New Painting chosen to be in Statewide Watermedia Society's 2013 Show

"Figuratively Speaking" to be included in South Carolina Watermedia Society's 2013 Annual Show

Figuratively Speaking- 22 X 15 Mixed Media on Crescent board

My recent painting "Figuratively Speaking" has been picked for inclusion in this year's Statewide Juried Show of paintings done by members of the SCWS.  It is such an honor to be included in the list of exceptionally talented artists that will be on display in this year's show.  I am thrilled!  Wish me luck for inclusion in the touring show! Anyone want to go to Hilton Head with me for the annual luncheon?

The 36th Annual Exhibition will be held at Coastal Discovery Museum July 13-August 24, 2013 at Hilton Head Island, SC.  Top award winners will travel the state to various local museums during the year.  If you'd like to join the SCWS, here is a link to their website:

http://scwatermedia.com/
Rebecca Zdybel
Artist/Art Instructor
Myrtle Beach, SC

A Song for San Fedele

Sometimes you're so happy you just have to break into song...

Such was the case as we celebrated our final evening at the beautiful former monastery which is now the lovely Borgo San Fedele in Tuscany.  Thank you to Nicolo', Renata, Michael, Michaelino, and Andrea...and all the wonderful staff there.  I will cherish the memories and look forward to returning someday.  If you were on the trip with me, I hope you keep in touch and enjoy this video as a little walk down memory lane.

Bathing in Holy Water- Heaven helps when everything goes to Hell

I spent my last day in the Cinque Terre on my own.  The Cinque Terre are 5 cities along the northwestern coast of Italy near Porto Venere.  Our group spent the first day on and off the ferry and shuttling between these inaccessible hill-towns along this coast.  On this final day, the rest of my group was ready to sit and paint in Porto Venere, which was the town we were staying in.  I had only seen 3 of the 5 cities and wanted to see them all, so I set out on my own and bought a ticket for the ferry again.  It was a beautiful day.  Just being on the boat and able to drink in all that visual beauty of this amazing coastline was a treat.

Europe measures time in such different increments.  We look at our history and measure it in terms of wars and perhaps 50 year increments.  Here, they literally go back thousands of years.  These cities are old.  They date back to times when there were no national governments.  It was every man for himself, and every village for themselves.  Pirates or Saracens would regularly raid along the coasts and so protection was gained by making it inconvenient or impossible to reach you.  Families moved up into the hills and began cultivating grapes and terracing the incredibly steep slopes in order to literally carve out a safe place to live.  When you look up and down the hills, you can get some sort of appreciation for how long people have been living in these hills.  Every possible square foot seems to have been altered by human labor.  Life here must have been incredibly difficult, but life has been going on here for a long, long time.  Just walking around is a struggle…and that is with paved roads and stairs to travel.  What must it have been like to live here without any of those?  It really makes the point that my life has been so easy by comparison. 

I got off the ferry in Manarolla and walked uphill, and uphill again, and UP some stairs to yet another hill.  By the time I got to the church at the top of another hill, I was ready to sit and paint. 

 I decided to go up even a little higher on a path that led to the terraced gardens above the village in order to get an aerial view of the church square and see the buildings’ roofs a bit better.  (I love all the roofs here…so full of great shapes). 

 I got out my water bottle, set it beside me, got out my little 3 legged stool and quickly found that it didn’t support me very well on an incline.  Since very little ground is flat in this place, I just propped myself up as best I could with my legs and hoped I could be fast with my drawing and painting.  Comfort is not necessarily part of painting plein air!  

Once I was done with my sketch it was time to paint.  I reached into my pack and pulled out my paints.  My palette had some paint which had oozed beyond the box and I did my best to clean it, and started painting.  I used a little watercolor, a little white acrylic ink, and was trying a scraping technique I was interested in using.  As I got going, a bit of red paint made its way onto the painting.  Where did that come from?  I looked at my hands and I had thick red paint all over my right hand! Oh no! Reaching for my water bottle, I knocked it over and it began to roll down the steep little path I was perched upon…  

I looked around and the closest public facility was the church.  I made my way up there and since it was at the top of the village, very few people were around.  I went inside and there was nobody in there.  These old churches have no bathrooms, but then I spied it… and it was like a choir of angels began to sing… the holy water fount!  A beautiful marble fount with a small plastic container of holy water in it!  Hear the angels yet?  I certainly did, and yet the good catholic girl in me hesitated for a minute…well at least for a moment (I was never really that good).   

