Tuscan Sky Art

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Many years ago, I met an Italian artist who has passion galore, but little formal training. She drew constantly as a child and even once met the famous Pietro Annigoni. She was just a little girl, but she always remembered that he stopped by her table to compliment her drawing. She recalls, “I was in Castagno di Andrea, a village in Tuscany , I think Mugello, when I met Pietro Annigoni. He was painting a famous Crucifixion in the village church. I was in the little trattoria near there for lunch with my mother and my grandfather. Annigoni passed by . . . . My [English] mother didn't like Annigoni because he was Italian and also because of some story about him, so...” Another time she had told me that her mother did not care for the portrait Signore Annigoni had painted of the Queen of England. So, apparently, his opinion about my friend’s artistic potential fell on deaf ears.

Yet throughout her life and many adventures, my friend Hafiza Malik, subject of my last post and pastel painting, continues to pursue her art whenever she can. She is a sensitive soul with many stories to tell. She loves Nature, and has a special affinity towards trees. She prefers to draw from life (which is how I met her), befriending artists and people from all walks. Hafiza collects Nature’s souvenirs and creates drawings, etchings, and paintings.

I have with me here in Texas a limited number of prints from one of Hafiza’s pencil drawings of the Tuscan landscape. The image is printed on a thick quality Italian paper and is a signed limited edition of 50. The image is approximately 7” x 11” and is titled “Cielo Toscano” (“Tuscan Sky”).

The price is $80 unframed (+$10 shipping and for Texans, sales tax). However, if you would prefer the art framed, I recommend all acid-free mat and foam core backing, with glass in an elegant black frame. I can offer a completely framed print of “Cielo Toscano” at the low price of $150 (+15 shipping, plus any applicable taxes). If you love Italy or even cloud watching, this image might be just for you. A great gift idea, too, for the travelers you know.

Please contact me if you would like to see this Italian artist’s work in person. (And if you find yourself near Florence, Italy, and would like to buy this print directly from Hafiza, let me know and I will connect the two of you . . . )


“Cielo Toscano” (“Tuscan Sky”)
7” x 11”
Limited edition of 50 signed print on Italian paper
Copyright and original pencil drawing by Hafiza Malik
Unframed Art Only:

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“Cielo Toscano” (“Tuscan Sky”)
7” x 11” (Framed size = 13” x 18”)
Limited edition of 50 signed print on Italian paper
Copyright and original pencil drawing by Hafiza Malik
Framed with elegant black frame and glass:

The following is an image of Hafiza explaining something about plants to me. These are capers, growing out of a Tuscan wall.

Art Portrait Drawing

I hope you have enjoyed this last day in Gennaio. Here is the follow-up image of the now finished portrait of my friend Harry that I mentioned in a previous blog and showed you the work-in-progress.

Oh – and I just published my latest newsletter, which I send out to those who sign up for my art newsletter, which is published about six times per year. Click here to read:
Borsheim Art News January 2008



http://www.borsheimarts.com/news/2008_01.htm

New Pencil Drawings Done In Italy

I have three new figure sketches that I did in Italia recently. I am embarrassed that in my haste, I was only able to tape them up on the wall of my new apartment and take poor quality photographs. I will take new images of them when I return to Italia. However, I hope that you can see some of my latest endeavors to capture the human gesture. “Mauro” was sketched for my Naked Gondolier series on 21 November. “Sara” and “Chiara” were sketched in different model sessions, both on 28 November. These are short poses (2 hours or less). If memory serves, these are anywhere from 10 inches to around 14 inches tall.

While I sometimes can get further along in two hours in paint, not often. And I am really trying to refine my designo of the gesture. So, it is better for me to slow down, observe, and think. I hope you can see these and that they appeal to you. I do feel that my skills in 2-dimensional figure drawing are improving dramatically, even if to some people these differences seem subtle.

Pencil Drawing - Seated Female Model

On the 24th of October, I did a pencil drawing of a new model, Eugenia. I have been interested in doing drawings on dark paper with the light shapes being prominent. But I only had a grey paper with me. I began the 1.5-hour session by sketching the figure in with a pencil. But I ended up liking the drawing and only added a wee bit of white pencil to try to round out the form. I am pleased with this figure drawing, especially because of the relatively short duration of the pose.

While I am working to improve my seeing of shapes accurately and this means a study of classical proportion and realism, I am not sure how far I will take this. What I really enjoy about the process of drawing that I am learning now is that I can leave some elements of a work of art only implied, such as the chair and hands. There is enough of a chair drawn there so that a floating figure does not confuse the viewer’s brain and the gesture is visible without all of the details in this pencil drawing.

She is 23 centimeters tall – from foot to head. Signed and dated. If interested in this drawing, you may add her to your collection for only $50 (US) plus $15 shipping from Italy to anywhere in the world. Just send me an e-mail!