Colorful Compositions In Pastel and Easter in Italia

Dear Art-Loving Friend,

I am trying to prepare for my trip soon to Australia… I will be judging an art completion, teaching workshops, and much more for a couple of weeks in May during the Sarita Arts Festival, 25th anniversary… and then a sweet friend and I will be going to Tasmania. 

So, I want to start working on landscape images.  Just as my still-life studies are my attempts to get good at things in which I had previously little experience, my landscape works will lead, I hope, to larger and more complex compositions.  In the tradition of artists ateliers, most professional artist had assistants specialize in certain parts of a whole paintings… but I want to do it all.  Surprised?  Hahah. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy these two pastel artworks.   They came from a trip I took to visit a friend in Santa Margherita Ligure, on the northwestern coast of Italy.   Several of us artists hiked to Portofino and I loved this grassy field we came upon during our hike.

"Santa Margherita Grasses I"
20 x 28 cm pastel on UArt Sanded Paper
copyright 2014 by Kelly Borsheim
http://borsheimarts.com/
Available $350 including worldwide shipping [or both for $600, including shipping]

"Santa Margherita Grasses II (con PomPoms)"
20 x 28 cm pastel on UArt Sanded Paper
copyright 2014 by Kelly Borsheim
http://borsheimarts.com/
Available $350 including worldwide shipping [or both for $600, including shipping]


On another topic, Easter (or Pasqua, as it is called here in Florence, Italy) is celebrated tomorrow.  Several years ago, they changed the mass with the Blessing of the Relic to Saturday evening before Easter morning festivities.  This is the post I wrote when I attended this mass years ago, with images, of course:
http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.it/2010/04/easter-in-florence-italy.html

And here are some of my images of a past version of the fantastical (or as one of my British friends called it:  Willy Wonka-ish) spectacle of the Explosion of the Cart, Florence’s Easter celebration:
 http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.it/2008/03/easter-in-florence-italy.html
Allora, Buona Pasqua!
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Did you know that my blog is searchable?   Just visit the main page:
http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com
and see the search term entry box just below the subscription section on the right. 
Happy searching and if there is a topic you would enjoy my writing about, please let me know what it is.  Thank you for reading! 

Madonna Fiorentina

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Street painting in Italy has helped me to meet a great number of people that I would not have met without this art activity. One of my colleagues in the art of the madonnari is a Florentine-born young woman named Laura. I always thought her face striking and of a certain type that seemed so classical in shape and coloring that I had recognized from this part of the world. For years, I had thought to paint her face.

As luck would have it, back in 2009, she told me that she wanted to try modeling. So I hired her for one of my Open Studios in Florence and drew the charcoal sketch of her portrait that you see here.


I am not sure what exactly made me re-create this work with Laura as a Madonna portrait, but it probably had something to do that we both work as madonnari. Madonnara is the Italian word for one female streetpainter. The word is based on the history of these artists creating devotional drawings to the Madonna in the streets in front of the churches in Italy.

I created this artwork titled “Madonna Fiorentina” in pastel on Pastelbord. She is 12” x 9” I include a detail shot here because I want to show you how softly textured pastel on board looks. It is quite lovely.

Happy Birthday, Mamma Mia!

Klimt Copy Kiss

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Long-time readers of my blog might remember that last year I won a blogging award from Casey Klahn for the entry I made about my trip to Vienna to see live Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss”

In Italy this August, I wanted to recreate this artwork in the streets of Portofino, a charming coast town on a northern Italy peninsula. But the police and city hall were having none of it (streetpainting), despite our having found a few small surfaces on which we could have created some art in chalk and pastel without being in the way of pedestrians or cars. Boh!

Anyway, as it happens, there seem to be a lot of requests for copies of famous artworks, Klimt’s “Kiss” being one of the favorites. So, I broke down and painted one in mixed media. My copy of the famous painting is only 22” x 18” -- MUCH smaller than the original.
I hope you like her. She is available for sale . . . only $1600. Oh, and I did not recreate the coloring that I noticed in the original artwork. I decided to keep the whole image pretty much warm and keep the romance going . . .



PS. I have been re-posting lots of images that some of my friends in Florence, Italy, have been taking of the unusual snow layers blanketing the Renaissance City now. They are quite charming! If you would like to see some, please “befriend me” on Facebook. In the meantime, I hope that you have someone to snuggle with in the chilly temperatures of winter. Also, check out the total lunar eclipse on Monday night. Click here for specific details about when and what.

