Perhaps my favorite

The beautiful groomed grounds of the Tuscany estate include classical statuary and pottery, artfully placed. There are are scented gardens, acres of organic vegetables, flower gardens and just beautiful private areas to sit and enjoy nature.

I passed this fellow daily and he needed to be celebrated with paint. The lush and plentiful blue green bushes on the path are lavender, they line every walk, discouraging bugs and keeping the organic grounds gloriously scented. 

Sometimes the paths are also lined with Rosemary which also discourages unwanted flying critters. 

 

What are You Looking At? 12x16 oil on linen c. 2024

Additions to the Relais collections

These two stayed in Italy in the collection of Relais Borgo Santo Pietro. The painting is Casa Linda, one of the residence villas, the grand piano drawing is one place my art was displayed, note the tripod! 

Other art work went to new homes in various locations, from china to Azerbaijan to California. Meeting visitors from Saudi Arabia, Australia, Germany, England was a bonus during my residency, and English was a universal language. Good thing as my Italian is rudimentary and my French is too. 

My month was financed by Borgo Santa Pietro, including an apartment and meals, studio space and supplies. I brought my own prepared linen and brushes because I'm partial to the smooth surface I can create with an oil ground. But the estate also provides a driver to Siena to purchase any supplies the artist and Artist House requires.
Guests can choose to take a 'class' which was a nice distraction for me. I enjoy meeting people from all over the world and the classes were infrequent.
I left these two paintings in "payment" and thanks to my generous hosts.

Artista in residence

That's me, the Artista, at my studio and a view of the inside with some of the October paintings.

4 more pen drawings from Italy

Just outside Borgo Santo Pietro is a tiny town of Palazzetto, with one little bar/deli/coffeeshop. Apparently the pizza is very good but I just wanted coffee and some time to watch the traffic which was a few cars and a bicycle.
The next three pictures are back inside Borgo. I am so fortunate to have had this experience, a month to paint with no other responsibilities. I never tired of drawing and painting a month in Italy, surrounded by the Tuscan hills and friendly people.

Views from the Borgo Santo Pietro artists studio

Heaven. When you don't have to go anywhere to find something inspiring. There's a covered canopy and couches outside the studio and next to the lily pond lake. Creating these urban sketches are a nice distraction between painting times. Sometimes you have to put the paintbrush down and just draw. They are about 6"x8", drawn with archival ink and colors are watercolor.

Rainy day art

An outdoor cozy fireplace 

The path to the Art House 

Sunny Sunday bike ride exploring the ruins of San Galgano.

Although I am in Italy surrounded by lush gardens and ancient buildings it has rained nearly every day this month, sometimes all day.
This is part of a collection of pen drawings that I've added watercolors to. It's a form of Urban Sketching that I love to do and many are from indoors or covered areas while it rained.

The Artist House

The Artist House is a perfect studio. Windows all around, surrounded by roses and shaded by a graceful willow it is in the middle of groomed gardens in all directions. The pond out front has geese and ducks and frogs as well as the Japanese bridge which seems to be from Monet's garden. 

One of my first paintings is this pastel celebrating the Mediterranean light and my arrival back at The Artists House. It sold to a lovely resident of Azerbaijan who was a guest here and an artist also. 

Two more fountains

This fountain is surrounded by walls with large widows (great view in the rain), a grotto with benches, two canopy covered outdoor living rooms, and several lovely walkways. No wonder I drew it from 3 different angles. Plus I have an amazing painting of the park like location almost finished. It was too close to departure to have the oil paint dry enough to pack.
It will be nice to compare it to the Niagara Falls People's Park fountain as I'm quite sure the design is the same, it's several years since Niagara Painters scheduled there.

Rainy day process

Find a comfortable spot near a fireplace and draw the view! This is a centerpiece fountain that is featured in several of my artworks this month. 

A Borgo painting

Three Big Pots. Oil on linen, 12x16. Last time I was here one was on its side and I loved it that way! Perfect Italian garden sculptures.

Back to Italy!

In 2019 I spent September painting at Borgo Santa Pietro as their resident artist. I've returned for the month of October 2024.
Last time I painted this bowl and am pleased to find that it is still here to paint again. This is a pastel. The lemons are huge, the apples are small but sweet. 

 
The Old Stone Bowl 12x16 pastel.

Rain Rain Rain

I'm eager to paint outdoors at this amazing estate but kept inside by the weather today. I have a sketch book, pen, and watercolor set and a warm seat by the fire. Life is good and Tuscany is so peaceful.

