Can’t wait to see what you make from this trip! Looking forward to what inspiration you bring back to your art! I wonder what you’ll paint first when you get home. – friends, family, social media folks Enthusiastic comments like these were expressed a lot before and during my trip to Italy last fall and winter. It was really gratifying to learn that so many people were interested in my trip and my art process. I tried not to think too much about “being inspired” as I travelled because that can be a slippery slope into trying to force something that isn’t really there or being too selective ab ..read more

After years of travelling, I’ve learned that not every day abroad resembles the cruise line TV commercial or the travel brochure or someone’s gorgeous Instagram feed. In fact, most days do not. However… Sometimes we have a rare “perfect” day – a day where everything seen and done just seems to fit and flow together creating a wonderful experience and memory. This painting, “A Tuscan Village Beauty”, recalls one of those days. A Tuscan Village Beauty When my husband and I travel, we try not to stuff too many activities into one day’s itinerary because we have learned that we don’t “rush around ..read more

I’m often asked why I frequently paint very small. When I choose a subject that I’d like to paint, I will also choose a size to paint it. While some images I believe will be better captured in a larger size, some subjects intrigue me more in smaller formats. To date, my smallest works are 2.5″ x 2.5″ and what makes me choose this size for a subject? Many times the subject will be a close-up view of something in nature, a snippet from a bigger photo image. In these close-ups new intricate worlds reveal themselves – types of grasses that intertwine in complex patterns, flower stems that somehow ..read more

Brooklyn Blossoms Experiencing awe can come at any time. It’s highly likely when you’re standing in front of some extraordinary scene or place, like the Colosseum, Eiffel Tower or Grand Canyon. Your jaw drops, you are at a loss for words and you feel like you’re having a momentary out-of-body experience. It’s one of those states we hope we’ll frequently be in when we travel. I love experiencing awe when I don’t expect it, too. During the more “ordinary moments” in the day. And without any forewarning or expectations, the impact of everyday awe can be just as rewarding and transporting, and it ..read more

Selective memory is an odd phenomenon. My memory has recently selected to think I had last blogged to you all this past fall. Uh… no. Seems it was almost 7 months ago!! To say other things have been taking my attention away from writing is an understatement! To quickly catch you up: I have painted many works that I haven’t told you about, 11 to be exact, and I have been in a number of shows where some of these pieces happily found new owners. After show season, I headed over to Italy for a few months to explore new regions, partly to figure out if a future relocation might be in the cards – th ..read more

Who is the “Her”? Florence, Italy She’s still my favourite city to visit. Even in the stifling heat of summer or in the spring downpours. Even with thousands of tourists milling about. Even when I trip on the uneven sidewalks or get pooped on by a pigeon (it’s good luck, they say!). And even when the line up for my favourite restaurant is continually out the door. It’s a place that I’m discovering and rediscovering after more than a dozen visits. My favourite thing to do is just walk around, stop for coffee, sketch a little, and then walk some more. There is so much beauty that many have told ..read more

There’s something magical about visiting a big food market! Maybe it’s that your senses get overloaded with all the colour, variety, smells and sounds of this gathering place. And maybe it’s the gathering itself – being with others on a common mission to find the freshest fare for a special meal. I love it! It’s one of the few times when I love a crowd… even as I endlessly wait my turn for the Cheese Guy! When I lived in downtown Toronto, some great Saturday mornings were spent discovering, sampling and meal-planning at Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market. With expandable bags in tow, we’d come earl ..read more

A Tuscan Madonnella This new 5″ x 5″ painting contains some of my favourite things to paint – stone walls, rustic doors, shutters, flower pots and boxes, and my new favourite thing, the Madonnella. What’s a Madonnella? It’s the little religious shrine of the Virgin Mary that can be found on walls and street corners all over Italy. I had to look up the proper name for them and then became curious about their history and meaning. Obviously they were meant to bless the souls of a dwelling’s inhabitants, but they also were erected on very narrow dark streets prone to criminal activity. It was beli ..read more

For my last painting of 2022, I chose to paint a street scene from our month in Lecchi in Chianti, Tuscany – one of our travel highlights. You’d be right to think I was missing this place, and especially after I got a Christmas wish from our rental home’s lovely owner. Lecchi in Chianti is a tiny hamlet of about 150 residents about a half hour northeast of Siena. It has one very narrow main street lined with low stone buildings, where only one car can fit through at a time. But this little spot has its riches too! Not only are there rolling hills of forests, vineyards and olive groves envelopi ..read more

May your holiday season be filled with joy, laughter and love! Painting: “Da Forli Angel – Olive Branch”; 5″ x 6″ ink and watercolour; the 5th in a series of paintings of the 8 fresco angels by Melozzo da Forli (1477) in the Loreto Abbey, Italy ..read more