Italy 2023I've returned to my lovely second home and painting in Lucca Italy.
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Sad to say I'm preparing for my trip home, a few days in Sydney with my love for our 41st wedding anniversary then back to Auckland NZ to my "little" ones. Can't wait to make some soup and a lovely roast chook for them!!
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A funny old week with rain and thunder and lightning - candles at the ready!! Similar to being ready with a brollie for some weird reason just having it wards off the rain Gods!! I made lentil soup and this time, i did not drop the pan!! Also I found a toaster in my apartment - yay!! And have discovered the delights of Lucchese buccellato - I love it!! Sunday morning treat!!
I've only painted out once this week but I have sketched out and gotten totally absorbed. |
amazing dappled light!!
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Quick sketch of Old City in Lucca to get me started
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This is Old City in Lucca, painted en plein air last week, had my ear muffs in to help me to focus.
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detail pic of Old City in Lucca
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if you were wondering where dolly went ...
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Ineke with Ubaldo!!
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Our favourite ristorante in Lucca - Ubaldo's, It's the place to be!!
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Deep in concentration - landscape painting!! I have to say not a total disaster!! as the italians say "che disastro!!" I say it wherever I go, gets the locals talking and laughing with me when I'm being all dramatic with a cheeky grin!! good fun!
I can see my bag but I can't see me ... probably off having a gossip!!
I'll have to get a list of the places we went - so beautiful and of course - BOATS!!
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Edinburgh May 2023
Due to an internal error, I lost 4kgs but I found them again in Edinburgh!! I decided to do a workshop to help push me out of my funk - I had the best time ever - the best workshop ever! My thanks to Colin Joyce and Herman Pekel and the team, best bunch of people you could hope to paint and spend time with!! I chose to workshop with Herman because I love his work, he's a true blue Oz and I'd heard good comments about his teaching. Also discovered that my rellie was a rebel at Culloden 1745 - Donald McDonald!! Maybe we should just call me Ronald!! 
look what I bought!!
some of the gang!!
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Aprile 20 Sono Arrivata!!
40 hours travel, a couple of delays and a missed flight - yikes. I decided to stay awake as much as possible to try and match Europe time zone. Interestingly, it kind of worked - usually I'm a mess on the plane not being able to sleep but I must have napped enough as my jet-lag was minimal apart from some dizzy spells. I had an unplanned 9 hour layover in Heathrow and NO Qantas lounge. I paid for the "other" lounge and got a shower, human again!!
40 hours travel, a couple of delays and a missed flight - yikes. I decided to stay awake as much as possible to try and match Europe time zone. Interestingly, it kind of worked - usually I'm a mess on the plane not being able to sleep but I must have napped enough as my jet-lag was minimal apart from some dizzy spells. I had an unplanned 9 hour layover in Heathrow and NO Qantas lounge. I paid for the "other" lounge and got a shower, human again!!
Dinner on arrival thanks to my dear friend Paola!!
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A different view of Piazza San Salvatore
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The glow under the arch in Piazza San Michele, sketching and colazione in Caffe Turandot, Great to have some people for perspective.
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Festivale di Santa Zita in the Amphitheatre
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Lady with the red coat in Piazza San Salvatore
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First Week
Lovely to catch up and renew friendships!! Not a very exciting goal this week .. stay loose, get my bike sorted (brake wire is broken) wander and sketch and paint and enjoy the scenery whilst preparing for my painting trip to bella Venezia!! I managed to be in the right place at the right time for Liberation Day and the Last Post, very emotional! 
Liberation Day Parade, April 25
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all it takes is a cardboard box?? isn't he gorgeous??
mmm ... how to capture a carousel?? look at those colours!!
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First painting ... first morning, from Monet's landing, near somewhere ... crikey!!
not sure why this pic is reversed!! Anyway, as you can see, it's me painting in Campo San Stefano!!