I certainly couldn’t bathe in the fount, but who was I to say that God hadn’t provided this perfect provision for me in my time of need? Who was I to not take advantage of what God was providing…Right?  I looked left…looked right…and dove into my pack for some paper towels.  Dipping them into the holy water I was able to rinse the red color off my hands without staining the holy water. It took quite a few dips to get clean, but eventually I looked a little less like an axe murderer.  What a relief!

Then I remembered that I had acrylic on my brush…and those of you who paint know you can’t leave acrylic on your brushes…right?  So again, I looked left…looked right…and picked up the plastic container and carefully poured a little water into a collapsible bottle I had with me.  I spilled a bit in the transfer from container to container, but it was captured by the marble fount (that’s what it was made for, to hold holy water, right?) Still hearing the angels?  I was!  When my covert operations were over, I felt clean and relieved that my brush wouldn’t be ruined.  I may have to mention it next time I go to confession, but I was happy!

I made my way down the hill, bought some water, and boarded the ferry for the last city Monterosso.  This last city is flatter than most of them and has a beach.  I was ready to try again…this time on more level ground!  I found a cute wine shop and decided to sit in the shade and do a little sketch.  This experience went much better and I just loved capturing the umbrellas, the barrels and all the wine bottles and signs.  When my sketch was done, I had lost my shade and needed a little gelato, so the sketch never got painted, but it was a great ending to a fun day of trying to make art en plein air (which means outdoors on location). 

I’ve decided plein air painting is a little like camping…it may not always go well, but when you survive the misadventures you end up with great stories and some art which records the memories.  I can’t wait to do it again!






Can't wait for October 2015...join me on my Artfully Tasteful Tour of Tuscany!  See all the details here on my website or contact me for information.



Rebecca Zdybel
Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor
Art Lessons in all media
Myrtle Beach, SC
rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

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Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

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Florence Italy- Abducted by Fashion Designers!

 Sometimes your momma’s warning 

“never talk to strangers” is dead wrong…

In the list of pick-up lines I’ve fallen for, I now have a new one…”I like your hat”.  

That’s how it all began.  After having shopping at the market near the train station in Florence, my roommate Sally and I were strolling near the Duomo. It was a cold rainy day but the sun was beginning to peek out.  Our trip to Florence, Italy was another excursion during our art trip to Italy. We were dressed for the weather with a few layers of clothing under our jackets.  I also was wearing a new white hat which I recently purchased for the trip.  It’s a great hat.  The string holds it on in the wind, and the brim is perfect.  It’s cool, covers my hair and face, and has a dark under-brim to help decrease reflective light.  I love my hat!  Apparently someone else did too…

He was a finely dressed Italian guy in his 40s.  He was walking in the piazza in front of the Duomo with another gentleman about the same age.  Both of them were dressed as if they were out of a fashion magazine.  The day had been rainy, and yet one of them had on velvet shoes!  Both were in gorgeous jackets.  Giorgio asked me where I had purchased my hat in perfect English, and I told him that I had purchased it online at Amazon.com.  As the conversation continued, we found out their names were Filipo and Giorgio.

Sally is very outgoing and was chatting them up.  She asked what they did for a living, and we quickly found out that Filipo was a fashion designer.  Giorgio told us Filipo had recently made a coat for a recent first lady/presidential candidate to which Sally remarked, “Well, couldn’t you have done something about her hair? We all laughed when the response was,” Darling, I’m a designer, not a miracle worker!”  He then went on to tell us his coats were in various high-end retail stores in the USA.  He seemed very amused by Sally and her obvious “Wis-CAHN-sin” accent.  He had studied in the US and started teasing her about being from “Wis-CAHN-sin”.  Sally has a gift for laughing and It was really fun talking to them.

After being with them a while, I began to take in what they were wearing…it was incredible.  Filipo’s jacket was fine wool and black,  with a braided collar that was gorgeous.  They were really the definition of Italian style.  How fun!

