PAINTING IN ITALY

CITIZENS OF EARTH

2011-12-23T15:09:00.000-05:00

CITIZENS OF EARTH

2011-12-23T15:02:00.002-05:00

CITIZENS OF EARTH

In this painting I wanted to convey my desire for all races to hold dear their individual ethnic backgrounds while embracing every other race, creed, and orientation. We are all children of our great Mother Earth, and thus, we are ONE family.
The original 16”x20” acrylic on wrapped canvas is available on my website:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com
Giclee prints from greeting card size to poster size are available at:
http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com

In questo quadro ho voluto fare l'idea che siamo tutti i figli della madre di terra e non e` mica importante il coloro del pelle, il religione, ecc.
Si può comprare il quadro originale dipinto con acrilico su tela al mio website:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com
Oppure si può` comprarne delle stampe al sito:
http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com

ITALIAN POETRY / 2000 / LUCIANO SOMMA

2011-12-23T14:49:00.002-05:00

ITALIAN POETRY / 2000 / LUCIANO SOMMA

In 2000, written by Luciano Somma, we feel the sentimental spirit of one of Italy’s foremost poets. The theme of unity among all the citizens of Earth is as timely today as it was in the year 2000. When I set out to paint my “Citizens Of Earth” (as seen above) I remembered Luciano’s poem 2000 that I had translated in that year. Luciano and I share the same vision of world peace and unity. In this holiday season, if our message can melt even one bigoted heart we will be grateful.
You can find Luciano Somma at:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm
http://www.ilportaledelsud.org/luciano_somma.htm

Nella poema, 2000 scritto di Luciano Somma, sentiamo lo spirito sentimentale d’un poeta molto noto in Italia. Il tema d’unità per tutti gli abitanti di mondo è tempestivo come quando ha scritto nel anno 2000. Quando ho cominciato dipingere “Citizens of Earth” (che si può vedere qui sopra) ho ricordato la sua poema 2000 che ho tradotto in quel anno. Luciano ed io siamo d’accordo la visione d’unità e pace dapertutto il mondo. In questa stagione di natale, se il nostro messaggio potrà intenerire mica uno cuore fanatico saremo grati.
Si può trovare Luciano Somma a:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm
http://www.ilportaledelsud.org/luciano_somma.htm

2000
Alle soglie
del nuovo giorno
un’alba
dal cielo terso
accogliera`
un volo di speranza
aquiloni
diretti verso il sole
dove il Cristo
dei giusti
attende i fratelli
d’ogni razza e colore
dove Dio-padre buono-
vegliera` sui suoi figli
forse
la macchina-uomo
fermera` i suoi ingranaggi
torneranno
a suonare le campane
e la preghiera
sara` uncanto d’amore
per l’umanita`.
Luciano Somma

2000

At the thresholds
of the new day
a sunrise
from the clear sky
will welcome
a flight of hope
great eagles
directed towards the sun
where the Christ
of the just
waits for brothers
of every race and color
where God-good father-
will watch over his children
perhaps
the human-machine
will stop it’s engines
they will return
to sound the bells
and the prayer
will be a song of love
for humanity.
Pamela Allegretto (translation)

PAINTING IN ITALY / LIGURIA / RIVIERA DI PONENTE / SAN REMO

2011-11-12T17:18:00.003-05:00

No artist worth his or her salt who visits Liguria should neglect the drive along the Riviera Di Ponente facing the rising sun across the Bay of Genoa. In the spring the walls of the gardens and villages in this area are draped with bougainvillea flowers in vivid hues ranging from deep pink to purple. This area on Italy’s “thigh” has long been a haven for poets and painters. It’s an eclectic mix of quaint fishing village and ancient seaports.
San Remo, my favorite town in this area, is known as the “City of Flowers.” With a name like that, no wonder it’s my favorite. In fact, San Remo is Italy’s most important flower market. So if you botanical painters can’t find something to paint in this region, I suppose you can blame it to having been blinded by beauty. In addition to the plethora of flowers, its luxuriant gardens and parks overflow with tropical plants.
If botanical painting is not you forte and you, like I, prefer painting architecture, don’t despair, the medieval center, the Pigna, climbs in concentric circles towards the Piazza Castello in a labyrinth of alleyways, flights of steps, covered passages, and little squares encircled by colorful shuttered buildings. All along this route you’ll find sufficient places to set up your easel or sit with a sketchpad. In the upper town, the Santuario della Madonna della Costa faces a terrace with a superior view, another great spot to set up. Another favorite for architectural painters is the Orthodox church of S. Basillio with its colorful onion domes. The church is in a little square by the sea, which makes for a lovely backdrop to this enchanting building.
As San Remo is a seaside resort, there is no shortage of seascapes to paint. Try a walk out onto the pier, another great place to set up, if you don’t mind curious tourists and fishermen breathing down your neck. If you’re an early riser or an insomniac don’t miss the spectacular opening of business in the flower market, at dawn, in the hall between Piazza Colombo and the Corso Garibaldi.
BUON VIAGGIO!!!

MAMAS AND PAPAS

2011-09-29T11:25:00.001-04:00

MAMAS AND PAPAS

2011-09-29T11:10:00.004-04:00

I decided to take a little side trip away from Italy and travel down memory lane. In that "mental" journey I rediscovered: tie dye, drugs, sex, rock and roll, and the "Mamas and Papas."
Here's my take on that wonderful group.
The original is a 20"x20" acrylic on wrapped canvas and can be purchased on my website:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/
Giclee prints from greeting card size to poster size can be purchased at:
http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com/

Monterosso In Riviera Di Levante

2011-08-15T16:08:00.000-04:00

Monterosso On Riviera Di Levante

2011-08-15T15:54:00.003-04:00

I designed the painting above from fond memories of Monterosso on the Riviera Di Levante in the Cinque Terre region of Italy. The warm tones of the village walls, rocks, and sand are the perfect neutral background for the colorful fishing boats.
The original 11"x14" acrylic in canvas can be purchased on my art website: http://www.Pamelaallegretto-franz.com
Giclee prints from greeting card size to poster size are avalable on: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com

PAINTING IN ITALY / LIGURIA / CINQUE TERRE

2011-08-11T17:58:00.005-04:00

PAINTING IN ITALY / LIGURIA / CINQUE TERRE

Although the Cinque Terre region is no longer considered “off the beaten path” it’s definitely a “must visit” for artists who hunger to capture cliff-hanging, whitewashed buildings set ablaze by ruby sunsets. This fantasy gratifying stretch of the Italian Riviera, or as the Italians call it the Riviera Di Levante, lies between Genoa and Pisa.
The Cinque Terre are five small villages at the ends of narrow valleys that cut through a steep coastal range and are backed by green-terraced slopes of ancient vineyards. Flights of steps occupy narrow alleyways and bougainvillea filled pots spill red, purple, and aubergine petals from mini balconies.
Only the outer villages of Monterosso and Riomaggiore are easily reached by car, but it is exactly this restriction that adds to the regions charm.
Each village has its own flavor. To sample them all, you can follow the fragrant trail through sunny vistas from Riomaggiore to Monterosso.
For decades, Riomaggiore has seduced artists into becoming residents. The tunnel next to the train tracks takes you to a fascinating tangle of multicolored homes. Riomaggiore's beach is a small cove that is a two-minute walk from town. The swimming isn’t the best, but on a hot day, a refreshing dip will rejuvenate your creative juices. From Riomaggiore, the Via Dell'Amore (walkway of love) leads to Manarola where rustic stairways lead to remote rocks where you can set up an easel or sit with a sketchpad. If you’re a figure artist you may be in luck, as nude sunbathing is tolerated. Picturesque Manarola ends in a rocky promontory with a harbor so tiny the boats need to be hoisted out of the water and onto a jetty.
Corniglia is the only Cinque Terre village not on the water. The town center sits on a hill atop 377 stairs (the “Ladarina”) that zigzag up to the town where the view will knock your socks right off the cliff and into the aquamarine sea below. The vista includes not only the coastline and seascape, but also all the other four villages of the Cinque Terre.

The 90-minute hike on to Vernazza is rugged but you will be rewarded with outstanding views of sun-soaked terraced vineyards that blanket the region. Secluded coves and invigorating waterfalls are tucked away along the coast between Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare and beg to have their images preserved on your canvas.
Monterosso al Mare is the most important center and the only one with a broad, sandy beach. Translation: the most tourists. However, Monterosso deserves a visit to sketch its vestiges of old walls, towers, and bastions.
When you arrive at the Cinque Terre, take time to study the footpath maps that are available in all five villages. The Cinque Terre are crossed by a dense network of coastal and interior footpaths. The "Sentiero Azzurro", Blue Path, is the coastal trail while the "Sentiero Rosso", Red Path, or High Path, climbs from Portovenere to Levanto. The "Via dei Santuari", Sanctuaries Path, is more challenging and leads to places of religious interest upon the five villages.
The panoramas from many points of the trails are amazing especially along the coast path. All the paths are of low or moderate difficulty, they say, but I never trust “they.” Who are “they” anyway? Have “they” ever hiked the trail with an easel on their back? My advice, pitch the flip-flops and tie into some sturdy shoes with healthy tread. A sudden rainstorm can make for some very slippery cliffs.
If time is not on your side, I recommend the "Sentiero Azzurro", “Blue Path” which is the most famous and evocative trail of the Cinque Terre. The course has been traced through the centuries, when it was the only way of communication for the inhabitants of the Cinque Terre. In some points, it is a real mule track that winds waterfront offering fabulous views.
As always, bring water and some snacks, an umbrella, and plenty of enthusiasm.
BUON VIAGGIO!

TAKING TIME OFF

2011-06-30T14:48:00.003-04:00

TAKING TIME OFF

To my loyal readers: I apologize for leaving you stranded in the Marches region of Italy (not that the Marches region would be such a bad place to be stranded).
Due to family issues, I have been away from my computer for over a month, and it’s looking like it may be another month before I can have access to a computer so that we can resume our trek up the boot.
To you new readers, please go back and enjoy our journey thus far, from Sicily up through Basilicata, Apulia, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Naples, Campania, Rome, Latium, Florence, Umbria, and Tuscany.
When I return, we will head up North to Liguria, Piemonte and Lombardia, the lake regions, the Dolomiti, the Veneto region and of course Venezia.
Best wishes and happy painting to you all.
Tanti auguri,
Ciao, Pamela

ITALIAN POETRY/LUCIANO SOMMA

2011-05-07T15:50:00.002-04:00

I get excited each time I begin to translate a new poem by Luciano Somma. In honor of Mother’s Day I’d like to present three of Luciano’s poems in we feel the sentimental spirit of one of Italy’s foremost poets. His poem “IMMAGINI/IMAGES” can be found in his dual language poetry book: “L’ALBA DI DOMANI / TOMORROW’S SUNRISE.” It gave me great pleasure to write the English translations in this book as well as to paint the cover art for the book and CD.
You can view more of Luciano Somma’s poetry at:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm
Mi eccita ogni volta che inizio a tradurre una poema scritta da Luciano Somma. In onore delle festa della mamma vi presento tre delle sue poesie nella quale sentiamo lo spirito sentimentale d’un poeta molto noto in Italia. La sua poema “IMMAGINI” si può leggere anche nel suo libro L’Alba di Domani, nella quale mi ha fatto un grand piacere scrivere le traduzioni.
Si può trovare Luciano Somma a:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm

GRAZIE DI ESISTERE
Come sei bella mammina
nel tuo sorriso c'è il sole
vorrei trovare parole
per dirti quanto ti amo!
Come sei dolce la sera
quando carezzi il mio viso
io sfioro sai il Paradiso
e mi addormento felice.
Quanto sei cara al risveglio
quando mi baci la fronte
si apre un nuovo orizzonte
davanti agli occhi col giorno.
Grazie di esistere mamma
restami sempre vicino
guidami lungo il cammino
tu la mia luce sei vita.
Luciano Somma

THANK YOU FOR EXISTING
How beautiful you are Mamma
In your smile there is the sun
I would like to find words
To tell you how much I love you!
How gentle you are in the evening
When you caress my face
I glimpse heaven
And I sleep content.
How dear you are upon awakening
When you kiss my forehead
It opens a new horizon
In front of my eyes with daybreak.
Thank you for existing Mamma
Always stay near me
Guide me along the way
You my light, my life.
(Traduzione) Pamela Allegretto

IMMAGINI
Mi sei apparsa vestita di sole
con addosso il tuo nudo integrale
un ricordo fantasma d'estate
che ritona superbo e io sto male.
Mi riporta lontano nel tempo
con la bocca attaccata a quel seno
che succhiavo ingoiando il mio latte
mi vegliava uno sguardo sereno.
Era amore l'amore di madre
proteggeva il suo cucciolo ed io
ero là coi miei occhi di bimbo
che stringevo quel mondo era mio.
Sulla sabbia infuocata d'agosto
non mi brucia soltanto la pelle
ma memorie oggi cenere al vento
foglie morte frammenti di stelle
che comunque tra ortensie e le calle
il pensiero riporta alla mente
quanti brividi caldi d'estate
le mie lacrime piante per niente.
Muore il giorno compare il tramonto
eri solo una statua di cera
sei confusa tra i grani di sabbia
Dio in un lampo già è scesa la sera.
Luciano Somma

IMAGES
You appeared to me dressed in sunlight
on you bared completely
a ghostly memory of summer
that returns proud and I am pained.
It takes me back in time
with mouth attached to that bosom
I suckled swallowing my milk
while a serene gaze watched over me
it was love a mother’s love
it protected her cub and I
was there with my infant’s eyes
I held tightly the world that was mine.
On the sand inflamed by August
not only my skin burns
but today’s memories ashes to the wind
dead leaves fragments of stars
however among hydrangea and bell flowers
the memory returns to mind
how many warm shivers of sunrise
my tears cried for naught.
The day dies to achieve sunset
you were only a statue in wax
confused among grains of sand
God in a flash let evening fall.
(Translation) Pamela Allegretto

ORA NEL VENTO
Nell’oceano
Dei tuoi desideri repressi
Navigava il tuo credo di madre
Per istinto felina e protettiva.
“ Donna partorirai con gran dolore “
e lo sapevi quando , per vocazione ,
sentivi dentro al tuo ventre
ad ogni parto
i palpiti e gli spasmi
e tu stringevi i denti
senza un lamento piena d’emozione .
Poi ad uno ad uno , col passar degli anni ,
ti lasciarono sola per andare
in una terra dove il pane è duro
a fare i vu’ cumprà o gli accattoni
ma tu non lo sapevi .
Nell’ultimo sospiro li chiamasti
come un appello antico , una preghiera ,
e in quel momento
non tutti li vedesti al capezzale .
Ora madre senza confini , senza più desideri
tu certamente ascolti
echi dei vu’ cumprà , di quei tuoi figli ,
nel vento , nell’azzurro , nella pace
dei tuoi incomunicabili silenzi…
Luciano Somma

NOW IN THE WIND
In the ocean
Of your repressed desires
You navigated you mother’s creed
For feline instinct and caring
“Woman you will bear with great sorrow”
And you knew when, for vocation,
You felt inside your womb
To every part
The beats and the spasms
And you grit your teeth
Without a lament full of emotion.
Then, one by one, with the passing of years,
They leave you alone to go
To a land where the bread is hard
To be immigrant street vendors or beggars
But you didn’t know.
In the last breath you beckoned them
Like an ancient appeal, a prayer,
And in that moment
You did see them all at your bedside.
Now mother without bounds, without more desires
You surely hear
Echoes of the immigrant street vendors, of these your children,
In the wind, in the heavens, in the peace
Of your incommunicable silences...
(Translation) Pamela Allegretto

PAINTING IN ITALY/MARCHES/SIBILLINI MOUNTAINS/MARCERATA/POTENZA VALLEY/ MONTE SIBILLA/GRAN SASSO

2011-04-24T18:04:00.002-04:00

For a full-on scenic drive and endless painting-ops, take the drive through the Sibillini Mountains from Macerata to Ascoli Piceno. Before you head out, be advised that the road will dip and dive and climb and drop, and unless carsickness is your nemesis, you’ll come away with one-of-a-kind sketches, paintings, or photos.
From Marcerata, the road leads to Passo di Trèia, but be sure to take a detour to the village of Trèia. This medieval town sits on a ridge in the central Potenza Valley, and it has walls and towers and gates that are all ripe for painting, on canvas of course. Don’t try to paint the walls and towers and gates themselves or you may encounter fierce opposition from the otherwise gentile town folk. The Piazza della Republica is an ideal location to set up and paint, as it opens toward the fertile valley below.
Another short diversion climbs to the abbey of Santa Maria di Rambona. (No, there is no correlation to Rambo) The views from the Abbey are spectacular and there are nice level sites to set up an easel and paint.
The next stop brings you to Tolentino, which sits on the banks of the Chienti River. This is another tranquil little gem that is unknown to most artists seeking river scenes to paint.
At San Severino Marche, (which I wrote about on my April 12th blog) this route turns into the Potenza Valley. It passes through rolling hills until you reach Castelraimondo, and then the road climbs the ridge between the Chienti and Potenza valleys. The views from this summit will set your heart thumping, or perhaps it’s the drive itself, in either case, take a breath and choose a spot to set up and paint the exquisite landscape below. Next, the road plunges to Sfercia on the floor of the valley. It crosses the Chienti and climbs to San Maroto and from here the undulating road leads up to Fiastra that sits on the Lago di Fiastra.
This lake is a great place to stop and regain your sea legs. It also offers a serene and lovely location to paint. When you’re ready to twist and turn instead of dive and climb, continue through this picturesque alpine landscape toward Bolognola, the highest community in the Marches. Certainly, you’ll be ready for another break to paint the 360 views; but hold the wine, you’re not out of the woods yet, and you’ll need all your faculties to maneuver the twisting, panoramic road to Sarnano: this is one very cool medieval town with steep, narrow streets that lead to the main piazza.
Depending on your time, there are certainly a multitude of scenic and historic side trips you may chose to take anywhere along this route; I only like to write about places I have personally visited. It’s possible to drive the panoramic road up to the summit of Monte Sibilla (7,135 feet), where you’ll find a famous cave you might like to explore. And if the drive didn’t already take your breath away, certainly the views over a majestic sweep of mountains to the Gran Sasso will finish you off. (But in a good way)
BUON VIAGGIO!

