Exploring Europe Original Painting of Young Couple Traveling

Dear Art Lover,     

     Hmmm, it is August already!  I hope that you received my latest art newsletter.  It contains Part II of the images I wanted to share with you of Genoa, Italy’s amazing sculpture museum (aka, the cemetery).  If you have not seen the images… please check out the page online:

http://www.borsheimarts.com/news/201508_ArtNews-StaglienoMarbleSculptureGenoaItaly-Part2.htm

    Other news is that I had a bit of a shock when I returned to Texas recently.  I left far more art here than I realized.  So, in order to help me move once I find a place to live and get back to carving stone, I thought that I would try something new. 

     I would like to offer, for the month of August 2015 only, selected paintings and drawings for about half the price as my going rate these days.  These are older works, but ones that for one reason or several others, I cannot stand the idea of destroying.  Please contact me directly if you see something you love and would like to add to your art collection.  Here goes the first one… 

Exploring Europe -- AVAILABLE NOW [original art]
24 x 18 cm [about 9.4 x 7 inches] Oil on wood
copyright 2007 Kelly Borsheim

     This painting was inspired by my trip around parts of Europe in 2006 as I traveled to see exhibitions of Eugene Carriere, my favorite painter.  At this writing, I cannot remember where exactly I was when I saw this young couple enjoying the lazy, care-free life, eating pizza and sitting next to a large water fountain that squirted the water UP. However, I believe that I was in Germany when I saw them.

I finished this painting after I settled into Florence, Italy, in 2007 [hence the board dimensions in centimeters], but now the work is with me in Austin, Texas.

I offer this original painting to you for only $50 US.  Texas state sales tax (6.75%) may apply.  There is also a $9.50 packaging and shipping fee.

Please contact me for more information.

Thank you and as always…

Peace,

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor and painter

http://BorsheimArts.com

Santa Fortunata Sorrento Italia

Dear Art Lover,

     I left Florence, Italy, with a large wide, but narrow box containing nine paintings (three on wood panels), surrounded by clothes and black squid-ink spaghetti for my family.  My backpack had all of my electronic gadgets that I needed for work in the US and a big pad of paper with two boxes of pastels.  That was my idea of traveling light for my flight.  In addition, I had an extra bag with food and random things that I anticipated using up during my last couple of days in Italia for a while.  After a train ride to Napoli (Naples) and catching the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento, I knew that I was not having a good time.

     A man running a luggage storage facility at the station in Sorrento saved me.  I delighted when he told me that there was indeed a Mailboxes, Etc. nearby.  He charged me only five euro to store my box of art at the station overnight.  Feeling much lighter, I walked around in the rain to buy bus tickets to go to the campground, Santa Fortunata.  This second image is right outside of the station just before a 30-minute thunder and lightning storm passed over us.

     The SantaFortunata is a campground that also has cabins supplied with linens.  Mine was in a lovely location up a dirt path with a good view of the distant volcano Vesuvius.  I was thrilled with myself for leaving that awkward and heavy box behind!  A nearby restaurant provided a light dinner for takeout as I settled in for some computer work, creating images and files for art shipping.  Soon, I was deep asleep in this lovely haven.

     The next morning the birds were singing.  I took the bus back into downtown Sorrento carrying an empty backpack.  The guys at Mailboxes Etc. went with me to pick up my art box and allowed me to remove most of the stuff that surrounded the art.  They had to repackage it all anyway and also verify that I was shipping what I claimed to be shipping.  They copied my new digital files for the Customs paperwork that allows art to leave Italia.  Everything went well.  I then met a man named Giovanni de Liso selling luggage who also created nice Italian scenic paintings.  We had a wonderful chat after I purchased a small suitcase and he gave me advice on good local places to eat. 

     Around town are several bronze sculptures by Arnaldo Pomodoro.  He is quite famous with a bronze sphere with similar geometric shapes emerging from it as one of the sculptures at the Vatican Museum.  They are all well cared for and the patina seems new to me.  This is impressive, especially for a coastal town.   

   

     In the afternoon I headed back to Santa Fortunata and brought my computer down to the beach at the bottom of their cliffs.  It was so relaxing to make “my office” at the edge of the sea.  It was so good to swim again and then work beside the music of the waves.

 

    It was the pattern during my visit for an evening storm to roll-in.  It was so exciting to be there with the wind whipping around and the rain hitting my metal roof.  The morning after was clear and gorgeous.  I would recommend this place as a great home base for visiting the areas around Vesuvius, such as Pompei (Pompeii in English) and Ercolano (Herculaneum in English).

http://www.santafortunata.com/en/

Tanti auguri di buon compleanno, carissima Susanna! 