As we walked, they told us about a wholesale jewelry outlet on the second floor across the street from their shop, and said to tell them “Filipo sent us”.  Sally was looking for jewelry, so we thanked them for the tip.  Then we came upon their shop, Por Santa Maria Leather, near the Ponte Vecchio (a major tourist destination on Via Santa Maria in Florence). They were definitely in the high rent district!  When they invited us into the shop, we just had to take a peek…

Their store was beautiful, filled with gorgeous high end leather jackets. All the clothing was beautiful…refined and very finely detailed.  There were nice couches and mirrors and Sally was prompting me to try on this and try that.  I was layered up against the cold and carrying a backpack and camera.  I was hesitant to undress and try anything on.  Then she pointed out a gorgeous jacket…black leather with a brown detailed belt and other nice details on it…I hesitated and said something about how beautiful it was.  Sally asked me what size I wore.   I answered,” I’m not sure what European size I wear.”  Filipo took over saying,” I’m the designer, it’s my job to know.” 

Filipo Bosa and I at his shop- Por Santa Maria near the Ponte Vecchio.
What is his hand doing????  I think he's playing with my hair!

About then, Giorgio showed up with some wine.  We all had a sip and Filipo pointed to my outfit saying,” Darling, why are you dressed like this?”  I said something like,” It’s COLD outside and we are trying to stay warm.”  But before I knew it, he had removed the hat off my head and threw it onto the couch across the room like a frisbee with such a dramatic flair that I couldn’t help but laugh.  Again the question,” Darling, why are you dressed like this? Are you going on Safari?” This was asked as he slowly and dramatically walked around me as he unwound the scarf around my neck with a sly look and a not-so-insignificant caress underneath my hair to the back of my neck.  I was thinking to myself,” I wonder if the secret service allowed this with "she who shall remain nameless"? ”  He carried my little scarf with even more dramatic flair to the couch across the room as if it were contaminated, and dropped it there next to my hat.  I was laughing and thinking, “Oh Lord, what next?”  Then he walked up to me and unzipped my jacket and moved behind me to remove it.  There was even a little dramatic body contact from behind as he slid the coat off my arms. It was about then that Sally quipped,” THAT'S IT! I'M DYING MY HAIR BLONDE!”  She and Giorgio were drinking wine and laughing at the obvious show which Filipo was staging.  I was the prop and he was the showman.  

He picked up the jacket we had admired and slipped a perfectly fitted-light-as-a feather-softest-most-incredible-thing-I’ve-ever-put-on-my-body leather jacket onto my shoulders.  As he put it on me, he came around to the front and tied the belted waist, walked across the room and grabbed a scarf and with a flick of the wrist tied it round my neck into a great looking bow.  He went on to explain that the coat was antelope and waterproof.  He demonstrated its waterproof properties by spraying it with water and letting us all watch the water bead up and roll off the coat.  Then he took another jacket just like it and turned it inside out, to reveal that the beautiful jacket I was wearing was actually reversible to a suede alternative on the inside!  I have never worn a more beautifully detailed coat! 

I looked at the price…No wonder it was beautiful!  It was beyond me and I told them so. He then got out his calculator and showed me a price saying, “for you darling,” The price came down...much better, but still a whole lot of money.  I offered to trade him a painting for the coat, but unfortunately he didn’t take me up on my offer.  We traded cards instead.  

As we left, they walked us in the direction of a restaurant they recommended and we parted saying our goodbyes.  As we walked toward lunch, both Sally and I found ourselves giggling and wondering what on earth had just happened?!  

Their lunch spot, Trattoria Corrozze, was fantastic and very reasonable.  I had the best salad of my trip and a nice glass of wine for 20 Euros. The restaurant is located along a street parallel to the river off the street which becomes the Ponte Vecchio.   I would definitely go back.  It was in the designer shopping district and very quaint.

As we left Florence that day, I was still laughing to myself and shook my head a little at everything that had transpired. Honestly, if I feel any regret over what happened, it’s that I didn't purchase that coat!  You can check out their beautiful shop, Por Santa Maria Leather on Via Santa Maria very near the Ponte Vecchio.  If you go, tell them Rebecca and "Sally from Wis-CAHN-sin" sent you! My advice, BUY THE COAT!  ;-)

If you enjoy travel and would like to think about combining a beautiful visit to Tuscany with optional cooking and watercolor painting lessons ( I make it easy and FUN), think about joining me in 2015 for my EAT, PAINT, COOK TOUR OF TUSCANY 2015.  Read more about it on my Friday Nov. 28, 2014 post on this blog, and by following these links:  
EAT, PAINT, COOK TOUR OF TUSCANY 2015- NOV 28 2014 BLOG POST 

Tour/Workshop Details and REGISTRATION

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist/ Art Instructor

Myrtle Beach, SC

Tasting Tuscany

I don't care what anyone says, there is no better food than in Italy! The "fresh factor" probably accounts for most of the fabulous tastes, but ahhhhh, the food is fabulous.  I had a new whole grain salad the other day...at least it was new to me:  spelt.  It resembled barley, but it was so tasty in a salad with EVOO and grilled veggies.  Yummmm!