Portofino Italy Pastel Art

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

So, I have been sketching in Portofino, up on the northwestern coast of Italy. She is spectacular. Here is one of my (maybe) one-hour long pastel sketches on black paper.

Pastel Pensive in Bologna

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Since I was a small child, I have had a habit of sitting and thinking (or maybe as the joke goes, “Sometimes I sit and think; sometimes I just sit.”). I like to watch people move. I like to watch how their bodies express their true emotions. I enjoy imagining the lives of others I see, but do not know. It intrigues me how people’s lives touch one another, no matter how briefly or seemingly insignificant.

This next pastel painting “Pensive in Bologna” that I created on handmade Wallis-brand paper was inspired by my first trip to Bologna, Italy, back in 2004. I went to Bologna after receiving many recommendations from travelers along my route. They all described Bologna as having “good energy.” It is a university town and the youth and inquiring minds do bring a certain something to the city that felt different than other places in Italy.

And then I saw this lone man, a grown man, gathering his legs in his arms as he sat in a sculpted doorway under a portico, for which Bologna is well-known. I have not forgotten him. And I sometimes catch myself wondering what his name is and what his life is like.

“Pensive in Bologna”
23” x 17”
Pastel painting on Wallis Professional Paper
$1200 + $20 shipping & handling

Happy Birthday, Peggy!

Milano Centrale Train Station

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I recently tried to fly to Madrid on EasyJet Airline to meet my brother Paul for a few days before returning to America. However, after taking the train to Milano, Italia, from Firenze, and then the bus from the train stazione to the Malpensa airport, I learned that the flight had been canceled shortly before I arrived.

The man behind the counter told me that it was a staffing problem and that it was not uncommon to have the later flights canceled because early flights had been delayed. The delays meant that the crew would not work after a certain point, I guess. This was especially true on a Saturday night. A Spanish traveler told me that he discovered that there was currently a strike by air-traffic controllers in Spain after the government cut their pay by 80%. That changed all the dynamics for my trip.

EasyJet arranged for all of us now-stranded clients to stay in a hotel with a simple dinner and a nice breakfast buffet. I was told to find an Internet connection at the hotel and decide whether I wanted to reschedule or get a refund. Some of my fellow travelers were re-booked to Spain – the following Tuesday (tomorrow). After a long night of researching my options, I decided to head back to home (Firenze) and try another day.

Unfortunately, I ended up needing to wait over five hours in the train station in Milano. The day was hot, as was my tolerance for spending more money than I had already wasted on travel to and from the airport, which I knew would never be reimbursed. Milano Centrale is actually one of the more attractive train stations that I have seen and I was happy that I had packed a small set of pastels and paper in my small suitcase.

So, instead of exploring Milano, I decided to stay put and just wait. After a nap on a marble bench, I took out my drawing supplies and began a couple of sketches. There was an interesting clock on opposing walls with bas-relief sculptures of the zodiac signs. I have been fascinated with fantastical creatures all of my life and began to draw one whose shape appealed to me.

Here is the view from where I sat. The relief of Capricorn is in the center of the image, just to the right of the light posts. Sure, it was far off, but I was not worried about making a masterpiece, I just wanted to amuse myself and maybe learn something.


Always there are men lurking around the stations, waiting to chat you up. One of them began speaking to me cautiously and then more boldly. His name was Mohamed and he was from Egypt. Like always, these guys always start with the small talk – where are you from, where do you live now, what is your name, when is your train and which one? I only answer what I feel like at that moment, and as vaguely as possible.

During the course of my sketching, a policeman approached and gave me compliments on my drawing. I was not sure if he was just personally curious about what I was doing, or if he wondered if I was OK with Mohamed hanging around. If the latter, he never mentioned it.

Mohamed eventually picked up a brown pastel and then I offered him some paper. At first he was shy, but I insisted that he try it. Then I asked for his permission to take and post the photo that you see here. Afterwards, he asked if he could take my foto.



At some point later on, Mohamed got bored and said his goodbyes. He was quite polite. I finished up my little sepia sketch before starting another. And then it was time to board the train again.

Pastel Life Drawing

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Although I move slowly, I have little patience for waiting. Today I want to share with you two brief sketches I did to help pass some time. These days I try to keep with me a small pastel kit and some black paper. It is a contrasty look that perhaps lends itself to more drama and less softness than lighter papers and more subtle techniques encourage.

This first one is titled “Beach Talk” I took about a week holiday in June to visit one of my models (and friend) on the island of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, flying in and out of Ibiza in the process. During the one really sunny day in Palma, we headed off for a small, but charming beach.

