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Thursday, 18 August 2016

i Vinarelli at Torgiano, Italy where artists paint with watercolours and WINE

Each year in the beautiful town of Torgiano, not far from Perugia, Italy, there is a great event where painters paint with WINE!
It's called i Vinarelli, because in Italian watercolours is called acquarelli (done with acqua, water) but here they paint with vino so....Vinarelli!

It is great fun, lots of artists sit at a long table, actually several tables, have dinner and then paint. Any subject matter is fine. The public has fun walking around and watching, taking pictures and lots of wine is drunk that night. But mostly a lot of it is used to paint with.
Here are some photos from the evening:

My first watercolor painting with wine

and watercolours

My second piece, where grapes are escaping the group

Friend Moreno Chiacchera, well-known illustrator and cartoonist

Silvie Bèal, May of Culture of Torgiano

Sunday, 31 March 2013

Cakes, cakes and more cakes!!! Torgiano cake design contest

Yesterday was the awards ceremony at Le Tre Vaselli, Torgiano. Afterwards an aperitivo of sweets and wine and champagne was offered in one of the rooms, with incredible cakes made by professionals. Here are some of them.

These are some of the goodies offered to the guests.

Wonderful and creative cakes made by professionals.

A lovely and delicate cake professionally made.

A cake with a doll on top, all made with edible ingredients.

All sorts of designs....

A wedding cake...

Strawberry cake

Three layered cakes

Another delicate layered cake

Fabulous cakes

Monday, 25 March 2013

One more week of voting for Sweet Torgiano Cake Design

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.178125349002295.1073741845.162591610555669&type=1

SWEET TORGIANO CAKE DESIGN.............................
click on above link or write this name in your browser....
if you'd like to vote for my cake (above) it is number three
Will be quite difficult to win, because there are over 30 cakes, and this is my very first cake of this kind....BUT nice to know that you out there are thinking of me.
If you have a fb account, hope to see you pop up on this page with a "like" for my cake.
See you around!

Sunday, 26 August 2012

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".

Thursday, 23 August 2012

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!

Tuesday, 21 August 2012

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....

Monday, 20 August 2012

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.

Sunday, 19 August 2012

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.

Saturday, 18 August 2012

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.

Thursday, 16 August 2012

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.

HOW TO SPEAK ITALIAN...in 60 seconds

Cavolo...means cabbage BUT you can use it when you want to say WOW!
Non so. So simple, and it means, I don't know. The word no, is no (easy) AND the word so comes from the verb sapere which is to know. So is used for I.....io so, I know. But in this case it is so simple...forget the I, and just say NON SO. Everyone will know what you mean, that is that you don't know!!
Raffreddore -- it means, a COLD. Like a fever, a cough, like what I feel I may be coming down with right now. If I want to say that I have a cold, I say "Sono raffreddata". That translates that I have (or I am) with a cold. You can also say "Ho un raffreddore" which means, I have a cold. Anyway you look at it, you will have to stay in bed or around the house, until you become....guarito or guarita, which means that you are cured!
IMPEGNATA!!! That is what I have been lately. BUSY! Lots of IMPEGNI (appointments, things to do, tasks, chores, you name it!) Actually I should say IMPEGNATISSIMA....meaning very very busy. And to tell you the truth, that is exactly how I like my life!
Per favore.....it is a nice way of asking someone "please" do this or that, or take one, or asking a favor. BUT you can also use it with hands wide and saying PLEASE!!! Stop it! Don't! Be quiet! It is all in the way you say it, and your body language. PLEASE!!!!!
Lo.......this is used when you have a noun like Spagnolo.....you see, this word means a Spanish man. Lo is used because the word starts with sp and you have to use lo rather than il, probably because it makes it easier to pronounce the two sounds....lo with sp rather than il and then sp lo sp, not il sp......When, on the other hand you need to use plural, that is Spagnoli, you must change the lo to gli and then say gli spagnoli. Oh my, this is difficult even for me. Signing off now, will be back with an easier lesson next time.
If you know Spanish, can it help you to know Italian?? YES!! Do I know Spanish? NO! But when I hear it, I can understand lots of it, and I am SURE it's because I know Italian.
Differente....it is easy to see what it means. But the hard part is the ORDER you put this word in. You don't want to use it like in English BUT to put it after the noun that you are calling different. Like I want a different book. Vorrei un libro differente. See, it is AFTER the noun, that is how you use adjectvies in Italian. And don't forget to say the letter E at the end....different - TAY.