Then there is the wine.  The Chianti region is where we are staying. The special appellation known as Chianti Classico (a dry smooth red) can be made here.  It's a red wine that pairs well with food. You may not be aware, but the making of wine is very controlled and regulated by government officials who inspect the agricultural methods, bottling and content of the wines which want to be considered Chianti Classico.  Many of the vineyards make extra wine that they do not  bottle.  For these wines,  they don't bother to preserve them by adding sulfites.  This makes it seem that we can drink more and not suffer the normal headaches we might get otherwise (at least that's what we're telling ourselves as we drink from lunch through dinner!) They serve these un-preserved wines as their house wines.  The house wines are often great, and because they are meant to be drunk right away, they are not available outside the country.  These are sometimes white and sometimes red, but almost routinely delicious.  Another reason to visit Tuscany!

I am staying at a restored monastery known as San Fedele.  The owners made their fortunes in the cell phone industry and hopped off that fast track for life in Tuscany.  They felt a special kinship to this land and this property and claimed a piece of it for themselves.  After over 7 years and an incredible investment of energy and money, they took the property from abandoned ruins to restored beauty. It has a very good vibe and is tastefully authentic.  We have WiFi and good plumbing.  The rooms are spacious and modern.  Our group also has a large room in which to use as a studio for painting during the evenings or inclement weather.  That makes it especially ideal for our group.  The other evening, as the sun was setting and we were drinking some wine before supper, we were treated to a triple rainbow of incredible intensity.  None of us had ever seen such a thing, and I will forever associate San Fedele with that moment.

Though all the things I describe are great, one overwhelming perk of this place is the food!  Breakfast is cooked by Renatta, the owner.  Those generally feature a couple of home baked cakes, yogurts, fruits, meats, eggs, breads and juices.  It's very good, and I am not a breakfast lover.

 We eat lunch elsewhere as a rule.  Andrea is our chef in the evenings, and we have had extraordinary meal after extraordinary meal thanks to him. He is a lively and funny guy who loves to describe each course we eat every night.  Generally there are 5 courses: Anti-pasti, Prima Pasti, Vegetable, Salad, and Dessert.  All the food is organic and fresh  He doesn't use anything which is frozen, and shops every day for the food.

Last night's Anti- pasti:  Tuscan Salame with large peppercorns, spinachini (baby spinach), and home made chicken liver pate' on Tuscan toast

Our chef- Andrea Anichini

We have been so spoiled.  The pasta is amazingly fresh (and made by our Chef's sister-in-law).  The vegetables and meats are from local producers and are incredibly tasty.  Our chef Andrea is a fabulously enthusiastic cook and loves to tell us all about each course.  He puts such heart into his efforts to serve an authentic and tasty representation of Tuscan cooking at it's finest.  I will miss his warm hospitality and our happy conversations about food and life and art.  His talents and sweet friendship really added to my time here. He offers lessons in his home kitchen and comes to the US to cook in the off season for special events.  I hope to find my way to his table again...either here or on our side of the Atlantic.

Arrivederci San Fedele...I will leave a little part of my heart here.

Take a photo...then "Imagineer" Your Own Reality!

I am not a" great photographer.  I respect photographers and know that getting the right image is about planning, timing, study, readiness, equipment and technical savvy.  These days, it's also about editing know-how just as in the past it was also very much about dark-room know how.  Photography is art.  Photographs can be beautiful and complete as an art form. However, for me...photos are just the beginning.  That's why I am a painter.

Yesterday I was in Siena.  A town behind a massive wall on a hill...a description which could fit many towns in Tuscany.  This one has the distinction of being the owner of St. Catherine's head!  Oh, and her right finger too!  How grisly and medieval is that?  There she was today...what's left of her that is.  Not to disrespect her or anything, but as far as I'm concerned, cutting off her head and putting her decaying face in a box for all to see is not necessarily respectful  When I go, close the casket and remember me as I was.  She was very important to the residents of the city and they claimed her as their own...however when she died in Rome, they kept her remains as relics and charged for seeing them or being blessed by them.  Citizens of Sienna staged a guerrilla raid on Rome and chopped off her head...and her finger (how random!) and then brought them back in a box to her home town.  And here she is to this day...

