French Fields

French Fields
6 x8 Oil Painting
by Pat Fiorello
$100

Day 4 of the 30 in 30 challenge. This is a small study from a scene in France. Loved the  color harmony of the bright yellow wild flowers and the lavender-colored lilacs.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” This is one of my favorite quotes by Howard Thurman.   

And on the subject of being fully alive, I wanted to share a new website developed by a friend of mine. It's a not for profit initiative that is out to expand people's experience of being fully alive each and every day.  It encourages expanding participation, joy and gratitude and making the most of each and every day.  It's a wonderful resource for inspiration and information on the myriad of ways- physical, mental, spiritual and the arts -to enliven and enrich your life.

 Check out the site at www.fullyaliveoutreach.com .

Delicacy

Delicacy
8 x 10 Oil Painting
by Pat Fiorello
$300

Day 3 of  the 30 in 30 painting challenge.
 This was inspired by another photo from my summer travels. Delicate pink roses against the wall at the Getty Villa in California. Tried to keep it loose and fresh with the feeling of being sunlit.

In case you missed my original interview,  entitled "When You're Creating You're Alive",  on "Art as Worship" last year, they are re-broadcasting it this week. It will be running again this Wed, Sept 4th, at 9am Eastern on Empower Radio.  Click here for link

French Chateau Garden

French Chateau Garden
9 x 12 Oil Painting
by Pat Fiorello
$450

Day 2 of the 30 in 30 Challenge.  I am revisiting some of the paintings I did at the Ovanes Berberian workshop in France back in May and finally have the opportunity to finish them. I did this one from memory and a bit of artistic license. I altered the color scheme. While there it was really rainy and gloomy. But I prefer to think of it as a brighter day.

Lilacs of France

Lilacs in France
8 x 8 Oil Painting
by Pat Fiorello

SOLD

Now that the summer travel is over, I'm getting back to a more regular  schedule of painting and teaching. I am finally getting time to revisit some of my reference photo's from my May France trip.  This one of Lilacs is fresh off the easel (apologies for the glare of wet paint in the photo).

I am participating in the "30 in 30" challenge initiated by artist Leslie Saeta which runs for the month of September encouraging artists to do a painting a day for the month. I can't guarantee I'll be able to do and post them all given my travel to Italy later in September, but will do my best to share as much as I can on this blog.

View to the Lake and A Sneak Peek into the Book Printing Process

         

View to the Lake
12 x 12 Oil Painting
by Pat Fiorello

September is right around the corner and I'm looking forward to 2 exciting opportunities coming up.

 First, I'll be heading off with 10 students to teach a painting workshop in Lake Garda in Northern Italy.  I've been to that location to teach several times before and I can't wait to revisit some of the beautiful scenes and the enchanting lake and share them with these new participants. I am also going to spend a couple of days beforehand on my own on Lake Como. The painting above is the view of a villa from right near where I'll be staying- it is idyllic.

I am also anticipating seeing my book, "Bella Italia, Italy Through the Eyes of an Artist" completed. Yesterday was an exciting day. I went to review color proofs on the press at the printers in Tennessee. It was fun to see what I've been working on for so long getting so close to becoming real.  The staff was great and gave me a tour of the entire plant so saw the whole operation from where the paper comes in to the set-up, printing, cutting, collating, sewing, glueing, covers added, packed to ship.

Here are some photo's to give you a peek behind the scenes.

Reviewing a press sheet- each one had 8 pages on one side and 8 on the other. The book is 120 pages, so had 7 1/2 of these to review

These are rolls of paper that come in via rail for each week's production.

The manager, Terry, standing next to a roll of paper so you can get an idea of how large they are.

Another sheet hot off the press

The book pages automatically get  hole punched and sewn together. See the spools of thread near the top.

By the end of the day, all pages were printed , ready to go on to the next stage in the process.

The book will be available in a few weeks, but can be pre-ordered now at Bella Italia

Bella Italia, Italy Through the Eyes of an Artist

New Book by Pat Fiorello
Available October 2013
$35 plus $5 shipping

You may have noticed my blog postings have been a little less regular than usual this summer.  Lots going on with family, travel, painting commissions etc.. so a bit out of my regular rhythm,  but also been busy writing and developing a new book  pictured above: "Bella Italia, Italy Through an Artists Eyes".

In the book I share what makes Italy beautiful from an artist's perspective and through over 80 of my oil and watercolor paintings of Italy inspired by my many trips there.

This hardcover, 120 page book  is $35 plus $5 shipping. It is currently being printed and will be available in October, however if you'd like to be one of the first to receive a signed copy from me, you can pre-order now with the "buy now" button above or on my website at: Order Book Here.

Hope you will join me on a visual tour of beautiful Italy with this book!