My last Hurrah

The Italian Plums were ripe and we are leaving for Paris this afternoon.

It is my first crop of plums from our young tree, I couldn't let them go to waste. The Pflaumenmuss baked all night, now in glasses and labels affixed early this morning.



There is a certain fig tree in a vineyard, between Florence and Sienna, a perfect shelter for a picnic and the figs, the perfect dessert.

Ciao

Gina

Going back

This little hand painted bag holds a Treasure

This little, hand painted muslin bag holds a treasure. A treasure I snatched from across the ocean 36 years ago. Now it is going back. But first I will show it Paris and then I will let it smell the salty sea of the Baltic. And then, and only then will I take it back to its home, Lake Maggiore, Italy.

Next summer, when it is in full bloom, will it know that this was its original place? Will it stretch its charming little face toward the sun and sway in the familiar breeze? Will it greet the strangers strolling by?

Of course, I am the one who will take it back. I am the one who snatched it away in the first place. And I am the one who painted the little muslin bag so it would have a proper presentation upon arrival.

And after I have completed my mission, I will go back, to my home, to my little Italy in Spring City, Utah.

Buon Viaggio

Gina

Verdigris

Verdigris Finish on a Lincrusta Frieze

Lincrusta is a textured wall covering similar to Linoleum

The same piece as above without special paint finish




two resin-based putti one faux finished in wood and one faux finished in Verdigris





















A left-over piece of Lincrusta used as an Architectural Element

When certain metals are exposed to the air they acquire a patina known as Verdigris. From the Greek vert-de-Grece, from the old French verte-grez. The color of Verdigris was used in many Italian paintings of the 16th century.
There are many ways to obtain the green pigment. One of my favorite historic methods was the scraping of Italian church bells.

You can paint an ordinary object and transform it into something very special by giving it a patina. It is the paint treatment that sometimes makes the difference in price. Many surfaces can be verdigried; plastic, wood, ceramic, metal, etc.

The Lincrusta frieze above, was treated with a simple 2-step process. A kit available at most craft stores. It consists of a base paint which contains copper and a clear water-like liquid. Let the first coat dry and then apply as many coats of the clear acid as necessary. The process continues working for several hours.

If you are doing a large project the traditional method is less expensive: painted with oil-based paints, 3 different colors plus bronzing powders.

With very old brush apply dark green (almost black), then cover only some areas with medium green, then very light aqua green, let dry in between coats. Last coat, bronzing powders mixed with laquer to highlight.

Gina

Lavender Bottles

It rained and rained last night, and filled the house with the beautiful scent of drying Lavender

A Lavender Bottle

A gentle squeeze refreshes the scent

A hand painted sachet makes a welcome gift

Wear a few lavender sprigs under your hat and the headache disappears, tuck it under your pillow for a restful sleep, in your drawer it repells moths.

Did you know that lavender was the gayest color that the Quakers were allowed to wear?

The name is derived from the Latin "lavare" to wash, hence lavenderess, a washerwoman.

Varieties such as Hidcote, Munstead and Grappen all have long stems, required for making lavender bottles. If you don't have freshly picked lavender, soaking stems overnight in luke warm water will also work.

Gather an even number of stalks (about 20 will do) and tie a string just below the flower heads. Now, carefully, bend the stems backward and over the flower heads making a "cage". Tie loosely with another string at the bottom. Weave a pretty ribbon through the stems, starting in the middle of the cage and finishing to either end. Remove strings and tie a bow with the remaining ribbon.

The first lavender bottle will take about half an hour to complete. The next will be much easier.

Gina

Artist Studio Tour and Charolais Bull Charge

Once a year, we have a great event in our little farming/artist community. A 3-day en plein air competition takes place. In addition, visitors are invited to the many artist studios we have in Spring City. Every year more and more people come from the big city and the surrounding communities.

Many people came to my Art Sale. We studied Palladio's villas in Italy. Always, Palladio designed a center hallway with rooms open to either side. We were told that we were wasting too much space. This hallway has had many functions. A dinner for 40, an artist reception, a wedding and much more. Yesterday it was a gathering place for my "Artist Studio Tour."

(This is only one small table)

One gentlemen liked all of my rustic plates

He purchased every one of them

That same evening all artists enjoyed a fabulous Dutch Oven Dinner at the Anderson Barn. The Andersons have restored a fine old homestead including a very special stone barn. Often we get together to celebrate in this great structure.
Everything was fine until we returned home. The huge Charolais Bull was out of the pasture. He was happy with the tall alfalfa but unhappy because he was separated from his ladies.

A rodeo ensued. It was too frightening to take a picture so I am borrowing this one from the State University of Oklahoma.

We were able to get the bull back into the pasture, but then he realized where he was. He went for our truck. He was furious. This guy is huge! By racing the truck through the pasture, in a zig zag fashion, we avoided his charging, massive body. Now, he became confused. He headed for the biggest tree near the fence line and totally demolished the tree. In the meantime, we opened a causeway to another pasture. The cows knew the signal and the bull followed still attacking everything in his way.

Something needs to be done with this big guy. Our farmer friend tells us that the bull needs a new zipcode.

Gina

Fresco Art, How To

In a hallway of the Castello Estense, in Ferrara, Italy, you can admire a fresco in close quarters.

What a surprise! Except for the image, the fresco had the same texture and appearance as those that I have painted and have shared with my students at our local college workshops.

Close-up of my Fresco Technique

Location of Fresco ... stairs to the Cellar

The Swag

The Secret is the Sand, it gives it the "Fresco Look"

Here is how:

Same recipe as in an earlier post for Stone Walls.

12 cups of 35 grit builders sand to one box of dry wall compound.

(Sand is essential, prevents fresco from cracking)

Apply in broad strokes (not in circles) with 6 inch trowel

Let dry and paint image with acrylic paints

Here comes the hard part: you have to cover part of your art work with a thin layer of mud (dry wall compound with sand) again using a trowel. Let dry.

Wet an ordinary kitchen sponge (one that has a scrubber on one side) and scrub across the part you want to reveal or bring out. Soon you will accumulate some of the sand on your sponge. That is good because it helps remove some of the paint and some of the base. Let dry.

Last layer. Mix dark beer with colorant (artist guache or Universal tints) and with large soft brush cover entire surface. Use colors such as burnt umber and burnt sienna for an antique finish.

Admire your masterpiece

Gina