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Frutti Orti vendolo a Ponte dei Pugni - I love it - impossible to paint there, crazy busy and no decent spot to stand without tripping yourself or others!! a studio painting methinks McDuff!!
over the "road" from this morning's painting spot
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Bella Venezia
dalle Aprile 27 alle Maggio 7 My first painting party in Venice!! Lovely new friends and a couple of renewed acquaintances. Painting's not so flash, although happier with this morning's effort painting in the rain, see fishing boat below. It's soooo long since I painted en plein air, I feel like I'm learning from the beginning!! There has been a bit of a problem, one of our party was pick-pocketed, a group of young people dancing around, pretending to play the fool while distracting and jamming a camera in your face and those with you. NOTE TO SELF: do not carry valuables. just enough cash, no passports!! I think the pickpockets recognised my pacsafe bag and didn't bother with me, but my painting mate was daft enough to allow people to see his stuffed wallet in his back pocket. 
view from my apartment into the Grand Canal!!
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SOME WORKSHOP FEEDBACK
"Hi Amanda! We had a great time too! I had always avoided landscapes or buildings but now I’m finding it fun. I suppose I just didn’t know how to proceed so the 5 big shapes lesson has been invaluable. Also your critique here of your own paintings is really helpful for me."
Marie Buchan
"I have had a great time telling friends about Lucca and the workshop, how pleasant the team and how delightful to go out to a new spot each day after coffee in the piazza. The best, long-term benefit of the time away water-colouring is the determination to find a way to keep going, learn more and produce more, even if it means sacrificing other essentials." Peter Wilkins
"Hello Amanda lovely to hear from you. I have been thinking of you a lot since your return to NZ. I loved the course and all the situations we sat in to paint. Lucca is very special. I enjoyed everyone's company and the way we all 'gelled'. Thanks to you for your thoughtful ways and the way you looked after us all." Elaine Law
"I wanted to say a big thank you. The week was magnificent, and although we all got on so well, it was in no small part thanks to you. You have to make things gel, as well as organising it all AND making contingency plans. Well done you. You have the passion, the energy and the right personality, but is still hard work for you even if you don’t see it as work." Elaine Houlton
"Hi Amanda! We had a great time too! I had always avoided landscapes or buildings but now I’m finding it fun. I suppose I just didn’t know how to proceed so the 5 big shapes lesson has been invaluable. Also your critique here of your own paintings is really helpful for me."
Marie Buchan
"I have had a great time telling friends about Lucca and the workshop, how pleasant the team and how delightful to go out to a new spot each day after coffee in the piazza. The best, long-term benefit of the time away water-colouring is the determination to find a way to keep going, learn more and produce more, even if it means sacrificing other essentials." Peter Wilkins
"Hello Amanda lovely to hear from you. I have been thinking of you a lot since your return to NZ. I loved the course and all the situations we sat in to paint. Lucca is very special. I enjoyed everyone's company and the way we all 'gelled'. Thanks to you for your thoughtful ways and the way you looked after us all." Elaine Law
"I wanted to say a big thank you. The week was magnificent, and although we all got on so well, it was in no small part thanks to you. You have to make things gel, as well as organising it all AND making contingency plans. Well done you. You have the passion, the energy and the right personality, but is still hard work for you even if you don’t see it as work." Elaine Houlton
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A Word From My Students
"I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Amanda was so "efficient", if one can use that word for an artist, but she shared all her super secrets with us so freely, and gave each student equal time and attention. That was appreciated very much. A very pleasant way to spend a day, and lots learnt. Would love to do it all over again. Nice students to mingle with.” Shirley "Thank you Amanda for your inspiring and enjoyable painting tuition. You gave such encouragement, seeking out the parts of my work that were "juicy, brilliant and cool." I feel I have learnt so much in our week and would love to join you again. Lucca sounds great. It's the kiwi in you that makes you such an open minded artist." Fondest regards, Noelene |
"Thank you very much for a wonderful week in Lucca. You taught me to look much more closely at the environment I'm in and gave me as a beginner the confidence to keep painting. We also loved the social program and interaction with other participants". Wendi "Amanda is easy to get on with. Like spending the day with a friend. She's very talented and we really enjoyed the day." Gudnee "Just want to thank you so much for the class last night - your encouragement and grace is so wonderful. I still can't believe I actually painted! And I'm thrilled with my effort, please tell me that tomorrow is Wednesday!!! :)" Katherine |