Portrait Design

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I recently published another art newsletter from my Web site in which I discussed a little bit about designing portraits. Since that is a separate, but possibly overlapping subscription list (of those interested in my art), I try not to duplicate too much content with this blog. So, if portrait art or design interests you, please click here and keep reading:

http://www.borsheimarts.com/news/2009_01.htm

Thank you!

Fiesole Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I attended a party up the mountain from Florence not too long ago. It was at a private home in Fiesole, Italy. As much as I love the city of Florence, I often miss trees. And air. Of course, everyone breathes in Florence, but let’s face it: nothing beats mountain air! I loved my escape to this party!

This first image is simply a reminder for me of a funny event that occurred when I got my first apartment in Florence. Imagine my joy as I waited at the bus stop of Fiesole’s main piazza of seeing a man waiting for the bus in his slippers! That is SO me! Two years ago shortly after I moved to Florence, I bought slippers at a little shoe store not far from my apartment. I knew that the stone floors would kill my calves. However, I felt that my sense of fashion was insulted when the saleslady said to me in Italian, “You do understand that these shoes are to be worn only indoors!” How could she know?

These next two images are from a walk I took up in Fiesole. The paths overlook the Florentine valley. I got a kick out of the “Pericolo di Caduta” (‘Danger of Falling’) sign. In the sunset picture, the famous marble quarries of Carrara are behind one of the pointier mountain peaks on the horizon (left of center).



And this last romantic image is to share with you so much of the warmth of winter in Tuscany. I love these Italian homes of stone and wood. The oranges and the iron just completed the natura morte for me. Enjoy!

P.S. Fiesole is pronounced “Fee-AY-so-lay.”


If you like what you read and would like to help support this blog(ger) / artist, click here . . .

Epiphany National Holiday in Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Today many businesses were closed for the national holiday celebrating the Epiphany. There is also a legend here in Italy about the Befana. She is an old woman, usually depicted as a witch on a broom, who brings gifts to children on the Epiphany. I enclose an image here of a hanging ornament my fiorentino friend Simone gave me last night when we met at the Edison bookstore for a chat.


There was a large parade in the central part of the city. I missed some of it because after my drawing session today, I went to visit some friends and got involved in a rather serious conversation (how could it not be?) about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. However, I managed to ride my bike up to the Uffizi Corrider and snapped a few shots of some rather handsome costumed Italians.

And I even heard the voice of my friend Jasmine behind me and thus I surprisingly met up with her and Jesper and Inga. I love this small town!

And since I am celebrating eight years of creating art full-time this month (I consider the 11th to be the actual anniversary) by offering free shipping from Florence, Italy, of any portrait I do for you, I wanted to leave you with this little pencil drawing. Last October, I drew this almost-profile view Nestor, a Columbian that I know here in Florence. The original pencil drawing is approximately 3 x 3 inches. He is available, just ask. Thank you!

Portrait Drawing

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Although I have not seen his work in a long time, for years I have been an admirer of Texas-based painter Ray Donley’s dramatic and contrasty figures. Recently I have been improving small details on a portrait drawing I created in December of a beautiful Sicilian woman that I know. She is actually one of my madonnari (street painting) colleagues here in Florence, Italy.

While working the edges of the white pastel on a black textured paper, I wondered if Ray had influenced this series of white-on-black portraits that I have been doing off and on these last few months. I thought I was simply pushing the limits of tone with this new material for me, but perhaps there are many parts to my subconscious thoughts.

Anyway, “Jessica” is a portrait drawing that measures approximately 16 x 12 inches. When my friend painter Tish Lowe saw my drawing, she commented how the texture of the paper that I left showing through on the hand and arm resembled fish net stockings. It seemed to go well with this somewhat 1960s looking portrait, as others have observed.

If you would like to add “Jessica” to your art collection or give her as a gift, please click on the PayPal button here or contact me.

“Jessica”
original portrait drawing
by Kelly Borsheim
black textured Mi-Teintes paper
with white pastels
16 x 12 inches
$150 + $20 shipping (anywhere)

Portrait Drawings

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Buon Anno! or as my friend Elena texted me “Tanti tanti auguri per uno strepitoso anno nuovo!” or “I wish you many, many best wishes for a resounding New Year!”

Last March 24th, I read in nymag.com an article by James Panero titled “An Old Master in Ruins - Why is an El Greco worth less than a Koons? Gallerist Larry Salander called it a moral travesty, and decided, catastrophically, to do something about it.”

I liked the quote:

New York art dealer Larry Salander said, “Art is the human attempt to make one plus one equal more than two.”

Since this January marks my eighth anniversary as a full-time artist, I wanted to do something special. As many of my blog followers know, I have been working in Florence, Italy, and learning more about creating abstract shapes while designing 2-dimensional art. I have also been making portraits of many of my friends here in Italy to continue to put these techniques to work.

Allora, for this month, I would like to offer to create a portrait for you of a loved one (alive or gone) and ship it anywhere in the world from Italy for free. Portrait prices are below and based on the medium and size you desire. And you do not even need to leave your home.

