. – Want to knock something back? Plaster over it. – Bob’s your uncle.

The head of the bed is painted with the view that would be there is the builders had had the foresight to put a window in that wall.  My way around around the strict Italian planning laws.

 

The post Fuzzy Frescos first appeared on Painting Holidays Italy.

Whilst the rest of the world enjoyed a heat wave this easter we had unseasonally cool weather from Good Friday.  Nonetheless we managed to enjoy a traditional Italian Easter meal using the old pizza oven,  a lot of wood, half a lamb and plenty of artichokes.  Anna, the tutor for the August painting course, set up an egg hunt for the children and a good time was had by all!(we ate the onions)

The post Happy Easter – Painting Holidays in Italy first appeared on Painting Holidays Italy.

Having had a disastrous christmas this year thanks to the great white god, (with me snowed into my mum’s house in England and Andrea and the kids stuck in Camerino, unable to join me as planned), – snow has lost all it’s charm for me.

But from this distance though, with just the mountains snowcapped and with some sun on our backs the whole place is looking fresh and lovely.  It reminds me of an american guest who came last year and said on arrival “Tell me you don’t ever take it for granted”.   I sometimes feel the same way when I see people trotting around Camerino, about their business, paying no notice to the wealth of renaissance architecture around them.  They may think I’m abit odd as they happen across me stroking ancient stones and gazing at worn chestnut doors.

On the other hand it is virtually impossible to buy anything of any real use in Camerino.  I like to go to Fallimenti, which is a local bankrupt stock shop.  It is similar to Poundwise – suddenly it’s almost like Bethnal Green.

With the retreat of the glaciers the debis is revealed.  The bits of ugly plastic which all toys naturally become as soon as they are out of the box must be harvested. As with all harvests timing is crucial.  It must be done early in the morning when the kids have just gone to school so that there is plenty of time to get all the naked barbies into opaque (that’s crucial)  bags and hopefully off to the tip without them being any the wiser.

It is time to patch up the trampoline, think about the garden – nah – nice cup of tea first.

This week’s painting tip:  When painting in snow don’t stay out too long (see picture)

The post Glacial retreat – Barbies, collateral damage first appeared on Painting Holidays Italy.

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