Plein air Tuscany: Fuligni vineyards

Brunello De Montalcino

Plein air painting in the Fuligni vineyards

 We decided to venture into the countryside after painting several days at the Fattoria Armena.    We weren't sure how it would work to be able to paint in one of the neighboring vineyards since our Italian speaking skills were minimal.  We headed towards Montalcino.  We visited several beautiful vineyards but were welcomed with open arms at the Fuligni vineyards by the manager Mike Motiu.    We returned the next morning ready to plein air paint.  The grapes were just a few weeks away from picking and absolutely succulent.  I settled in to paint the vineyards and the 'tasting room' and cellar, which was once a monastery.   The difficult part was deciding what to paint as everything was beautiful.
We brought some snacks for lunch and were served their award winning Brunello wine.  When the light faded after lunch,
Mike took us on a complimentary wine tour of the Fuligni vineyards. We tasted and purchased several bottles of their wine.  This is the best wine I have ever had.

In the late afternoon plein air session I painted "Vista" of the patchwork
Tuscan views surrounding me.
I am currently working on a large version of "Brunello De Montalcino" oil painting.  When studio painting I combine photo references with my plein air studies to bring back the essence of my inspiration.
This was the best painting day I have ever experienced, along with the best wine and nicest local Italian we met on our trip.

Brunello plein air

Vista (sold)

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Plein Air Tuscany: Fattoria Armena

Fattoria Armena

on location in Tuscany

 On my 3rd day of plein air painting in Italy this past September I decided to paint the arches in the courtyard of Fattoria Armena.  There were plenty of pots with flowers and I decided to include the large geraniums in the foreground. .  The spot where I painted was just steps from the apartment where I was staying.

The arches, bricks and flowers were reminiscent of the 70' mural of the Lincoln Gallery that I painted with three of my friends in 2001. I felt like I was painting in our mural-very dreamlike. 

To conserve on space I oil painted on sheets of 9 x 12" linen which I clipped to foam core. I had toned the linen before the trip so I would not have to work on stark white surfaces.   After the paintings were dry I could layer them between wax paper to bring them home.  I later mounted them onto archival foam core to put into frames.
This original oil painting is for sale, please contact me for availability.
You can see more of my artwork online:
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fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

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The mural for the Lincoln Gallery, Loveland, Colorado.

Plein Air Tuscany: Fontana

Fontana 9" x 12" oil

My third painting and second day of plein air in Tuscany was of an old fountain not far from the front door of the Fattoria Armena apartment in which we were staying.  I loved the patterns, the flowers and the shadows created by all of the trees.  I painted all of my September 2014 Tuscany paintings alla prima en plein air.  As an avid outdoor painter I had dreamed of painting in Italy one day.  This was plein air painting at it's finest: peaceful settings, comfortable temperatures with inspiring historical buildings and landscapes to capture. This original oil painting is for sale, please contact me for availability.
You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

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Plein Air Tuscany: Vigneto

Vigneto 9" x 12" oil

Vigneto on my M Box

Inspiration

 The second  oil painting I completed in my Tuscan plein air adventure is "Vigneto" (vineyard in Italian).  The morning fog was still working on lifting when I started this scene of vineyards and olive groves.  This is on the property at the Agriturisimo  I was staying at in September of 2014.  I was situated on top of one of the many Tuscan rolling hills and had a wonderful distant view once the morning fog lifted.  This original oil was painted alla prima, on site.  I used 9 x 12" linen sheets that I later mounted onto acid free foamcore.  This significantly cut down on the amount of space the finished painting would take in my luggage.  There is something about painting under grape vines where you can occasionally taste a sweet grape that remains a  lovely vivid memory. 

This original oil painting is sold.
You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Tuscany: plein air 2014

Hide and Seek

I had the trip of a lifetime this past September.  I had the chance to plein air paint in Tuscany, Italy with another artist friend.  We've talked about it for years and decided to make it happen in 2014. It had been a dream of mine to paint the vineyards and rolling hills in Tuscany.
On our first morning of painting we walked out the front door of the agriturisimo we were staying south of Sienna. There was a thick fog but occasionally the hilltops with villas  emerged from the mist. I set up my pochade box, photographed my scene and started oil painting.  Not long after I started "Hide and Seek" the fog completely covered my scene.  I tried working from the image in my digital camera between glimpses of the villa in the fog.  My goal was to capture a moment and instill a memory which was successful.  This original oil painting is for sale, please contact me for availability.
You can see more of my artwork online:
Facebook page (open to the public)

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees) 

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com