Italy 2013 Challenge- Day 13 "Amalfi Cliffs"

"Amalfi Cliffs"
- acrylic on canvas
- approx. 6.9x10"/175x255mm


The mountains surrounding the Amalfi Coast of Italy are famously rugged. Steep cliffs of exposed rock are all around you as you walk through the little towns. I've done more city and town images during this Italy 2013 challenge, so it was nice to do one of my favorite subjects again! Even at this small size, the immensity of the place comes through. Lucky us: we had a perfect day there!

This was my first attempt at acrylics after years of using colored pencil, alkyd, and then pastels. I was curious to see if I could handle the drying speed. I have gotten to the point where I can, and it turns out that acrylic on canvas just might be perfect for Taiwan which has a lot of humidity. I was quite happy to get the light I was hoping for in this painting!

Italy 2013 Challenge- Day 11: "Near Salerno"

"Near Salerno"
- Ink and ballpoint pen
- approx. 6.9x9.9"/176x250mm

The dizzying cliffs fall all the way to the ocean without a break. Perched up on a ledge near the top, a few houses look out over a vast sea. On days like this, you can see all the way to the horizon. Trees and scrub cling to every crevice that holds enough soil to nourish their roots. The rest is bare rock, the Bones of the Earth. Down below, waves wash incessantly as they have for millions of years, slowly, slowly, inexorably carving away, a few grains of sand at a time.

For a moment, we stood and saw what it looked like. Though we may not notice the changes, it will never be the same again.

Italy 2013 Challenge- Day 10: "All That Remains"

"All That Remains - Pompeii"
- soft pastel on paper
- approx. 8x6"/21x15cm.

The behemoth that obliterated this place still looms on the horizon, quiet, for the moment. Overhead, the sun shines brightly, reminding us that it has risen and set thousands of times since it was hidden from view here by not one, but two searing invasions of heat and ash.

In some ways, nothing changes, and yet, everything changes.

Once again people walk these streets, chat in the theater, wander through the square and gather in the marketplace, but the conversations are different. These are observers, not participants.

Slowly, over time, the light of day is allowed to peer again through newly reopened windows, to warm the paving stones of roofless porticoes, and mark the hours as it shifts the shadows of the columns still standing. The revelation continues as the mountain's ashen breath is painstakingly removed, a spadeful at a time.

But the city is gone. These streets, these alleys, these sunlit walls are all that remain.

Italy 2013 Challenge- Day 9: "Piazzale Michelangelo"

"Piazzale Michelangelo"
- soft pastel on paper
- approx. 11.7x16.4"/30x42cm

Ping and I had hoped to get up to the Piazzale Michelangelo during some "free time" on this trip, but it turned out we didn't have time to make it up there on our own. From our seat near the front of the bus, we heard our driver, Vincenzo, ask our guide if she wanted him to take us all on an extra side jaunt. Imagine our delight when we got to go up there after all!

Italy 2013 Challenge- Day 12: "Red Dress, Venice"

"Red Dress, Venice"
- soft pastel on paper
- approx. 8.5x9"/290x320mm

Red Dress

By Mark Ivan Cole 

From a concept by Mark Cole and Ping Hsu

Alberto rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “Giulietta,” he says; “you’re a worse romantic than your namesake!”

“Maybe so,” she says; “but it’s worth ten euros to you if you’ll help.”

“I haven’t sung in ages,” he says.

“You’re a gondolier!” she insists; “and you can still sing. I hear you through the floor, you know. You sang in the shower just last week.”

“And I sounded like a pig in heat,” he says.

Giulietta smacks him on the arm. “You sounded like Placido Domingo—with a hangover. Alberto! Just one song! Bring them to the back door of the shop and help them out of the gondola as you’re singing. It will keep him from having to explain too much.”

Alberto gives her that sad, sideways grin of his. “How do you know this is the right thing to do?” he asks.

Italy 2013 Challenge- Day 7: "Leccio Fields"

"Leccio Fields"
- soft pastel on paper, approx. 8x6"/21x15cm

Everyone else had gone shopping. We still wanted to be outside. The storm clouds lingered overhead, but the rain held off as we walked around the perimeter of the outlet mall near Leccio, Italy. A vine-covered shed stood out in the middle of a wide field of vibrant green under heavy skies. Then the sun broke through! This was another one of those times we were glad we'd said: "Let's go take a look."

Italy 2013 Challenge- Day 8: "A Light in the Cathedral"

"A Light in the Cathedral"
- soft pastel on paper
- approx. 11.7x16.4"/30x42cm

"Hey! There’s a light in the cathedral window! I wonder why. Maybe there’s a spy hiding in the upper chamber, sending information back to some Nefarious Criminal Mastermind bent on taking over the world..."

My inner 10-year-old got inspired! For the full story in sound and pictures, click on the link below for a short, semi-animated video (2:22).
http://youtu.be/Zy9nhketSKQ

This painting was another real stretch (I seem to be doing that a lot!). The challenge here was to accurately lay out and depict the stonework and the architectural details without rendering every bit of minutia in this view of Milan's Gothic cathedral.