SELF-PORTRAIT IN PROGRESS

2011-04-19T17:04:00.000-04:00

SELF-PROTRAIT IN PROGRESS

2011-04-19T16:58:00.001-04:00

At some point in each artist's life an attempt at a self-portrait is expected. The painting above is my idea of a true self-portrait: a portrait painting itself. The original 16”x20” wrapped canvas is available on my website: http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com
Giclee prints are available at: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com

PAINTING IN THE CARRIBEAN / ISLAND BEAT

2011-04-16T17:52:00.001-04:00

PAINTING IN THE CARRIBEAN

2011-04-16T17:48:00.000-04:00

ISLAND BEAT This is Winston, one rockin’ conga drummer. His red-hot, reggae rhythm is as cool as a tropical breeze. You can view this original 16"x20" acrylic on canvas painting on my website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com or purchase a giclee print at: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com Ecco Winston. Un batterista di conga che suona con brio la musica di reggae. Si può` vedere il quadro originale dipinto con acrilico su tela al mio website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com Oppure si può` comprarne delle stampe a: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com

PAINTING IN ITALY / MARCHES / OSTRA VETERE / SAN GINESCO / SAN LEO / SAN SEVERINO MARCHE

2011-04-12T15:38:00.000-04:00

For a great workout after a eating a bit too much pasta, (the local cuisine boasts this delicious four-vegetable rigatoncini) take a drive to Ostra Vetere. (No, the drive is not considered the workout.) Park in the center and take the pathways that link this picturesque medieval village with terraces and flights of steps. The views at each twist and turn are absolutely “paint-worthy.” Leave any bulky easel back at the hotel; a sketchpad, watercolor block, or small pochade box will be more appreciated, (don’t forget you’ll also have a full stomach). If you are interested in painting wine cellars and casks (and maybe having a taste or two while you’re at it) visit Fratelli Bucci cellars. If you are aching to paint a medieval village, then make a point to visit San Ginesio. It is surrounded by a defending wall with towers dating from the 14th – 15th centuries and holds a commanding position on the Fiastrella River. The Piazza Gentile is an ideal location to sit and paint the impressive Gothic campanile. The village is virtually tourist-free and thus, the local people will shower you with both curiosity and generosity. San Leo is another typical medieval town. It is positioned on an enormous rock mass above steep cliffs that over hang the lower reaches of the Marecchia. The Forte, with its majestic cylindrical towers, is set on the highest point of the rock and Machiavelli considered it to be the finest example of a military fortress. (Hey if it’s good enough for Machiavelli...) And I consider it an excellent location to paint. In town, climb the bell tower for exceptional views. San Severino Marche is another picturesque little town in the Potenza Valley. The old center (il Castello) dominates the town on the peak of Montenero. From this center you will find multiple vantage points to set up and paint the magnificent view of the surrounding hills. BUON VIAGGIO!!!

PAINTING IN ITALY /MARCHES/Conero/Fermo/Gradara/Grottamare

2011-04-10T18:28:00.001-04:00

A large section of the “calf” of the Italian boot is taken up by the Marches Region, which stretches between the Abruzzo and the Emilia Romagna regions. Sandy beaches line the coastline while inland green hills and river valleys run down the eastern slope of the Apennine chain to the Adriatic Sea. This region is still not well known to visitors, and thus, an artist with even only a few basic words of Italian is treated as an honored guest. Although Ancona, the capital, which poses a theatrical setting above the sea, may be a great place to put down roots for the night, for painting I recommend driving to Cingoli. Its impressive hilltop position has earned the little town of Cingoli the title of “Balcony of the Marches.” Set up your easel at the belvedere, just behind the apse of San Francesco, for spectacular views over the hills and as far as the Adriatic. Surrounded by walls, the town is secluded and quiet. The Conero promontory has magnificent views and cliffs that drop to the sea. The flora is interesting and rare and the abundance of birds includes the peregrine falcon and sand martins. Drive up the road that climbs the mountain ridge to the church of Santa Maria di Portonovo. In this enchanting setting your plein air mojo will go into over-drive. Just be sure to bring water and snacks: it really sucks to cut a painting secession short due to lack of sustenance. Fermo is another well-placed hill town that commands wonderful views. In addition, the steep alleyways of this medieval town offer architectural artists and photographers a plethora of inspiration. Gradara is a scene-stealer when it comes to turreted walls and magnificent views. According to tradition, the Rocca at Gradara was the setting for the tragic tale of Francesca da Rimini, related in Dante’s “Inferno.” So how cool is that? To walk around the walls as far as the highest tower, get out you sketch pad, and capture the amazing view while imagining where Dante stood when he conjured up his “Inferno.” When you have had you fill of damnation, drive to the seaside resort of Grottamare. From the center, a narrow street climbs to the remains of a 14th Century castle with excellent views and no signs of hellfire and damnation. BUON VIAGGIO!!!

MATERA / PAINTING IN ITALY

2011-03-07T14:06:00.000-05:00

MATERA / BASILICATA / SOUTHERN ITALY

2011-03-07T13:42:00.003-05:00

I am running a "limited time /limited number" special price for a giclee canvas print of the above painting Matera at: http://fineartamerica.com/weeklypromotion.html?promotionid=59806
Please click on this link to check it out.
To go along with this special price, I decided to re-post below my Matera article that I wrote last March.

PAINTING IN ITALY/BASILICATA / MATERA

For those adventurous artists who have squeezed the last drop from your yellow ochre and burnt sienna while painting Tuscan sunrises and sunsets, head south. I’m not talking Rome or Naples or Salerno, I mean the Deep South that Carlo Levi wrote about in Christ Stopped At Eboli.
In 1935, The Fascists exiled Levi to this region as a political prisoner. For those unfamiliar with this book, it has nothing to do with religion or of Christ making a weekend get-away to the Basilicata region. It refers to the idea that if Christ was traveling south in Italy and doing his Godly thing along the way, then he stopped when he reached Eboli. Levi wrote: “upon my arrival, the peasants said, ‘we are not Christians, Christ stopped short of here, at Eboli.’ Christian, in their way of speaking meant human being.” This “God-forsaken" region remains today a land outside time.
So, what do I like about this earthy and primeval region? Just that. It’s earthy and primitive. And the architecture is fun and challenging to paint.
In addition to being an accomplished writer, Carlo Levi was also a doctor and a gifted painter. If you go, don’t miss the Carlo Levi Gallery in Matera, where on exhibit you’ll find some thirty or more of his oil paintings, all of them portraying scenes from Basilicata life.
I recommend traveling by car, as some of the smaller villages are without rail stations. There is a respectable bus service, but in some cases you have to transfer 3 or 4 times to get to one village. If you drive, give the right-of-way to the donkeys that are burdened with bushels of firewood and clip clop down the cobblestone streets.
Buon Viaggio!
The original of the painting above can be viewed at my website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com
Giclee prints from greeting card size to poster size can be purchased at: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com

LATINA JAZZ DIVA

2011-02-20T16:44:00.000-05:00

LATINA JAZZ DIVA

2011-02-20T16:36:00.003-05:00

This is Rita, one hot Latina Jazz Diva. She rocks Jazz and wails the Blues and loves to “glam” it up. You can view this original 16"x20" acrylic on wrapped canvas painting on my website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com or purchase a giclee print at: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com
Ecco Rita. Una cantanta Latina molto caliente. Lei canta il Jazz ed i “Blues” con brio. Si può vedere il quadro originale dipinto con acrilico su tela al mio website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com
Oppure si può` comprarne delle stampe a: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com

ISLAND LOVE

2011-02-06T18:23:00.001-05:00

PAINTING IN SPAIN / TURRE / ANDALUCIA

2011-02-06T18:15:00.001-05:00

Today, I’m taking a little detour from Italy to Spain. I want to announce that the art gallery, "El Retiro" in Turre, Spain, is hosting an artist's exhibit on Friday, February 11, 2011. The theme for the exhibit is Valentine's Day and all the art will have with Love as its theme. It's a great honor to be included in this exhibit, and I give great thanks to my dear friend Miki Fonvielle for making this happen for me. I also thank Curtis Helm, the proprietor of "El Retiro" for including me in this exhibition. My painting is "Island Love." See painting above. Giclee prints and greeting cards of this painting are available at: http://www.PAMELA-ALLEGRETTO.FINEARTAMERICA.COM I am very excited to be included in the exhibit with my dear friends and amazing artists: Miki: http://www.artmiki.com and Kev: http://mooremusic.biz
If you are lucky enough to be in this delightful town on Friday, please stop by the gallery. To view paintings of Turre, please visit: Http://www.paintingbycountries.com
Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

PAINTING IN AFRICA / FOOD MARKET IN CAMEROON

2011-01-30T14:44:00.000-05:00

PAINTING IN AFRICA / CAMEROON / EMMANUEL BALIYANGA

2011-01-30T14:32:00.001-05:00

My friend Emmanuel Baliyanga painted “Food Market In Cameroon” shown above. Giclee prints from greeting card size to poster size of this painting and other colorful paintings of Africa and African life can be viewed and purchased at: http://www.emmanuel-baliyanga.fineartamerica.com/.
Emmanuel was born in the north of Rwanda where at a very young age he was admitted to an elite art school run by Belgian monks. There he learned everything about drawing, painting, and sculpture. He obtained with honors his arts diploma 6 years later.
In 1994, his parents and his eight siblings perished in the Rwanda Genocide. Emmanuel fled to Zaire. In 1995, to escape the tough life and epidemics of the refugee camps, he and other refugees tried to flee to the French Congo, but were forced to retreat. Back in Zaire, a Nun’s charity organization helped them to reach Cameroon, where he now lives.
Having won an art competition for AIDS awareness, he used the prize money to put himself through art school in Yaounde’.
In viewing Emmanuel’s vibrant, joyful art, one would never imagine that his life has been wrought with unthinkable hardships and sorrow.
Sadly, Africa is not a good market for selling fine art; however now, thanks to the kindness and assistance of French artist Miki Fonvielle, Emmanuel has his art on the Internet for the world to enjoy and purchase.
Please take time to visit Emmanuel’s site. In addition to depictions of African life, he paints remarkable portraits of African American celebrities, and his wood sculptures are breathtaking.
BON VOYAGE!

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / FLORENCE / PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO / SAN MINIATO AL MONTE

2011-01-21T16:05:00.000-05:00

When you’re ready to paint your personal interpretation of the Florentine view seen in many a Renaissance painting, travel up the Viale dei Colli to Piazzale Michelangelo, one of the best known and most popular of the vantage points offering a view over the city and its basin. The Viale dei Colli was specifically laid with the intention of offering Florentines and visitors an incomparable scenic route. The road curves along the slopes of the hills with some sections cloaked by lush vegetation. If you aren’t driving and aren’t up to the steep walk up from the city, you can reach Piazzale Michelangelo via bus #13.
The best time to visit the Piazzale Michelangelo is at dusk, when the purple-fringed Tuscan hills frame Giotto’s bell tower, Brunelleschi’s dome, and Palazzo Vecchio. Certainly, at various times of the day the Piazzale can be overcrowded with tour buses, usually midday during the summer months, but it’s rare that you can’t find a place to park your car, and there’s always space to set up an easel; and most importantly, the view of Florence will make you forget about any hubbub going on around you.
In the center of Piazzale Michelangelo is an impressive replica of the David. Speaking of the David, here’s a great little story regarding the nose of David. According to art historian Giorgio Vasari (1511-74), after Michelangelo had finished the David and was working on the scaffolding, the Gonfalonier, Pier Soderini, the highest authority of the Republic and therefore the patron of the sculpture, praised Michelangelo but added that ‘it seemed to him that the nose was too big.’ Michelangelo, who understood the patience necessary when working with a client, took a handful of marble dust and pretended to chisel away at the nose of David, allowing dust to trickle out of his hand. After the supposed finishing touch was complete, the Gonfalonier said ‘it pleases me more, you have given him life.’
From Piazzale Michelangelo you can continue on foot up to San Miniato al Monte. This clearly must be one of the best-loved churches in Italy: for it’s dramatically placed hilltop location overlooking Florence, for that same position as an eye-catcher up from the Florentine center, and for its brilliant black, green, and white marble façade. The church is dedicated to Saint Minias of whom legend has it that after martyrdom by decapitation the saint’s corpse was seen to carry his severed head over the river and up the hill (no, not to grandma’s house) to this spot. Look up the Church of San Miniato al Monte in your travel guide and take time to go inside. It is the oldest surviving church building in Florence after the Baptistery and it’s like no other church in the city. From the church grounds you’ll find many convenient vantage points for painting the Florentine vista.
Buon Viaggio!

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / FLORENCE / FIRENZE / BOBOLI GARDENS

2011-01-19T16:12:00.000-05:00

I lived in Florence for two years and believe that I still only scratched the surface of “paint-worthy” locations.
Certainly, before you even pick up a brush, you’ll want to visit the “heavy hitters”: Michelangelo’s David, Il Duomo, The Baptistery, The Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti, The Ponte Vecchio, etc., etc. There are a whole host of guidebooks available that offer in depth information on these sites and the multitude of piazzas that are all worthy of your attention and your paint time. My purpose is to tell you about my favorite, lesser-known sites where you can set up your easel or sit with your sketch pad.
Florence’s city center is situated on the “Right Bank” of the Arno River. On the “Left Bank,” known as the Oltrarno, and behind the Palazzo Pitti, you’ll find the Giardini Boboli. It is said that the Marquis de Sade preferred the enchanting Boboli Gardens to Florence’s women whom he considered “arrogant, impertinent, ugly, dirty, and gluttonous.” Well, given his reputation, I suppose the Florentine women should have counted themselves fortunate to have been able to keep the Marquis at a safe distance.
The Boboli Gardens extend over eleven acres and occupy a hilltop position with awesome views over the city and its surroundings. The Boboli Gardens offer an overall impression of a refined integration of art and nature. Secluded paths lead to numerous resting places equipped with stone benches for sitting with a sketchpad or Pochade box. Surrounding these little tranquil pockets you’ll find grottos, fountains, and statues in close harmony with the emerald backdrop of cypresses, pines, laurel hedges, and lemon trees. Take time to visit the Grotta del Buontalenti where it’s fountains, frescos, and statues (Giambologna’s Venus in particular), are guaranteed to inspire you.
At the top of the gardens is the Giardino del Cavaliere with incredible views and more than enough convenient places to set up. You shouldn’t miss the fountain island, Isolotto, at the far end of the gardens. The most dramatic approach is along the central cypress avenue, Viottolone. Be aware that many of the statues along this path are Roman originals.
If you neglected to pack a picnic or drinks, don’t despair. There’s a charming little snack bar at the top of the gardens with lots of tables to sit and eat and drink and drink in the spectacular panorama. It’s also a great place to sketch or paint. But unlike other bars where you can get away with sitting and painting for hours for the price of one espresso, if you’re there on a busy day you’ll be encouraged to buy something more to eat or drink, or else pack up that Pochade Box and move on down the line. You can’t blame them. Given the plethora of artists who visit the city, the bar would quickly go belly up if every artist who sat at its tables only ordered one coffee and then proceeded to sit for four hours.
Buon Viaggio!