Siena is very hilly and filled with old buildings, gelato shops, lots of tourists and beautiful little vistas wherever you look.  It's a great town to photograph and wander around, which is what we did today.  I was like a dog on the trail of a good scent...just following my nose (or in this case my eyes) from one thing to the next.  My new friend and roommate, Sally, was my partner in crime.  We stumbled upon a great site today with laundry on the line, shadows and cool architecture.  We stood there at the side of the road and drew it in our little pads...took photos and then kept on.

At one point Sally told me she had found a shopping mall.  I followed her in there and we saw lots of people but no shops.  We stumbled on some nice bathrooms, so we took advantage.  There were lots of bars to assist with mobility and pull chords for emergency on the walls...that should have been our first clue.  When we came out, we realized that there were all kinds of old people and nurses...Then it dawned on us...we had somehow found our way into a convalescent home!  We began laughing so hard and making fun of ourselves, but even so, I was taken with some of the cool faces and old people around us.  What was even more funny was that they weren't moving too fast, so it made taking their photos easier. I didn't feel comfortable taking obvious photos of the old folks, so Sally volunteered to stand in the vicinity of a couple of choice characters and I surreptitiously took these shots.

Photos are a very necessary part of my process.  They provide me with resources from which I can "imagineer" a painting.  For example, when we drew a spot on location I felt that it needed a point.  When you looked at the city landscape I had drawn, it didn't seem to have enough life for me.  I decided it needed people to give it some life.  

It was time to use a photo reference.  I was taken by the story which was told in a photo I took earlier in the day.  The little boy blowing bubbles was interacting with an elderly man on the street.  Charming!  I decided that those two characters belonged in my drawing in order to remind me of my experience here.  They were not in the same place in the same time at all, but because I'm a painter, they ended up right where I wanted them to be.  Photos are the reference, but the fun for me is found in the the ability to create my own reality.

Finished Painting
"Bubble Boys"- Watercolor/Ink on Paper

As a PS to my previous entry...I found out that the very spot I climbed to get the photo below was a former celtic place of worship.  There are stone circles on this site and as I sat upon one of them I was visited by my little friend the fawn.  How cool is it to think that this ancient holy place gifted me with an innocent spiritual present?  That fawn symbolized innocence, vulnerability, and being present in that place.  I am even more convinced that he was sent as some sort of heavenly affirmation.  One more reason to love Tuscany!

Villa Casa Nova- Chianti
Watercolor/Ink on Paper

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons in all media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

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Day 3- Castellini and Villa Casa Nova di Chianti- Painting En Plein Air

Our destination today was Castellini...a small town about 15 minutes by car from our home base.  We took 3 vans and went to town to find nice locations to paint.  I brought my good camera, a fold up stool, a backpack with a pad of Arches 140 and a small watercolor travel pad, my travel palette of watercolors, brushes, a water bottle, sun bonnet, jacket, a collapsible water holder, paper towels, sepia marker, a pencil, a black marker, and an eraser. It all fit in my rolling backpack and I definitely had everything I needed.


I took a few photos at first and tried to find a place that called to me to be painted.  This one was quiet, and I had a vantage point that was in the shade without anyone around.  I decided to try my hand at this.  At first I did a sketch in my mini sketch book with an elegant writer marker.  I then took a brush with water and made the lines bleed.  This is a really fun value foundation for painting.  I then added my watercolors for a little more color and the paper got a bit mushy. Once nice thing that happened is that a bunch of other students joined me in my little corner and we had fun painting together.  The lady who lives there also was kind enough to hang a shirt on the line for me.  I was going to have to  make up some laundry so that was very fortunate. Later on, the lines above were filled with laundry too.  I guess that's what happens on sunny days in Tuscany!

