Broken heart? No, broken computer!

In these times, which is worse, a broken heart or computer?
I have a broken computer right now....
BUT
different from a heart, they are bringing me a new one in a few days!!!
So stay tuned for more photos, more news, and more See More Worlds!

Car in the rain

Looks like this car is exploding...
but he is only turning right
in the rain.

SOLO DONNE -- show over

Here I am on the street where I had my show, right in front of the olive and oil museum of Torgiano

Here is a sign I made for my show "Just Women", Solo Donne, with a painting from my Cactus Ladies exhibition, "Natural Beauty".

Dietro le quinte (behind the scenes) at i Vinarelli

A couple of lovely women met during this year's i Vinarelli, helping to make this a very successful event at Torgiano.

Here is Sylvie Béal, the Mayor of Culture at the City Hall of Torgiano, Italy. Together with us is Pietro Crocchioni, painter and photographer. 

And here is Isabella Ciotti of the Pro Loco of Torgiano....

and another fun photo of Isabella and Pietro.

Lots of painting, lots of wine and lots of smiles during the event, i Vinarelli. 

I Vinarelli - a close up look

August 20, 2012 -- busy putting my drawing on watercolour paper, ready to paint with....

                                                                   wine and watercolours.

                          To my left, friend, artist and photographer, well-known Pietro Crocchioni.

Here I am with Sylvie Béal, Mayor of Culture of Torgiano, and Pietro Crocchioni.

Getting to work with a spray gun...filled with WINE and a bit of color from my watercolours.

My first painting of the evening, swimmers with caps and glasses, each one holding a wineglass, while swimming. I was inspired by the Olympics, and the rest came with the event i Vinarelli, where everyone paints with wine and watercolours, each year during this event.

Pietro painted three pieces, I did two of them. Here I am  cutting out curls that is the hair of the woman I painted, and then coloured with wine. 

A very very hot evening, but passed in a fun and original way, with old friends and new ones made that evening.

Getting ready to "shoot" my painting with wine!

Here is Pietro at work, being filmed, while another painter, Stefania, looks on, and also Emanuele Ferlicca of Perla Arredamenti, Assisi. 

And then, my turn....

Here I am working on my second painting, the first one is drying.

Here is the long table where 80 artists painted, and altogether I believe that we were 150 people to have dinner.
Quite an event, fun, and although warm, a very good turnout.
The Vinarelli continue this week and the last day is the 25th of August. Still time to come around and see the artshows, and enjoy the lovely town of Torgiano. See you here tonight, I will be there!

i Vinarelli a Torgiano

The event i Vinarelli took place on August 20th.

Here is one of my two paintings I did with watercolours, and WINE!

More news and photos to come....

tonight...i Vinarelli!!

Why is tonight so special?
Well, when is it that you see about 100 people seated at long tables in the middle of a small town, painting with watercolours and W I N E!!!???
TONIGHT!

I'll be there together with many many artists, painting all sorts of different subject matter, BUT using wine instead of water.

First we will all share a delicious Umbrian meal, THEN we start painting.

Have to rest up now, as well as get my materials ready for this evening. Should be fun, have done it other years, and always amusing as well as interesting.

See you later, with photos of course.  This photo was taken in 2003 during i Vinarelli.

Night Owl at Torgiano

It's hot, like it is in many parts of the world right now. I'm living most of my hours awake at night, just like an owl, and during the day it is difficult to not to want (or neeed) to take a nap. The heat knocks us out!

We are living with the floor fans on, a ceiling fan, and look forward to the late evening cooling off.
In fact, last night after my art show in Torgiano, I actually feel chilly! The breeze was blowing and I had to borrow another shawl from my friend, who didn't feel cold like I did.

Now, at almost 6pm it is unbearable in the house. Just another hour and we will take off for Torgiano, hot there too, but air-conditioned car, and then a nice dinner outside with a bit of a breeze.

In my exhibition space it is pretty warm but we have two fans going all the time. I turn off the lights to keep things cooler, then when the people come in I turn them off.

