Puzzled

Illustration Friday - 'puzzled'

This is actually a page from my 2011 sketchbook project (puzzled face), but it fits perfectly with the theme.

Ten Days of Art

Our big 10 day art exhibition is on its fourth (exhausting) day.  The weekend was very busy with crowds following a winding route through the villa, three floors of sculpture, paintings and photography, all by local artists.  Its amazing how much talent there is in one small area and there is an interesting variety too.

I have had the opportunity to meet and talk with many of the artists and will be showing some of their work here.

The first artist I want to introduce to you to is Flulvio di Genova.

Flulvio di Genova (pen and ink)

Fulvio is an architect originally from Taranto in the South of Italy.  He has been drawing since he was at school where he frequently got into trouble for creating masterpieces on his desk top.  Nowadays he uses graphite to create beautiful portraits and ink for his artwork in pontillism inspired by his travels to Eygpt, Marocco and the Netherlands  The portrait below is his most recent, although I had difficulty taking a photo without the sun reflecting on the glass.

Fluvio di Genova (graphite)

I was allowed to have a look at his sketches and this one of a musician really jumped out, especially as Fulvio himself is a talented cello player.

I hope you enjoyed a quick look at one of our artist's work, keep checking back as I will be showing you quite a few more this week.

                                                                          

The Sketchbook Tour has Started!

Arthouse Gallery  photograph

The Arthouse Sketchbook Project 2012 is on it's way.  It opened in Brooklyn , New York on Saturday and already my sketchbook has been viewed!  It's a strange feeling to know something of yours is being looked at on the other side of the world.

What I'd really like (pretty please) is if anyone who is going to visit the sketchbook project exhibition could take a photograph of my sketchbook for me?
Hopefully I will get to London in October to see it for myself but until then it will be making it's way around the USA.

Watch This Space!

Watercolour

It's been a busy week and not much drawing or painting going on!  This all I managed during the week and it's just a larger version of a small sketch  I did last year.
The more interesting news is that from Friday for 10 days I will be exhibiting four paintings in a local art exhibition, but that's not the most interesting part!  The exhibition  will be held in a large important villa and there will be 100 artists including photography.  The exhibition will wind it's way round the old palazzo, that has recently been renovated to it's (almost) former glory.
From the few rooms I saw today there will be an enormous variety of styles and techniques and I can't wait to tour the whole exhibition.
I'm hoping to get some photographs of work from artists who are willing to be interviewed and blog about them here...and of course I will take my sketchbook!

Holiday home - in need of some renovation

Mixed media sketch

I can't resist a lovely old villa bathed in sunlight.  This villa is closed up and falling apart, wouldn't it be wonderful to restore it back to its former glory?

These country villas were used as holiday homes by the aristocracy in the 17th century to get away from the summer heat in the city.  The area where I live was once one of the most popular areas to have  a 'holiday home' and the wealthy owners tried to outdo each other in elegance and the latest fashions.  This one has a typical double staircase on the front and inner courtyard but it's behind a big gate and I can't get a good view!

Return

Watercolour sketch

The long and winding road that leads to your door

Will never disappear

I've seen that road before it always leads me here

Leads me to your door.

(Lennon and McCartney)

 'Return'  is the prompt for this week on Illustration Friday, the words to the Beatles song fits with the idea of a road taking you back to wherever it is you need to return to.

You can listen to all the song  here

Down on the Beach

Coloured Pencil 16x12cms

To go with the little boy on the beach below, here's the little girl.  I used an old photograph of my daughter as a reference, although she's 21 now.

It is also the same photograph that I used the very first time I attempted something in coloured pencil nearly six years ago.  Just for fun I dug it out.....I only had a set of 20 colours  which made me learn quickly how to mix the right (ish) colours.