I find sunbathing boring and the water was too cold to swim in just yet ... so I tried to sketch these women chatting with each other on the beach. It looked to me as if they had known each other for a long time. I was hoping that I could capture some of their naturalness with each other.

Unfortunately, once they noticed me drawing them, they turned their chairs to face the water! Still, it was a good challenge to draw people who were moving about and not trying to pose. And in general, I like the idea of sunshine, but not the reality. Shortly after I did what I could with this sketch, I headed into the ocean for a refreshing swim.


"Beach Talk" Palma de Mallorca, Spain
20 x 28 cm June 2010
pastel on black paper
Private Collection, Caprese Michelangelo, Italia

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This second sketch happened because of a recent trip to Lucca, Italia. The logistics of carrying five people in a vehicle equipped for three left my model Nathan and me opting to wait for the second run. This young man was quite a charming first-time portrait model and we both enjoyed the process, fitting in a nap along the top of the tree-shaded wall surrounding Lucca before our ride arrived again.


“Nathan” Lucca, Italia
6 July 2010
pastel on black paper
Private collection, United Kingdom

Parking Garage Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

The workmen at a parking garage in Florence, Italy, waved at her when they noticed artist Kelly Borsheim staring at them, but perhaps they did not believe her when she told them that she would make a pastel painting of them. Kelly walks the Renaissance City constantly searching for beautiful patterns of light. And it is even better when people are involved.

This image was created from a parking garage on Via de Fossi in central Florence. The men were repairing the neon sign. The extreme shadows caused by a late afternoon sun on the parking garage sign were what first caught the attention of the artist. However, the Italian men working on the exterior wall gave an interesting point of action to the image.

This painting was created in pastels -- pure pigment -- on a highly textured watercolor paper. It is a thick strong paper and offers a subtle texture to the art. Like all of Kelly's pastel and charcoal artworks, this one has been treated with a fixative spray and will ship safely to your home or office.


"Garage"
46 x 64 cm
Pastel on Windsor Newton watercolor paper
© 2010 Kelly Borsheim
$1400 + $20 shipping and (if applicable) sales tax

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I was delighted last week when I met Mario Vukelic and his lovely wife Minja Kopčić while I was streetpainting a copy of a Raphael. They are friends on Facebook and were here in Florence, Italy, on vacation from their home in Croatia. Mario is also a streetpainter and he was kind enough to write about our meeting and post an image on his blog about pastel art news:

http://pastelnews.com/2010/06/kelly-borsheim-sculptor-pastel-artist-and-streetpainter/

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There is still time:

Pastels In Paradise: Art Workshop in Hawaii

: borsheimarts.com/art-workshops/hawaii-pastels.htm
And of course, Hawaiian Art Journey: www.hawaiianartjourney.com
Spend a week with a real madonnara (Italian street painter) and see more street paintings.

Hail Over Streetpainting

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Last Thursday was my first day back after visiting a model (and friend) in Spain for about a week. My cousin Heather flew into Italy that same night that I did and we met up in Piazza Santo Spirito near my flat in Florence.

Thursday morning I loaded up my gear and Heather snapped this shot of me before she climbed back into bed for a few more snoozes. I knew that the weather was iffy, but I wanted to draw Michelangelo and chose to draw a small version of his “Creation of Man” work from the Sistine Chapel.


Heather arrived sometime around noon, I guess, and saw that I had drawn most of the composition in white chalk to help me see the overall proportions. And I had almost finished the face of Adam and had begun work on the focal point of the near-touching hand of man with the hand of God. It had sprinkled earlier, so I had already pulled out a sheet of plastic, but …

If it rains a little, I can usually keep working in pastels on the street. If I am limited in how much plastic or newspaper, I place it over the blank areas in which I want to draw next. Once drawn a light rain will not hurt a streetpainting unless it is touched. After the raindrops dry, the muted wet whites and light tones pop back up again. However, I cannot draw on a wet street, so it is the naked street that I prefer to protect.



However, shortly after Heather arrived, the skies darkened significantly and the heavy drops began their descent. And then the hail came. I could not believe how large the chunks of ice were that fell from the Florentine skies in mid-June!

The day before, my colleague Kumiko had drawn Botticelli’s face of Venus. Although the street cleaner had made his pass over her work that morning, there was still plenty of pastel left to morph her face into a fleshy stream. Strange how I find beauty in some forms of destruction.


