europe art index

I spent a year in the beautiful city of Aix-en-Provence. I attended the Marchutz School to study painting and the methods used by the inpressionist painters such as Monet, Cezanne, Morisott and Renoir. I also attended the Institute for American Universities to study European history and the French language. I favor so many different things about my brief residency in Aix that it is hard to say what exactly I miss the most. The charm of the city is unforgettable,the people are endearing, especially Yamina, the institutes house Mother.. The food is amazing, all of the various cheeses and fresh baked bread......oh, lets not forget the wine! It is an education that will stay with me forever.

The paintings below were part of my studies throughout the year and some are of things I found interesting in neighboring cities.

Italy is one of the most nostalgic place I have seen yet. I enjoyed wondering around in a sea of people. The Spanish Steps are a nice spot to sit and sketch people passing by. I try to visit the Vatican as much as possible to sketch the various sculptures and paintings. It is an all day affair but it is heaven to a painter! I stayed for a few month in Mansiana located about an hour outside of Rome and it is there that my great love for Europe began. I traveled through various villages and met some wonderful people. My fondest memory was sitting in the midday sun and listening to the grass grow underneath my bare feet.....I felt very spoiled by the chefs who fed all of us massive portions of pasta.

These paintings of Italy were painted while visiting Venice. It was rainy season and the paint was sliding of the canvas.

Visiting Santorini Island in Greece has been amazing and memorable. The Island has volcanic sand beaches, scuba diving, horsebackriding, jet skie and vineyards that cover most of the landscape, Greek food on every corner, art galleries, and some of the friendliest people I have ever met.

During my visit I painted several of the beautiful churches on the Island. There are over 500 privately owned churches on Santorini. I also painted landscapes of the beach and some of the Islands homes with their unique architecture.

Some of these paintings were exhibited at the ArtSpace Gallery in Exo Gonia on Santorini Island in 2004. This art gallery and winery is a destination point if you should visit the village of Kamari. You will find it a very unique experience and enjoy the quality of the wine as well.

If you plan to visit the Island and want to stay close to the beach, I would recommend Studios Marios, in Kamari Village. In this hotel you can find my murals in most of the rooms and hallways. Follow the link and you can see the murals on their website and if you visit trip advisor you can read what other tourists have to say about their stay in the hotel.

St. Catherines Monestary in the village of Fira, is one of a favorite places on the Island. There are beautiful Frecso's and paintings dating back to the 15th century. They do provide modest lodging if you are interested in staying awhile.