Umbria Day 1

Our Umbria trip began at the meeting point at Fiumicino airport outside Rome.

Umbria trees

Gianluca, our driver, picked us up and we drove for about 2 hours to our destination, Trevi.

Our terrace view of the Trevi.
The owner had fresh figs waiting for us!

It is always exciting that first day when the textile travellers arrive.We started journalling right away!

Fresh lemons from my landlord in the south of Italy-
a present for the Canadians he said.

Everyone is impressed with our accommodation, a lovely country villa, recently restored.

The grounds are fabulous. There are over 1000 olive trees on the property.

Our welcome prosecco!
Toasting to a good trip!

We took advantage of the pool right away.

photo credit: C. Jewell

We ended with a great dinner at the local pizzeria in the main piazza. Delizioso!

walking to the pizzeria

During this Umbria journaling trip, I will be posting everyday. So check back to see what we are doing and enjoy it with us!

Our Umbria group with the owners of the Pizzeria,
Casareccia
Amazing thin-crust pizza!!

Journaling

Every second day I check my lists for my Umbria trip which is fast approaching.  I am very prepared but I just feel better checking that everything is in place.

Yesterday, I decided to add a sketch in my journal from summer 2014. It is the journal I worked on during the summer that I had the idea to do the journaling trip to Umbria. I used it as a sample to show potential travellers what kind of exercises we'd be doing.

I wanted to time my sketch. I want to tell the travellers that a sketch is not a drawing. It should be something done very quickly. (I remember taking a sketching class a few years ago at the Toronto School of Art and the teacher made us sketch the actors in a movie. Do you know how fast they move and change position?? It was impossible.)

So I found a page in the journal that was empty and set off outside. 

I got so into sketching that I forgot to time myself!

I 'snapped out of it' when I got home, after I had added some colour with my water paints.

Oh well. It was nice getting lost in the moment.

Umbria awaits

I am excited about the Umbria textile trip. Even though it isn't till August I have to confirm all the events by mid-March.

There are still places available. Sign up soon.

What you need to know:

The trip starts at Fiumicino airport (Rome) so people can arrive from anywhere not only Canada!

Participants need to understand (some) English as all the events are in English.

The focus of the trip is to create an art journal where from ideas can be extracted and new works, either traditional quilts or contemporary work, produced upon returning to a home studio.

We will be visiting five small towns in the province of Umbria.

The town of Trevi where we will be staying is 300 m above sea level so even though we will be there in summer, the evenings are cool.

The trip fee for Canadian participants is in Canadian dollars so the exchange rate, or low dollar, should not concern you. (travellers from outside of Canada pay in Euro). The trip fee is $2599.00 Canadian. Travellers are responsible for their flight.

Think of the trip as an inspirational retreat.

What could be better?

Umbria Trip Meeting Date Set

If you are interested in finding out about my Umbria Trip please join me at

Olive grove

 L'Espresso Bar, 321 Bloor Street West (at St George) in Toronto

 Sunday, November 1, 2015 

4 pm

Beautiful Umbria

I will have a print-out of the itinerary, the price, some photographs and can answer all questions about the trip.

The focus of the trip is to create a journal where from ideas can be extracted and new work, either traditional or contemporary, produced upon return to a  home studio. It is a chance to gather ideas and be inspired without the pressure of performing on the spot. It allows people to vacation and learn. The journal then becomes not only a collection of ideas but a memory of beautiful Italy.

I will bring my journal/sketchbook on the 1st.

The view of Trevi from the terrace

Studio Visit in Umbria

While in Umbria I visited my friend, Virginia Ryan,  in her art studio.

Acrylic paintings by Virginia Ryan fill the studio space.
Exhibit SHIFT, 2013

She is an established multidisciplinary artist. She is also a mother and an author.

She has lived for many years in West Africa and that influence is evident in her art work. Please read on her website "White is a Color" by scrolling 1/5th of the way down.

detail, Les Femmes de Gagne A'la' Rue du Commerce/4
160cm x 180cm
2013
acrylic on canvas

Eight years ago, I saw her multi-entry exhibit at the GCAM (galleria civica d'arte moderna palazzo collicola) in Spoleto. Photography, paintings, collage, sculpture, video and voice.

On this visit, I was particularly interested in her fabric-related work from her SHIFT installation.

fabric dresses as inspiration

She is such a wonderful person full of life and full of great ideas AND a great hostess! I find her inspirational to me as a person and as an artist.

Catalogue cover for SHIFT 

She will be giving us a tour of her studio and a presentation about her work on the Umbria Textile Trip I am organizing for August 2016.