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / FLORENCE / FIESOLE

2011-01-18T14:10:00.005-05:00

About a 25-minute drive from Piazza San Marco in Florence will take you to the hill town of Fiesole. As you take this panoramic drive you’ll pass fountains, statuary, and lush gardens. If you prefer to not drive, you can take the #7. However, if you take the bus, you won’t be able to pull off along the way and sketch the amazing views, which I highly recommend. Piazza Mino da Fiesole, Fiesole’s main square, is a great place to sit and have an espresso or sip Campari while you sketch the ochre-colored buildings with their charming green shutters. Character studies abound as visitors from around the world gather in this little slice of heaven.
When you’re ready for a short but steep hike, take Via San Francesco, which parallels a terrace that offers a show-stopping view of Florence. At the end of the goat trail, you’ll reach the Convent of San Francesco and the church of Sant’Alessandro. From behind the churches there is an idea spot to set up and paint another grandstand view of Florence. Do take a break from painting to visit the two churches, where you’ll find works by Piero di Cosimo and some gorgeous marmorino cipollino (onion marble) columns. From the front of San Francesco go through the gate that opens into a charming, wooded public park that makes for an enjoyable descent back to Piazza Mino. If you’re a nature painter, you’ll want to set up for a while in this delightful locale.
Back in the main part of town beyond the Duomo, in Via Marini you’ll find the entrance to the Teatro Romano. Built in the first century BC, this amphitheater is equipped to seat three thousand spectators. It was excavated at the end of the last century and is in such a good state of repair that it’s used for various theatrical and musical performances. As you arrive at the theater, you are at the top looking down onto the stage. Also from these upper seats there are views that beg to be painted. It’s an ideal spot to easily set up and paint the theater stage and the panorama behind it. Can you imagine anything much more remarkable than sitting in the same seat as Roman spectators sat over 2,000 years ago and drawing or painting the same view they witnessed? Okay, so maybe the trees have grown a bit higher on the distant hills during these past 2,000 years, but let’s not allow trivial details to spoil the mood.
Take time for a picturesque stroll to the outskirts of Fiesole and wander down the narrow Via Vecchia Fiesolana to the hamlet of San Domenico. This is another “must stop to paint” location, not only for it’s charm and amazing views, but also the local folks love artists who venture outside Florence to paint its environs. You will no sooner open your sketchpad or set up your easel, than a mini crowd will form to see what has caught your fancy. No matter what you have decided upon, there will be at least four or five other opinions on what you should have chosen. It’s always all in good fun and offers of wine, soda, water, cheese, panini, and etc. will no doubt abound. You may not get much painted, but you will have a wonderfully memorable experience.
Buon Viaggio!

Siena

2011-01-14T17:19:00.000-05:00

Siena

2011-01-14T17:14:00.002-05:00

The painting above is a scene from a back street in Siena. The original watercolor painting can be purchased at my website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com. Giclee prints can be viewed and purchased at: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com.

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / SIENA

2011-01-14T17:05:00.001-05:00

PAINTING IN ITALY/TUSCANY/SIENA/ CHIANTI COUNTRY

On three sienna-colored hills in the center of Tuscany lies the walled city of Siena (Sena Vetus). Planted solidly back in the Middle Ages, this show place of Italian Gothic preserves its original character perhaps more strikingly than any other city in Italy.
In the heart of Siena sits Piazza del Campo. This concave piazza makes for perfect viewing and sketching of the infamous Palio delle Contrade held each summer on July 2 and August 16. If you’re in Siena at this time, it’s impossible to not get caught up in the grip of Palio fever. For those unfamiliar with Il Palio: it’s a wild and thrilling horse race dating back to the Middle Ages and it maintains all the pageantry, costumes, and celebrations of that specific period. It’s a “no rules” event where even a horse with no rider can win the race. (Yes, riders do get knocked off their mounts. Try suggesting that scenario at the Kentucky Derby.) Personally, I find the race itself to be cruel to the horses, but the pre-race pomp and ritual with heralds, child drummers, flag-bearers, and Renaissance costumes make great quick-sketch muses for future paintings. Hang onto your hat, your sketchpad, and your wallet, as the rowdy crowd can swell to uncomfortable numbers.
Clearly, your guidebooks will lead you to all the big-hitter, must-see museums, galleries, and churches, so let me lead you off the beaten path, especially if you have survived intact a day at the Palio. If you’re a fan of painting architecture, Siena will fill your cup to over flowing. At each turn of the city’s undulating streets you will find a paint-worthy scene. And don’t forget the streets themselves, which are all brick-paved, and that imitate the dominant building material of brick at it’s very warmest and most subtly toned. Stairways lead to more stairways and arches frame spectacular views.
One of my favorite sites to sit and paint and drink wine (what else could one ask for?) is at the Enoteca Italica Permanente. Located at the Fortezza Medicea, Viale Maccari, this Italian government owned and operated establishment lies just outside the entrance to an old fortress. Here, you’ll find several sunny terraces for outdoor wine tasting. You can sit at a table, order a glass, and paint undisturbed for hours. The out-laying vistas will knock your socks off. Just don’t let that wine do it first.
Buon Viaggio!

Italian Poetry / PRIMO GENNAIO/ Luciano Somma

2011-01-01T13:17:00.003-05:00

In “January 1st” Luciano Somma carefully selects a minimum amount of words to create a maximum punch for this thought-provoking poem.
You can find Luciano Somma at:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm

Nella poema “PRIMO GENNAIO” Luciano Somma sceglie attentamente la minima quantità delle parole a creare il massimo pugno per questa poema stimolante.
Si può trovare Luciano Somma a:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm

PRIMO GENNAIO
Ancora storditada
tanto frastuonola
notte sbadiglia
perchè è già domani.
Avrà il volto nuovo
quest'alba che spunta
neonata speranza
d'un anno sereno?
Laggiù all'orizzonte
Io vedo una luce
più intensa e più chiara
sarà forse inganno?
Soltanto chimera?
Oppure aria pura
è questo l'augurio
per tutti quaggiù
Vogliamoci bene
la vita è una solteniamola cara
vivendo in amore
Con tutte le razze
da veri fratelli
sarà un'utopia?
Può darsi, chissà!
Luciano Somma

JANUARY 1st
Still dazed
from so much racket
the night yawns
as it's already tomorrow.
Will it have a new face
this sunrise that awakens
newborn hope
for a peaceful year?
There on the horizon
I see a light
powerful and radiant
Will it be a fraud?
Only illusion?
If not, this greeting
is a pure manifestation
for everyone on earth
to love each other
life is unique
we hold it dear
living in love
with all races
from true brothers
will it be utopia?
It's possible, I wonder!
Pamela Allegretto Franz (translation)

Mexican Serenade

2010-12-27T12:02:00.001-05:00

PAINTING IN MEXICO / Mexican SERENADE

2010-12-27T11:50:00.004-05:00

Here's a quick detour from Italy to Mexico. In the painting above, I wanted to keep the background in the muted adobe hues so the colors on the guitarist would "Pop."
The original painting can be purchased on my art website: http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/ Giclee prints can be purchased at: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com/

KEV MOORE / BLUE ODYSSEY

2010-11-28T14:56:00.000-05:00

BLUE ODYSSEY / KEV MOORE

2010-11-28T14:47:00.003-05:00

While I’ve been busy traveling to and writing about Italy, my good friend from the UK, Kev Moore, recently completed a two-month journey through the southern states of the U.S. His goal: seek out and be inspired by the music heartland of America and then return to his home in Spain and compose a killer music CD.
Kev’s CD: Blue Odyssey, is a masterful blend of jazz, blues, rock, soul, and even gospel. Kev not only captured the heart of the music heartland, he seized its soul.
I recommend checking out Kev’s website: http://mooremusic.biz to learn more about his journey and to find out how to purchase this amazing CD.
While Kev jammed with jazz and blues greats in New Orleans and Nashville, his partner, French artist Miki, sketched and painted these southern music legends. You can see her wonderful music paintings at: http://www.paintingthemusic.com

Bongo Man

2010-11-19T14:20:00.001-05:00

Bongo Man

2010-11-19T14:15:00.002-05:00

This painting above has nothing to do with painting in Italy but it is all about my love for music and bold colors. You can veiw the original acrylic on canvas painting on my website: http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/ or purchase a giclee print at: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com/ Other music paintings can be viewed at: http://www.paintingthemusic.com Questo quadro mostra mio passione dei colori vivaci e la musica. Si puo` vedere il quadro originale dipinto con acrilico sul mio website: http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/ Oppure si puo` comprare delle stampe a: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com/

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / SAN MINIATO

2010-11-10T20:58:00.002-05:00

If you’re driving from Florence to Pisa, plan to stop and set up your easel for a few hours at San Miniato, which is about midway between these two popular cities.
Climb the hill from the Prato Del Duomo, (wear sensible shoes, no flip-flops), the vistas are outstanding, and on clear days the view extends from the hills of Fiesole to the sea, and from the Apuan Alps to the cliffs of Volterra. You can set up next to the tower, which is a post-WW2 reconstruction of the last remnant of a fort Emperor Frederick II built in 1240. How’s that for “Painting on Location?”
Bread, cheese, prosciuto, fruit, water, and wine are available in town if you want to enjoy a Tuscan-style picnic while you paint. Try to catch either a sunrise or sunset; you will not be disappointed.
As usual, pack smart (translation = pack light).
San Miniato has an exciting and colorful Kite-flying festival the first Sunday after Easter. If you are in Tuscany during the Easter time, you should make a point to catch this event. At that time of the year he countryside is ablaze in spring colors which add to the vibrant colored kites.
Buon Viaggio!

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / VERSILIA / CARRARA / VIAREGGIO

2010-11-08T16:33:00.002-05:00

In addition to the Alpi Apuane, there are various other reasons to visit the Riviera Della Versilia. One reason is the beach resorts that run unbroken between Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi. Much of the sand is leased to various hotels and establishments who rent out chairs and umbrellas. But you needn’t be sucked in; there are numerous public access areas where you can sit and paint seascapes all day without paying rent on a lounge chair.
My favorite town for people watching and sketching is Viareggio. Passeggiata Margherita, the long, palm lined seafront promenade presents an air of elegance without being pretentious. Numerous bars and restaurants offer outdoor seating. For the price of an espresso or limonata, you can sit undisturbed for hours and sketch or paint.
I don’t often recommend restaurants, but here I will make an exception. Grab a bite in the pergola at Ristorante Michele. While you’re enjoying your meal, you can sketch or painting the vine-choked trellises that enclose the patio and hover overhead. If you have one too many glasses of their marvelous, and cheap, house wine, you may envision the broad twisted vines as tree snakes, threatening to drop into your minestrone. Now there’s a great idea for a painting.
Certainly, you can’t possibly be in the area without a trip to Carrara, the “Marble Capital.” Set in the hills, the town offers many prime locations to set up and paint, not only the excellent seascapes below, but also the town itself. Peeling pastel stucco houses and side streets lined with green shutters make excellent subjects.
And then of course there are the marble quarries. One of the more accessible is the site at Colonnata, the Cave di Colonnata. If you’re driving, follow the yellow signs from town up to the twisting road. Don’t worry; you can’t miss it. You’ll see a huge, blindingly white marble basin. It’s floor and sides are perfectly squared by the enormous wire saws used to cut the blocks that are scattered about.
Michelangelo spent eight months in Carrara. So while you’re setting up to paint in the village, on the convenient outlooks to the sea, or at the quarry, you’re likely to be standing in a spot where Michelangelo stood to contemplate his next sculpture or to chose his next block of marble. Does it get any better than that?
Buon Viaggio!

PAINTING IN ITALY/TUSCANY/VERSILIA/ALPI APUANE

2010-11-07T14:34:00.003-05:00

On the northern coast of Tuscany, the Alpi Apuane Mountains dominate the Riviera della Versilia. Well-marked footpaths that offer huge rewards for plein air artists crisscross the mountains, a forty-kilometer span of indisputably alpine spectacle.
Due to their location and elevation, the Apuane are an ideal blend of assorted ecological habitats, from tundra through Alpine meadow to Mediterranean grassland. An extraordinary assortment of wildflowers makes this one of the country’s richest botanic enclaves. However, the most noticeable vegetation is the vast forest of chestnut and beech, which cover nearly all the lower slopes. These trees offer shelter to many of the mountains’ three hundred species of birds. (If you like to paint birds, you may never want to climb down from this mountain.)
The main approach to the northern group of peaks is from Levigliani. Detailed trail maps are available in town. Be sure to pick one up before you head out. The best-detailed and easiest to read is the Multigraphic-Wanderkarte. Trails #9 and #126 are the most popular and have well-situated clearings for setting up to sketch and paint.
Stazzema is the best access to the southern peaks and trail #5, which is a gentle climb (the best type of climb in my mind) through chestnut woods to the Procinto, a huge tabletop crag mention by Dante. Of all the walks, I prefer this Procinto walk; not only because it’s an easy walk, which is helpful when you’re toting art supplies and food and water, but it allows time to walk up Monte Nona, have a picnic lunch and paint some out-of-this-world scenery, and return to Stazzema in time to view the sunset from an outdoor café` in the town’s charming piazza.
Even though the Alpi Apuane are on the cusp of the Versilia Riviera, don’t think the temperature will be the same. At first, it may feel like a cool relief from the blazing beach, but it can cool down quickly, so never venture up into these mountains without a jacket on hand, ditto, water and snacks.
As always, carry out what you carry in. Your reward will be the opportunity to paint scenery that few artists have the chance to paint. And the icing on the cake: Michelangelo hiked some of these same trails while visiting Carrara to select marble for his David!
Buon Viaggio!

Jazz Drummer

2010-10-09T15:13:00.000-04:00

Jazz Drummer

2010-10-09T15:09:00.001-04:00

This painting is all about my love for music and bold colors. You can veiw the original acrylic on canvas painting on my website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com or purchase a giclee print at: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.comQuesto quadro mostra mio passione dei colori vivaci e la musica. Si puo` vedere il quadro originale dipinto con acrilico sul mio website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com Oppure si puo` comprare delle stampe a: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com

To Market

2010-10-01T15:37:00.000-04:00

To Market

2010-10-01T15:32:00.001-04:00

This painting is all about bold island colors. You can veiw the original acrylic on canvas painting on my website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com or purchase a giclee print at: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com
Questo quadro mostra mio passione dei colori vivaci. Si puo` vedere il quadro originale dipinto con acrilico sul mio website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com Oppure si puo` comprare delle stampe a: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com

Piano Man

2010-10-01T15:27:00.000-04:00

2010-10-01T15:12:00.001-04:00

Piano Man

2010-10-01T14:58:00.003-04:00

This is Guido, one hot pianista. He rocks Jazz and wails the Blues on his funky purple piano. You can veiw this original 20"x20" acrylic on canvas painting on my website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com or purchase a giclee print at: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com
Ecco Guido. Lui suona il Jazz con brio sul pioanoforte violetto. Si puo` vedere il quadro originale dipinto con acrilico sul mio website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com Oppure si puo` comprare delle stampe a: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / PISA

2010-07-08T15:07:00.004-04:00

Certainly if you’re an artist who enjoys painting architecture, Pisa should not be missed. The Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) is as spectacular today as it must have been to medieval visitors. The Duomo, Bell Tower, and Baptistery are set within a vast, meticulously manicured lawn that entices artists to set up and spend a few hours painting. If you’re a true-to-life, detailed artist, don’t get frustrated if what you see doesn’t jive in your over-analytical brain; don’t accuse your t-square of playing tricks on you; and don’t blame that second glass of wine you drank at lunch: not only does the Leaning Tower “lean,” but the Baptistery is inclined out of the vertical and the façade of the Duomo is also a few degrees out of true.
Before you leave the Campo dei Miracoli, you must take time to visit each of these magnificent buildings and definitely take time to visit Camposanto, which Ruskin described as one of the three most precious buildings in Italy, along with the Sistine Chapel and the Scuola di San Rocco in Venice. It wasn’t its tombs but rather its frescos that he praised. Unfortunately, in July of 1944, Allied planes dropped incendiary bombs that set the roof on fire and drenched the 2000 square meters of frescos in a river of molten lead. Fortunately, a few patches of the magnificent frescos remain, including works by Maestro del Trionfo della Morte (Master of the Triumph of Death); which have been detached from the wall and put on exhibit in a room opposite the entrance. Also at the entrance is a photographic display of the Camposanto before the bombing.
On the south side of the Campo, sandwiched between the tourist stalls, you’ll find the Museo delle Sinopie. I love this high-tech museum. After the Allies bombed the Camposanto, the building’s restorers removed its sinopie, the monochrome sketches for the frescos. These great plaster plates are now hung from the walls of the Museo delle Sinopie, where you have the opportunity to inspect up close the painter’s preliminary ideas.
Don’t leave Pisa until you’ve visited and sketched all “three” leaning towers. The 2nd leaning tower is at the end of Via Santa Maria. It’s the 13th century campanile of San Nicola. The base is cylindrical and changes into an octagon and then a hexagon. Inside, take a peek at the paintings by Nino and Giovanni Pisano. You can get to the 3rd leaning tower, the campanile of San Michele dei Scalzi, by walking along the riverbank upstream from Ponte di Mezzo. Everything in this building is severely out of kilter: the columns in the nave tilt this way and that, the windows in the apse are every which way but loose, and the walls set up a dizzy contrast to the tilt of the tower.
After your brain has maxed out on the crooked, tilted, and leaning don't despair, like Florence, Pisa has its Lungarno that boasts a splendid line of riverside palaces that will please every “t-square” enthusiast.
BUON VIAGGIO!

