Given how long it has been since I’ve posted anything new here at all, I am almost embarrassed to write another “yes I’m still here” post. But here goes! The baby is now less than a month away from her due date and I am finally feeling as if I have gotten our household in some kind of order to prepare for her arrival. Unfortunately, now that I’m getting a little respite from the baby books, the shower, the classes, and prepping the nursery, I am, in this final trimester, also feeling my least energetic and creative. In truth, I don’t think I was prepared for just how exhausted I’d feel throughout the pregnancy. But now that I’m getting really big, I can’t really seem to do any one thing for very long before I start to feel quite uncomfortable.
So needless to say, painting has pretty much taken a back seat during most of my pregnancy, and it’s hard to say when that will change to any great extent after the baby comes. However, I do have one new little piece to share. It’s a small watercolor/pen and ink painting  (8×10″ on 11×14″ paper) that a client commissioned to commemorate her daughter’s upcoming wedding:
“Flavor of Fagiolari”
Watercolor and Pen & Ink on Paper
The scene is of a B&B in the Chianti region, not far from where I myself have traveled a number of times. It’s a special place to the betrothed because they met in Italy and stayed at Fagiolari during their travels through Tuscany together.
When I paint from photos, I prefer to work from my own references. I just have a much better feeling for the place if I, myself, have traveled and painted there, and my photos serve as a trigger to call forth those experiences. I also take several different viewpoints of a given scene, plus a number of details, so that I can have as much information as possible when I get to work. So it’s always with a bit of reservation when I consider working from a client’s photo, which is normally more of a one-off tourist snapshot.
But this commission was actually quite a joy for me. Not only was it great to be doing something in the painting realm again, but the photos provided were excellent. Having also traveled the area fairly extensively myself helped a good deal as well. Plus I was given much leeway as to how I wanted to interpret them (the photos) and what I wanted to include, rather than being tied to making an exact, literal interpretation (a.k.a. an illustration) of a scene.
What was most important to the client was that I caputre the “flavor” of the place (hence the painting’s title). Luckily, the client was delighted with the finished piece, and I had a good time getting my hands back in some art-making to boot. I tend to feel somewhat more intimidated by watercolors (as opposed to oils) but given its manageable size and the properties of the medium, I was able to stop and start more easily than I can with oils. It’s not without reason to think that maybe I can even attempt a few more before “D-day” (or make that B-day) but we’ll see. The one thing I can say about my life this past year is that it is anything but predictable!
Jennifer
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It is a beautiful little piece and I’m sure the your client did love it. Good to see your work again, I bet it made you feel great!
Wow, time has flown by. One month until the even bigger change in your life! I’ll be having a great nephew about the same time and it is an exciting time in all families. Enjoy it all, it is very special time. Painting will come again in it’s due time.
Marilyn- Thanks for the pep talk! Yes, about one month–maybe less. In a way time has flown. In another way, I’m pretty ready to meet my baby, as well as to breathe again, get rid of this heartburn, and once more see my feet! LOL! I feel grateful, at least, that I’ve had a number of solid years under my belt of painting consistently. It makes me feel as if it is okay and right to take the time off for this very special life change. Congrats to you on the pending arrival of your great nephew!
Love the water color! I am always amazed at your work.
I am SO SO happy you posted, because I have been checking now and then to see how things were going and saw nothing.
I continue to be HAPPY for you and excited for this wonderful change in your life. Hope the weather cools off some for you…..it won’t be long now!
Excellent Blogging. Very nice Painting.
Thanks for the nice comments. Jeannie: I know, I’ve been a very lame blogger indeed! Sorry about that…I really hoped I’d do better with this pregnancy but it just hasn’t worked out that way. Have been having false labor a lot lately too. I think someone is getting ready to make her big debut!
That’s a really nice little watercolor that captures all of the beautiful qualities and colors of your oils. Your style is very distinguishable.
I can’t believe it is the last month already. I remember sitting in the bathtub with this huge belly (the first time around) and talking to that belly..saying, “hurry up and get out here to I can see you and hug you!” That little fellow is now 36 yrs. and a man of the world (Air Force Major) with a wife and three of his own little darlings. The time flies and I hope you will have as much fun as I did. Good luck with the birth! Can’t wait to see pictures!! Best wishes..
Thanks for the compliment Cheryl- Well we’re now down to the last week actually–though of course, if she’s like her mom, she may very well be fashionably late.
Everything I’ve heard from other parents seems to correlate with what you’re saying. Savor the moments because time really flies ( a good axiom that applies as well for life in general as it does for child-rearing!)