Wow! How long since my last entry… I’m sorry, I’ve been quite busy lately.

You will understand why taking a look at what the postman brought this morning:
“Felt to Stitch: Creative Felting for Textile Artists” by Sheila Smith and ” PHP for the Web: Visual QuickStart Guide” by Larry Ullman.
(The package arrived from my beloved Amazon UK, of course).

These books are opposites of creativity in my own opinion, both interesting but so different.
Of course my love goes to the art part and I’d rather spend all my day felting, stitching, drawing and painting… But I have to learn PHP, along with a lot of other stuff, for my job.

That is why I’m feeling torn between those opposites and not much time is left for blogging!

Left, "Roosters" by Ito Jakuchu - Right, "A Shower Below the Summit" by Katsushika Hokusai | A sinistra, "Galletti" di Ito Jakuchu - A destra, "Pioggia sotto la cima" di Katsushika Hokusai

I’m doing some research in Japanese art to follow the intuition that came out in my latest paintings.

I always loved Japanese art – and Asian art – because is so different from European art and that amazes me.
It is like discovering a whole new world, a completely different way to see and represent the world around you.
I can only imagine what happened when impressionist painters first learnt about Eastern art!

All these images are now available to everyone in books and on the net.

I own some books about japanese art and patterns, and I started from those.

My books on Japanese art | I miei libri sull'arte giapponese

I love doing research, as I previously stated, it makes me feel like my brain cells are excited and active!

I had to work these last days, but I look forward to some painting time this weekend! Japan style, of course.

Below, some results of the research.

"Lion Dogs" by Kano Eitoku | "Lion Dogs" di Kano Eitoku

Three prints from the series "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo" by Hiroshige | Tre stampe dalla serie "Cento famose vedute di Edo" di Hiroshige

"Evening Snow at Asuka-yam" by Hiroshige Utagawa | "Neve di sera ad Asuka-yam" by Hiroshige Utagawa

"Fuji from Goten-yama" by Katsushika Hokusai | "Il Fuji da Goten-yama" di Katsushika Hokusai

"A Bird's Eye View of Japan" by Sakuma Soen | "Una veduta del Giappone a volo d'uccello" di Sakuma Soen

From left,“Facing the Mirror” by Ito Shinsui, “Dyers' Street, Kanda” by Ando Hiroshige, detail from “Walking Along the Riverbank at Night” by Kitagawa Utamaro | Da sinistra,“Di fronte allo specchio” di Ito Shinsui, “Strada dei tintori, Kanda” by Ando Hiroshige, dettaglio da “Passeggiando sulla riva di notte” di Kitagawa Utamaro

First work in progress / Primi lavori in corso

More canvases to paint / Ancora tele da dipingere

I didn’t realize ten days passed since my last entry… Ten days! How a lazy blogger I am! Shame on me!

Going back to work full-mode has been harder than I thought.

I’m working on my upcoming little exhibition, both painting and preparing the graphics for the event, trying to accomplish multiple tasks all at once.

I feel a bit like I’m living many different lives: wife, homemaker, owner of two dogs, artist, graphic designer, enterpreneur, teacher, not last daughter, sister and friend.

Those roles keep stealing time to each other and it is easy to get confused!

Should I do the laundry, or paint a bit, or go for a walk with the dogs, or call that friend I was supposed to meet, or prepare the files for the typographer… Or maybe just collapse on the sofa in front of the tv with my husband – knitting that half-finished blanket?

Hard choices. I guess all of you understand what I’m talking about.

I’ve always had many interests, but sometimes it seems just too much to handle for just one person!

(I’m gathering information about a German course. And I would like to learn how to play that guitar that lies in a corner in the living room… And what about a swimming course?)

Which tricks do you use to keep all your life together? I’m curious!

I’m reading this really interesting book about “Scanners”… A name the author created to define people with too many interests.

It is “Refuse to Choose”, by Barbara Sher (www.barbarasher.com if you are interested in finding out more) and it has some interesting insights and tips about how to do everything you love… without going crazy in the meantime.

I’m still reading it. I’ll let you know!

I post a couple of pictures I took in my studio – just to let you know I’m working on the paintings… Really!

I’m not going to post any picture of the finished paintings before the exhibition… You have to come to see them! Or to wait a bit.

The six canvases I started turned out quite different from what I planned, that is a further proof that planning is not for me.

It is much more fun to just see what happens, and let the surfaces and colours have it their way. It is like watching a movie without knowing how it will end!
I bought three more canvases – another wonderful trip to Poggi! – and I think I will start to work on them tomorrow, or maybe on Tuesday.

Tomorrow will be a busy day, again, with trips to the airport, work and teaching.

And walking the dogs! I can’t forget the poor dogs… Sara is frightened by the rain and follows us around the flat with desperation in her eyes.
Unfortunately for her, I love the rain!

I added an “Exhibitions” section to the site- where you will find infos about the exhibition of the 23rd and 24th of September – and a little banner on the right side of the page.
I’m really nervous… I’d better go to do some painting!

Alessandro will be home tonight, so part of the “good girl” attitude could be the lack of excuses for buying more fabric (I could explain the canvases somehow, but not the fabric, I’m sure).

I’m trying to set up an online store to sell my drawings and paintings, that leads to the necessity to have something to sell.

I did some research about birds, because I like naturalistic drawings and I would like to make some drawings of birds.
Flowers and plants would be a great subject to study too, I think I will do some research on that later.
Internet is really a wonderful place to resarch!

I also have a collection of pictures of rusty surfaces, chipped paint and cracked walls, to use as inspiration for asbstract paintings.

A lot of inspiration sources – maybe too many! – I guess I need a good action plan on that.

Today I had to work too – I’m starting to dread the switching on sound of my laptop – and I walked the dogs like a million times and went to the vet twice. Paco is sick, so it is like having a sick child in constant need for love and attention.

I had to move my laptop in the kitchen, because the studio is terribly hot, and the chairs here are uncomfortable and the table is not high enough, and the laptop has a micro 12” screen – do you think that is enough to declare the office closed at 8 pm?
I think yes.

I’m going to mess with my Project Notebook and research flowers. And have a well earned glass of wine!

Here some inspiration for bird drawing.
(You can research and buy those images at www.allposters.it if you like them).

From left/Da sinistra: Ando Hiroshige, John Gould, John James Audubon, George Edwards.