When my paper began to get mushy I decided to try it again on better paper.  When will I learn?!  NEVER paint on anything but good paper!!!  How many times have I said it to my students???  And here I am proving my point by making the same mistake yet again.  Getting out my 140 Arches, I sat on my little tripod stool and drew it again.  I began with pencil and then once I had my perspective lines in place, I quickly went to my sepia marker.  I'm finding that I like the quality of the marks it makes much better when I'm drawing on location.  The lines are better and the value is perfect.  It's a Staedler sepia marker and I just love it.  Karlyn Holman is a fan, and I am too.
My back side was getting tired and the light was changing so I got up to walk around a little bit.  I happened on a little boy and an elderly man...perhaps his grandpa.  The little boy was blowing bubbles and it was charming.  When I went back to my drawing, I thought it might be nice to put them into the scene.  The student next to me had injected a dog into the little scene, and I thought that a little life might be a good idea in my street scene.  So I drew the little Bubble boy and his elderly friend.  My sketch was complete and it was time for lunch.

After lunch we forced ourselves to enjoy a gelato and then caught a ride back to home base.  Once there, I needed a little coffee to offset the wine I had at lunch, because a few of us were going on a hike to a local villa on the next hill.

The place is owned by Dutch owners and we are able to visit without disturbing anyone.  The hike to get there was about 1/2 hr, and I got the chance to spend more time with Karlyn's co-teacher Bonnie.  She is great and really a good painter and teacher. I enjoyed getting to spend more time with her today.  Once we got there, I took photos, and decided to hang back to try and make a sketch of the great architecture and cool roof elements.  I was able to climb up on a small hill and perch there to get a better perspective on the roof elements.  I loved the weathervane and the chimnies...they were what interested me and from up on this little mound of rocks and grass I could see them better.














When you compare the next 2 photos I think you'll see why I like to use my zoom lens.  These two photos are the same sight.  I zoom in on the first and don't use a zoom on the second.  The composition gets flattened when you use a zoom, and I think it lends itself to a more pleasant perspective.  What do you think?

.
I preferred the first composition so that is what I based my drawing on.  I began by placing my favorite element...the weathervane...in the upper left sweet spot of my drawing.  Then I went from there.  The weathervane ended up being a little larger than life...but I didn't mind that.  I got the drawing in by finding my perspective lines and big shapes in pencil, but quickly went to the Staedler pen again as soon as I felt I could.  Given my experience this morning, I figured it was the best way to go fast.










Here's the drawing without paint.  Karlyn is a big proponent of laying in shadows first.  The shadows were awesome at that point so I quickly mixed up some lavendars and blues and tried to capture them.  The light was changing but I tried to move as quickly as I could and went from light, to medium to dark shadows. I knew that I was taking longer than expected and didn't want to miss the critique for the end of the day's work, so I called it a day and started to pack.  






This is what my painting looked like with a few shadow forms in place.  










The final blessing of the day was a silent visit from my little friend below.  It was magical to share that moment with such a sweet creature. No words were exchanged....none were needed.   I think he is an Italian fawn.  He came at just the right moment and I was able to take a few photos.  A sweet ending to a fabulous day of painting en plein aire!

The day's final blessing!

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Drawing vs. Painting

Today was a day spent doing a drawing of a courtyard scene here at our home base.  Normally I like to paint...and I don't necessarily choose to usually have photorealism or even detail as my goal.

When it comes to drawing, it's a funny thing...when I get a pencil in my hand or take pen to paper, something changes.  All of a sudden I get interested in detail.  When I draw something, I develop an intimacy with the subject of my drawing that is unattainable by any other means.  It's incredible the nuanced details that jump out at me.  I can see something fresh about my subject after drawing it for 2 hours and think," How did I not see that before?"

That happened a lot to me today.  I took pen in hand and decided to do a pen and wash painting the way Karlyn Holman does it.  She likes to lay in a pen drawing and then do cast shadows.  She has a color formula for which colors should go underneath which.  Basically, she advocates complimentary shadow colors as foundation for developing your final colors..  This was my subject:

"Before you are able to draw, you have to learn to see, and you learn to see by drawing. (Mick Maslen)"

The quote above is a good one.  I felt that I was seeing intensely today.  I admit that I was very distracted by the crowded conditions and the dark space in which we were painting.  I had to move outdoors to get a little space and some light.  It was lovely, but a little chilly.  Once I found my spot and organized my materials, I started to draw.  Then it was time for lunch. Then it was time for a lecture on perspective done by another Instructor, Bonnie. 

One thing that we have here at the workshop is a great little eraser on an elastic string...a gift from Karlyn.  It comes in very handy worn around the neck.  It's also a great tool for perspective.  Those of you in my class be sure to remind me to show you how it works.

