Another image from the perfect snow day

Farmland outside Madison, Wisconsin

Hoping for a white Christmas

I'll be flying out to Wisconsin Sunday, where my chances of a white Christmas are greatly enhanced.  It is really cold there.  Always.  This photo was taken a couple of years ago during my visit.  My brother and sister-in-law had taken me to brunch at a wonderful gallery -- the Creamery -- in a small town outside Madison.  During the drive I was dying -- the light, the snow, the landscape was perfect.  And I had left my camera at the house.  Mary, my lovely sister-in-law, was kind enough to drive me back out there so I could take photos. 

Snowy orchard somewhere south of Madison, Wisconsin

Image of the Day: Trees at Clermont

Overlooking the Hudson River at Clermont

Image of the Day: Tree Stand

Having spent the last 2 days on my laptop, combing through wedding photos, color-correcting, cropping, etc etc etc,  I'm finally done!!!!!!  Alright, almost done: about 85%.  So now I'm taking some time out to do whatever.  I. want.  ta-da!

Sempre Italiani in Rhinebeck

The 2013 desktop calendar has been launched -- and it's available either directly from me or at RiverWinds Gallery www.riverwindsgallery.com.  The theme is Italia and the images explore not so much the grand vistas but the intimate moments that make up the Italian experience.  The calendar is approximately 5"x5" and fits nicely in its CD case, which opens up to display each month.

September: Bookseller along the Tiber River, Rome

The calendars will also be on sale at this Saturday's reception at my solo show at the 2nd floor of Montgomery Row in Rhinebeck, on Route 9, across the street from Gigi's.  The reception runs from 5-7 pm, concurrently with Living Color, a group art show curated by RiverWinds, which can be viewed also on the 2nd floor at the offices of Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. 

The show has been expanded from the September show at RiverWinds -- come visit and share some wine with me!

January: Roman Window in the afternoon light

Autumn Color at Norrie State Park,NYRai

Rainy day in Norrie State Park, NY

Norrie State Park in the rain

Didn't even have to leave the car to get these shots....Soon to be shown at RiverWinds Gallery www.riverwindsgallery.com

Boo.

Drive By Shooting in the Rain

So what do you do when a client books you for a Hudson Valley photo tour and it's pouring rain? 

Use it!

Bridge leading into Vanderbilt Mansion, Hyde Park, NY

We started at the Vanderbilt Mansion, in Hyde Park, NY -- always good for autumn color and vistas.  We shot these through the rain-lashed windshield -- I love the blurred colors.

Vanderbilt Mansion lawn, Hyde Park, NY

We had a great day of shooting.  Rain darkens tree bark and highlights color.  As long as you can keep your camera dry, it's a great time to photograph.  I brought along a couple of microfiber cloths, and Cherree and I basically sat in the car and shot through the open windows. If the shot looked really good, we might even deign to get out of the car and stand beside it. 

We hit peak color and got great stuff and had a wonderful time.  (cue Gene Kelly, Singing in the Rain)

Dia Day

Dia: Beacon parking lot

For my birthday,  I decided to do something I have never done -- tour Dia:Beacon, the world's largest contemporary museum.  In short, I loved it.  The space and light are beautiful, and I enjoyed the art - particularly those pieces that emphasized repetition and geometry.  Peering through 2 strings strung parallel from floor to ceiling -- I could see a portal to another world (I watch a lot of sci fi...).    I just don't get video, so the basement was less interesting, but tucked up into the attic is an extraordinary monstrous spider by Louise Bourgeois.  Unfortunately, Dia does not allow any photography -- a real shame because the place is so photogenic -- I could have taken a hundred cool shots while I was there.  But I was good and limited myself to "legal" shots -- at the cafe and the ladies' room.  So, inspired by the Dia artists, here's my day:

Cafe table

Cafe table foot

Cafe floor I

Cafe floor II

View out the window

Ladies Room

Stall door

I think I moved the camera too much -- but I like it!

Looking Up

Montepulciano

Rome - Frescoed

Rome - Gilded

2013 Calendar: Candidates for January & February

January: Roman Window

February: 3 Cypress

I've been working on my 2013 desk calendar and the theme this year, no surprise, is Italy.  I like the Roman window image for January because a) I really like the color, the shadows, the light and b) January tends to be kinda grey and I think people will prefer looking at something sunny.

