Florence in Tuscany

 Here's a few of my favorite photos of our stop in Florence. We spent 4 days walking around the historic city center taking in all the great architecture and shops. Not to mention tasting a lot of great food along the way. My traveling partner Karen arranged a half day tour to several artist workshops exposing us to some master artisians. We had both been to Florence before (me almost 50 years ago) so we chose not to stand in line for the big galleries and sites and dug a little deep.

My first painting of Florence the Ponte Santa Trinita. over Arno River

Ponte Vecchio

Evening sky line

Wine Windows from the Past

Negroni an italian apertitivo

Every corner has a gelato shop

Fresh orange juice at the market

Preparing for the lunch crowd

Cheese and deli counter

Street Artists

Gallery show Helen Frankenthaler

 

Chapel artwork

Street musician

Modes of travel, bike and elevator tube

                                                    

Frame restoration business

Just another highend vendor

Custom made frames on the premises

Fancy perfumery

Mosaic Workshop

Mosaic like a painting

Leather Artisian

Exotic materials

Paper store

Marbeling paper demo

Arrivederci

Two weeks in Tuscany

Morning view in the Tuscan countryside getting ready to paint

 Still resetting my internal clock back to Central Time after a couple of weeks in Italy. By the end of this year you'll probably be tired of hearing about the trip. I'm currently going through over 2000 photos to make sense of it all. I'm planning a show in Oct. of 2025 that will be held at Elmaro called From Tuscany to Trempealeau. After I assemble my blog and get to organize my thoughts, the details will be revealed.

New Guerilla Painter 8x10 Cigar Box setup for Traveling

In order to paint I had to consider several factors. Luggage space and transportation, Regulations on taking products through TSA and making sure to have time to paint. It was important to get my color notes for future paintings from photographs. I did six plein air paintings while there and numerous sketches.

Fortunately all went well and no surprises or mishaps. My souvenir treat to myself was a visit to an art store in Florence. I looked up where to go to buy some solvent for my painting days and discovered Zecchi's . I purchased a wooden box full or dry pigments to experiment with in the future.

Best present ever, set of dry Pigments & Earths

Florences oldest Art Supply Store since 1300. Under new ownership of course.

Hope you'll enjoy the upcoming series of blogs covering Florence and many small cities in the countryside. Plus a lot of local artist workshops.

In the meantime I'll be catching up on some commissions before the holidays in my studio.

Colleen

Time in Tuscany

Last of the Fall

Rows and Rows 11x14 oil unframed $125

In no time the seasons change and I tried to get out and capture the fields as they changed colors. The rows created an extra dimension.

Across the Fields 8x10 oil unframed $50 Over the Fields 8x10 oil unframed $150 To the Woods 8x10 oil unframed $50

Thanks Ellen for inviting me to see the soybean fields in all their golden glory

Questions cshoreartwork@gmail.com

Taking Flight

 Colors are changing, the nights are cooler and the birds are taking flight. See you next year

Loons 8x10 oil

My sister in law took me out kayaking to one of her favorite places and captured this photo. After she shared it with me, I knew I had to  try my hand at painting it.

Thanks for the memories

Colleen

Quick Paint 2024

Saturday (October 19) was a beautiful day for a Quick Paint. Between the Bluffs Plein Air Event ended with over 20 artists setting up their easels around the International Friendship Gardens in Riverside Park.

Here's my last painting for the event. Thanks to all their sponsors and the people of Between the Bluffs Plein Air for their dedication and hard work .

Place of Peace 8x10 oil framed $150

Questions cshoreartwork@gmail.com

Which Three will it Be? See the results, shown as framed

After painting all week long it's time to decide which three it will be.? I can enter just three of my plein air paintings for the Between the Bluffs Event. 

On Friday, October 18, is the opening reception and awards from 6-9 at 1802 Gallery on 1802 State Street across from UW-L campus. All are welcome to enjoy over 100 plein air paintings done by artists depicting areas within 15 mile of La Crosse's downtown.

Red Vines at the Pines 11x14 oil framed $350

One of my favorite places Red Pines Restaurant. The colors were just starting to pop. Thanks again Corrina for allowing me to paint at your fine establishment on Brice Prairie..

