Italy travel

Venetian Alarm Clock

How do you know when it’s time to get up in Venice? When the gondoliers welcome the morning with opera arias at full voice! By chance, I’ve rented apartments that […]

Miniature Art

The Doors of Orvieto, Part 2

Did I mention I took dozens of door photos in Orvieto, Italy? Think I did. So you know more door paintings of Orvieto were coming soon! I went on a […]

Miniature Art

Artists’ Paradise

If you find yourself on a ferry visiting the 5 villages of the Cinque Terre in Italy, do yourself a big favour and stay on the ferry heading south! At […]

Miniature Art

You Leave Me Breathless!

Do you have a view that never fails to take your breath away… no matter how many times you see it? My favourite is probably Florence’s Cattedrale di Santa Maria […]

Commissions/Sketchy Memories

Grazie Riomaggiore!

People don’t take trips; trips take people. John Steinbeck I’ve painted the villages of Italy’s Cinque Terre a number of times because A) they are stunning and, B) this region has […]

Miniature Art

On first impression, the Tuscan hilltop hamlet of Sommocolonia struck me as charming, placid and “Ital-idyllic”. Restored homes, flowers everywhere, the cleanliness of the stone streets. Even the small piazza that […]

Commissions/Sketchy Memories

I Could Retire Here

Text to husband: What’s your impression? Text back: I could retire here. This exchange happened this past summer, when my husband was on a 3-week solo holiday in Sardinia, Italy. After […]

Urban Sketching

Sketching From A Room With A View

A few weeks ago, I took a short vacation to my favourite city, Florence Italy, to recharge my batteries, to take a break from the steady drawing and painting I’ve […]

Miniature Art

Wherefore Art Thou, Internet Guy?

I’ve painted a number of doors from travel photos, but I probably have just as many photos of balconies and windows. Is it the “Juliet thing” that draws me to […]

Miniature Art

Beauty In A Parking Lot

What do parking lots look like in your local cities and towns? In my vicinity, they are asphalt slabs often squeezed between 2 buildings – functional but unmemorable. And most […]

Miniature Art

Hiking and Chocolate Cornetti

What snacks do you pack when you go hiking? For my first Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Path) walk in 2006, I packed a few granola bars, a jug of water and an […]

Miniature Art

Those Summer Nights

What is it about some summer nights that stay in our memories long after they’re over? Many possible rational reasons come to mind, but it’s more fun to stick with […]