Looking out the windows

Breakfast in an elegant location! At Borgo you can choose to eat in this room, the library or out those doors with a spectacular view of the mountains as the morning fog lifts. My daily 'table for one' has this view, and I see beauty in every direction.  

From the main villa, windows face gardens and other buildings. I found this gate over my shoulder near the piano and drew while I waited for the rain to abate. Although the rain was very heavy at times it drains quickly, and the plants and trees have been noticeably growing.

Symphony Circle and painting Verdi

This is a popular bust of the musician Verdi, he appears in cities all over, usually near a symphony's home  this is Buffalo at Kleinhans Music Hall  

Just 12x9 in oil, it's an unusual subject for me  

The Gorge from the Canadian side

I joined the Ontario Canada plein air painters on a glorious sunny Friday to capture the Niagara River gorge from the other side. That's where the whirlpool turns and I could see the Spanish Aerocar pass over the river. 

Without a shady tree my Plein air umbrella protects me, my palette and the painting. The bicycle rack was a perfect attachment spot.

Finished! Love this! Painting brings me joy. 

The Whirlpool from Ontario 16x12 oil c. K. Schifano 2024

Worldwide Paintout 2024

Instead of our paint out at Niagara Falls I organized our painters to go to Wilson Harbor for the annual Worldwide Paint Out weekend, sponsored by International Plein aire Painters. It was chilly and windy but most of us tucked into a protected spot.

I thought it appropriate to name this painting after the sailboat  

Summer Wind  oil, 16x12 

Really Big Boulders

Ice and storms knocked over these breakwall boulders last winter. Hopefully they'll be back piled up to protect the Lake Ontario coast soon. They are painted on a huge sheet of pastel board to honor the size of the boulders.

Laurene's Big Rocks 24x36 pastel

The Meadow at Stella Niagara

A bit of American History-the large meadow across from Stella Niagara Education Park is the only level landing spot on the lower Niagara River all the way to Youngstown.

Now it is a public park and WNY conservancy land and maintained with native plants and an occasional mowing on the long winding path for walking.
The photo is from my painting vantage point. It seems small but I could see the window and details clearly. 

It was a gorgeous evening

Invited to show at the Youngstown Yacht Club again, we had another lovely evening. It's my annual paint the evening on the river event. This time I used watercolor and ink pen to capture the crowd having dinner on the deck. It's hiding in one of my many sketchbooks!

A Glorious House Plant model

My out of control vine was unwrapped and 25' of woody stems uncurled from one thin stalk in the ground. The annual Stephanotis flowers are fragrant and showy but plants can't live forever and this one was about 20 years old. And bulky. I'm glad it is preserved in pastel and safe under glass.

I bought it at Buffalo Erie Count Botanical Gardens in a 3" pot for probably two dollars. Maybe I'll start a new one  

Stephanotis 28x20 pastel

Riverworks summer fun

The complex at Riverworks is constantly expanding up and out and becoming a great family site. We took our grandchildren for dinner and they enjoyed the variety of watercraft passing, including party boats and cruisers. 

They didn't see this side until we were leaving so we took a few turns on the slowest Ferris wheel ever. It was magical. I've painted the LaBatts six pack twice and other views here too as there's always something worth studying  

Riverworks Ferris Wheel 9x12oil on birch board

Back on the streets! Youngstown

What's the big deal? After two months of recuperation from a knee replacement I'm finally driving myself to a painting event and seeing friends I've missed this Spring. 

This is tiny Youngstown and the famous Jug, home of great music for decades. 

Brown Jug or Ontario House? 9x12oil 

Pansies!

Gosh we love Spring. The colors, greens and flowers, birds and warm weather are delightful. A pot of cool-loving pansies graced the porch for weeks before it was painted. Bluish blooms turned lavender and white faded to yellow. A still life that kept moving  

Pansies 12x16 oil

Collecting local artists

This is part of a wall in my living room. It is dedicated to WNY artists with a few others added over the years. We try to support younger artists as well as established names and have had to slow down as I am not prepared to take anything down to mont new ones. There are two archways in this room and there is a collection of small ones over each arch. someday I will create a grid of al the paintings and label it with artist name, title and how I obtained the art.

Workers on the street

Across the street a crew worked on a new gasline to the neighborhood. How could I resist? Trucks, dirt, commotion, workers and traffic cones. Enjoyed doing this one right from the shade of my garage! Big hole with workers getting in and out, shouting instructions.

 Fieldstone Gas Line, Oil, 8x10 2024