La Crociona Farmhouse

"La Crociona Farmhouse", oil on linen, 9x12, plein air, $75

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We spent a few nights at Agriturismo La Crociona outside of Montalcino, Italy in a farmhouse that was over 200 years old. That's quite modern compared to the place we stayed on Rotherdam, Germany as it was over 400 years old. Anyway, this house was situated in the middle of a small vineyard and olive orchard. These grapes are only grown in a small area and made into a wonderful red wine called Brunello which is aged at least four years in oak casks and then aged in the bottle for at least another 3 to 4 years to fully develop.

Hangin' Out in Montepulciano

"Hangin' Out in Montepulciano", oil on linen, 9x12, plein air, $75

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Not an uncommon sight to have clothes lines stretched out in front of windows or even between buildings over alleys here in Italy.

Tuscan Mist

"Tuscan Mist", oil on linen, 9x12, plein air, $75

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I'm sure everyone has seen the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun", well as it turns out, Tuscany is more noted for it's mist. Not just in the morning, it could develop in the afternoon, or stay all day. It sure made for a wide range of scenery. This painting is looking east from Montepulciano in the afternoon. The broad valley beyond had many ridges and hills that just peeked above the mist.

View of Montefollonico

"View of Montefollonico",oil on linen, 9x12, plein air, $75

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This view is from Montepulciano, Italy painted in early October. Most hills in Tuscany have a house or winery on their tops. Some have a whole village, large or small. Some of the farms have just been plowed displaying the beige to ochre soils which appear to be a heavy clay that gets tilled up several times before it smooths down. 

Morning Light on Montepulciano

 

 

"Morning Light on Montepulciano", oil on linen, 9x12, plein air, $75

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Here is a view showing just how steep this hill town is. Most buildings are built way above the adjacent downhill streets. In many places there is only one row of narrow buildings between each street. The building on the right is where we stayed. Where ever we walked, it was either uphill or down.

Roof Top View in Tuscany

"Roof Top View in Tuscany", oil on linen, 9x12, plein air, $75

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We spent four days in Ravenna, Italy looking at all the classic mosaics. There was too much to see and so no time to paint. Drove to Tuscany and decided to stay in hill town of Montepulciano for a couple of days, but extended it to six. This is the view from the room we stayed in! Some days, in the morning, there was a low lying mist which at times obscured the distant mountains. At other times the air was crystal clear. The old buildings were remarkable.

Bavarian Farmland

"Bavarian Farmland", oil on linen, 9x12, plein air, $75

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Here is the typical countryside in Bavaria. Rolling hills with pastures, corn fields, forests and farm structures. Here and there, the fields are filled with cows. Except for the quaint style of the buildings, the look is quite similar to Oregon. Even most of the trees and plants are the same.

The Cat Stalking the Owl

"The Cat Stalking the Owl", oil on linen, 9x12, plein air, $75

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One afternoon painting the front of Herr and Frau Kinhammer's farm house, their cat Mia decided to stalk the ceramic owl yard art. Brave cat! After all the excitement, Mia jumped onto the bench and curled up for a nap in the sun.