Hotel Castello in Assisi, Italy.

This is the photograph I am working from. I have not had time to complte the painting. When it is done, I will replace the picture with the painting.

The Road to Assisi, Italy

There is only one road that leads to Assisi. We walked. The road is quite steep, and very narrow. Most streets in Italy are extremely narrow compared to the four lanes that seem to push there way into our landscape in the US. On nearly every house are hung flower boxes. It is just beautiful. Like something out of a storybook.

St. Claire in Assisi, Italy.

I have left out the people. Not sure that is a fair thing to have done as this place was so beautiful and the welcoming nature of Assisi was because the people were so kind. So, maybe I will put the people into the actual painting when I do that - given this is a sketch in my 5"x7" sketchbook, as are all of the Italy paintings.

Back way to the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy.

There is an approach to the Spanish Steps by way of side steps which bring you out at the top of the famous steps. Here is a little sketch from that view.

It was incredible how brilliant blue the sky was contrasted with the color of the buildings. Some of the buildings were quite orange while others bright yellow and even more burnt siena. Really beautiful.

A couple reading a map at the Borghese Museum in Rome.

What a beautiful place this was, both outside and in. Of the places we visited in Rome, it was one of my favorites because it was not so crowded with people. We could sit and enjoy our surroundings. So, I did, I painted a couple. Actually, I sketched them and later added the watercolors.

The Bell Tower in Florence, Italy.

These paintings will be posted in no particular order. I am simply filling my sketchbook with these watercolor images and will hope to have all 27 images done before school starts at the end of August.

I feel so inspired by the landscape I saw. The mix of old with current imagery is heavy in my visual memory from all places we visited. The idea that I perhaps walked the same streets as Michelangelo and Raphael is beyond words.

Ostia, Italy.

We arrived in Rome, but had to wait for the other group with which we were traveling (SEVEN HOURS!). Our wonderful guide took us to Ostia, a beach resort town. We ate pizza and then toured Ostia Antica. Both are about ten or fifteen minutes from the airport in Rome.

Landing in Munich, Germany.

This is the first of my little paintings from my trip to Italy. Our trip included a layover in Munich for several hours. Most of my paintings will be painted from photographs. Some of the paintings I did while there in Italy, but most have been completed since my return home.

It was pretty spectacular. I realized I have been studying the art and places of Italy since I was fourteen - 32 years - I had the opportunity to see some of the stuff I had only ever read about in books. I want to go back and spend time being able to paint on location.