The hail and the downpour made the rest of my streetpainting day impossible. One funny thing happened though: while lots of people took shelter in a nearby hallway, I met a woman who lived – or tried to live in my room one month before I arrived there. She felt that she had to leave because the room was not up to her expectations. I laughed because I chose that room specifically because it DID live up to my expectations and needs to create art in that space. One (wo)man’s trash is another’s treasure and this day was a fun reminder of how small Florence can seem at times.

So, just because I got rained out from streetpainting, does not make it impossible to create art with pastels. If you would like to get to Hawai’i to create art in this pure pigment medium while having all of the cooking and cleaning done for you in your lodging, check out my “Pastels in Paradise” workshop on the Big Island this September. It is not too late yet!

Pastels In Paradise: Art Workshop in Hawaii

: borsheimarts.com/art-workshops/hawaii-pastels.htm
And of course, Hawaiian Art Journey: www.hawaiianartjourney.com
Spend a week with a real madonnara (Italian street painter) and see more street paintings.

Pastel Streetpainting in Florence, Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Yesterday was a fun day in streetpainting here in Florence, Italy. I saw some old friends, met some people that I only knew from my Web site and Facebook, had a little party, and even got some pastel painting done in the street.

I have been given Thursdays with my colleague Johnny from Ireland. I drew with him last year, as well, and he is fun to work with. However, he draws with our friend Kumiko on Wednesdays and asked if I minded picking up where they left off the day before. Johnny models in the mornings (when I arrive to work) and later on Thursday evenings, he attends life-drawing sessions. I should, too, but since I only am permitted to draw one day as one of the madonnari fiorentini, I will draw in the studio another day.

Allora, we drew Michelangelo’s “La Sacra Familia” otherwise known as “Tondi Doni” -- all in pastels directly on the street. I was amused that a woman working as a badante (assisting people needing special health care in their homes) and living in Firenze for the past two years (but from the country of Georgia) stopped to ask me if I was Russian. I get this guess only second to my being French. It always amuses me and makes me want more to visit Russia.

Last year I wrote about some of my street performing friends, including Mimito Sorrydista He stopped by to say hello and I got to see him as a blonde this time ! I hope you enjoy these images.


This next image was of me with a high school class visiting Florence from Belgium. This was their last day in the Renaissance City. They stayed with me for at least 20 minutes (good for street painting visitors) and later several of the boys returned just before getting on the train home. I asked them that after a week, what was their favorite part of Florence and one boy (white T, standing) said enthusiastically, "You!"
I think he has a future in politics or maybe as a lady-killer. :-)

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If you would enjoy getting away from your normal routine and working with pastels, won’t you please consider this art workshop I am teaching in an amazing location on the Big Island of Hawai’I. We will work on-site, and even with a model for part of the workshop. This happens in early September and is hosted by Hawaiian Art Journey and the Kona Village Resort. They will take care of all of your concerns so that you may relax and focus on making your own art.

Registration is refundable up to 30 days before the workshop starts and we need to get commitments from art lovers early so that you all have time to make your travel plans. (You may also combine this art event as a romantic getaway – guests are allowed to have non-workshop attendees accompany them.) Check out the details below.
Pastels in Paradise – Art Workshop with Kelly Borsheim
Hawaiian Art Journey

La Giostra Pastel Art

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Hello! I suspect you are busy like me, so I just want to spend a short amount of time introducing you to my newly completed pastel and charcoal drawing. She is one of the current Italy-inspired series, specifically of Florence (Firenze, as she is known in her own language). The title of this original artwork is “La Giostra” which means “Merry-Go-Round.”

One of my friends remarked that this is a cool merry-go-round because it invites all ages. The kids will enjoy riding on the horse while the grown-ups can snuggle up in the moon-shaped carriage. In reality, I first fell in love with this giostra in Piazza della Repubblica when I noticed that there was a painting of a bare-breasted woman on the inner wall, between the mirrors. I cannot imagine that even existing in America and I found that quite charming.

However, for various reasons, I decided to replace her with a male nude figure (except for his headband). I borrowed him from Michelangelo, as a nod to one of the most famous offspring from the Renaissance City.

“La Giostra” is 23 x 17 inches. The pastel and charcoal drawing was created on the Roma-brand paper that I brought back to Texas from Italy. She will debut this weekend at my Open Studio here in central Texas. So, please come on out!

Some people have commented that they thought the event was Saturday only, but no – it is both Saturday AND Sunday from noon to 5 pm or so.
More information: www.borsheimarts.com/exhibits.htm

You are Invited -- and Bring Your Friends!