It's a really nice festival, with music every evening, friends who drop in, and nice new people I am meeting. Always nice to meet people who like to talk about art, always enjoyable to discuss art with sensitive people.
Anyhow, almost time to get ready, another shower (can't have enough of them lately) and off we go. Will stop on the way to take some photographs, because the view driving to Torgiano is magnificent.
I'll be there tonight for anyone who wants to drop in to see my artwork and say hello. If you get there early, join us for dinner.

Torgiano exhibition and Sylvie Béal, Mayor of Culture of Torgiano

Here I am at my exhibition in Torgiano, Italy, with Sylvie Béal, Assessore alla Cultura del Comune di Torgiano (Mayor of Culture for the City Hall of Torgiano). It has been a pleasure meeting the various people in the Comune and the Pro Loco of Torgiano, Sylvie being one of them.

Black and white, in front of my black and white portraits.

My show entitled "Solo Donne",  "Just Women" in the background.

Giornale dell'Umbria article about Torgiano's festival

http://www.giornaledellumbria.it/article/article44975.html

Here's a link to the Umbrian newspaper Il Giornale dell'Umbria and an article written the other day about the festival at Togiano.

Prostitutes..........and roasted pig sandwiches

Funny title I know, but what we saw last night was quite amusing.

We were driving back from Torgiano, quite late...it was about 12:45 at night. We were driving a part of the town where usually there are several prostitutes, standing around in their very scanty clothing, shorts, or mini skirts. I didn't see any at all, and I said to my husband "Well, usually there are prostitutes here at night, tonight there aren't any".

My husband said, "No, they wouldn't be out here so close to the truck that sells porchetta". (Porchetta is a delicious roasted pig sandwich, very tasty, even with the skin of the pig, and lots of delicious seasonings).

Just then, we passed the truck where they serve these sandwiches....the owner of the truck cuts slices off a roasted pig in display, usually not the whole pig but part of it that has been cut. He makes the sandwich right before your eyes, putting in as much meat as you want.

What was there? WHO was there buying and munching on sandwiches? Why, what do you know!?! Two young prostitutes, dressed more or less the same, in extremely short black shorts, (I only had a second to see them, we were driving by) AND eating a porchetta sandwich!!

Well, it was quite an unusual sight to see!! They really looked like they were enjoying those sandwiches, actually, for someone dressed in sexy black shorts, they didn't look very sexy or lady-like at all, but just were really getting into eating those sandwiches...con gusto (with apetite!)

So............

Life is strange.
Life is funny.
And NIGHTLIFE can be just the same, strange and funny!

Fireworks at Torgiano

                                                         Torgiano, Italy, the other night.........

Fireworks with a little photoshop....

More fireworks and even MORE photoshop....

and even a little LESS photoshop.

Imagine............

Oh No!!!!
Looks like my computer is finally saying "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THESE PHOTOS!!!" and not only that!!
It is doing all sorts of weird things, when I push a key, it tells me I have done something really grave.
Then I turn it off, and the computer turns on again! Then I open a file, and a weird little box appears with nothing inside.
My goodness, what a temperamente it has!!!! Of course, I am using a lap top right now, another computer, without all my photos, and I feel sort of lost I must say.
SO...................IMAGINE
what I was going to post and will very shortly, of what I saw the other night at Torgiano.
Fireworks. But that wasn't the most interesting part of it. Imagine a huge crowd outside in a parking lot, but a lot surrounded by very lovely hillsides and shining lights. And these people, lots of them very simply dressed, even some grandmothers in what seemed to be their house dresses, those little printed dresses and just a loose fit, and all of these people, and grandmothers, and young girls and boys, and babies, and children on the shoulders of their parents, gazing into the distance, watching many MANY MANY fireworks go off in the sky.
I took photos of the people watching them, everyone sort of dreamy, just quiet, staring into space.
I love this atmosphere. People relaxing, just looking, and being very quiet.
Will have to give you a photo of two, but right now, with a sick computer, just wanted to say, I will keep my blog posted best I can, and then, some pictures will come out once more.
But in the meantime I ask you to imagine these people, so relaxed, looking into a sky lit with bright fireworks, and the silence of it all. Very magical, and very nice, even without a picture.

