Truth be told, I’d much rather relive last year’s Ground Hog day, over and over, and over again. That’s because we were in Rome, not in the middle of a blizzard. The good news is that a year later, one of my paintings from our trip was accepted into the Thorne-Sagendorf Art Gallery’s Biennial Juried Art Show at Keene State College, Keene, N.H.  The Opening Reception with be Friday, Febuary 4, 2011 from 5:30-7:30. The show will run until March 10, 2011.  So much happens in a year, but there are days and events that stay with us which make any given year a good one. Our trip to Italy made last year special. Having a painting from that trip accepted into a show of this caliber has gotten this year off to a very good start.

"Murano Window" 12" x 16", oil on canvas

The painting which was accepted was “Murano Window”.  It was our last day in Italy that I took the picture. It was a bright sunny day and we were touring the Venetian Islands of Murano and Burano where they are famous for glass and lace, respectively. We had taken a water taxi to the glass factory, courtesty of the Murano Chamber of Commerce, and because of the rain the previous night the water was quite high. As a matter of fact most of the sidewalks were under an inch of water as we approached the island. But by the time we left the factory at the end of the tour, all was well, the water had receded and the sun was glorious. It was walking to the waterbus stop that I spied the window. It was hard to say if the building was inhabited, it didn’t seem to be. With the bright sun and all the brick buildings, looking weathered and old, the shadows, shapes and texture of it all filled me with a sense of awe. I wanted to paint it all and in fact I have just begun another painting from that day, stay tuned for that one.

"Just Add Pasta" 12" x 16", oil on canvas

For now, my latest piece is a still life. I started it before the snow began, back in November.  Sometimes though, I have trouble returning to a painting if I’ve left it for a length of time. The spark to reignite my interest is coming up with a title that I like so I want to be able to use it. As I stood looking at my less than halfway completed painting last week of tomatoes and oregano,  it came to me, “Just Add Pasta”. It started off as another of my “Kitchen Art” series. Where I hadn’t as yet painted tomatoes, I thought that would be a good addition. And I once again found myself in the produce section looking for subject matter as opposed to groceries. The tomatoes still on the vine made them more interesting  but it also made it harder to put on a 4″x4″ canvas. Once I got into the studio, I though of the oregano still in the garden. Even though the blossoms had long gone, I knew I could add them for more color. A chipped old porcelain pitcher was the perfect vase.

Tomorrow, it’s more picture taking for some future snow scenes, that’s provided anything is taller than the snow by the time it’s stopped….

Happy Birthday Rick!