Capturing Moments Present and Past

Capturing Moments Present and Past

If you read last week’s post about painting in this spot I won’t repeat myself (though I would love to just for the sheer excitement of the thing). Suffice to say that this painting was painted in the exact location where J.M.W. Turner once sketched for one of his Italian landscapes looking towards the town of Orvieto.

View to Tamburino, Orvieto
Oil on Paper, mounted
9 x 12″
SOLD

There is nothing quite as exciting for the plein air painter as having the opportunity to paint distance. Those far distant hills with their rich and exciting blues and purples they create are enough to get you jumping out of bed in the morning.

While figuring out your palette and how to mix these colors and then arrange them in such a way as to communicate distance on your canvas is a whole other story, it is thrilling when it comes together.

After toughing it out through rain and high winds for the few days I was painting here, this serene morning in a small village made the whole trip worth it.If you’re planning a trip to Rome, I highly recommend visiting Orvieto. It’s a magical place full of Etruscan mystery that was unfortunately mostly (but not completely!) destroyed by the Roman takeover of the city.Just the view of the city perched up on its rock will take your breath away, not to mention the great food and active community that you will find inside its walls.