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / ISOLA D'ELBA

2010-07-04T17:45:00.001-04:00

The island of Elba is a favorite among European travelers and Germans in particular. But for some reason it hasn’t yet caught on with Americans. Although it’s the third largest Italian island after Sicily and Sardinia, until about thirty years ago it was known mostly for its mineral resources (it was Elban iron in the Roman swords that conquered an empire), and as Napoleon’s place of exile. Oh, what a difference thirty years can make. Now tourists choke the island from the first of June until the first of September, with August being the most popular month. But if you can go in May or September, when the hotels and restaurants are open but the tourist traffic is down, you’ll understand why Napoleon never bemoaned being in exile.
To get there, take one of the car ferries (Toremar or Novarma) from the port at Piombino. I recommend booking in advance. When you get to the docks, you’ll see their offices. Once inside, you may be lucky and get right up to the counter, or you may walk into a crowd. If you encounter the latter, don’t be shy. The crowd is really what the Italians call a line, and if you aren’t aggressive and nudge your way to the front, you may miss the boat, (literally).
The car ferries are an ideal location for capturing on canvas the mainland and island shorelines from a sea perspective. I recommend debarking at Portoferraio, the most popular debarkation point on the island.
Before you leave Portoferraio to explore all the amazing vistas the island has to offer, take a walk up Via Garibaldi to visit Napoleon’s home in exile, the Villa dei Mulini. The villa was built especially for the ex-emperor on a site chosen for its killer views of the bay. There are multiple sites at the villa where you can set up and paint.
Elba’s landscape is rich and varied, featuring deep gulfs and long headlands. The coastline combines high, sheer cliffs, gentle bays with pebble beaches, or broad expanses of sand as white and fine as talcum powder. On the southern slops, cactus plants show that this is a Mediterranean climate; while to the east you’ll find vine-covered hills.
The water around the island is crystal clear and the most beautiful color of blue you will ever see. From the mountainous interior, Monte Capanne in particular, the views will take your breath away. Bus service is excellent, but you’ll be glad you have a car, so you can slip in and out of those out-of-the-way side roads that zigzag here and there, leading to ideal clearings to set up and paint or sketch.
You don’t want to miss west-facing Bagnaia, off the road to Rio nell’Elba, It’s famous for its sunsets and rightly so. You’ll see shades or reds, purples, oranges, and yellows that you’ve never seen before. If you have the fortitude to drive the coiling road beyond, the twin mini hamlets of Nisporto and Nisportino mark the beginning of the most unspoiled beaches and coastline on Elba’s north shore. You can hike into the hills behind, where you’ll find tiny clearings just right for setting up an easel.
If at all possible, plan to spend at least three days painting on Elba. If it’s three, you’ll wish it were four. If it’s four, you’ll wish it was five, etc., etc. In other words, once you arrive on Elba, you’ll wish you were sent there to spend time in exile.
BUON VIAGGIO!!!

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / VAL D'ORCIA

2010-06-24T13:46:00.001-04:00

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / VAL D'ORCIA

2010-06-24T13:37:00.003-04:00

If you’re searching for medieval villages to paint, set aside several days and drive south of Siena to the hill towns of Montalcino, Montepulciano, and Montecchiello. These hilltop villages in the Val d’Orcia offer innumerable vistas in all directions. If it’s medieval architecture that intrigues you, each village is replete with Renaissance palaces and steep cobblestone alleys that run beneath vaults and arches.
In this region, my favorite spot to lay down my brush at the end of the day is the Castello di Ripa d’Orcia. Ripa d’Orcia is a medieval hamlet that has remained just as it was during the Middle Ages. To get there, leave the road at San Quirico (you’ll see a road sign) and drive into the countryside for about 5 kilometers. The road isn’t in the best condition but the Castello makes the bone-jangling ride worthwhile when you see it rising up from behind a wall of cypress trees. The Castello offers 6 rooms and 7 apartments, each with a view guaranteed to knock your socks off. If you decide to stay here, I recommend drinking a large brandy at bedtime and sleeping with earplugs so the “otherworldly” moans and groans and footsteps across the room don’t scare your socks off.
Buon Viaggio!

While driving through Italy’s Val D’Orcia region, we spied the cart in the above painting overflowing with flowers, the colors of which mirrored the explosive sunset. Or was it the other way around? Hmmm... A limited number of 8”x10” matted prints of this original acrylic on 140-pound watercolor paper can be purchased from my art website:
http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com

Val D’Orcia:
Nel regione di Val D’Orcia, ho visto la scena nel disegno sopra, dove il tramonto si specchia nei fiori. Oppure, i fiori si specchiano nel tramonte? Hmmm... L’originale di acrilico è nella collezione d’artista. Si può comprarne delle stampe di 21x26cm al mio website d’arte:
http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com

PAINTING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / MONTE ARGENTARIO

2010-06-09T17:04:00.004-04:00

If you yearn to spend time on an island but boats make you sea sick and you can’t figure out how to swim and carry your easel, canvas, and paints at the same time, then don’t despair, Tuscany has an island you can drive to: Monte Argentario. This peninsula is connected with the mainland by three dams which form two lagoons, the Laguna di Ponente on the west side and the Laguna di Levante on the east side of the middle dam. The promontory was an island in the past, but the sea currents and the Albegna River joined it with the mainland through two tomboli (sand spits, stretches of land), The Tombolo of Giannella and the Tombolo of the Feniglia.
The two main villages on Monte Argentario are Porto Santo Stefano, facing north, and Porto Ercole facing south. Drive the Strada Panoramica, which starts in Porto Santo Stefano and runs along the coast. From here there are several pull-off points where you can paint sea and mainland coastal views in addition to the fabulous views of the Tuscan Archipelago (Isola di Giglio and Isola di Giannutri). At one time, Monte Argentario was a part of this Tuscan Archipelago until this island that’s not really an island used to be an island.
Porto Santo Stefano is charming, but a bit touristy. If you enjoy painting boats and harbors, a few fishing boats still huddle in the town’s smaller harbor, while mega–yachts now choke the main port. There are many waterfront bars where for the price of a limonata or a glass of beer, you can sit and paint for hours without a hassle from the waiter. Although when you do pack it in, don’t stiff the help. Come on, no one’s going to believe that if you can spring for airfare and a rental car you can’t afford to leave a decent tip.
My preference is Porto Ercole, with its charming old quarter and a more authentic fishing-village atmosphere. Although the Romans founded it, the principal historical monuments are two Spanish fortresses, Forte Filippo and Forte Stella, which face each other on opposing sides of the harbor. Most days you will see artists set up along the docks, painting the fortresses, or the weathered fishing boats, or the quaint village from a sea vantage point. My favorite part of town to paint is the lower town (old town), where steep flights of steps are cut into rock, with low arches and dark passages that end with breathtaking views of the turquoise Mediterranean Sea.
At the entrance to the old town, look for a plaque on the stone gate that commemorates Caravaggio, who in 1610 keeled over with sunstroke on a nearby beach, taken to a local tavern, and soon after died of a fever. He’s buried in the parish church of Sant’Ersmo. I guess he should have stuck to painting in Venice.
Take a drive up to the summit, Punta Telegrafo (635m). Coming from the sandy beaches and fishing ports, this interior portion is an unexpected mix of mountainous terrain and the 360-degree views are spectacular.
Avoid going to Monte Argentario on weekends, since the access is limited, traffic jam are typical. If you plan to stay for a few days, which I highly recommend, book a room early if you’re going during the summer months.
Buon Viaggio!

PAITNING IN ITALY / TUSCANY / CHIANTI REGION / SAN FEDELE

2010-05-26T12:46:00.002-04:00

The Chianti Region in Italy runs along the state highway SS222 between Florence and Siena. The Chianti Region not only boasts rolling hills and mountain top villages, but a wealth of castles. Some of the towns to look for:
Verrazzano (You might recognize the name as Giovanni "da" Verrazzano discovered the NY Harbor and the Island of Manhattan. The Verrazzano Bridge that runs to Staten Island was named after him.) Castello di Verrazzano, Giovanni’s birthplace is an ideal location to set up an easel, (just make sure to ask permission first). If you get thirsty while painting, you can sample and buy wine here.
The medieval town of Greve, which is the capital of Chianti, is one of the more colorful towns in Tuscany. Set up your easel in the Piazza del Mercatale and have a blast painting and smoozing with art-loving locals.
If painting gardens is your forte, don’t miss Vignamaggio where you’ll find the Renaissance villa that was once the home of La Gioconda, who sat for Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The gardens, replete with classical stautes and towering hedges, were featured in Kenneth Branagh’s film, Much Ado About Nothing.
If painting architecture is your preference, visit Castellina in Chianti. This hilltop village still has its fortified walls intact with little houses constructed into the walls and nesting on top of them.
Don’t let the seemingly tortuous, winding roads keep you from setting up in the village of Radda in Chianti. The main piazza is an ideal location to capture on canvas a village unchanged from the Middle Ages.
I have only touched on a small number of villages in this Chianti Region that are worthy of a painting outing; certainly there are many other villages: Badia a Coltibuono, San Sano, Castello di Brolio, and Gaiole, to name a few more.
Don’t forget to always take out what you bring in when painting en plein air. Not all open space is public land; so whenever you’re in doubt, ask first before setting up; trespassing is against the law and fines can be steep. I’ve never know an artist who’s been turned off private land when they asked permission first.
If you would rather not travel up and down the boot and prefer to concentrate your Italian painting experience in one region, then you may be interested in checking out The Tuscan Renaissance Center at Borgo San Fedele. This ex-monastery dating back to the 12th century is situated in the Chianti hills, 12km north of Siena. Owners Nicolò and Renata, lovingly restored San Fedele, spending six years to its resurrection. They employed traditional Tuscan building methods and used all original building materials to restore, rather than refurbish the structure.
The views from the large terrace are outstanding, the architecture unique, and the gardens are impeccably maintained. You can even enjoy a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool after a day at the easel.
For complete information on San Fedele, including help with hosting an artist’s workshop or how to sign up for the many exceptional artist’s workshops that are listed on their website, visit:
http://www.tuscanrc.com

http://www.borgosanfedele.com

BUON VIAGGIO!

PAINTING IN ITALY / SAN MINIATO

2010-05-25T13:09:00.002-04:00

If you’re driving from Florence to Pisa, plan to stop and set up your easel for a few hours at San Miniato, which is about midway between these two popular cities.
Climb the hill from the Prato Del Duomo, (wear sensible shoes, no flip-flops), the vistas are outstanding, and on clear days the view extends from the hills of Fiesole to the sea, and from the Apuan Alps to the cliffs of Volterra. You can set up next to the tower, which is a post-WW2 reconstruction of the last remnant of a fort Emperor Frederick II built in 1240. How’s that for “Painting on Location?”
Bread, cheese, prosciuto, fruit, water, and wine are available in town if you want to enjoy a Tuscan-style picnic while you paint. Try to catch either a sunrise or sunset; you will not be disappointed.
As usual, pack smart (translation = pack light).
San Miniato has an exciting and colorful Kite-flying festival the first Sunday after Easter. If you're in the area at that time, go for it!
Buon Viaggio

SAN GIMIGNANO

2010-05-21T12:17:00.001-04:00

PAINTING IN ITALY / SAN GIMIGNANO

2010-05-21T12:10:00.001-04:00

San Gimignano is a feast for artists who seek diversity. The views from this Tuscan hill town are breathtaking, especially the explosive red sunsets. In town, the Piazza della Cisterna and it’s connecting Piazza del Popolo are the most idyllic spots to set up easels and paint the town’s medieval architecture of towers and palaces, which are almost unchanged since the 13th century.
But if the crowds in the square become too distracting, seek out the quiet back streets where you’ll find a happy surprise at each turn. Such was the case when we stumbled upon the whimsical toy store that I depicted in the painting above. The life-sized puppeteer enchanted me, as did all the hand-carved and hand-painted toys.
Limited edition prints of this watercolor can be purchased at my art website:
http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com

Siccome mi piacciono tanto i burattini, mi ha incantato questo negozio di giocattoli nel quadro sopra. Si può comprare delle stampe al mio website d’arte a: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com

PAINTING IN ITALY / MONTECATINI TERME/ MONTECATINI ALTO

2010-04-24T14:27:00.006-04:00

Regretfully, too many artists who travel to Tuscany neglect the Florentine environs. One of my favorites is Montecatini. Montecatini Terme, located 19 miles NE of Florence, is a charming Tuscan town set among the verdant hills of the Valdinievole Valley and known primarily for its thermal spas, mud baths, and the finest mineral waters in Europe.
This town is all about cleansing the body and mind, so it’s the perfect environment to get those creative juices flowing.
The 19th-century Tettuccio spa has beautiful gardens in which you can set up and paint while sipping the curative waters.
For an unruffled day of painting drive up to Montecatini Alto. If you are without wheels, you can take the funicular cable car from Viale Diaz. The Tuscan panoramas from this scenic hillside town are hard to beat. On a clear day you can see Florence. Dotted across this multihued landscape you'll see olive groves, vineyards, Florentine castles, and hillside villa estates.
If landscape painting isn’t your thing, the narrow streets will lead you to the picturesque main piazza, named for the poet Giuseppe Giusti. It was in this piazza that Verdi wrote the last act of Otello / Othello so you know it’s a setting conducive to great works. There are a few bars in the piazza with outside seating where you are welcome to sketch at a table while munching panini and sipping a glass of the local wine, which, by the way is excellent. Wine bottled for export, must, by law, contain nitrates that work as a preservative. The local wine doesn't contain those pesky nitrates that result in a "wine headache."
BUON VIAGGIO!

