Welcome

Many artists dream about painting in Italy. Now, as retiring baby-boomers are increasingly taking up “brush and pallet knife,” more than ever, painting in Italy is the “thing.” Every day, a new “Artist’s” tour of Italy crops up in travel sections of the newspaper and on the Internet. But there still remains a majority of artists who prefer to “go it alone.” They are independent in their artistic styles, and prefer to be independent regarding their travels in Italy . This blog intends to target these free spirited artists who still need guidance to the best places to paint, especially those idyllic gems that are little known and less traveled. Certainly, independent travelers who are not artists will also benefit from this blog.

With a few exceptions, this blog is not a guide to restaurants, lodging, rental cars, or shopping, (except for art supplies.)

Sprinkled among the posts are: my paintings, and a few Italian proverbs and poems written by notable Italian authors for whom I work as a translator.



Please visit my website to view my original art:

http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/

Giclee prints of my paintings, ranging from greeting size to poster size, can be purchased at:

http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com/



Thursday, March 12, 2009

ITALIAN PROVERBS

ITALIAN PROVERBS

Translating proverbs can be as tricky as translating poetry. They both require reflection into the metaphors, which can ring through clear as a bell, or be so far out there you wonder what the author might have been smoking when he sat down to write. The following is one of those pesky little proverbs that at first seems easy enough to translate, but then you read it and ask: “Say what?”

“Nuoto chi può e chi non può nuotare a fondo se ne va.” Literally this means: “He who can swim will swim and he who cannot swim will sink.” Sure that makes sense, so what? What kind of proverb is that? So now you have to jump into the pool, or the lake, or the stream, wherever these rascals are swimming and sinking, and figure out what’s really happening. Some swim, some sink, but how are they interacting? Are the swimmers helping the sinkers? No? Well then, there you have it. There’s your proverb: “Every man for himself.”

1 comment:

  1. Hi, Pammy!

    Your new blog is terrific! I can imagine how complicated it was, but we're all glad you figured it out!

    I've printed the whole thing out so I can take it home and show it to Margaret. She'll like it, too!

    Thanks for doing this and keep 'em coming!

    Love,

    Dinah

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