Then it started to rain.  Then it started to hail!  By the time I gathered my things and took cover, I felt as if I'd accomplished very little.  Once the sun came out, I took some photos and started up again.  I came up with a few cast shadows, going in with some Cobalt blue and some Permanent Magenta.  Before I knew it, they were ringing the dinner bell and it was time to head to a local Agritourismo winery down the road.  I had to stop and leave it at this sketch...which will have to be completed at a later date.  

I'm not unhappy with my drawing, but I'm not sure about how well I've laid in the cast shadows.  All in all, I felt as if I was battling distraction all day and didn't concentrate very well.  That happens sometimes to me in workshop settings.  I am just going to enjoy what I can from every day and not put pressure on myself to do great work in every setting.

Tomorrow we are off to a small town to paint on location.  I'm packed and looking forward to it.  Hoping the rain doesn't fall and that the temperature is a little warmer too.  If drawing slows me down, I may try to paint and draw later, or not draw at all.  There are varying opinions on the need to draw, and on different days, I agree with different of these artists.  We'll see what tomorrow holds...

“If one draws the subject precisely, only then can the freedom of the brushstroke be achieved.”  Gayle Lee

I never draw except with brush and paint... (Claude Monet)
Drawing helps you become familiar with the subject. It releases you from working out so many things on canvas, and thereby increases your freedom as a painter. (Richard McDaniel)

Getting There is Half the Battle

First of all, let me say that when traveling to Europe, First Class helps the overnight experience.  I had advice to take some Tylenol PM to make sleeping a little easier.  Since I could only find Advil PM, I took that instead.  Being able to lay flat and prop myself with a few pillows actually allowed me to get a few hours rest.  I've not had a seat that lays flat before, so this was new and wonderful!  I arrived in Dusseldorf feeling somewhat rested.

I don't speak any German, so the first thing I did as a groggy traveler was to order "kaffe",  The waiter spoke perfect English. That made the whole experience very easy.  Negotiating the airport was a l,ittle disorienting because my flight was not listed on the board. It was a little confusing at first.  Then I realized that no flights after 10 AM were on the board and I relaxed a bit.

I was a little nervous about making my connection in Florence with my tour group.  Set to arrive at 10 minutes prior to the bus's departure, I knew that in that 10 minutes, I had to get my luggage, clear customs and find them.  Thank goodness for skype!  I finally figured out how to get on the WiFi after a few misfires.  Once I got on WiFi, then I had to translate each site, so my 30 paid minutes was up by the time I was ready to place the call.

I got through via Skype and let Michael know that I was going to be arriving very close to the time of departure.  He assured me they would wait.  I sighed a big sigh of relief and relaxed to have another cup of kaffe.  What is it about European coffee?  They just do it better.  In fact, that cup of capuccino was just about the best thing I've ever put in my mouth.  So good, that I had to have another.

Once fully caffeinated, I made my way to the gate.  Very few people were there...that should have been my first clue.  When I approached the gate, another couple of American gals did so along with me.  The agent very nonchalantly told us that the flight was cancelled.  It was about 45 minutes before the departure time.  We had to go collect our luggage and re-book ourselves on another flight. Thankfully, there was a flight headed to the Florence later that day.  Lisa and her sister took me under their wing.  We would watch one another's luggage and stayed with one another's stuff as we would get things to eat or go to the restroom.  It was a great comfort to have them to lean on.  Lisa was even kind enough to let me use her iPhone to make another call to the contact person at my destination telling them I would arrive even later.  They offered to pick me up...it would be a significant charge for doing so, but at least I would get there and not have to deal with bus stations and trains.

My buddies during a long day in Dusseldorf

Lesson Number 2: Pay to get an international calling plan for my phone.  I thought I could use my computer and the internet for skype.  My plan was foiled when my computer ran out of battery at the airport and I didn't have the proper 3-prong receptive charger.  Nor were there many electrical outlets in the airport.  Electric outlets are not as available in Europe.  I tend to forget that fact between trips.

