Avventura Creativa! Grazie!

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a 7 day painting workshop in the Gartagnana Region of Italy just outside the medieval village of Barga and just north of Lucca.  It was truly a "avventura creativa"!  Chris and Krysia opened their Tuscan farmhouse, "Val di Pazza", which overlooked the Apuan Alps with such wonderful hospitality.  The food & wine were amazing, the company very diverse and "favolosa", and the lessons pushed all of us outside our (artistic) comfort zones.  We worked with all sorts of mediums from charcoal, oil, acrylic washes, wax, and watercolor.  As we lugged our easels and paints to all sorts of places to find the "perfect view", we were so captivated by the beauty around us.  Sometimes during our painting sessions, I would have to just step back and my "yogi-ness" would come over me to truly "BE PRESENT IN THE MOMENT".  

Thank you Lord for allowing me to live in such a culture rich environment where I am able to experience so many different lifestyles, languages, and people.  Above all... the PEOPLE!  I have met so many interesting people from all the world!  As I sat in a small cafe' on a coffee break during an outdoor painting session,  an old man with no teeth and long gray hair kept looking at me and doodling on his napkin.  I engaged in conversation with him and it turned out that he had survived cancer 3 times (where much of his gum had been removed).... his vocabulary & intellect as he talked about his life did not fit his appearance at all...  As the group was about to leave, he thanked me for the conversation and handed me the napkin...  it was a sketch of ME!  I was completely blown away!   Everyone has a story.... and it was so uplifting to hear his story and how he is so accepting of his circumstance.  By allowing people into our lives, our eyes become more open to the world around us...  

Grazie! 

Village of Barga 

Artists at "Work"

Plein Air 

 Barga Countryside

Sketching with Watercolor Pencils

 View of the Apuan Alps from our window @ Val di Pazzo

 Partially Completed Work

 Working Pizza Oven 

 Mari working her culinary pizza skills

Colleverde Vineyards
(Bio Olive Oil and Wine)

 Colleverde Vineyards

 Our Group from age 20 to 86! 
UK, South Africa, Scotland, and Belgium

Lucca Crossbow Exhibition

Sommocolonia

Chris explaining the process....
Until next time... Arrivederci!