Vinarelli website

http://www.vinarelli.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=79

For those of you who want to follow i Vinarelli and their website.......

Children visiting my show at Torgiano

Nice surprise.....a group of lovely kids came to visit my show at about 11:15 pm last night. The most adorable and well-behaved children, they had gotten off work (volunteers) serving food at the outdoor restaurant for Torgiano's Agosto a Torgiano event.

We had fun talking, and taking a few pictures, and here they are, all of us beaming upon this late night encounter!

This is the exhibition space for the Lungarotti Foundation, which I am happy to have for my show, "Solo Donne"

I wonder if this little girl was trying to get in the pose of the painting above her.....

Rete Sole television

Yesterday I was shown together with my exhibition at Torgiano, on local television, Rete Sole.

Here are my small acrylic paintings of women I have photographed, but also of friends I know who have posed for me.

Me during the opening of the show on August 11. 

Some visitors on opening day. The show continues until August 25. 

Il Messaggero - "A Torgiano l'arte si fa in quattro"

In today's paper, Il Messaggero, a small article about the four artists who are showing with the Pro Loco of Torgiano, Banfi Rossi, Bifarini, Pasticci, and myself. In the article a photograph of one of my newest small paintings, "Il Cappello Rosso" 

i Vinarelli at Torgiano

Coming up, on August 20 at Torgiano

i Vinarelli

i Vinarelli

i Vinarelli

i Vinarelli

that is.............painting with W  I  N  E !!!

At torgiano, about 25 minutes from Perugia, a very interesting event is now going on with many cultural events, as well as an amazing outdoor restaurant, where the food consists of Umbrian cooking, and of top ingredients (from the oil they produce in this area, to the best of meats, etc).

"Agosto a Torgiano" hosts many art exhibitions, music, and lots of different things to do such as visit the oil and wine museum on certain nights and then on August 20..................the very popular, fun, amusing and original i VINARELLI....when artists (including myself) will paint with 

W I N E!!!

Here is the  video made to promote Umbrian events in 2003 where I am being interviewed while painting.


http://stephanieseymour-delishoes.blogspot.it/2011/06/painting-with-wine-in-italy-and-my.html







And here is another video of i Vinarelli.

http://www.youtube.com/v/Ra4PLOt_jcE&fs=1&source=uds&autoplay=1

Alvaro Palanga interviewing me at i Vinarelli 2003

Together with artist friends Luciana Bartella, Umberto Raponi, e Ricchetti

My first experience with this event was in 2003, when I painted at a long table with lots of other artists, after having a delicious Umbrian meal, and drinking lots of good wine. We sat outside while people walked around curiously looking at our paintings, watching us at work, and enjoying the uniqueness of seeing artists drink from one glass, and use another glass instead of water, diluting their watercolors with wine!!! 

Here are a couple of photos from 2003 when I was stopped and interviewed by Alvaro Palanga. The video then was used as a promotional piece for Umbria, "Umbria Emotions"  showing the different cultural events that go on in Umbria. 

Nightlife at Torgiano

One of the nice things about summertime in Italy is that lots of happenings and events go on outdoors when it cools down -- music, dancing, crowds of people eating, and in the case of Torgiano......ALL these things are happening right now, including lots of art exhibitions.

I am happy to be part of it this year, last night out until almost 1.30am, when we discovered this area with hundreds of young people enjoying just being together, having fun, and dancing around in a field where the band was taking a break, and we got a nice view from above. 

Going to the parking lot and peering over the side into a field below, TONS of young people having fun...great to see all this youth enjoying themselves (instead of in front of a computer!)

Magnificent cooler night with a wonderful view into the countryside.

The band is in the background waiting to start up their music again

Out of focus, but nice to see these girls twirling around in the light

                                                     And boys....they were there too of course

Agosto a Torgiano - Luigi Frappi

Very nice opening night at

  Torgiano's summer festival "Agosto a Torgiano". 