Venezia

2010-04-06T16:09:00.002-04:00

The painting below depicts a deserted calle in Venezia, just a few steps from the tourist-choked Piazza San Marco. You can view this painting on my art website:
http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com
(Originale acrilico 36x28cm dipinto su tela) Un calle tranquillo a Venezia, pochi passi dalla Piazza San Marco. Si può vedere il quadro al mio website:
http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com

Venezia

2010-04-06T16:07:00.000-04:00

Deruta

2010-03-22T15:36:00.000-04:00

PAINTING IN ITALY / UMBRIA / PERUGIA / DERUTA

2010-03-22T15:26:00.001-04:00

Certainly a trip to the Umbrian region would not be complete without a visit to Perugia, the capital of Umbria. Home to Perugina chocolate, (a reason in itself to visit the city), Perugia has retained much of its Gothic and Renaissance charm, which makes it appealing to artists who enjoy painting architecture.
Piazza IV Novembre is the hub of Perugian life and a top contender for being one of Italy’s most beautiful piazzas. At one end of the piazza is the Palazzo dei Priori, one of the finest secular buildings in Italy. Yes, you read it correctly, a spectacular building in Italy that’s not a church!
In the heart of Piazza IV Novembre is the Fontana Maggiore, and as it name states, it is truly a Grand Fountain. If you want to test your drawing skills, here’s the place to do it. The fountain’s artistic triumph stems from sculpture work by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. Included are allegorical sculpture, saints, biblical characters, statuary that symbolizes the arts and sciences, Aesop’s fables, the months of the year, the signs of the zodiac, and scenes from the Old Testament and Roman history.
After you’ve run out of paper drawing the marvels of the fountain, take the escalator to the Rocca Paolina. The gardens around the old fortress are perfect for setting up to paint the breathtaking views.
Deruta remains one of my favorite towns in Umbria. Since the days of the Renaissance painters, it has boasted the densest concentration of shops and factories that sell the distinctive hand-painted glazed terra cotta. Even Raphael commissioned ceramic-ware with the now famous motif of dragons cavorting with flowers and vines.
As soon as the shops open for the day, the town explodes with color. Baskets and racks and tables are set outside and stacked and filled and hung with vibrant ceramics. Plates and platters and tiles decorate ancient walls. The Piazza dei Consoli is an excellent place to set up and capture this “ceramic” garden on canvas.
Save a little time to shop and appreciate the artistry. You simply must at least buy a spoon-rest; if you don’t you’ll wish you had, once you’ve returned home. If you travel “carry-on only,” as I do, don’t despair; the shops ship worldwide. Hey if it’s good enough for Raphael...
BUON VIAGGIO!
The original and limited edition prints of the painting above can be viewed and purchased at my art website:
http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com
Si può comprarne delle stampe e l’originale del quadro in alto al mio website d’arte: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com

PAINTING IN ITALY / UMBRIA / SPELLO / ASSISI

2010-03-14T15:33:00.001-04:00

Pinturicchio’s magnificent frescos and the stunning Deruta majolica floor in the Cappelle Baglioni aren’t the only reasons to visit Spello. The town itself, with its limestone houses, narrow, winding cobbled streets, covered passageways, and startling views begs to be captured on canvas. Mini piazzas offer excellent set-up locations. Or if you’re a landscape artist, you can kill two birds with one stone by lunching on the terrace of the reasonably priced Cacciatore, while you paint the views around Mount Subasio.
You can walk off lunch by climbing Via Belvedere that leads to the Belvedere. At the top of the hill, on the site of a Roman acropolis, the views of the Topino Valley are amazing. If you can be there at sunset, you’re in luck.
From a distance, the medieval town of Assisi resembles a cascade of churches, houses, and campaniles. Within the town, narrow alleyways link up and kiss in quaint little piazzas and then diverge, maybe into another piazza, maybe to a dead end, whatever the case, the final destination is guaranteed to be paint-worthy.
Certainly, the central square, Piazza del Comune, is a favorite artist’s site. No matter the time of day, you’ll see artists standing at easels, sitting on steps, perched on walls, or balancing on the edges of fountains.
If you prefer a less chaotic atmosphere in which to paint, or are looking to paint landscapes, visit the Rocca Maggiore. To get there on foot, begin at the Duomo and follow the picturesque Via Maria delle Rose. This secluded lane will take you up the grassy slope. Take time out to tour the fortress before settling down to paint the killer views.
My favorite site at Assisi is L’Eremo delle Carceri. Situated on the slopes of Mount Subasio, this was where St Francis of Assisi yakked it up with the animals. The light that filters through this densely wooded area prompts interesting paintings, and evidently, appealing conversations. In one little nook, outside a cave, you come across, almost stumble over, three life-sized statues lying on their backs and gazing at the sky. This is supposed to be St. Francis and his fellow monks meditating. Most people think this is inspiring; I find it kind of creepy.
After you’ve painted the changeable lights in the forest and chatted up a few animals, take the road past St. Benedict’s Abby up to the summit of Mount Subasio where the views are stunning.
Buon Viaggio!

Jam Session

2010-03-05T13:05:00.000-05:00

Jam Session

2010-03-05T12:56:00.003-05:00

The above painting is my stylized version of jazz musicians jaming it up. The painting is a 20"x20" acrylic on canvas with 2" finished painted sides. You can see this painting on my art website:
http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com
Il mio versione dei musicisti di Jazz. Il quadro e` dipinto con acrilico su tela di 52x52cm, coi lati dipinti di 6cm. Non ce la necessita` di incaricarlo. Si puo` vedere il quadro sul mio website d'arte;
http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com

PAINTING IN ITALY / UMBRIA / MARMORE FALLS / CASCATA DELLE MARMORE

2010-02-25T17:59:00.002-05:00

Umbria is known as the “Green heart of Italy.” This landlocked region boasts the soft landscape that inspired paintings by Perugino and Raphael. Its vineyard and olive grove peppered hills roll into the distance, small villages are silhouetted on the crests of knolls, and the mountains are ever-present in the background. A Mecca for plein air painting, Umbria should be on every artists “must see” list.
About five miles outside the town of Terni, taking the State Road "Valnerina", the Cascata delle Marmore (Marmore Falls) offers a spectacular introduction to the region. The 540-foot falls that drop in three tiers is the highest in Italy and the largest manmade waterfall in Europe. Created by the Romans in 271 BC in order to make the stagnant waters of the Velino River flow down the Marmore cliff into the River Nera in the Rieti Valley below, this calcium rich water forms deposits that resemble marble, thus the name. Rather than eroding the ground like most falls, the Marmore calcium deposits actually build up the underlying surface.
Statistics aside, Marmore Falls, where clouds of white foam embrace lavish vegetation, is a magical location to paint. The local population prefer to give it a mythological origin: the story goes that the nymph Nera had fallen in love with a shepherd, Velino, but Juno to punish her transformed her into a river, the Nera. Velino, anguished, threw himself down from the Marmore cliff in order to be united with his beloved: that mortal jump would continue for eternity. How’s that for a bittersweet love story to translate to canvas?
As is sometimes the case, nothing as beautiful as Marmore Falls comes without a hitch. In this case, the snag is that the waterfall has been converted to energy production. So what’s good for the planet is challenging for the artist. Don’t despair, plan your trip to the falls on Saturdays or Sundays, or 11:00 to 1:00 and 4:00 to 6:00 on summer weekdays when the Velino River that feeds the falls gets a break from its energy producing job and is allowed to flow free, cascade, foam, and splash for lucky viewers to ooh, ah, and paint. Just to be safe, check first on the Internet or at the tourist office in Terni for times.
The park at the Marmore Falls has numerous viewing platforms with plenty of room to set up an easel. At the lower outlook (Byron Square) you’ll most likely encounter fellow artists from Italy and other European nations. Many are regular visitors to the falls and will happily provide tips on where to set up at various times of day to take advantage of the best lighting.
If you prefer to hike from the lower level to the upper level, rather than drive, there is a historic trail you can take. To do so, you’ll need hiking or tennis shoes and allow 40 minutes to reach the summit and 25 to get back down. It’s a beautiful hike that has natural ground and in some parts wooded stairs and small wooden bridges. During the walk you’ll be in an extraordinary world of vegetation and caves, but you can’t see the falls until you reach the tunnel called the “lover’s balcony.” When you arrive there, you will be under the highest drop of the falls and appreciate the freshness of the water, having a shower! Bring a raincoat, umbrella, or trash bag. I know this isn’t the ideal condition for painting, but it is one wild and beautiful, unforgettable experience.
If you’d rather remain dry, you can drive between the upper and lower lookouts. At the entrance, (the current fee is 3 euros) you can pick up a map of all the hiking trails and lookout posts. The upper belvedere is an observatory, a small building which stands at the summit above the first and most impressive tier of the Marmore Waterfalls. The view from here is fascinating as it enables you to appreciate from close up the enormous mass of plunging water, and in particular conditions the appearance of a rainbow due to the refraction of the sun’s rays on the rising drops of water.
There are ample restrooms, picnic tables, a bar/deli, and a restaurant, so you can go early and stay late.
If your time is limited, I recommend driving to the upper belvedere first and then driving back to the lower level and taking “route 4” (the trail maps have numbered routes) It takes about 35 minutes (uphill and downhill), which allows more time to paint. This route is isolated as opposed to the others because it’s on the facing side of the falls of Monte Pennarossa and it is reachable crossing the State Road 209 Valnerina at the lower outlook (Byron Square). Via these stone steps you have access to two different panoramic points and you can admire and paint the frontal view of the falls. This is also the widest view of the falls.
In every era the beauty of the Marmore Waterfalls has inspired poets and artists, and numerous paintings and reproductions of Italian and foreign artists exist. Virgil referred to the Marmore Waterfalls when he quotes in the Aeneid, VII book: “a valley of dark woodlands and between the trees a river which thunders and falls over big stones.”
“Horribly beautiful” is how English poet George Byron defined Marmore Waterfalls. In his Childe Harolds Pilgrimage, Byron sings the praises of the Marmore Waterfalls describing it as one of the most fascinating spectacles ever seen during his numerous journeys.
“The crash of waters! From its rocky heights the Velino ventures through the water flushed precipes. Waterfalls! As fast as light, the shimmering mass of water foams, shaking the abyss. Hell of waters! There where they cry out and hiss and bubble in their eternal torture; while the sweat of their immense agony squeezed by their Flagstone, embraces the black rocks that surround the abyss, spread with tremendous horror..”
George Byron “Childe Harolds Pilgrimage”
BUON VIAGGIO!

Painting In Italy / Abruzzi

2010-02-09T14:19:00.000-05:00

PAINTING IN ITALY / ABRUZZI / (ABRUZZO)

2010-02-09T14:12:00.005-05:00

Most travelers often overlook the Abruzzi/Abruzzo region of Italy, which in my mind makes the area all the more inviting for a serene painting excursion. The mostly mountainous region also claims fine sand beaches that face a milky blue sea on its Adriatic rim.
If you enjoy painting wildlife, you’ll get your fill in the Abruzzi National Park, which is one of the oldest wildlife preserves. The wealth of protected animal life includes: more than 300 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. The most noteworthy animals are the Abruzzi bear, but also in abundance are wolves, deer, wild cats, otters, squirrels, and snakes.
If you’re looking for adventure, but prefer your subjects to be a bit less robust, drive the mountainous roads that twist and climb and dip and drop. From innumerable vantage points you can stop and paint seascapes to the east, the rivers Tronto and Trigno to the north and south, and the highest peaks in the Italian peninsula that include the Grand Sasso d’Italia, which gleam pink at sunset.
For landscape artists, vineyards flourish throughout the region, including on hillsides so steep the idea of harvesting is unimaginable, but accomplished just the same. In the fall the vines seem to explode into fountains of copper and red.
If you have your heart set on painting the typical flat red roofs with wide sweeps of countryside beyond, take a drive up the sharp curved road to Sant’Agostino Basciano. Whatever breath hasn’t been taken away from the white-knuckle drive, will be subsequently blown away by the views this hill-town offers.
The Abruzzi region presents something to satisfy any artist’s fancy: flora, fauna, seascapes, landscapes, river and glacier views, red-tiled rooftops, and villages that perch on seemingly unreachable mountain peaks.
BUON VIAGGIO!!!

The original and limited editions prints of the painting above can be viewed at my art website:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/
Si puo` vedere il quadro sopra e le sue stampe sul mio website d'arte:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/

BALLERINA

2010-02-03T16:35:00.000-05:00

ITALIAN POETRY / DANZANO (THEY DANCE) / by LUCIANO SOMMA

2010-02-03T16:23:00.003-05:00

I get excited each time I begin to translate a new poem by Luciano Somma. "Danzano" ("They Dance") has always been one of my favorites. All of us have thoughts that dance inside our heads. Sometimes they dance with feet as light as feathers, other times they dance with feet made of hot coals. In his poem “Danzano” Luciano Somma invites us to watch the performance.
“Danzano” can be found in Luciano Somma’s dual language poetry book: “L’ALBA DI DOMANI” / “TOMORROW’S SUNRISE.” It gave me great pleasure to write the English translations in this book, as well as to paint the cover for the book and CD.
You can view more of Luciano Somma’s poetry at:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm
The painting above is an original acrylic on canvas. You can view this and more of my paintings at my art website:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/

Mi eccita ogni volta che inizio a tradurre una poesia scritta da Luciano Somma. “Danzano” è stato sempre una delle mie preferite. Noi tutti ne abbiamo i pensieri che danzano intorno nelle nostre mente. Ogni tanto danzano coi piedi leggeri come piume, ed ogni tanto danzano coi piedi fatti di carboni ardenti. Nella sua poema “Danzano” Luciano Somma ci invita guardare lo spettacolo.
Si può trovare Luciano Somma a:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm
Il quadro sopra è un’originale dipinto d’acrilico su tela. Si può vedere questo ed altri dei miei quadri sul mio website d’arte:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/

DANZANO
Danzano
come ballerini i pensieri
sulla stanca pedana della mente
dispettosi fantasmi
nell’avida bocca della notte
nell’alitare silenzioso
della tenebre
danzano
sadici e indifferenti
all’agonia del tempo
al respiro affannoso di paura
danzano
con ritmo di rabbia
nell’infernale suono
tra le quattro pareti
d’una stanza
danzano
in quest’incendio mio
di solitudine.
Luciano Somma

THEY DANCE
Thoughts dance
like ballerinas
on the mind’s tired stage
spiteful spirits
in the greedy nightfall
in the silent breath
of darkness
they dance
the sadistic and indifferent
to the anguish of time
to the wearisome breath of fear
they dance
with angry rhythm
to the fiendish sound
among the room’s
four walls
they dance
in this my
fiery solitude.
Pamela Allegretto Franz (Translation)

PAINTING IN ITALY / LATIUM / VITERBO / MONTE CIMINO

2010-01-29T16:40:00.002-05:00

If you enjoy painting fountains, a visit to Viterbo will easily quench your passion. Enclosed within a triangle of sturdy walls, Viterbo retains a magical medieval air. The medieval district of the city is an almost intact 13th century quarter with towers, steep houses, raised walkways, outer stairs, and mullioned windows. The 12th century fountain in the appropriately name Piazza Fontana Grande is a good place to begin. Another paint-worthy fountain can be found in the inner courtyard of the Palazzo dei Priori. In Piazza della Morte a 13th century fountain fronts the loggia of St. Thomas that houses the Museo delle Confraterite. Please do take time out to visit this museum.
The lion is the symbol or Viterbo, and if you didn’t know that before arriving at the city, it would only take about a three minute “look around” to figure it out. Lion statuaries adorn fountains, carved lion heads embellish doorways, wrought iron shaped lion sconces grip streetlights, and lion friezes abound in restaurants and bars.
Outside the city walls, at Porta Fiorentina, there is a lovely public garden for plein air artists to enjoy.
If Viterbo doesn’t fully satiate your desire to paint unique fountains, take the road toward Vignanello and then turn off up toward San Martino al Cimino. As you pass through this high village, you may want to stop to view, and or paint, the excellent view of Lago di Vico. Continue the circular tour around Monte Cimino until you reach Soriano where you can paint the extraordinary fountain at Palazzo Chigi. The next stop is Bagnaia, where you can visit the Renaissance palace, Villa Lante, which stands above the village and is surrounded with a park that is a masterpiece of landscaping. It contains a superb Italian garden with fountains that include an excellent Lantini fountain. After you have completed this circular loop, drive around Lago di Vico to Ronciglione to paint the fountain of unicorns by Vignoli.
If painting all these fountains leaves you thirsty, don’t despair. Each village has enotecas where you can buy local wine. These are also great places to buy cheeses and panini to snack on while you paint.
BUON VIAGGIO!!!