When I arrived at the Florence airport, I was greeted by the owner of our restored 14th Century Monastery, Il Chiostro.  His name is Nicolo.  He and his wife Renatta left their very successful business careers to spend 7 years restoring a completely abandoned abbey which was in ruins.  Their vision was to create a destination which would provide an experience that was uniquely Tuscan and based on the history of their special place.  They succeeded!  In the 45 minute drive I was treated to a history of their experience renovating the place.  It was romantic and great to hear an obviously successful and accomplished guy give credit and show obvious love for his wife.  I respect a man who loves and respects his wife.

I walked into a meal prepared with organic foods, homemade pasta, and sulfate free wines.  Their food doesn't have those labels to be chic, it's just how they eat and drink.  The wines are fresh and meant to be drunk young, so there is no need to preserve them with sulfites.  The vegetables are fresh and grown locally. The chef's sister made the pasta and everything was delicioso!

After about 30 hrs I found myself in my room and able to settle in for a night of rest. Can't wait for what tomorrow is going to bring!

Tuscany Here I Come! Tough or Fearless?

. Tuscany Here I Come! Tough or Fearless?

Those of you who see me all the time, know that today marks the beginning of a huge adventure.  I’m off to Europe to paint in Tuscany!  Traveling on my own…that’s a new twist on travel for me.  I’ve been married to a detail oriented guy for most of my life now, and though I’m capable of handling details, my husband Paul is good at being "pilot in command".  Letting him be in charge feels more relaxing and that’s part of the vacation experience for me.  This trip is different.  I’m going to have to stay sharp.  It’s a little scary, but it’s already been fun.  Traveling on your own somehow makes you accessible.  People seem friendlier.  Maybe it’s something about the energy I send out when I'm by myself...maybe I’m more open to interaction.  That’s food for thought...

I got to the airport with 2 checked bags…one with art materials and the other with belongings.  I probably brought too much.  I have a rolling backpack and a camera bag that is doubling as my purse.  I think the $5 tip to the valet at the curb was the best $5 I’ve ever spent.  Thanks to him I wasn't charged for my backpack as a carry-on.  Spirit Airlines loves to charge for that luggage!

I saw my friend Ann Berg at the TSA check-in for security and gave her a smooch on the way to the check-point.  I asked her if it was against the law to kiss the TSA agent, and we agreed that neither one of us cared! ;-) What a great beginning to my morning!

Once at the gate, I relaxed and got a cup of coffee.  As I got on the plane, I ran into another friend, Pamela.  She was on her way to a wedding in NYC and we made lunch plans for when I got back by talking across the aisle as others were boarding.  That started another conversation with folks in the seats next to me.  Normally I don’t do a lot of visiting with fellow passengers, but like I mentioned earlier…this trip something is different. 

At LaGuardia (which always seems startlingly decrepit…how can it be that the coolest city in the country has the worst airport?)  I then had to get to JFK for my flight to Dusseldorf.  I decided to take a cab and relax rather than deal with the bus.  As luck would have it, I got into Bettique’s yellow cab.  (With a name like that, she doesn't need a last name!) What a great ride!  She has been a yellow cab driver for over 30 years.  

I told her that I had never ridden with a female cabbie before, and she said that she was one of only a handful of women who drive in the city.  Apparently women cab drivers are less than 1% of the drivers.  She said over 55% are now Pakistani.  Years ago, when women were being targeted and killed, she said most women drivers quit.  She had some great stories of driving the cab and in talking, we found out that we both had been nurses in our past lives.  I commented that she must be tough to be a woman in her business.  She said she had to pay attention and be smart, but she would describe herself as “fearless”.  

I thought that was an interesting distinction.  There is a difference between being tough, and being fearless.  Tough implies being closed and impenetrable. Fearless implies openness and courage.  Before I knew it, she had me at JFK.  I’m so early for my flight that I can’t check in, so I have time to sit here and write this note. 

At my friend Janelle's shower yesterday, I saw a bunch of friends I love and admire.  At the party, many found out for the first time that I was leaving for Tuscany today.  It’s a unique thing to be able to go on this trip by myself, and hearing my friends’ reactions only reinforces that for me. It's really unusual to be going on this crazy and incredible trip by myself.  Do I need to be tough?  I don’t feel tough.  I’m a little anxious.  I’m scared about making connections and meeting up with my group at the right time, in the right place, at a foreign airport. What if I miss connections?  What if I can’t understand the language cues once I get there?  I don’t feel tough.  But after meeting Bettique, I’m encouraged.  Like her…I don’t want to be tough I just want to be fearless.  

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist/ Art Instructor

Myrtle Beach, SC