On the bright January 1st morning, I grabbed my painting kit along with a freshly-brewed cup of espresso, and headed out to the apartment terrace to start my year with a good sketching session.

The terrace lounge chair was surprisingly warm, and I quickly realized I wouldn’t be needing the coat and gloves I had put on. I laid out my kit and began a detailed sketch of Santo Spirito’s small dome to one side of the terrace. A chorus of church bells regularly accompanied my drawing and painting. The coffee tasted unbelievable. The sun beating down on my skin was giving me some well-needed colour. It was heaven to me and I lost all track of time.

When I finished the Spirito sketch, I turned around to start the view on the other side of the terrace. But by that point, the rest of my family in the apartment were up and ready to get out into the day. So I snapped a few photos, but I never got that second terrace view done… until now.

As I was creating this miniature from one of those photos, I was transported back again and again to that incredible, intoxicating morning “On A Florence Terrace”. And I cannot wait to get back there after the virus vanishes, to experience many more such mornings!

On A Florence Terrace

3″ x 3″ ink and watercolour

Framed in a 12″ x 12″ mat

Me, on the terrace

Inside my Sketchbook – over the rooftops to Santo Spirito from the terrace

(For information on how to acquire “On A Florence Terrace”, click here.)