PAINTING IN ITALY / LATIUM / TIVOLI

2010-01-18T14:12:00.003-05:00

What artist wouldn’t be inspired to paint in the “playground of ancient Roman emperors?” Tivoli, located 20 miles east of Rome, is this idyllic location.
Horace wrote: “So numerous were the villas here that the Tiburtine soil no longer has any plough land.” At that time, none of the 3 villas that today form Tivoli’s principal attraction had been built.
Cardinal Ippolito d’Este of Ferrara believed in heaven on earth. In the mid-16th century he ordered Villa d’Este built on a hillside. The gardens below the Renaissance villa dim the luster of Versailles.
You enter at the front of the villa; yes, there is a charge, but the best things in life aren’t ALWAYS free (unless you’re a child under 17 years or an adult over 60 years). After a visit inside the villa -- you will want to view the paintings -- begin the descent down a series of terraces and flights of steps, flanked by cypress, to the spacious gardens.
Pack light. All those descending steps must sooner or later be climbed back up. On your way, there is ample room to set up on these terraces and paint lilies, gargoyles spurting water, torrential streams, and waterfalls. I think the prettiest fountain is the Fontana del’Ovato that was designed by Ligorio. Nearby is what some deem the most spectacular achievement – the hydraulic organ fountain with its water jets facing a baroque chapel. And certainly, Bernini’s Fountain of Glass and Ligorio’s Fountain of Dragons are both paint worthy. When you get to the promenade, and after you’ve caught you breath, both from the steps and the spectacle, you will face the dilemma of where to set up amid the 100 spraying fountains! (I told you it out-shines Versailles.) The whole system of fountains, with its playful sculptural forms, is designed to please the eye and delight the senses.
If you’re still wearing your socks, that is, if the vision of 100 fountains hasn’t already knocked them off, the rhododendron-filled garden will surely leave you scalzo (barefoot).
Less than 4 miles from Tivoli you’ll find “The queen of villas of the ancient world,” otherwise know as Villa Adriana (Hadrian’s Villa) that was built between the years 118-130. Of all the Roman emperors dedicated to La dolce vita, it was the globetrotting Hadrian who spent the last 3 years of his life in the grandest style. A patron of the arts, a lover of beauty, and a dilettante architect, Hadrian built one of the greatest estates in the ancient world and filled a good portion of its acreage with recreations of the architectural wonders he’d seen on his many travels. He erected theaters, baths, temples, fountains, and gardens all bordered with statuary. Unfortunately, as was always the case with such opulence, barbarians, popes, and cardinals mercilessly looted the villa in subsequent centuries and carted off much of the marble, statuary, and mosaics. Fortunately, their voracious lust to acquire finery that was not their own was not fully satiated, and enough of the fragmented ruins remain for us to evoke a complete picture. If your imagination isn’t working to its full capacity, there’s a plastic reconstruction at the entrance that offers a glimpse of what the villa used to be. There’s also a museum on site that contains some of the items excavated.
You are allowed to set up throughout the acreage, but use good sense. If your easel impedes foot traffic or blocks major photo ops, you might not simply be asked to move, you could easily be refused to set up anywhere else on the premises. My advice is to ask at the ticket counter where you can set up. Another option would be to forget the easel, sit on one of the numerous stone benches, and use a laptop pochade box.
I rarely give hotel advice, but if you’re aching to spend a few days painting in this region, I highly recommend the Albergo Ristorante Adriano. This mini villa sits in a lush, peaceful setting just a few steps from Hadrian’s Villa. The views from the guest rooms are amazing and the food is divine. In good weather, you can dine al fresco on their lovely terrace and imagine yourself an honored guest at Hadrian’s table.
I mentioned 3 principle villas. The 3rd villa is Villa Gregoriana. While Villa d’Este takes your breath away with its man-made glamour, Villa Gregoriana relies on nature for its shock and awe. Pope Gregory XVI built the gardens in the 19th century. At one point on the zigzag walk carved along the slope, you can look out onto Aniene, the most panoramic waterfall at Tivoli. The trek to the bottom on the banks of the Anio is studded with grottos and terraces that open onto the ravine. Any landscape artist worth his or her weight in brushes will find paint-worthy vistas at any of the multiple belvederes. One word of caution, the views are like Sorrento’s sirens, they will lure you -- in this case down, down, down. Keep in mind that at the end of the day you must return up, up, up, and believe me the climb back is brutal.
BUON VIAGGIO!!!

PAINTING IN ITALY / LATIUM / ANAGNI / PALESTRINA

2010-01-10T16:10:00.002-05:00

Anagni holds a special place in my heart. It was during a time when I was doing research for a novel, which included a character that was an artist skilled at intarsio (the art of inlaid wood), that we visited Anagni.
To my surprise, and great pleasure, we stumbled across the studio of Tarsie Turri. We weren’t able to meet with Mastro Carlo Turri, whose tarsie have been purchased by kings, popes, galleries, and museums worldwide, but happily Carlo’s daughter, Rita, gave us an in-depth tour of their workshop/gallery that has been in the same location for over 30 years. We thought it fitting that the studio is housed in the medieval center of Anagni, since intarsio is an art form relating back to the Renaissance period.
The procedure involved in this work consists of joining and fitting thin pieces of natural wood (which vary in thickness from 5 millimeters) in various shapes and essence onto a surface, and thus, forming a certain design or scene. The wood is not tinted; the tonality of color is extracted from nature. Consider the difficulty we artists face when we paint a still life with multiple folds and shadows in the tablecloth. Now imagine composing that same still life out of paper-thin shavings of wood! I highly recommend a visit for both artists and art lovers. The location, Via Vittorio Emanuele 11, 291 is easy to find, as it’s the main road that runs the length of the town.
After you visit Tarsie Turri, your artistic juices will be bubbling over. Stay on Via Vittorio Emanuele 11 until you reach Piazza Cavour, which offers a killer panorama over the neighboring hilly countryside. The piazza is a painter-friendly location to set up. Pizzerias and bars that circle the picturesque little square offer enough nourishment to keep you painting for hours. It’s also a fun location to smooze with other enthusiastic artists set up throughout the piazza.
After you leave Anagni and are heading back toward Rome, stop at Palestrina. This medieval hillside town is situated on the slopes of Monte Ginestro and overlooks a wide, picturesque valley. Palestrina is notable for its Fortuna Primigenia. At one time the greatest pagan temple in the world, this Temple of Fortune, once spread over the whole area of the medieval town. If you enjoy painting architecture, the town abounds with narrow streets, often stepped, and remains of ancient town walls.
Do not miss the drive up the hill to Palazzo Colonna-Barberini to view the Nile Mosaic. The mosaic is a well-preserved ancient Roman work, considered the most remarkable one ever uncovered. The mosaic details the flooding of the Nile, a shepherd’s hunt, mummies, ibises, and Roman warriors, among other things.
The museum is open until an hour before sunset, so if you time it right, you can leave the palace and have time to set up you easel just in time to capture the burnt sienna sunset over the valley far below.
BUON VIAGGIO!!!

PAINTING IN ITALY / LATIUM / FRASCATI / TUSCULUM

2010-01-09T16:10:00.003-05:00

If Rome’s energy begins to overwhelm you, but you still have an extensive list of “must see/paint” locations to visit, don’t despair, or worst -- toss in the towel. Take a break and head for the hills.
In this case, I’m talking about the Alban Hills where the enchanting landscape is varied, with cascading vineyards and olive groves. The region is called Castelli Romani (Roman Castles), because castles that originally belonged to popes and Roman patrician families are scattered across the slopes of the Alban Hills.
You can begin in Frascati, which is only about 13 miles from the city. Yes, that’s the same Frascati that you see printed on labels of wine at your local liquor store. Certainly, those bottled wines are delicious, but don’t forget, imported wines are required to contain nitrates. If you need a reminder about nitrates: they are those nasty preservatives that keep hotdogs from going all green and gooey for at least 100 years. At Frascati, you can visit a cantina where the wine is served, nitrate-free, direct from the casks. Many Romans drive up on Sundays just to drink the vino. And after all, “when in Rome...”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not sending you to Frascati so you can spend the day sampling wine, although that can certainly be a part of it. I’m recommending this lovely hill town as an idyllic location to set up and paint.
In the heart of Frascati, on Via Massala, is the Villa Aldobrandini, whose garden containing grottos, yew hedges, statuary, and splashing fountains is a wonderful place to set up. The gardens are only open in the morning and are free to visit, but you must first obtain a free pass at the Azienda di Soggiorno e Turismo located in the adjacent Piazza Marconi.
My recommendation is to paint at the gardens in the morning and then visit the Cantina Comandini right off Piazza Roma. The Comandini family will take you on a tour of their wine cellar where you can take reference photographs for future paintings. Oh yeah, and you get to taste their golden white wine that is guaranteed to make you swoon. This is not a restaurant, but they sell fresh panini that you can munch on the way to your next destination. If you’re wondering, no, I don’t get a kickback for each glass of wine or sandwich sold; I’m just crazy for their wine and their fresh mozzarella panini.
About 3 miles from Tivoli you’ll come to the ruins of the ancient Latin city of Tusculum. Here you’ll be rewarded with one of Italy’s most panoramic views that extend as far as Rome. There are numerous convenient spots to set up and paint this incredible spectacle: my pick is from the top of the acropolis hill. At some point, drag yourself away from your easel and visit the amphitheater that dates from about 1st century BC. And not to be missed is the famous Tusculanum, (Villa of Cicero).
On you way back to Rome, you may be tempted to stop and indulge in another glass or two of Frascati vino. Be careful. The Polizia Stradale (State Police) are in abundance throughout this region, and driving while intoxicated, even just a little, will get you in more trouble than I have space to write about.
BUON VIAGGIO!!!

PAINTING IN ITALY / LATIUM / ROME

2010-01-07T16:24:00.003-05:00

How much time should you budget for an excursion in Rome? The Italian writer Silvio Negro said, “A lifetime is not enough.” If it’s to be a painting excursion, I say, “Two life times are not enough.” After you’ve toured the obligatory heavy hitters, i.e.: Trajan’s Forum, Caracalla’s Baths, the Colosseum, Hadrian’s Pantheon, Castel Sant’Angelo, Via Appia, Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Spagna, and the Vatican, it’s time to get down to the business of painting. Back in March, I wrote about my penchant for painting the back streets of Rome. Here are a few of my picks if you prefer not to stray off the beaten path, but still seek a variety of subjects that differ from the norm.
The Villa Borghese is the largest and most beautiful public park in Rome. Impeccably maintained, the park covers approximately a four-mile perimeter, which is more than enough trees, flowers, shrubs, ponds, fountains, and statuaries to keep even the most persnickety plein air artists satisfied. Be sure to bring some water and munchies: Panini, cheese, and fruit can be purchased near all park entrances. Depending on the weather and the time of year, drinks, ice cream, and snacks are sold within the park, but don’t count on it, go prepared.
If you’re not an early riser, be one for at least one day to capture Rome’s silhouette at dawn from across the Tevere (Tiber) at the Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill). With a sky fringed with mauve, the vivid and unforgettable images of bell towers and cupolas are well worth delaying that cup of morning “Joe.”
Rome purists unanimously concur that the Trastevere District is the most authentic Roman district in the city. Some call it a “city within a city.” I call it the most picturesque area of the city and ripe for painting. The architecture is as replete with humorous touches as the dialect of the inhabitants. An artist’s biggest dilemma is deciding where to set up within its charming narrow and irregular streets and its pictorial squares. When in doubt, begin at Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere. Chances are, as soon as you get your easel set and your palette dotted with paints, a helpful Roman will attempt to lure you to a “special spot.” No, he’s not trying to snare you into a back ally with designs on your wallet and watch; he’s simply making an effort to show an artist (Romans, like all Italians, hold artists in the highest esteem) the best location to get the best angle with the best light. Trust him, follow him, and paint Rome as it was intended.
Try to plan your excursion into the Trastevere District on a Sunday. That way you can include time at the Porta Portese open-air flea market that is held each Sunday from 8am until 2pm. This sprawling market offers great bargains: In addition to the usual clothing and household stalls, you might find anything from termite-eaten Il Duce wooden medallions to pseudo-Etruscan hairpins. And there are bountiful flower stalls with enough flowers to honor each fallen Roman soldier since 300 BC, and fruit and vegetable stalls that are stacked with the most colorful produce imaginable. If you’re a portraiture or caricature artist, the assortment of human subjects, both buyers and sellers, is inexhaustible.
If you prefer to paint a more traditional market scene that is encircled within a piazza, you’ll find none finer than the flower and vegetable market at Piazza Campo di Fiori. Get there early, as the vendors usually close their carts around noon and you shouldn’t miss this explosion of colors. If you enjoy bartering, a quick colored pencil sketch can always be traded for a loaf of bread still warm from the ovens and a kilo of grapes cut ripe off the vine.
BUON VIAGGIO!!!

Italian Poetry / PRIMO GENNAIO by Luciano Somma

2010-01-01T18:12:00.004-05:00

In “January 1st” Luciano Somma carefully selects a minimum amount of words to create a maximum punch for this thought-provoking poem.
You can find Luciano Somma at:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm

Nella poema “PRIMO GENNAIO” Luciano Somma sceglie attentamente la minima quantità delle parole a creare il massimo pugno per questa poema stimolante.
Si può trovare Luciano Somma a:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm

PRIMO GENNAIO
Ancora stordita
da tanto frastuono
la notte sbadiglia
perchè è già domani.
Avrà il volto nuovo
quest'alba che spunta
neonata speranza
d'un anno sereno?
Laggiù all'orizzonte
Io vedo una luce
più intensa e più chiara
sarà forse inganno?
Soltanto chimera?
Oppure aria pura
è questo l'augurio
per tutti quaggiù
Vogliamoci bene
la vita è una sola
teniamola cara
vivendo in amore
Con tutte le razze
da veri fratelli
sarà un'utopia?
Può darsi, chissà!
Luciano Somma

JANUARY 1st
Still dazed
from so much racket
the night yawns
as it's already tomorrow.
Will it have a new face
this sunrise that awakens
newborn hope
for a peaceful year?
There on the horizon
I see a light
powerful and radiant
Will it be a fraud?
Only illusion?
If not, this greeting
is a pure manifestation
for everyone on earth
to love each other
life is unique
we hold it dear
living in love
with all races
from true brothers
will it be utopia?
It's possible, I wonder!
Pamela Allegretto Franz (translation)

PAINTING IN ITALY / CAMPANIA / FAICCHIO

2009-12-18T17:14:00.006-05:00

Like hundreds of small Italian villages with populations under 4,000, Faicchio can’t be found on most Italian maps. Don’t be discouraged. You can find Faicchio on detailed maps of the Campania region sold at all gas stations on the Autostrada del Sole (A2).
Faicchio is my favorite location for painting in the Campania region. Okay, I admit that it’s the village where my grandfather was born and raised. And it’s a definite perk to have my cousin married to the mayor. And if I run out of gas, I can rely on another cousin who owns THE gas station to fill my tank. If I get sick, another cousin who is THE doctor can tend to me and if I need surgery, his son THE SURGEON has all my confidence. Yes, the milk and cheese from another cousin’s dairy farm keeps me satiated. And the figs, tomatoes, pears, and wine at yet another cousin’s farm keep me from going hungry and thirsty while painting en plein air. But aside from all these familial perks, Faicchio is quite simply an idyllic location for artists.
Located about 45 miles northeast of Naples, Faicchio is situated at the base of Monte Monaco di Gioia in the Matese Mountain Range. To reach the village, drive over the bridge that crosses the Titerno River.
You can begin by setting up in the small, but enchanting Piazza Roma that fronts the 12th century Norman castle. The Faicchiani love art and have an irrepressible curiosity. This combination is fuel for the small crowd that will no doubt encircle you before you have time to sharpen your first pencil. Don’t be intimidated. They will treat you with no less esteem than if you were Michelangelo. In addition to the castle, the views in all directions are definitely paint-worthy. If you have, or appear to have difficulty decided what to paint, your audience will no doubt offer dozens of fingers pointing in as many different directions. The Faicchiani are immensely proud of their village and its stunning environs and well they should be.
Midway up the mountain, the 18th century Convent of San Pasquale, looms over the village. You can drive up to the convent or take the paved steps that begin in the center of town. I recommend the steps. It’s a bit of a climb, but there are broad platforms with benches along the way where you can stop and catch your breath, or even set up an easel and capture the stunning views of farmlands, orchards, and vineyards. Once you reach the convent, there are numerous lookout areas where you can set up. You might even find yourself balancing your paint box on one of the 3rd century BC Samnite walls that rise up along the esplanade. Don’t stop at the convent. Allow time to climb or drive to the summit of Monte Monaco di Gioia where the gaze is lost in the Apennines Molisano Mountains to the east and the intermingling of sky blue and the blue of the Gulf of Naples in the west.
Outside the village, on the road toward San Lorenzello, and about a mile or two out of town, on your left, you’ll find the double arched Ponte Fabio Massimo, a 3rd century BC Roman-era bridge. The bridge can be crossed on foot and at the opposite side you can set up along the riverbed, where you’ll find white limestone and dolomite whose origins date back over 60 million years. The bridge is a favorite artist’s muse. If you stare at it long enough, you can almost hear the clattering of greaves and armor as ghosts of Roman soldiers march across the bridge’s graveled surface.
Don’t leave the area without a trip up Mont Acero, which you’ll find on your left off the road toward Telese/Telesino. At the summit of this winding road you’ll be rewarded with views that you’ll swear could reach to Rome to the north and Sicily to the south. Before leaving town, stop at the market to buy water, fresh local cheese, regional wine, and bread still warm from the ovens. There are picnic tables at the summit of Mont Acero, so you can dine al fresco while you paint that next masterpiece.
BUON VIAGGIO!

