Italian Trattoria painting

Good Food Good Friends - painting Bee Skelton

I've enjoyed every part of Italy visited so far;  obvious tourist destinations like Pisa, Florence, Rome, Sienna, San Gimignano.  But one of my favourite places doesn't seem to receive as much attention as the rest.  Apart from business types heading for the exhibition centre, folk appear to use Bologna's airport mostly as a touchdown on the way to somewhere else.  In fact the first time, my friend and I did just that before moving on to Sienna. Fortunately we explored enough to know we wanted to return for longer.

Trattoria Bologna sketch

Bologna has the oldest existing university in the world so is full of exhilarating student-life.  Among its many other attractions there are some excellent restaurants.  Let's face it, if you can't find good food in Italy .... there's something wrong with you!  I made the above painting from a sketch inspired by a crowd of students celebrating graduation.  The place was buzzing with life and excitement.  I hope from the use of colour I've been able to convey a little of the tremendous atmosphere.

You can email me for information about anything you see.  A small collection of work can also sometimes be seen in my Etsy shop. 

Painting - Interior Part 2

I decided to paint the viewpoints to the left of my previous Painting - Interior Part 1.  It was interesting to swivel my views from the corner.  Below is how the two paintings would look side by side.

 As you can see the Part 2 has warmer colouring than the cooler Part 1.  They were painted in different light conditions and weather. 

Painting - Interior Part 1

Another painting inside my home.  This time featuring the chairs where I often read.  

There are signs of spring this week, with bright sunshine between the showers. And the house martins are back after their winter migration checking out their nests on the house walls.

Painting - Looking out

It's unusually chilly for Cyprus just now.  So the colours are pretty cool in this view through one of my windows.  I took inspiration from one of my recent drawings, but I've extended it to take in both sides of the window and more of the outside light in making this painting.

Painting - Looking from one room into another.

I used one of my recent drawings to inspire this painting, although I didn't work from the drawing.  Instead I set the easel up again in the kitchen and made the painting using direct observation.  The light from the window in the other room made some interesting reflections and colour changes on the floor.  Where I was working, light was coming from my right and from behind, highlighting the coffee pot, handles and reflecting on the wall tiles.