Italy....Tuscany....
Part 2
After the busy-ness, hustle, bustle, over-the-top man-made architecture and art, our painting group headed south to Tuscany and the heart-stopping beauty of nature.
The layered landscape with Cypress trees poking up, vineyards, low-laying crops, olive tree orchards and meadows was a marked contrast from Florence. We arrived at
Villa Bacio ready for a more peaceful experience, and we were all completely charmed by what we saw (If you follow the link, you will also see). Family run, Fattoria Bocio with its 340 acres of olive groves and vineyards, is under the personal supervision of its owners, Alberto and Patrizia Cascino. The 19th century villa, and its adjoining farmhouses have been lovingly restored in an authentic Tuscan style.
I shared a small cottage with my sister Carol, and longtime friend, Jan. Our stone-fronted, shuttered abode was decorated in a tasteful "Italian Country" style with an old farmhouse table, toile fabric spreads and padded headboards on the beds, a large fireplace, and armoires for hanging clothes.
Our rooms were also stocked with bottles of excellent wine produced on the villa and could be purchased for five euros (so much for expensive American "honor bars"!). We were served this wine every evening with a marvelous meal prepared by our hosts. We all sat at a long harvest table, complete with linen cloths, candles and flowers. The first course was always a sumptuous pasta, second course was vegetable and meat, third course salad (in the European manner) and lastly dessert.
Several days, we prepared our own lunches with the fresh tomatoes, vegetables, breads and cheeses purchased at local markets. We would lunch alfreso at a table on the patio.
We had a painting lesson every morning. We painted the huge olive jars, the landscapes, worked on "perspective" by painting angles of the buildings, more olive jars, grapes and sometimes we sketched our meals before enjoying them.
One day we went to San Gimignano, the legendary hill town with towers. Our teachers demonstrated in the busy Cistern Square there, and then we all sketched and painted the skyline of the towers. Tourists were abounding and stopped to watch us and took pictures (we didn't clue these people in that we were Americanos, and I found that I liked being thought of as an "artist"--whether I was one or not).
Another day, we motored to Certaldo Alto, described as a "medievial jewel in Tuscany's green heart". The town is built on top of a hill and a cable car took us up. We drew archways, streets, windows with flower boxes, towers, churches, clothes hanging on lines outside windows--the possibilities were endless.
All in all, I would say the whole of the Italy trip was about passion--the passion of humankind for art, beauty, good fresh carefully prepared foods, hearty wines, olive oils, garlic, on and on--and we saw a zest in the Italian people that we found refreshing.
Our teachers and their passion and talent for painting inspired us all, and I think I can honestly say that we, as students, were also passionate!!!!
A fellow painter, Sue St. Michael, wrote a poem and read it to us on our last evening at the villa. Here is an excerpt of what she wrote...
"All the watercolorists are packing.
My paint box dries on the grey stone of the window sill.
Patrizia prepares a Tuscan seafood dinner.
We've written our evaluations and painted our last pictures.
In the distance ancient tile roofs catch the sunlight, dark shadows pool in trees.
It's hard to say good-bye to this Tuscan countryside; the olive orchards, the vineyards, and the companionship we feel.
Home beckons, so I prepare for my departure noticing the qualities of farewell."
We all have our watercolor journals, and even now,looking at mine, I can conjure up all the images and sights I have seen and wondered at.
Back home, I was asked to share my journal with a group of ladies at a luncheon recently. (I stress that I am only a beginner--don't expect perfection from me!) But it was fun to share the stories, and now I share with you...
.....
signing off thinking that passion is an invigorating and wonderful feeling--( all of us who are antique and junk collectors know about that
kind of obsession too)....
Gayle@starsantique.com
--photos 2 and 3 courtesy of Winnie Givot
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photo 4 courtesy of Dianne Muyskens
