“A Tuscan villa.”
It was an amazing week in Tuscany at the plein air workshop. It went very quickly, but it was filled with joy, Italian life, great landscapes and lots of learning. I feel like I have achieved a lot and stepped up to a higher level of my art.
For the duration of the workshop we stayed in a proper Tuscan villa, at a winery, called I Veroni. A small family business making a lovely wine and the best olive oil I have ever tasted. And they even make a craft beer. So we indulged in wine, beer and all of the local food, fresh and filled with Tuscany.
A great experience for all the senses.
And on top of this, lots of learning and lots of practice in plein air painting under tuition of Stefan Baumann, my painting coach.
At the end of the week, I painted this view of the villa from down the bottom of the parking lot. I painted it over two sessions, morning sessions, two consecutive days.
I used a reduced palette, the same I have used with small variations throughout the entire workshop. A warm red – cadmium red light, a cool red – alizarin crimson, a cool yellow – yellow lemon, two warm yellows – cadmium yellow medium and light, a warm blue – ultramarine blue, a cool blue – cerulean blue, Italian Cassel earth, transparent brown oxide and white.
I experimented with painting by masses, rather than drawing with lines. I still use saturated colours, but this is how I feel about Tuscany.
I am quite pleased with the result, so here it is:
“A Tuscan villa.”
Oil on linen.
30 X 40cm (12” X 16”).