Peace,

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Bus from Croatia into Serbia

Dear Art lover,

     I am convinced now that I am an idiot.  Or at the very least, losing my thoroughness.

At least during the winter / non-tourist season (which starts after Easter, apparently), ferries from Montenegro to Italy only run on Thursdays and Sundays.  Ok… but they leave at night and arrive in the morning.  I need to be in Roma by the 20^th, but I cannot legally enter Italia until the 19^th.  The only ferry I could take is on the 19^th.  I thought it was perfect… until I realized the ferry left at 10 pm instead of 10 a.m.   The ferry runs from Bar, Montenegro to Bari, Italia.  The next train to Roma is not until afternoon, and no fast trains from Bari.  I would be a day late!

     Also, I cannot stay in Croatia longer than 90 days.  I cannot return to Italia or any part of Schengen territory until after 90 days have passed.  I had planned to leave Croatia just before my 90-day limit and explore Montenegro for a few days before taking a boat over the Adriatic Sea to return to Florence.  So, now what?  

     Plans B:  Should I fly to the UK?  Well,  I might if I could, but there are not many flights this time of year.  But mostly, my friends are on holiday then and not in the UK.  I found a flight from the capitol of Montenegro, and a bus to Dubrovnik, but I could not find anything for the next leg into Montenegro.  I thought to go to Bosnia, but the bus only takes me to the edge of Croatia.  I would have to take a taxi for 20 miles… hmmm.. I thought of so many things, but always there was some piece missing.  Or missing to someone who does not understand the local languages.

     I guess living in the south US most of my life did not help me get a clue that March is still winter, and public transportation is not necessarily a given even in Europe.

     Then . . . mathematics triumphs again.  One night, I got a good, long sleep and around 6 a.m. I had an idea.  When I actually crawled out of bed two hours later, it took only an hour to have it all come together.  The math rule?  That the simplest solution is often the best/right one.  

     I remembered that I had friends.  I did not need so much to see some place new.  I could be happy to reconnect with a family I visited two years ago.

     And thus, I was on my way to Serbia by bus.  And frankly, I did see some new places.  And SNOW!  The bus took me almost straight east and I was able to see something more of Croatia!  I include a few snapshots here and yes, that is a pastel drawing I started from one of my photos I had printed in Umag before I left.  I did not want to dig my laptop out of my backpack during travel and the battery was not that long-lived in any event.  And yes, that is snow in the background!  

 

Trying out new pastels I bought in Oz.

     The bus was warm.  I finally got some sewing done, and reading, and some much needed sleep.  And the bus driver was so nice to me.  I assumed that I was the only passenger he did not already know. 

My Serbian friends are wonderful and I am grateful for so much.  Today I go to see the Tesla Museum in Belgrade!

 

     The deadline for my first crowd funding project seems too close for comfort considering that thus far, I have only reached 13% of the goal for getting the wax sculptures cast.  Kickstarter tells artists that is normal to have a lull in the middle, but … it makes me nervous.  However, I am happy to see that there are fifteen individual backers!  

     Will you help me spread the word by sharing the Kickstarter “Casting Call:  I’m Melting . . . Melting!  Into Bronze” link: 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/borsheimarts/casting-call-im-melting-melting-into-bronze

and pledge if so desired!

Thank you so much for helping me make some bronze art a reality,

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Blatant plus:  Please send me the money; Let's make some BRONZE!

Painting While Traveling

Dear Art lover,

     Today is the last day of my anniversary sale on my art!  Thus proving that January has escaped almost as quickly as I dreaded.  I still have so much to do!  And you? 

Anyway, the sale celebrates my 15-year-run as a full-time artist.  I hope you will indulge.  The sale offers free worldwide shipping on any available art, even those offered through my galleries.  Sale ends Texas time (Central time US) at midnight tonight. 

So, go shopping!  http://BorsheimArts.com

 

     And ladies, I doubt your man would be offended if you surprised him this Valentine’s Day as well!  I am all for equal joys.

      If you have been following this blog or me on Facebook, you may remember that I moved to Croatia in mid-December.  I had decided to travel light, but even so, for three months of life, I have a fair amount of stuff.  I packed more art materials than clothes and personal items, which is typical for me.  However, I chose to pack only dry materials:  pastels, pastel pencils, paper, and computers.  I also took my travel easel, light and extension cords (which I did not realize would not work here with the type I brought).  Ah, Italia, amazing how many plug types and sizes they use!