The event includes many interesting art shows, one of which I visited

 last night, that of painter 

Luigi Frappi.

Very well-known and talented artist, let these pictures give 

you an idea.But don't miss his exhibition at Torgiano, definitely a marvelous

occasion to see his work, along with others spread out throughout the town.

The official opening of the event at Torgiano, 2012

Art exhibition of artist Luigi Frappi

Artist Luigi Frappi visiting with guests

View from the exhibition

Me

                                       Luigi Frappi (and his Leica camera)

                                             

i Vinarelli at Torgiano

Tomorrow at 6.30pm the event i Vinarelli will be presented at Torgiano.
My show and others will be presented, along with a catalogue that has been printed for the occasion.
For those of you who are able to come visit, I will be present at the show Friday Saturday and Sunday from about 8.30pm until 11.30pm. During the week I can be available upon request.
There will be a lot of things going on in Torgiano, and on the 20th of August, the Vinarelli will take place.
THAT is a lot of fun, people paint with wine after having had a jovial meal together outdoors, all of this offered by the city itself.
So, be prepared to see some of my posts. And definitely I will take some photographs.
Must run
Have lots to do to get ready!

Man on conveyer belt for suitcases, is x-rayed at Rome airport....really!

http://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2012/08/09/news/uomo_valigia-40629412/

TRUE!!
A man (actually a man who was drunk) ended up sleeping on the conveyer belt at the airport and was x-rayed just like a normal suitcase!!!
If you ask yourself how is it that films sometimes seem strange, well, actually life is pretty strange itself!
Go to Google Translator, take the above article, paste in the Italian and you will have the interesting English resutls and translation of this peculiar story. Truer than any science fiction movie you may have seen in the past.

"JUST WOMEN" - Solo Donne exhibition at Torgiano

This Saturday at Torgiano during their event i Vinarelli, I will be having an exhibition entitled "Solo Donne" (Just Women). I will be showing paintings as well as photography.

The show begins on August 11 and continues until August 25. 

A catalogue will be available of my show together with the other artists partecipating: Banfi Rossi, Bifarini, Pasticci.  The exhibition is cured by Andrea Baffoni, art critic. 

Goosebumps guaranteed!

It is SO hot in Italy, that when I watched this video posted by a great guy named David M. on Facebook, I was surprised to see how cool I felt....getting G O O S E B U M P S from the emotional impact it had on me!!

FEELING TOO WARM?????
 TRY IT, 
and I guarantee (almost)
 that you too will get nice 
nd cool watching this......with goosebumps!


CLICK HERE.....AND JUST YOU WAIT!!!
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/


Super, great, inspirational, fantastic....watch 

it, and E N J O Y!!!!!

RAMIN BAHRAMI, pianist at Perugia

FARE NIGHT

Perugia, Italy

Last night in Perugia at the San Francesco Church at Piazza San Francesco al Prato was a most extraordinary concert of a very talented pianist from Iran,

Ramin Bahrami

Together with the marvelous group "I Solisti di Perugia" they gave us an unforgettable evening of music of Bach, as well as other pieces.

Ramin Bahrami together with i Solisti di Perugia

                                                The San Francesco Church is a splendid setting

                                  The massive structure with lighting that highlights magnificent detail.

Ramin Bahrami, a most talented young pianist,  with the most sensitive touch, at the 

beginning of his career, it was a true honor to be able to hear him play.

                                                            A member of the orchestra

                                                                     i Solisti di Perugia

My personal feeling about a pianist such as Ramin, is that

 breathing and making music are the same thing:  he expresses music so naturally,

 he is totally "one" with the music itself.                                                  

                                     It's the second time I have heard i Solisti di Perugia this week,
                                                   an exceptional group of talented musicians.

                                     A side doorway leading to the plaza outdoors. It was a full house,
               all seats taken and several standing, all interested to hear such a remarkable concert.

                                        Thank you Ramin Bahrami, for letting our city enjoy your immense talent.

                                        A wonderful evening, an honor for us all to hear and enjoy you.