Curiosities of Italian Life

VERY curious indeed, this Italian life. On the OUTSIDE it looks like people have loads of money, buying expensive iphones, cars, clothes and even eating out and spending money here and there. BUT on the inside, we are all having troubles with paying bills, hoping our children find jobs (most want to leave Italy now, lots do anyhow). So, the curious thing is that Italians look like they are having an easy time, but believe me.............
Moods........hmmmmmmm......when I am on facebook, I see the difference of the mood here in Italy and the mood in the States. There is a huge difference. People here are moody, due to the politics, especially. We just don't have the fun-loving thouughts and moods of the people in the States. Of course, I am from there, so I have a pretty happy mood most of the time. But being in the middle of complaining and low moods makes it even harder to stay up. Grrrrrrrrrr!!!
No shopping list. What do I mean? I mean, when you go to the market, you don't always need to have a shopping list....you see what looks fresh, colorful and good, and then buy what excites you. I have often had guests for dinner without really knowing what I am going to make. I see zucchini, or tomatoes, or something else and then the idea comes to me. That's how it is in Italy, the visual gives one the idea of what to do next.
City streets.....why oh why are there so many HOLES in the streets!! They just wrote about them the other day in the paper, and there are hundreds (or thousands, don't remember) of holes of all dimensions all over this city. And that means uncomfortable driving that is for sure!! Bump bump bump! The rain opens them up more and then they get bigger. They fill them up sometimes but not well enough. Another of Italy's problems, beautiful country, but we have a large share of things that need to be improved.
Politics. Read on!! In Italy, no matter what the occasion, dinner parties, tv shows, meeting people on the street, watch out, because politics and talking about them is what is in store!!! People just can't get together without talking politics. It is a BIG part of Italian life. And talking about it often can get you in trouble IF the people you are talking to think differently than you do. If they are of another viewpoint, watch out!! If you ever saw two Italians with differing views, you will know what I mean.
SNOW....will it or won't it snow? If it does, the curious thing about snow in a small town, is that everything just about STOPS all of a sudden. They are very slow in cleaning up the streets, but in a way it is nice because you can go out and walk all over the place without any cars around, and then, it is very very beautiful and quiet. So.....into bed I go and perhaps tomorrow it will SNOW!!

EATING and other things....in Italy

TOMATOES -- it is easy to talk about tomatoes in this country. And easy to eat them. They come is such a variety, the ones for sugo, the ones for salad. Ones you can cut into little pieces, or lay out flat with oregano and oil and vinegar and salt.....They are so good, they get lots of sun, and people love to use them in cooking. If you don't know how to use them, just ask an Italian mamma in the store. She for sure can tell you everything you need to know.
Good parmesan, bad parmesan. You know, here in Italy we have wonderful parmesan. It is really really delicious. I once heard that in the States they take the waxy part of the parmesan and even use that to be ground into the stuff you can buy in a box. If that is true, that is really terrible!!!! It would be like eating candles!
Lemons. Why lemons? Because you can squeeze them in water, add sugar or honey; you can squeeze it on meat or fish or salad, or use them to decorate a plate. You can use the peel for flavor in a cake, or to decorate the top of a dessert. You can even use half to put into the dishwasher and make things come out sweeter. Why lemons you ask???
Wintertime weight gain. Yes. Easy to munch on cookies, or almonds or parmesan!! Or a glass of wine and nuts, or a bruschetta! Hard to take off that one or two kili.....that means taking a walk, and today it is going to rain, so wouldn't it just be easier to stay inside, with a nice glass of hot milk and coffee and a few cookies??
JUst how sweet do you want things? In Italy, sweets are sweet but not as sweet as in England, or the States. A cake may have something on it, but not as gooey and sweet as in other places. Salt, on the other hand, is used more freely here than perhaps in the States. Foods can often be very salty, though very good too. Sugar and salt, each country has their own way of using them.
Honey.....it's the time for honey lately, because it is cold, and in the evening is a good time for camomilla tea, or some other hot drink. I like to use honey, good for the throat, and tastes so good. The hard honey is the best, easier to bend a spoon getting it out, but better for you and more "real" and usually biological, whereas the liquid might just have some sugar in it, or not be quite as natural.
Sweet potatoes. If you love American sweet potatoes, the ones they serve on Thanksgiving, be prepared to NOT find them in Italy. It is very hard to find them (actually I just heard a Chinese market has them) but the ones they have in the normal markets are white on the inside! Sweet but white! Isn't that strange!
RED WINE (vino rosso) goes with meat, and WHITE WINE (vino bianco) goes with fish. But wine is so good in Italy, especially the really good ones, any wine is fine most of the time. Room temperature (reds) and white chilled.
CELERY?? When I was a kid, we ate celery sticks all the time. With salt, without, in the lunchbox, or at home in a glass of cold water. I think I have never been served a piece of celery like this in Italy UNLESS they served it with lots of other vegetables to create a vegetable platter to dip in oil and salt, and that dish is called pinzimonio. (better check my spelling on that one, and I will let you know!)
I am going to cook when I get to L.A. BUT it won't be as good as in Italy (see my last post under curiosities of Italian life). I try the best I can BUT the ingredients just aren't the same. And the cuts of meat are different too.

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