Pastel Art Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

When I worked as a madonnara in Florence, Italy, there was always that start-up time while I prepared the street to accept my drawing for the day. I generally arrived with my backpack of pastels and other supplies and immediately set to work. And I would study my chosen composition for the day and examine the street space I would work in to determine where I wanted to position the face(s) in the drawing, trying to avoid holes or other textures that might be unappealing for my art. Then I would measure out the space and get started.

This is a necessary, but not particularly visually appealing part of my “performance.” However, I became fascinated watching other kinds of street performers do their preparation. Many of the more colorful artists do not want to wear their costumes from and to their homes when performing in centro. And so, they transform on-site in various ways.

You may remember that back in May 2009, I wrote about my friend “gReY, il mimo” I first noticed him outside of the Loggia dei Lanzi and Uffizi Galleria in 2006 while he was in transition from man to mime. And I could not get the image out of my head.

I guess I was always a sucker for a man in red shoes. And what color gReY wore that day against the stones of Florence!

Allora, I am thrilled to introduce you to my newest pastel painting:

“Il Mimo – Firenze, Italia”
16” x 12”
Pastel on PastelBord
$950 + $20 shipping (anywhere) + sales tax (6.75% in Texas only)

And a follow-up October 23, 2009:
Wow -- the judges awarded this pastel painting a position of finalist:
FineArtViews Painting Competition Winners (September 2009)
(http://contest.fineartstudioonline.com/winners/11)
cool, huh?