It has been all go since yesterday morning- the first of August- the start of the holiday month.
As usual was woken up by fireworks and the sound of a brass band in the distance. It was a lovely morning and 6am is a good time to get up in summer in Pisticci.
Then the day charged on.
I was expecting a delivery of new canvases so I was out early scootering round to the supermarket to pick up something for lunch so that there was no chance I would miss the delivery.
Back home I had the final part of a large scene of Pisticci to finish , which was looking good.
So I was busy working away at that when the phone rang- and it wasn't the delivery man but someone who I had done work for invited me to an evening of tasting lots of local (Basilicata) produce somewhere near Potenza- and I could get a lift. So I happily accepted it as a little adventure. My italian is worse on the phone and times and dates are about my limit.
Back to painting -and when I had just given up on the delivery and was wondering how I could stop my precious canvases being delivered back to England there was a knock at the door. The delivery man is also an artist so we had a bit of a look round my little gallery after he had brought me a very large box. (16 box canvases).
Getting on with the large painting I decided to eat lunch at my easel as I would be stopping early to go out.
I managed to get it finished and put on facebook before, donning my best artist's boho outfit I set out to meet my lift. ( This lady and her son produce olive oil- I am a bit short on details but I am hoping to sell some in my little artists house soon.)
So we "zoomed" (safely) to our destination. It was a real treat for me as I have not been past Potenza except on a train so I saw some new and pretty countryside. The event was held in a restored convent and the surroundings were as beautiful as it sounds. I met some lovely people, drank some great wine and ate some good food. I was pretty pleased with myself as I am reasonably comfortable arriving at things where I know only the organisers and the people I arrived with. They obviously had to do a bit of networking but looked out for me when they could but I am now so blase' that I can actually go up to strangers and speak to them in my less than perfect Italian. So I had a lot of fun. It appears to me that it is true that communication is more to do with body language ( you can go for it in Italy!) than merely words. I can wave my hands about and be expressive with glee - especially after some of the very nice wine. (It turned out that I was in Barile which is famous for wine making.)
After another speedy journey where I mostly dozed and the two in front had an animated conversation for most of the time ,I was dropped off in the Piazza where there was a jazz trio performing. Bliss!!
They were wonderful, it was out of doors, the setting was gorgeous and I stayed until the end. It felt like a beautiful beginning to the holiday season.
And returning to 120 likes on facebook for my latest painting finished the evening off nicely.
But that was yesterday and this morning was another lovely day. I had some work planned but decided to go out for a coffee on my scooter to get me started- and because I love going out on my scooter in the summer. But my front tyre was as flat as a pancake. So , in my new, "it's not a ******* disaster Anne, you can cope" mode, I got my foot pump , pumped it up , stuck the pump in my rucksack and set off for the "gommista". I had to stop at the bus station and pump it up again but I made it, and he was there. That felt like a minor acheivement. Only took half an hour and I was on my way to Fata Morgana's for a coffee .
I had to head into town after this as I have ordered some larger canvases from the nice lady in the art shop. They were not there, but it was nice to chat and they may arrive next week. (Or i have a problem.)
I decided to go get a timetable for the festa in the library which has moved from some tiny rooms to a large space ,where I got my timetable and a guided tour. ( plan to take up reading Italian books in autumn.)
I was just getting on my scooter when I noticed that the cafe which is usaully shut on Wednesdays was open. "That's great " I thought" I will have another coffee." It was then I realised it was Tuesday
So I had my little moment of "joy" in there .
And I still haven't stopped.
Decided to be brave and contact several people re things I might be doing but wasn't sure of the details and in the middle of this was contacted by someone giving me details about something I had forgotten about. Luckily I didn't think it was one of the people I had contacted or that would have been "interesting and possibly farcical." (It wouldn't be the first time)
That led to me spending time time bringing one of my older paintings up to date.
Then put finishing touches to the big scene of Pisticci , unpacked my new canvases ( yummy) and to conclude this dissertation on little things which make me happy, my latest portrait client arrived to pick up her portrait and very kindly gave me a bonus.
After that I had to go have a little rest..................................
Nothing amazing happened: but living here I feel so much more awake and aware of what is happening around me, that my life sometimes feels full and overflowing and , well, amazing!
(And there was much more, but I am exhausted and need a glass of wine.)
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| latest portrait |
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| latest scene of pisticci |
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| apologies for quality of photo. older painting reworked a little |
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