Thunder in Tuscany and 1000 Years of Prayer ~ Painting Near the Birthplace of the Italian Renaissance
A powerful thunderstorm swept through the Tuscan hills, sending painters and travelers into the historic chapel of San Fedele for shelter and reflection. Amidst frescoes and centuries of prayer, the artist finds inspiration teaching in a place that echoes with the spirit of the Renaissance.
Published:
June 9, 2015
Updated:
June 9, 2015
Class Demonstration, Tuscany, Italy
Thunder Red Geraniums
14X11
Oil on Museum Quality Panel
Thunder rolled across the Tuscan hills last night, blasting light in bolts that shook the ground and threw out the power for a short time during our dinner hour at San Fedele in the Chianti region of Italy. We grabbed our wine glasses, cameras, and other valuables from tables on terraces overlooking vineyards and ran into the chapel to escape a drenching rain. As black clouds moved quickly across hills that had seen the boots of the Gestapo, the soft tread of monks, and the footprints of local farmers, it seemed only fitting to find sanctuary in a place where prayer had been given for 1000 years.
Tomorrow will be our third day of exploring the Chianti region, and of painting each day in a high-ceilinged room adorned with frescos, adjoining the chapel of San Fedele, a place where local families have found solace for over 10 centuries. It is an honor to teach painting in a place so close to the birth of the Renaissance, and the signs are all around us pointing to how this red earthed golden skied place inspired brushes to reach for the heavens.
Salute from Tuscany!
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