I like the 3 cypress (cypresses?) for February because its moodiness contrasts with January (February is in some sense an inward-looking month), and it's my most evocative cypress photo from the last trip -- and every Italian calendar needs these iconic trees!

2 Weeks from now...

Linda Richichi and I will be leading a painting/photography workshop in the Hudson Valley.

View from Bear Mountain, pastel, Linda Richichi

We'll be visiting 6 of the best sites in the area for making images.  All levels are welcome, either in painting and photography or both.  Friday night we're meeting in Beacon to meet and learn some new techniques.  Saturday we drive to Olana, spend the afternoon in Hudson, and have a gala dinner at my house!  Sunday we get up early to sketch/photograph/paint Plum Point, Iona Marsh, Bear Mountain and the Beacon waterfront, with a nice brunch at the appropriate time!  Participants can sign up for the whole weekend, or each day individually.  We'll end the weekend with great images of the Hudson Valley, good conversation, and new direction for our art.  Contact me for more information or look at the bottom of the home page of the RiverWinds Gallery website, www.riverwindsgallery.com.

Beacon waterfront, photograph, Mary Ann Glass

Corniglia: Where I'll be a year from today

I will be here this time next year!

Corniglia, the middle town of the Cinque Terre

The third of the five towns of Cinque Terre,  Corniglia  is perched high above the sea, surrounded on three sides by picturesque terraces and vineyards. while the fourth side looks down on the sea.  Accessible only by a long long stairway or a winding road,  Corniglia is quieter, less visited by tourists.

Corniglia is a tiny village, of only 240 people. with colorful homes stretching across the one main street.  The Trip Advisor notes, "One of the nice things about visiting this particular town of the Cinque Terre is you can sit in the town square all day and read a book, hike the nearby trails, taste the local wines or food, or sit in a cafe in the sunshine.  Whatever you do, you will be participating in Il dolce far niente -- the sweetness of doing nothing."

Next year the Painting/Photography Workshop - with Linda Richichi - will spend 6 days in Cinque Terre and another 4 days in Lucca, one of the wonderful charming Tuscan towns.  Contact me for more information.

A year from today I will be at...

Clearly, I'm going to work this theme til none of us can stand it anymore....but I am really really excited about leading a painting/photography workshop in Italy again next year, this time to an area I haven't been to before but have always wanted to go to.  Think what fabulous photos and paintings we will come home with!  The mind boggles...

Coming into Cinque Terre by boat

Christine, whose photos these are, remarked on the incredible blue hues of the water there.

Incredible beautiful water hues!

So if you, too, want to be here this day next year, contact me for details. 

Where I will be this day next year!!!!

One of the Cinque Terre, from the harbor

My good friend, Christine, just came back from spending time in Lucca and Cinque Terre, and has shared her great photos with me.  This is where we are going next year -- starts October 3, 2013 -- for our 2nd Italy Painting/Photography Workshop. 

Another Cinque Terre village

Cinque Terre is a string of five small towns, clinging to the coastline, famous for their charm and beauty.

Cinque Terre village, along the coast

The towns are connected with a hiking path, boats and a small train.  We will be staying in one of the villages for 6 days, enabling us to settle in, relax, and really explore these unique paintable/photographable locations.  Please feel free to contact me for more information.

Arriving at one of the Cinque Terre villages

Image of the Day: Rome

Beauty of Rome

I took this photo the first morning I arrived in Rome, and it's one of my all-time favorites.  To me, it speaks Italy -- I love the raked light across the building, the open and closed shutters, and the beauty of the faded stucco colors and the faded Madonna.  I like the slanted angle -- I think it gives the image good energy and interest.  The angle also enabled me to get more information into the photo.

 This was taken with my iPhone, with the Hipstamatic App.  This image was featured this weekend in the Southern Dutchess Focus section of the Poughkeepsie Journal, along with one of Linda Richichi's pastels, and a nice write-up by Liz Con Savage.  God bless the Pok Journal -- more than half-dozen couples came into RiverWinds as a result of the article!   Needless to say, this very same photo is for sale at RiverWinds Gallery in Beacon, NY, www.riverwindsgallery.com.  To highlight the happy color, I printed the image on metallic paper, giving it a nice sheen.