PAINTING IN ITALY / SORRENTO / VICO EQUENSE / POMPEII

2009-11-28T14:06:00.003-05:00

Borrowing from Greek mythology, The Romans set the renowned dwelling of the “Sirens” (the naughty mermaids who lured seamen to their deaths) at Surrentum/Sorrento. Ulysses’ crew resisted the Siren’s call by stuffing their ears with wax. My advice is to get the wax out of your ears, heed the call, and go to Sorrento to paint.
Perched high on cliffs that overlook the Bay of Naples, This little jewel offers vistas for every genre of artist to enjoy. The seascapes are breathtaking, the landscaped verdant hills are luscious, and the cliff side dwellings are mind-boggling.
A visit to the cloister at Chiesa di San Francesco will not only delight floral artists with its flowering-vine studded garden, but the convent is also an art school offering exhibits that all artists will enjoy.
Pack light, bring some water, and take a walk down to Capo di Sorrento. To get there, take Via del Capo that originates in Piazza Tasso, the main square. Along the Via del Capo, after passing a sign “Cani Mordaci” (biting dogs) posted on the gate of the villa where Maxim Gorky lived, on the right is a dirt path that will take you down to the sea. The views from here, with Vesuvius in the distance, are magical. It’s an idyllic location to paint.
Between Napoli and Sorrento, Vico Equense is a beautiful spot to stop and paint. The locals boast that they have “one foot in the boat and one foot in the vineyards.” For me this translates to awesome seascapes and landscapes. This town is an often-overlooked little gem that lies in a lovely position on a tufa promontory on the north coast of the Sorrento peninsula. Set up near the Duomo where from high above the sea the views will knock your socks off. It can get fairly breezy there, so be sure to anchor down your canvas.
Spending a day to explore Pompeii and paint among the ruins is just about the most amazing experience you’ll ever have. With Vesuvius hovering in the background, there’s nowhere else I can think of where you can paint amidst the “destroyed’ and the “destroyer.” Some artists who don’t enjoy painting buildings or ruins screw up by not bringing paints or sketchpads to Pompeii. Don’t make that mistake. The views are fabulous in any direction from anywhere in the city.
BUON VIAGGIO!

ITALIAN POETRY / VOGLIO DI TENEREZZA / by LUCIANO SOMMA

2009-11-27T13:49:00.003-05:00

Since I have been writing about painting in the Campania Region of Italy and on Tuesday I discussed painting in Napoli, I thought this would be an appropriate space to insert one of Luciano Somma’s poems. In VOGLIO DI TENEREZZA / TENDER FEELINGS, Luciano’s words about Napoli are like delicate brushstrokes that paint a rich, mental image. VOGLIO DI TENEREZZA is an excerpt from Luciano’s dual-language poetry book: “L’ALBA DI DOMANI/TOMORROW’S SUNRISE.”
You can find Luciano Somma at:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm

Siccome sono stato scrivendo delle località che preferisco dipingere dapertutto L’Italia, e recentamente ho scritto di Napoli, pensavo che allora sarebbe il tempo giusto mettere la poema VOGLIO DI TENEREZZA di Luciano Somma. Luciano ha abitato tutta la sua vita a Napoli e nella poema, le sue parole per quanto riguarda Napoli sono come pennellate delicate che dipingono nelle menti gli immagini intensi. VOGLIO DI TENEREZZA è un brano dal suo libro di doppia lingua: “L’ALBA DI DOMANI/TOMORROW’S SUNRISE.”
Si può trovare Luciano Somma a:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm

VOGLIO DI TENEREZZA
Questa sera
profuma d’estate
profuma di te
Napoli
un’aria di mare
m’inebria
e volo confuso
con la fantasia
verso lidi lontani
il ricordo mi porta
un sorriso
e cresce
come la pioggia in un fiume
questa dannata voglia
che ho dentro
d’un soffio di tenerezza
una carezza
per vivere.
Luciano Somma

TENDER FEELINGS
This evening
summer’s perfume
your perfume
Napoli
a sea air
inebriates me
and I fly confused
with fantasy
toward distant beaches
the memory brings me
a smile
and it grows
like rain in a river
this cursed desire
I have inside
of a warm whisper
a caress
to be alive.
Pamela Allegretto-Franz (translation)

VENETIAN TABLE / TAVOLO VENEZIANO

2009-11-25T15:54:00.001-05:00

PAINTING IN ITALY / VENETIAN TABLE

2009-11-25T15:45:00.002-05:00

I recently completed the painting above in Elizabeth Sennett’s Fall Workshop. There are 2 reasons I chose the title “Venetian Table” / “Tavolo Veneziano”: The bowl filled with onions made me think of Venice’s celebrated “fegato con cipolle” / “liver with onions.” And the difficulty I had painting the onions made me cry enough tears to fill the Grand Canal.
Had it not been for Elizabeth’s expert guidance, laudable patience, and infectious joy of painting, I would have flown to Venice and dumped the canvas into the drink. You can view details of the painting in my Trompe L’oeil Gallery on my art website:
http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com
Ho dipinto il quadro sopra in una classe di trompe l’oeil con la maestra Elizabeth Sennett.
Il titolo del quadro è “Tavolo Veneziano” / “Venetian Table.” Ho scritto il titolo così perchè m’ha fatto pensare del famoso “fegato con cipolle di Venezia.” Anche perchè è stato così difficile dipingere le cipolle che ho pianto abbastanza lacrime a fare il pieno il Canal Grande.
Senza la guida di Elizabeth, avrei andato a Venezia e gettato il quadro nel Canal Grande. Si può vedere i particolari del quadro nella galleria di Trompe L’oeil Gallery su mio website d’arte:
http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com

PAINTING IN ITALY / CAMPANIA / NAPLES / NAPOLI

2009-11-24T16:36:00.004-05:00

The Neapolitan “soul” is guaranteed to squeeze your heart into submission. “Goethe wrote: “Naples is Paradise. Everyone lives in a state of intoxicated self-forgetfulness, myself included.”
No painting excursion into the Campania region is complete without a visit to Naples. Yes, Naples is a big city and one of the most populace cities in Italy, but don’t forget that it is also the city that boasts the infamous dictum: “See Naples and die.” My only caution is: “Don’t see Naples by car, and live.” This is about painting in Naples and so I won’t discuss driving in Naples; just don’t do it. If you have a car, I suggest staying in nearby Sorrento or Vico Equense. You can leave your car at the hotel and take the Circumvesuviana, a commuter railway that also stops at the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii. The forty-five-minute rail trip to Naples from Sorrento is easy and scenic; most of all, it is traffic and stress free.
If you’re looking to set up in a piazza, the city offers a plethora to choose from and I’ll leave that long, detailed list to the travel writers. One of my favorite piazzas to paint in (at least for a few hours until the crush of humanity drives me away) is Piazza del Plebiscito, the city's main piazza and traffic free pedestrian zone. It is paved with black cobblestones and is among the country's grandest spaces. Clustered around the piazza are Teatro San Carlo, Italy's largest opera house; the ornate Galleria Umberto I, the 1887 shopping gallery; the vast Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace); and across from the palace, a sweeping semicircular colonnade to rival St. Peter's. Talk about artistic inspiration!
When you’re ready for a break from city noise and congestion, or if you’re a landscape artist hungry for vegetation, visit the Santa Chiara Cloisters. These cloisters are a sanctuary of hyacinth and white daffodils, small vegetable plots, and fruit trees. But for me, it’s the hand painted, blue-and-mustard-colored majolica tiles that cover every wall, pillar, and bench that make this verdant cloister a painter’s Mecca. The Monks at the cloister will let you set up an easel, but ask first. It’s also a nice idea to add a few Euros to their collection box to help defer the cost of maintaining this little jewel. Keep your workspace small and clean; the monks WILL be watching you. They have a posted notice that reads: “If you think you will be immortalized by signing your name on our walls, you are mistaken: it will be removed shortly after.”

My favorite neighborhood to paint in Naples is Spaccanapoli, in the heart of the city. There is always new inspiration in the midst of laundry flapping from overhead balconies and black-clad signoras hawking contraband cigarettes up and down the maze of narrow, zigzag, dead end streets.
A note to writers and book lovers: On the edge of Spaccanapoli, near the Archaeological Museum, is the refreshingly green and relaxed Piazza Bellini, a nexus of the city's flourishing booksellers: Naples is one of Italy's great bibliophile centers. Bookstalls like the ones along Paris' Left Bank, selling both new and used books, line the streets on and leading from the Piazza.
A sharp contrast to Spaccanapoli is the Vomero neighborhood. If the pace in the city center becomes exasperating, board one of the funiculars from the center up to Vomero in the hills above town. This city within a city is unexpectedly calm and the views of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius are truly “paint worthy.” If you get hungry and are looking for some “finger food” so you don’t waste good light by sitting at an indoor restaurant, go to the tiny Friggitoria Vomero (via Cimarosa 44). For just a few euros you can buy brown-paper cones filled with fritters made of eggplant or cauliflower or boiled wild greens or rectangles of polenta, all of them sprinkled with coarse local sea salt. Who said artists have to “starve?”
Certainly, you will want to take time out from your own painting to view some of the heavy hitters that Naples has to offer. The guidebooks can give you the full run down; here are my picks:
Il Museo e Gallerie di Capodimonte/ among other notables, don’t miss the works here by Botticelli, Bellini, Raphael, and Caravaggio.
A church officially named Sant'Anna dei Lombardi but commonly called Monteoliveto for the square on which it sits. Inside you’ll find a sacristy frescoed by Vasari, with eye-popping trompe l'oeil marquetry panels along the walls, and also, Guido Mazzoni’s awesome life-size group of terra cotta figures.
And finally, Caravaggio fled to Naples after he killed a man in Rome and although he didn't stay long he painted several important paintings, including the "Seven Acts of Mercy" which is in Pio Monte della Misericordia in the Centro Storico. It is an amazing, complex work, commissioned as an altarpiece for the church in which it has remained for 400 years.
The Neapolitan spirit of dolce far niente (living from day to day in a devil-may-care sort of way) is instantly contagious and it reaches to the artist’s canvas. If you paint “tight” and yearn to free up your strokes, then Naples is the city to visit.
Buon Viaggio!

L'ALBA DI DOMANI

2009-11-04T14:54:00.000-05:00

ITALIAN POETRY / I GABBIANI / SEAGULLS by LUCIANO SOMMA

2009-11-04T14:43:00.004-05:00

Luciano Somma, one of Italy’s foremost poets, writes not merely with a keen sensitivity, but also with an artist’s eye. In his poem “SEAGULLS” his colorful vocabulary all but lifts the reader airborne to join in the flight of gulls.
“SEAGULLS” can be found in Luciano Somma’s dual language poetry book: L’ALBA DI DOMANI/TOMORROW'S SUNRISE. It gave me great pleasure to write the English translations in this book, as well as to paint the cover for the book and CD.
You can view more of Luciano Somma’s poetry at:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm
The painting above is the book and CD cover for L’ALBA DI DOMANI. You can view this and more of my paintings at my art website:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/

Luciano Somma è un poeta molto noto in Italia che scrive non soltanto con sensibilità, ma anche con un occhio d’un artista. Nella poema “I Gabbiani” il suo vocabolario, ricco di colore, quasi solleva il lettore nell’aria ad unire nel volo dei gabbiani.
Si può trovare “I Gabbiani” nel libro di Luciano Somma: L’ALBA DI DOMANI. Mi ha fatto un grand piacere scrivere le traduzioni in questo libro ed anche dipingere il copertina.
Si può trovare Luciano Somma a:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm
Il quadro sopra è la copertina del libro ed il CD L’ALBA DI DOMANI. Si può vedere questo ed altri dei miei quadri sul mio website d’arte:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/

I GABBIANI
Disordinatamente
volano nell’aria
cercando prede
per la loro fame
cercando spazio
per le loro fughe
sfiorano il mare
vanno verso il cielo
per poi scendere giù
per poi toccare
la vela giusta
mossa un po’ dal vento
i gabbiani
sanno il momento esatto
dove andare
e il loro grido spesso si confonde
con il suono dell’onde alla risacca.
Disegnano nell’aria
nel gelo d’un inverno sempre nuovo
preghiere mute per un’altra estate
la’ dove l’abbondanza d’altri cibi
placherà i morsi della loro fame
i gabbiani
lotta continua di sopravvivenza
battiti d’ali pieni di poesia
agli occhi di bambini
che additano alle mamme
quel gioco di aquiloni senza fili.
Luciano Somma

SEAGULLS
Riotously
they fly in the air
searching prey
for their hunger
searching space
for their escape
skimming the sea
they go toward heaven
then later descend
to touch
the proper sail
waving slightly from the wind
the gulls
know the exact moment
where to go
and their screams are often confused
with the sound of waves at the backwash.
Outlining in the air
in the frost of a winter forever new
silent prayers for another summer
where abundant food
will pacify the grip of their hunger
the gulls
struggle for survival
flapping wings bursting with poetry
to the eyes of children
that point up to their mothers
that game of kite flying without string.
Pamela Allegretto Franz (translation)

LA VEDUTA / AMALFI

2009-10-31T17:39:00.000-04:00

PAINTING IN ITALY / CAMPANIA / AMALFI

2009-10-31T17:12:00.005-04:00

The diverse villages along the Amalfi Coast have been compared to a constellation, if this is the case, then the town of Amalfi is unquestionably the brightest star. The Amalfitani like to boast: “The sun, the moon, the stars, and - Amalfi.” You’ll get no argument from me.
Sandwiched between verdant and craggy mountains and the intense blue of the Mediterranean Sea, the town’s vibrantly tiled cupolas and pastel-washed houses beg the artist to capture their pose.
Landscape artists shouldn’t miss the Valle dei Mulini (The Valley of the Mills). To get there, start at Piazza del Duomo (By the way, Architectural artists take note: The Duomo, with a façade inlaid with glazed and colored tiles, is one of the more beautiful religious monuments in Southern Italy). Head up Via Genova where you’ll pass fragrant gardens, citrus groves, and waterfalls that feed the oldest paper mills in Europe. There are numerous places to stop and set up sketchpad or easel along this route, and believe me, you’ll want to do just that. When you reach the Museo Della Carta, I recommend taking time out from painting to tour this Paper Museum. Amalfi was among the first cities in Europe to manufacture hand-made paper and it continues this highly specialized art to this day. What watercolor artist or journalist hasn’t dreamed of going to Amalfi to select a few prize sheets of handmade Amalfi paper?
If you’re hungry, but don’t want to stop painting, take a patio table at the Conca Azzura Ristorante that over looks the Cape Conca Dei Marini. This scenic bay is the natural entrance to the Emerald Grotto. The colors and view from this belvedere are unparalleled. It’s a great place to sip wine, swirl forkfuls of pasta, and paint. Does it get any better than that? I don’t think so.
For centuries, poets and writers have sung Amalfi’s praises, but it’s not easy to find the right words to do justice to its beauty. For artists, I think Margaret Drabble said it best: “Amalfi clusters, the cliffs aspire, the sea extends. It is a living view, of living rock and living light. It changes minute by minute of an evening as the light changes. Like a moving painting, like a wall of slowly evolving time, a perfectly composed combination of safety and danger, distanced, marginally landscaped by man, inviting the artist.”
BUON VIAGGIO!!!
The painting above: La Veduta D'Amalfi is an original acrylic on canvas and can be purchased on my art website:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/
Si può comprare il quadro in sopra, La Veduta D'Amalfi al mio website d’arte:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/

PAINTING IN ITALY / CAMPANIA / AMALFI COAST / SANT'AGATA SUI DUE GOLFI

2009-10-24T15:13:00.003-04:00

If you’re driving on the Strada di Capodimonte, the breathtakingly scenic coastal road, stop at Sant’Agata Sui Due Golfi. This charming mountain village is settled on hillside dripping with bougainvillea and terraced with vineyards and fruit orchards.
The name of the town is derived from its location that commands excellent views of the two gulfs of Salerno and Naples. There are numerous locations throughout the village to set up and look out over the Mediterranean. This should keep landscape and seascape artists happy for several hours. If you want to plop a cherry on top of this stunning confection, take the narrow, uphill road behind the Bar Orland to the Deserto. From this Franciscan monastery you not only survey the two bays, but you can enjoy the bonus of an excellent view of Capri. Architectural artists should enjoy painting the monastery and its bell-tower on which is inscribed: TEMPUS BREVE EST. Time is short; use it wisely by spending some of it painting at Sant’Agata Sui Due Golfi.
BUON VIAGGIO!