Borsheim Arts Studio
223 Greystone Lane, Unit A, Cedar Creek, Texas 78612
Phone: 512-303-3929

6 & 7 February 2010, Saturday & Sunday
noon - 5:00 p.m. each day

NOTE: In effect now through 28 Feb 2010:

9-year Anniversary Celebration:

January 11 marks the 9th anniversary of when artist Kelly Borsheim sold her beeswax candle business and "took the plunge" to a life as a full-time artist. Here are the ways you can benefit:

• Enjoy a 20% Savings on ALL Giclée orders taken before 28 February 2010! Details: www.borsheimarts.com/giclee.htm
  
• FREE Giclée up to 18" long (up to a $200 value) or 20 FREE notecards with each painting commission received. (Your choice of available images.) Offer expires 28 February 2010. Information about how to commission a work of art, as well as some images of my past commissions, is online at:
  www.borsheimarts.com/commission.htm
  
• FREE shipping and handling on all art purchases (sculpture and 2-dimensional art) arranged from today through 28 February 2010.
  
• Interested in trying out my Layaway Plan? From now until 28 February, enjoy a reduced down payment of only one-third the full price instead of the normal half. As always, no finance charge if payments are made on time. For details, visit: www.borsheimarts.com/pricelist.htm
  

THANK YOU for your interest!

Happy Birthday, Great Aunt Lil!

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?

Pastel Figure Drawing

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I wrote about the Florence Academy Alumni Art Exhibit here in Florence, Italy, not too long ago. That night, I was not only looking at art. I was looking at people, especially the characters. I met Vida from Brazil that night. Perhaps you remember the photo of the two of us sitting in one of the vintage cars parked in the stables of Princess Corsini.

Since then Vida and I have been working together to create art for my exhibit here in April. Vida is a teacher of traditional capoeira, a type of dance (usually with another) that looks like a combination of dance, tai chi, and sometimes martial arts, or hunting. He says that the more modern version includes acrobatics as a crowd thriller.

I must be missing my days as a street painter in Florence, because after I saw some of Vida’s movements, I decided to try a figure drawing using color pastels. So, I bought some dark brown Roma paper and am enjoying this struggle with perspective (foreshortening) and color. Here is a sneak peek . . . and enjoy your weekend. And keep watching that glorious sky at night!

Street Painting in Florence, Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Yesterday I again worked as a madonnara on Via Calimala in Florence, Italy. Someone asked me if I ever did the same picture twice. Well, that day I attempted to draw again Pompeo Batoni’s “Madonna and Child” from 1742.

I include here an image of both day’s efforts. I struggle with drawing or painting faces and working on the street is even more difficult than working vertically and on my feet. I find it interesting how different both of my attempts are. I have made quite a few improvements on the madonna’s face, especially in the hair and the dark side of the face. The shorter nose seems more feminine and young to me.

But I see many things that I need to improve. I hope to get the opportunity. One Italian woman asked if I would paint this image on tela (canvas) so she could buy it. Time will tell if she is truly interested. In the meantime, I continue to work on improving my understanding of design and shapes – and color.

If you happen to be in Florence, Italy, on Monday, September 29, please stop by and see me. I will be working the space near the Mercato Porcellino. I usually arrive between 10 and 11 am and draw until mezzanotte (midnight). Cold temperatures and rain usually send me home earlier.

Street Painting Madonnari - Florence, Italy

Cari Amici,

Just when I start to believe that street painting is a horrible way to help earn my living while in Florence, Italy, something charming happens while I am working. Yesterday, Monday (Memorial Day in the States, it turned out), I chose to re-create a “Madonna And Child” from 1742 by Italian artist Pompeo Batoni.



I spoke with many wonderful visitors and Florentines, and was amused when one man asked me, “If you are American, then why don’t you speak with me in English?” I responded, “Because you addressed me in Italian and also because I would like to improve my Italian language skills.”

Anyway, my friend Ernesto Brosa took these images of two charming girls who hung out with my street painting and me for a while. The first girl really enjoyed getting dirty as she colored-in the darks of the Madonna’s hand. I was happy that I still had some wet towels to help her clean up a bit afterwards. Her mother and brother watched the whole procedure. She was really cute.



The other girl was enjoying her gelato too much to want to get her hands dirty. She is from Leningrad and is perhaps another budding artist.

Unfortunately, I had forgotten to recharge the batteria on my camera and it ran out of juice during Ernesto’s shooting. And so, if you happened to have been a tourist on this evening and took an image or two of my work that night, please send a copy to me. I have no images of the work before I washed her away around mezzanotte.

Grazie mille, for your interest and support.
Ciao, ciao,
Kelly