I often work via e-mail correspondence -- sending images along the way for client feedback. So if you would like to send me an image of the person(s) you want to have a portrait of, please contact me via my e-mail address: sculptor@borsheimarts.com.

When I work from photos, I prefer no flash. Directional lighting is more flattering and dimensional. More than one photo is helpful to let me see something more of the personality. I also need a signed and dated release from the photographer to allow me to use the image to create a drawing (copyright stays with the photographer, I only need a one-time release/permission to use the image).

You may choose:
Half life-size or smaller in pencil: $300 per head/person
Life-size (approx.) in charcoal: $500 per head/person
Life-size oil painting – monochromatic (sepia): $700 per head/person
If you prefer color, a life-size pastel drawing: $600 per head/person, life-size
Plus, FREE SHIPPING from Florence, Italy.

Please let me know if this is a gift or if you are having another deadline (such as an anniversary party or wedding) so that I can make sure you receive your original art on time. And of course, if you are here in Florence, Italy, I would love to make a drawing of you from life.

Thank you for your continued interest and support.

Italian Language

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I live with an Italian couple who has a few more years than I. Doria and Luca held a dinner party tonight with a total of eight people, including me. My Italian language skills are improving with the help of many friends, despite my horrible habit of daydreaming A LOT.

Still I just spent five hours at a dinner in which multiple people were speaking at once, each with subtly different styles, although Doria told me after they left that I had been hearing the Tuscan dialect. I told my hosts that at some point I tried desperately to learn the language as a child would, meaning that I stopped trying to translate words in my head. Instead, I tried to listen and piece together a few new words from the context of what I understood already.


Later, we were looking back at the newspaper to clarify times for the free events for tomorrow night’s Capodanno celebrations around the central part of Florence. And I read the phrase c’era (there was). “Oh, so that is what that means, Luca! I heard cera a lot during the night and wondered why everyone was speaking about WAX so often!” And he spoke the words so that I could hear the difference in the sounds. Still, I find this difficult for me and I wish that I had true musician’s ears.


Tonight I wanted to share with you a few images of Florence, Italy, decorated for Christmas: from the famous windows of dolci at Gilli’s and other window displays to illegal immigrants keeping an eye on the cops while they try to sell you their fake Gucci wares.


Enjoy – and please buy a raffle ticket from the Menu For Hope V fundraiser to help feed communities in Africa this year and for years to come (through education). You could win great prizes offered from European bloggers, including yours truly. (My Prize code of Giclée Images of Italy is EU25). But I do not care if you make a donation and try for another prize on the list. The cause is worthy and the deadline is 31 December.
Instructions below with a link to my own offered prize . . .

Buon Capodanno!

Donation Instructions:

1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from our Menu for Hope at
http://www.msadventuresinitaly.com/blog/2008/12/15/menu-for-hope-europe-prizes/ or Chez Pim

2. Go to the donation site at www.firstgiving.com/menuforhope5 and make a donation.

3. Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code.
For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02. Please write 2xEU01, 3xEU02 Kelly’s Prize code is EU25

4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.

5. Please allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

6. Bids on prizes will be accepted from December 15-24th. The last day to bid on a prize is December 24th.

7. Check back on Chez Pim on January 12, when Pim will announce the result of the entire raffle. Sara Rosso will also announce the winners of European prizes here.

Street Painting in Florence, Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Buone Feste! as we say here in bella Italia. I have been sculpting, painting, and visiting friends during the past week. I stopped to say hello to some of my fellow madonnari (street painters) in Florence and include two of their holiday drawings on Via Calimala. Here are Giovanni and Tomo with their interpretation of a Christmas card and the Florentine skyline.


I liked how they added real ribbon and bows for the cornice (frame).

Then for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Tomo created a Christian depiction of the meaning of Natale. The weather has been cold and while I wondered if I would come out to help them, I realized that I wanted my few hours of sunlight for my own projects. I applaud their tenacity – it has really been cold out!

The only way that my fellow street painters have been able to work since 1 December has been under the rules of holding a manifestazione to protest the Comune di Firenze. The Comune (City Hall) decided not to renew the permits for madonnari anymore because they want to have a concorso (competition).

This competition does not allow us the flexibility in scheduling that we have previously enjoyed and limits greatly the amount of time per day that we can draw – six hours is not enough time to create a substantial drawing of a large size.

I do not know what will happen to the street painters of Florence. I am happy that I have tried this work, but for now, I wait. And I work on my own art.

Menu For Hope V

This benefit raffle with great prizes from Europe has been extended to 31 December!!!!

Here are the rules again – please help us fight world hunger, one community at a time.

Donation Instructions:

1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from our Menu for Hope at
http://www.msadventuresinitaly.com/blog/2008/12/15/menu-for-hope-europe-prizes/ or Chez Pim

2. Go to the donation site at www.firstgiving.com/menuforhope5 and make a donation.

3. Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code.
For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02. Please write 2xEU01, 3xEU02

4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.

5. Please allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

6. Bids on prizes will be accepted from December 15-24th. The last day to bid on a prize is December 24th.

7. Check back on Chez Pim on January 12, when Pim will announce the result of the entire raffle. Sara Rosso will also announce the winners of European prizes here.