PAINTING IN ITALY / CAMPANIA / POSITANO

2009-10-21T13:42:00.002-04:00

Positano is a hillside town on the southern strip of the Amalfi Drive. This Moorish-style village overlooks a small bay washed by the emerald Mediterranean and is backed by mountain buttresses that offer views of the Sirenuse Islands, Homer’s siren islands in the Odyssey. The white and pink houses perch from terraces submerged under bougainvilleas that drip down to the sea. Now that’s my idea of an excellent location to paint.
John Steinbeck wrote: “Positano bites deep. It is a dream that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.” What artist wouldn’t be lured to Positano after having read those words? And when you add Artist Paul Klee to the Positano devotees, then it’s an inescapable conclusion to spend time painting in Positano. Paul Klee once said: “I like to take a line for a walk.” Klee took great pleasure in “walking his lines” in Positano, and so should you.
There’s no driving in the town: you park up top and walk down, and down, and down. At times, the streets seem almost impossibly steep. My advice: don’t lug heavy paint boxes or cumbersome easels. Always remember: what goes down, must come up.
BUON VIAGGIO!

PAINTING IN ITALY / APULIA / LECCE

2009-10-20T15:37:00.003-04:00

The Apulia (Puglia in Italian) region forms Italy’s “heel.” Although somewhat off the beaten track, this region is a “must-see” for artists. If time is not on your side, at least in addition to the Trulli in Alberobello of which I’ve previously written (see March 17th entry), a trip to Lecce is not to be missed.
Referred to by some as the “Florence of the Italian South,” Lecce is a city of Baroque run wild. The palaces, churches, balconies, courtyards, and even modest side-street houses are embellished with gargoyles, eagles, monkeys, dragons, saints, fruit, and flowers. But unlike the Baroque style found elsewhere in Europe, Lecce Baroque isn’t massive or imposing; quite the opposite, it’s airy and joyful. This ornamental explosion is mostly due to the “Pietra di Lecce,” the honey-colored stone quarried in the region that is so malleable it can be cut with a knife. Nothing was too intricate or delicate that it couldn’t be carved from this stone. It would have been impossible to achieve the Lecce Baroque out of marble.
Piazza Sant’Oronzo is an excellent location for setting up your easel. When you feel the need to take a break so as not to suffer a Baroque overload, visit the below ground-level remains of the 1st century BC Roman amphitheater that Adjoins Piazza Sant’Oronzo. It’s most remarkable for it’s illustrations of chiseled gladiators fighting back lions with spears and less successful gladiators being gored by bulls.
Artists who like detailed paintings will delight in painting the Church of the Rosario on Via G. Libertini. The entire façade is a riot of carved birds and flora. At one time the monks at this cloister, which now houses a tobacco company, manufactured “polvere Leccese,” (Lecce dust) the famous snuff that Napoleon used throughout his career until his last days on St. Helena. Maybe that explains the pose with his hand inside his jacket: he was reaching for his snuffbox.
BUON VIAGGIO!

PAINTING IN ITALY / CALABRIA

2009-10-19T16:09:00.002-04:00

Calabria forms the toe of the Italian “boot.” Most travelers consider the region of Calabria to be uncivilized and dangerous, and to be used only as a stepping block to and from Sicily. That’s a gross error in judgment, and these folks need to get their heads out of their Mario Puzzo novels.
First of all, the Calabrian people are as warm and inviting as the June sun that splashes across their tiled rooftops. If you’re an artist, you’re really in for a treat. Artists at any level are venerated and fussed over. If you’re sitting in the piazza barely doodling, you’ll get the “Look” (the nod and the smile) that says: “I’m honored to be in the presence of such artistic genius.”
Seascape artists can enjoy the beaches, pristine, golden, and aquamarine, around the Tropea Peninsula, while plein air artists may prefer the scenic hinterland. The charming village of Tropea huddled on a cliff above the sea, won’t disappoint artists who are drawn to architecture. The Calabrians call the town: “Nobile Tropea,” as it is considered to be one of the most picturesque in all of Southern Italy.
The only uncivilized and dangerous things I’ve ever encountered in Calabria are the two unexploded American bombs, left over from WW2, that hang in the back of the Cathedral in Tropea.
BUON VIAGGIO!

PAINTING & WRITING IN SICILY

2009-10-18T17:06:00.003-04:00

For artists and writers (or anyone for that matter) who hesitate to travel to Sicily because of the Mafia “Thing”, get over it. Not everyone who lives in Las Vegas is a gambler nor is every New Yorker a mugger; and likewise, not every Sicilian belongs to the Mafia. If you ignore Sicily, you miss Italy. If you don’t want to take my advice, take the advice of Goethe who wrote: “To have seen Italy without seeing Sicily, is not to have seen Italy at all. For Sicily is the key to everything.”
Writers doing research on the Italian consciousness would do well to spend time in Sicily. For as Luigi Barzini wrote in The Italians: “Sicily is the schoolroom model of Italy for beginners, with every Italian quality and defect magnified, exasperated, and brightly colored...Everywhere in Italy, life is more or less slowed down by the exuberant intelligence of the inhabitants: In Sicily it is practically paralyzed by it.”
I consider the Sicilian sensitivity to be a fascinating subject to research. I mean, come on, here’s a land where, in the local dialects, there is no future tense for the verb “to be”, and where a distinctly joyful expression states: “Finchè c’è morte c’è speranza.” (Where there’s death there’s hope.) Say what? Lay that one out on Freud’s couch!
For artists, Sicily’s unique natural beauty challenges your brain to make that seemingly impossible decision of what to paint first: rugged mountains, vine and olive-clad slopes, fields of daisies and sunflowers, countless lemon, lime, and orange orchards, craggy sea-cliffs, sandy coves, Mount Etna. If Sicily’s natural beauty doesn’t totally thrust your brain into overdrive, certainly Sicily’s man-made wonders will finish the job: The Baroque façades on Campania’s churches, Apulia’s Romanesque cathedrals, the ancient Greek ruins in Calabria, the castles, palaces, and churches built all over Southern Italy by Norman, Aragonese, and Spanish invaders – all of these are found on the microcosm island of Sicily.
BUON VIAGGIO!

ITALIAN POETRY / I COLORI DELL'AUTUNNO by LUCIANO SOMMA

2009-10-09T15:20:00.003-04:00

In THE COLORS OF AUTUMN, Luciano Somma’s words are like delicate brushstrokes that paint a rich, mental image. THE COLORS OF AUTUMN is an excerpt from Luciano’s dual-language poetry book: “L’ALBA DI DOMANI/TOMORROW’S SUNRISE” You can find Luciano Somma at:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm
Nella poema: I COLORI DELL’AUTUNNO le parole di Luciano Somma sono come pennellate delicate che dipingono nelle menti gli immagini intensi. I COLORI DELL’AUTUNNO è un brano dal suo libro di doppia lingua: “L’ALBA DI DOMANI/TOMORROW’S SUNRISE.”
Si può trovare Luciano Somma a: http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesie/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm

I COLORI DELL’AUTUNNO
L’ultimo palpitare
delle foglie
che qui in montagna
assumono colori
dai toni accesi
vivi come lampe
portano l’eco assurda
della tua voce padre
duro come una roccia
muscoloso
tu da generazioni taglialegna
sembravi senza tempo.
Ero legato a te
come un ramo alla quercia
ed ora sono solo
nella foresta
del tuo ieri vissuto
in questo immenso.
Ma parleremo ancora
ti sentirò
nell’aria immacolata
presente
tra i colori dell’autunno
nel nostro paradiso
di silenzio.
Luciano Somma

THE COLORS OF AUTUMN
The last fluttering
of leaves
that here in the mountains
assume colors
in vivid tones
alive like lightening
they carry the absurd echo
of your voice father
hard like a rock
muscular
you from woodcutter
seemed timeless.
I was bound to you
like a branch to the oak
and now I’m alone
in the forest
of your yesterdays lived
in this vastness.
But we will speak again
I will feel you
in the pure air
present
among the colors of autumn
in our paradise
of silence.
Pamela Allegretto Franz (Translation)

PAINTING IN SICILY / CATANIA

2009-10-03T16:49:00.003-04:00

Situated at the foot of Mount Etna, Catania’s fate has always been at the mercy of the Volcano. The eruption in April 1983 lasted seven weeks, with the lava flow licking at the heels and toes of the city. Some refer to Catania as the Pompeii of modern times. Should this fiery threat stop you from painting in the Catania region? Not at all. Just wear good running shoes, keep your ears peeled, eyes opened, and paint fast.
A nice place to set up your easel is in the Piazza del Duomo, one of the most beautiful squares in Sicily. In the center, is the Fontana dell’Elefante: the Elephant Fountain. It’s carved from black volcanic rock and is surmounted by an Egyptian obelisk of granite. The magnificent Duomo looms at one end of the piazza. Six of the granite columns that adorn its Baroque façade were stolen from a Roman theatre: I never could “get” vandalism in the name of Christianity.
The remains of the Roman Amphitheatre, made entirely out of black lava, are absolutely sketch-worthy. The theatre dates from the 2nd century AD and its arena is one of the largest after the Colosseum in Rome.
Botanical and plein air artists should enjoy painting in the Giardino Bellini. In addition to a myriad variety of flowering vegetation, these public gardens are filled with palm, banana, and Ficus trees. From the heights of this luscious garden you are provided an outstanding panorama of Mount Etna.
3 kilometers south of town, seascape artists can set up on the Lido Plaia, a long, sandy beach lined with pine trees. For non-seascape artists, you may still want to keep this Ionian Sea beach destination in mind should Mount Etna decide to wake up.
Buon Viaggio!

PAINTING IN SICILY / SYRACUSE

2009-10-02T17:14:00.002-04:00

If you happen to be an artist/history buff, you won’t want to miss painting for a few hours in Syracuse and it’s environs. En route to the Greek Theater you’ll pass the 3rd century BC, Hieron’s Altar, which is said to be the largest man-made altar. They say (whoever “they” are) that up to 450 bulls were sacrificed on these stones every day. In my mind, that’s a lot of bulls and a lot of bull, but nevertheless, worthy of a visit and at least a quick sketch.
This Greek Theater is hewn entirely out of rock and considered to be the largest Greek Theater in Europe. The view from the theater, (the town, the harbor, the Ionian Sea) especially at sunset, is magnificent.
If you’re a fan of Caravaggio, (and what artist isn’t and if you’re an artist and you’re not, you should be) visit the grotto, Orrechio di Dionisi. Caravaggio was struck by the cave’s resemblance to an ear and gave it this name. (In Italian, Orrechio=ear)
If you’re a plein air artist, you might enjoy the southern stretch between Syracuse and Noto. This stretch of citrus groves and olive trees passes the scenic Anapo and Ciane Rivers. If you don’t speak Italian, be sure to have a good dual-language dictionary handy in case you get lost. Americans who “assume” everyone in the world speaks English always amaze me.
Buon Viaggio!

PAINTING IN SICILY / AGRIGENTO

2009-09-26T16:20:00.003-04:00

No painting excursion in Sicily is complete without a visit to Agrigento. Don’t ignore the modern city; But if your time is limited, at least focus on The Valley of the Temples, which is the most important archaeological site on the island. The site is best viewed in the early morning, not only because of the light, but also, it’s before the crowds descend and impede your artistic concentration. The site boasts no fewer than twenty temples, each worthy of a painting.
The surrounding landscape is replete with grain farms and there are few trees in sight. The colors range from green or yellow, depending on the season. Poets of ancient times, like Pindar and Virgil have praised the beauty of the region. And modern poets, like Salvatore Quasimodo deemed it “idyllic.” Pindar wrote: “Agrigento, loveliest of mortal cites.” Pirandello, A native of Agrigento wrote: “Agrigento is where people eat as if they were having their last meal on earth and they build their houses as if they were going to live in them forever. In other cities, between December and February you have fog, ice, and at best, a pale ray of sunshine; here the almond trees are in full bloom, warmed by the breath of the African Sea.”
Okay, so tell me you’re not interested in painting this region!
Buon Viaggio!

SUNLIT / SICILY

2009-09-05T15:36:00.000-04:00

PAINTING IN SICILY / THE COLORS OF SICILY

2009-09-05T15:28:00.004-04:00

When I think of Sicily the first color that comes to mind is gold. The Sun God must have a special place in Her heart for the island; why else would She so generously lavish every field, mountaintop, building, monument, pillar, and ruin with Her precious golden kisses?
Another color would be gold’s kissing cousin, yellow. Not only do yellow sunflowers and daisies sparkle against one of the bluest skies you’ll ever see, but the profusion of lemon trees, with fruit the size of baseballs, scent this sunlit island with an aroma that will make your head spin (in a good way). And when that lemony smell finally triggers your taste buds, yellow drinks are where it’s at. Fresh-squeezed lemonade is served in every bar and pasticeria and it’s guaranteed to spoil you forever to only drink Sicilian lemonade. If you’re looking for a little more “kick” order a Limoncello, that wonderful lemon liquor made from the zest of those amazing Sicilian lemons.
My recommendation for ending a day painting in Sicily would be to sit outside, sip some liquid gold i.e. Limoncello, and watch the Sun paint the sky golden as She settles down for the night.
I painted “SUNLIT,” the monocromatic painting above, because I wanted to capture on canvas my sensitivity to the Sun-kissed Island of Sicily.
This painting is available for purchase at my art website:
http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/
Si può vedere e comprare questo quadro al mio website d’arte: http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com/

PAINTING IN SICILY / ENNA

2009-09-04T16:40:00.003-04:00

While planning one of our visits to Sicily, I did a little research on Enna. One guidebook labeled Enna as a “dreary city.” And yet further assessment indicated otherwise. I decided to find out for myself.
Well, let me tell you, Enna is anything but “dreary.” If you’re looking to paint “killer views” a trip to Enna is a must.
One of the oldest cities on the island, Enna has been called “the navel of Sicily,” by the Greek poet Callimachus, but is usually known as “the belvedere of Sicily”, which seems a better-suited title considering its stunning views. Enna is also the highest capital in Italy.
You can set up in Piazza Crispi and either paint the impressive view over Calascibetta, the Madonie Mountains, or a remarkable view of Etna.
For architecture sketchers and painters, you’ll love the Castello di Lombardia. Six of its twenty towers are still standing and it’s considered one of the most imposing buildings of it kind in Sicily. Byzantine in origin, it contains Norman and Swabian add-ons. Bring your camera and sketchpad up into the tower, called the Eagle or Pisan tower, where there is a far-reaching view over the surrounding countryside.
The public gardens on the outskirts of the city, not only burst with prismatic delights, the octagonal tower that Frederick II built in the 13th century is a must see.
Dreary city, my ass!
Buon Viaggio!

PAINTING IN SICILY / MARINELLA

2009-09-02T15:20:00.002-04:00

If you want to spend more than one day painting the honey colored stones at the ancient site of Selinunte, you may want to book a room in the nearby seafront village of Marinella that lies about a mile east of the ancient city. This little hamlet offers up excellent beaches, and an early morning dip in the Mediterranean is guaranteed to wake up any creative juices that may still be lumbering from jet lag. When you’ve finished painting at Selinunte, I recommend setting up for at least a few hours on the beach. If you happen to be with artists of varied interests, you can all still paint together: seascape enthusiasts have the Mediterranean as their muse, while artists who prefer painting architecture can turn backs to the sea and paint the delightful sienna and yellow ochre village.
If you do spend the night in one of Marinella’s few hotels, keep the windows closed at night. Don’t worry; I’m not about to warn you of cat burglars. It’s the bats. Marinella’s bats have a tendency to pay midnight visits through opened windows and balcony doors. Do they bite? I don’t think so. But I can tell you from experience that having bats flapping overhead can spoil a good night’s sleep.
Buon Viaggio!