Retired Wheels 11x14 oil framed oil $350

This may not look familiar but as an artist we look on the other side of everything. Do you recognize the old barrels from Christina's Winery next to the Freighthouse Restaurant. They've got this enclosed outdoor patio just behind the walls. Had to get there by 8am so there would be light on this side of the building. Thank you Freighthouse for putting up with me.
 

Forgotten Fields 11x14 oil

 Between the Bluffs arranged a paint out, so I met up with fellow artists at a property thanks to ORA. This old dairy farm had many interesting buildings and views. The weather has begun to change and it was a blustery day. Nothing too bad that a margarita couldn't fix.

 

Hard at Work 11x14 oil

 One of the categories for an award is the Valerie Wenzel Burman Figure in the Landscape. Here you can see people taking advantage of an early morning coffee on patio tables at the end of Pearl Street. I set up next to Kroner's to capture the 10am shadows cast across the sidewalks. Can you see the other figure, it's me. Kroners Hardware was very accommodating, to not mind me hanging out in front of their building.

                                                      Watching the Water 11x14 oil framed SOLD

 My last painting of the downtown urban scenes was this little water gauge house along the Mississippi River in Riverside Park I was hoping for a little more color in the foliage, but happy I came out to this place. The sun was shinning for a few days at 9am. 

Thanks again to the event sponsors and all the kind people that stopped to see what I was doing. Hope to see you there. After I decide which three, I'll need to frame and get them turned in on Thursday.

Colleen

Watching the Water 11x14 oil

See how it's done-Plein Air Painting

I've been plein air painting around downtown La Crosse. Met a lot of people interested in what I was doing. Here's one of my paintings I was working on. Maybe a bit more to do. Will see if this is one of the three I'll be entering in next week for Friday, October 18 Show Opening and Award night. All are welcome from 6-9 at 1802 Gallery in the lower level of the gallery at 1802 State Street across from UW-L

 

This is along the Riverside Park my 9am stop to paint

 

 This Saturday Between the Bluffs Plein Air Event has organized artists to demonstration their talents of plein air painting. Some will be using oils, watercolor and maybe a few surprises.

The public is welcome to come and watch and discover for themselves the different process artist use to capture the view in front of them. It's challenging because conditions like light, shadow and color can change in a moment. So many artist strive to be fast and decisive in their efforts.

I'm excited and will be watching the demonstrations also, since there's always more to learn. Hope you'll stop down to Myrick Park near the The Nature Place fro 9am-Noon. Then I'll set up to paint in the marsh

While you're there you can also check out my show Feathered Friends & More in the Nature Place gallery in the La Crosse Room.

Between the Bluffs Plein Air Event has begun

 

 

Artists have begun paintings at various sites within 15 miles of the La Crosse's City Center. En Plein Air, ( in the open air) they attempt to capture scenes from landscapes to urban settings, it's their choice of venue, in their choice of mediums from oil, acrylics pastel, or water colors. These paintings are created during the time period of Oct 3 until they need to be turned in framed and ready to hang by 5pm on Thursday October 17 at Gallery 1802.

My past Painting at Riverside, shown in situ (photo in place)

Interpreting the light and color from the moments they observe onsite, they will be judged by artist Michelle Combs. Who has been invited to award honorable mentions, awards of merit and best of show, to be revealed on Friday October 18.

 

Public is invited to a demonstration by three area artists (Kathie Wheeler, Jon Erickson, Paul Bergquist) on Saturday, Oct 12 from 9am-Noon at Myrick Park in La Crosse, east of the Nature Place building. Beware this is how I got the bug to paint plein air after a demonstration.

As you watch them paint you'll begin to see the process of transformation. It's mesmerizing, I hope you can find the time to see the magic happen.

Paul demoing years ago

 

Public is welcome to attend opening night and see which three paintings, of 35 different artists, have decided is there best  from the past two weeks. The display will be held at  1802 Gallery in the lower level, on 1802 State Street, across from the UWL campus, through Sunday. If you desire the paintings n display may be purchased.

 

This is the place for the exhibit

Public can cheer on artists during the Quick Paint Competition in the area around La Crosse's Riverside Park's International Gardens on Saturday, October 19 starting at 10 am, with awards at 12:30 at the Gardens Gazebo.

During the two hours artists need to paint, frame and submit their paintings, rain or shine. 

International Gardens at Riverside Park La Crosse

Hope to see you there.