Image of the Day: Rome, again

Rome Madonna

One of the wonders of walking around Rome:  not a famous architect nor painter; just everyday beauty.

This photo is in my show, Sempre Italiani,  at RiverWinds Gallery, www.riverwindsgallery.com.

Hudson Valley Workshop: Make Art, Have Fun!

Ducks at Plum Point, at sunrise

Pastel painter Linda Richichi and I are holding an instructional workshop this October 19-21, for painters and photographers -- open to all  levels -- that will visit many of the famous Hudson Valley vistas that artists have been inspired by for more than 100 years.

Beacon waterfront, late afternoon

Our base cities will be Beacon/Newburgh, NY.  From there we plan to spend time at Olana, Hudson, my house for Saturday dinner!, Plum Point, Iona Marsh, Bear Mountain and the Beacon waterfront.  All those places you've always been meaning to visit, but never get around to going to!

On top of Bear Mountain

You can sign up for the whole weekend -- Friday evening to Sunday afternoon - or just one of the days.  We will paint/photograph -- either or both, learn technique to bring our images up to the next level, and enjoy ourselves.  Contact me for more info -- space is limited! 

$395 All-Inclusive Weekend Plan includes:
·      instruction for the weekend from two instructors,
·      wine and hors d’oeuvres Friday night:
·      dinner Saturday night:
·      all transportation during workshop.
·      brunch on Sunday
·      admission to sites
The Day-to-Day Flexible Plan:
.      Friday night instruction only: $75
.      Saturday, all day - instruction/transportation/admission fees/dinner: $225
.      Sunday, from dawn to round-up - instruction/transportation/brunch: $175

Image of the Day: Heart Barn

Another barn from Upstate New York

Road Trip: Hudson NY

Needed to get out of the house and away from the laptop!  Rounded up a friend and drove up to Hudson, NY.  Hudson is one of those towns that had wealth, got really poor, and then was rediscovered by people with enough money to restore the old architecture, open good restaurants, run art galleries, sell expensive antiques.  Hudson is just north of Olana, Frederick Church's house, right on the Hudson River, and the town has great light.  It's a wonderful place in which to photoraph, shop, dine.  Which is why we've included it in our October Hudson Valley Workshop, Oct 19-21.  After spending the morning at Olana, sketching/painting/photographing that famous view of the Hudson, we will spend the afternoon in Hudson.

Window reflection at Hudson NY

I always find great window shots in Hudson.

Double reflection, Hudson NY

And I love wandering through the stores and galleries in town.

The Red Chair, a favorite store.  Lots of patina.

But most of all, great light.

Calendar Candidate for October

Nice white house in Maine

I've started working on my 2013 calendar, and this image is a candidate for October.  I took the photo a couple of years ago in Maine.  I'm drawn to these simple white houses -- I have photographed a number of them.  The problem is to make them as compelling to the viewer as they are to me.  I like the simple geometry of the 3 windows and the door, and the nicely quartered window on the 2nd story, echoing the upper panes of the lower windows.  The tree on the right looks like it's extending itself to protect the little house from a strangers' gaze.   I used Lightroom to soften the image and make it look more dreamlike.

Join us for October Worskhop

Plum Point Sunrise, on a foggy day

Pastel painter Linda Richichi and I are holding an instructional workshop this October 19-21, for painters and photographers -- open to all  levels -- that will visit many of the famous Hudson Valley vistas that artists have been inspired by for more than 100 years.  Our base cities will be Beacon/Newburgh, NY.  From there we plan to spend time at Olana, Hudson, my house for Saturday dinner!, Plum Point, Iona Marsh, Bear Mountain and the Beacon waterfront.  All those places you've always been meaning to visit, but never get around to going to!   We will paint/photograph -- either or both, learn technique to bring our images up to the next level, and enjoy ourselves.  Contact me for more info -- space is limited! 

You are Invited: Artists' Talk Thursday, Sept 13

Italian Cypress, City Walls

This Thursday, at 7 pm, Linda Richichi and I will be talking about art and travel and making images that speak and taking questions and drinking wine.  We'll be meeting at RiverWinds Gallery, 172 Main Street, Beacon NY www.riverwindsgallery.com.  The talk will be illustrated by our show, Sempre Italiani -- photographs and paintings inspired by our recent trip to Italy.  Hope to see you there -- it should be fun!

Trevi Fountain at night, Rome