Rollerblades

Dear Art lover,

     With such a wide and wonderful paved sidewalk along the Adriatic Sea here in Umag, Croatia, I thought I should get some wheels for better (further) exploration.  What I discovered, however, is that some perks contrast with some less-than-ideal circumstances.  

     I mean that as much as I love walking the sea without much company during winter in a town full of summer tourists, I also cannot access touristy things.  After several attempts to find some rollerblades and being told that there were none in town during this time of year, I found some to try.  The good news is that they were available for half price!  Sadly, they were four sizes too large.  I hoped that perhaps wearing several pairs of socks would fill the gap, but both the saleswoman and I agreed that it would not be a safe solution.  The rollerblades were simply too large.  However, she took this snapshot of me in her store, so we had some laughs.  

     Sadly, she also told me that there are no bicycle rentals in off-season.  So, I walk alone . . .

I like it here.  The people are really nice, even though I have made a point to stay pretty much alone while I work out a lot of things.   

     I will be launching my fundraising bronze casting project on Kickstarter.com soon, so if you have had a hankering to get some bronzes at good prices, March will be the time.  I included some early bird special offers for quick-acting supporters.  With bronze prices and labor at an all-time high, I can assure you that these prices will not be offered for long.

     Also, I am still having technical difficulties.  I tried a new service to distribute my art newletter (a subscription list, free).  I sent this out about a week ago.  Sadly, I am having mixed reviews.  Too many people near the end of the list have told me that they have NOT received the newsletter in their e-mail boxes.  If you are one of those and I have not already heard from you, will you please let me know?  I need to give the company feedback so we can determine what the problem is.  Thank you!

     In any event, here is the newsletter online about Tantalyzing Tasmania:

http://www.borsheimarts.com/news/2015_02_ArtNews-TasmaniaLandscapePainting.htm

Please share this with anyone you think might bust a gut over it-ha!  Thank you.

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Sea Shell Hunting

Dear Art lover,

     I find it interesting what one learns about another in simple shared experiences, such as collecting sea shells by the sea shore.  I have at least two friends that I have had the pleasure of doing that with over recent years.  Funny, they both prefer the perfect shells.  While I find the perfect ones beautiful and amazing in design and execution, I tend to adore the ones in which the broken exteriors reveal some of the beautiful forms inside.  The good news, of course, is that we will never “fight” over the choices the other one desires.  That is always a relief… as when in high school:  you were glad when your best mate had different tastes for dating.  If not, things could get ugly. Ha.

     So, along this rocky beach I found north of Umag, I was enchanted to find these tiny shells.  Because one of the friends referenced to above, Kumiko, cherishes the tiny beauts.  She likes them perfectly formed still.  I picked some up for her, as well as lots of tiny broken ones for me. 

     My friend Ruth pointed out to me many years ago that perhaps the reason I can so easily recognize fear in others is because I am consciously grappling with my own fears.  On my day sifting through shells recently, I wondered if the reason I want to hang onto my friends who like perfect is so that I reach just a little bit higher.

     You know, perhaps, the famous quote by Michelangelo:  The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.

     Oh, enough philosophy.  I am getting closer to having a place in which to carve stone.  You cannot believe my excitement!  I have much to do before my sun sets!  Enjoy my little self portrait in the setting sun on the Adriatic Sea.

Like nature images?  Check out Tantalizing Tasmania:

http://www.borsheimarts.com/news/2015_02_ArtNews-TasmaniaLandscapePainting.htm

Please share this with anyone you think might appreciate it!  Thank you.

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Umag Croatia

Dear Art-loving friend,

     So, in order to remain legal with the Italian government, I have now relocated to Croatia.  Umag, to be exact, is a city by the sea in a region called Istria.  It is not very far from Trieste, Italy, and in Istria, many people speak Italian.  Some, I am finding out, also speak English.  As of this writing Croatia is a part of the European Union (EU), but not yet a part of Schengen Territories.  It is that latter that concerns me. Croatia expects to become a part of Schengen around mid-2015, so I am lucky that for now, I have Croatia as a solution to my escaping Schengen for 90 days.

     I am thus far enjoying being in a place in which I know so few, and yet feel fortunate that my new landlady and her family have been wonderfully kind to me, especially in inviting me to share Christmas Eve with them.  Umag has a lovely harbor and old town, which I hope to explore more as I get over the cold that I acquired in Florence not so long ago.  I am mostly over it, but I tend to hang onto those sort of things longer when I do not take them seriously and start getting too active when I am still fighting the virus. 

     Anyway, here are some of the images I have shot thus far.. I hope you enjoy the serenity in them.

This is what is left of an old Roman gate; now a "sculpture" gracing the front of City Hall, Umag.

 These that follow I took during the sunset of the Solstice.  I love Nature's holidays:  One of the few sunny days here recently:

My Christmas Eve... with landlady Miranda and her family.. Isn't she adorable?  Hard-working too:

Tons of lanterns were lit before their fires lifted them above the old town (the church is outlined in lights.

     And in case you missed my recent art newsletter about Carrara and BLIND stone carvers, please click here:

http://www.borsheimarts.com/news/2014_12_ArtNews-CarraraBlindStoneCarvers.htm

Thank you.

++++

     If you are enjoying this blog, the writing and/or the images, you may help keep it coming by supporting the blog… make a donation on the blog itself (in euro or dollars, via PayPal links on this blog site.  Or click on my affiliate link to Amazon.com and as you buy for yourself, Amazon will thank me a wee bit.  A third way you may help is to forward this blog to someone you think may appreciate it.  The more readers, the more comments online, and wallah… lovers of art and Italy [and Croatia] unite.

http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com

Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm,

Kelly 

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Bike Life Florence Italy

Dear Art-Loving Friend,
My father once suggested to me that I “go ahead and get this Europe thing out of my system and come back to live in the States.”  I think he has turned into my grandmother.  She worried constantly.  But that was years ago and while I still have not worked out how to have permanent residence here in Italy, and my life is in limbo, I think I have convinced those who care about me that I am not finished with Europe. 

One of the perks that is difficult to argue with is the wonderful public transportation.  I love walking and biking to most places in Florence, Italy, where I live now.  When I need to go somewhere else, I can usually take a bus or a train.  Some people complain about the services in Italy, but I have not encountered many problems and am amazed actually by how train, planes, and even motorways are all created and organized. 
Anyway, most of Europe basically dies in August, with most people heading towards the surrounding seas for rest and relaxation.  It is a bit bizarre, especially since August is the time when many tourists can visit, especially if they have school-age children. 

I have been doing my best to seclude myself in my new space here, at least during August. I have two easels set up and the doors to my balcony remain always open.  This is for my sanity.  I am working on many paintings, allowing the layers of oil paint to dry while I work on other images.  And sadly, I have not yet solved all of the Web site problems after I transferred in late June to a new host company.  My contact form and order forms do not yet work.  But I have discovered that there is only so much frustration I can take in one day and do not wish to spend more than a few hours each day on this.

In any event, I hope that you enjoy these snapshots I took around the Arno River in Florence… ah, the bike life!  I am shown here with my friend Biljana, visiting from her home in Serbia.  We took a day trip to the charming San Gimignano recently (the exception to my August rule).  You may see some of those images on my Facebook page, if you like. 
Thank you for sticking with me on this art journey and I hope August is good to you.  Me?  I must get back to my paintings.