Flowering cherries from Window Above Blair Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 12 x 12" 30 x 30cm
Brightening up the landscape Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 16 x 12" 40 x 30cm
Montecorone with Cherries Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/wood 11.5 x 23 29 x 59cm
Monte Coronne Light and Shade Blair Pessemier Acrylic/wood 18 x 23" 45 x 59cm
At the Sassi Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 10 x 14" 25 x 35cm
Montalbano from Verocchio Blair Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 18 x 15 46 x 38cm
Trees together Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 12 x 16 inches 30 x 40 cm
Spring at the Sassi Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 12 x 12" 30 x 30cm
Cherry Blossoms Garafalo Laurie Fox Pessemier acrylic/linen 11 x 14 27 x 35cm
Through the Trees at Verocchio Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/linen 16 x 12" 40 x 30cm
New cherry Blair Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 16 x 13 41 x 33cm
House at the Sassi Blair Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 16 x 12" 40 x 30cm
By the road in Garafalo Blair Pessemier acrylic/wood 8 x 16 20 x 40cm
Cherry Blossoms on Turquoise Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/linen 13 x 9 33 x 22cm
A Year in Rocca Malatina
It was just one year ago we signed the lease for this
wonderful house in Rocca Malatina, Italy.
We looked at it and fell in love at once – when that happens it is hard
to see things any other way. I was sitting out on the grass with Harika
today, thinking WOW, this is my yard!
This week we had a painting workshop with just one painter. She was the perfect companion – we painted
beneath both grey and sunny skies, drank
wine and dined at our table, and visited a couple of inspirational places.
It is always with mixed feelings we open our home. It’s one thing to have a painting workshop,
another to host someone. We’ve had some
doozies at Rocca Malatina in the one year we have been here.
We started out strong, painting the enormous rock
outcroppings up at the Sassi di Roccamalatina.
Even I find it a daunting subject – rocks are, well, HARD. But we powered through, and came home for
lunch and a nap. That set the precedent
for the next two days of painting.
We painted trees and skies, towns and landscapes. Mornings and late afternoons. When it gets a little warmer, I look forward
to night paintings.
After three days behind the easel, we needed a break, and
went to the castle at Vignola. It is a
masterpiece of decorative wall painting – even in the “women’s prison” tower. Estes’ colors abound: red white and green. You
can sense the door opening to the Renaissance there. Someone let us in to see a stairway being
restored – the first round stairwell built without a central support – it was a
predecessor to a grander one at the Vatican.
We felt inspired enough to paint from the tower in our house
that afternoon, looking out at trees and houses below.
The next day we went out to Salsomaggiore – and saw the
positively BEST art nouveau building I have ever seen! Salsomaggiore was a spa resort frequented in
the first half of the twentieth century.
The Berziere Spa was a feast for the eyes, with hand painted walls,
jewel encrusted pillars, and outstanding art nouveau brass details. We didn’t take the waters, but may go back
for that soon. We are having a show in Tabiano starting the end of this week, for a local car company. Tabiano is also a site for healing thermal
waters.
The sun is shining this afternoon, and we look forward to
more sunny days in the garden.