      So, when I decided to paint a portrait of my Croatian landlords in oil, I was hardly prepared.   Today I share with you some of my silliness.  I did not want to buy too many supplies since that just added to the baggage later.  And I tend to multitask.

     This first image shows you how I got palettes for mixing the paints that I ordered online.  Those mushrooms had the perfect plastic container:  wide open on top, low sides, and a smooth bottom (often veggie containers have ridges, I assume for controlling the water on the contents).  I usually buy food in glass jars based on the shape of the jar (for spirits and medium).  However, I rarely buy food that I would not eat since that would not be multitasking; that would be overpaying for future trash.  Also, once my landlady saw what I was doing, she and her sister supplied me with more jars and palettes than I can use in my time here.  Sweet.  Miranda apparently saves all of her newspapers for recycling too, so I was fortunate to have an instant stack!

     The second and third images show my brush holder.  It would be better if the plastic container was a wee bit taller, but not worth the effort.  And, the best brushes I found here were NOT the ones I originally found in a boat paint shop or a bookshop (they do not have art material stores in this little town of Umag).  Even the hardware stores did not help me.  The softest and best paintbrushes I found were in a nearby grocery store.  They were colored sets made for kids!  Thus, the handles were shorter than I am used to.  I never before thought about how it might affect my color mixing abilities to use a brush with purple, or light green, or pink, or blue, or yellow hairs!  But it is fun to have color-coded handles.

     Oh, and I used [un-popped] popcorn in the jar to hold the brushes upright.  Beans, lintels, etc. work well, but I do not eat those that often.  When I looked around my kitchen, popcorn was the only thing that would work.  Pebbles would work, but takes collection time.  These little details I had forgotten until I was ready to start painting.  So… use was works and gets one painting.

     This last image is just silly.  I moved my painting around the flat at different times of day since lighting is important and I needed to judge what I had painted during the middle of the night.  I just enjoyed the light coming through the curtains.

     I hope you have had a chance to check out the new online blog features and if you have any feedback, that would be appreciated.  I would like this site to be easy for you to use.

     And, as always, thank you for your continued interest.  Share this with anyone you think might appreciate it! 

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

Pisa Italy Antique Market

Dear Art-loving friend,

As a still-life painter living in Tuscany, I know about most of the big antique markets each weekend in this area.  I did not know that Pisa had a recurring market until recently when stone sculptor Mary Tanner came to visit Firenze and we took a trip together to Pisa, Pietrasanta, and Carrara.

We were in Pisa. Italy, on 9 November, so that will help me remember what one of the exhibiting vendors told me.  The market happens each SECOND Saturday and Sunday of the month.   Mary and I had gone to Pisa to see the famous pulpit by Nicola Pisano, completed in 1260 and which work marks the beginning of the Renaissance.  [More on that in my next artnewsletter.]  

After a good lunch we meandered towards the Arno River and found Palazzo Blu.  There was an exhibition of Amedeo Modigliani and Constantin Brâncuși with other contemporaries that Mary treated us to.  I had heard of it and was curious, but sadly, I walked out thinking less of the Italian painter than I hoped I would.  Still, I am grateful to Mary for having gone to see it.  One never really knows without a real experience?  Palazzo Blu is very easy to find along the river because It is the only obviously blue building in that area.  Incidentally, that sculpture in Palazzo Blu that I include in these images always freaks me out.  That rib cage, wide-spread breasts and uplifted arm stubs together look like some fanciful creature’s head.

 

So, in this post about Pisa, I give you some more dragon sculptures, a very short door (with the lovely Mary there for height comparison), random guitar playing, and some of the sites as we made our way back to the train station and headed north.

You may find other posts on this blog about Pisa by visiting the online version of the blog and using the “Search this Blog” blank in the right-hand column.

 

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If you are enjoying this blog, the writing and/or the images, it would help me continue if you could send a donation my way.  Just go to the blog online and on the right column there are PayPal links for making a donation.  Choose any amount you desire, even five bucks helps! 

Or further down the page, you will see a more indirect way to help:  Go shopping online via the search window under “Support This Blog Via Amazon”  Your author is an affiliate and clicking here first sends a donation with each purchase you make on a click-through. 

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 unite.

http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com

Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm,

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

http://BorsheimArts.com

All images in this post are copyright 2014 Nov 9 by Kelly Borsheim