Watching the World Go By

Coffee Break at St. Armands Circle

9"x12" oil on canvas panel

I did this painting 2 weeks ago (and now that the holidays are over I am finally getting around to posting it!) I met up with the Light Chasers at St. Armands Circle in Sarasota that day and as I was scouting out the area for my subject, these big sunshade umbrellas by Starbucks caught my eye- probably because they reminded me of  the ones often found in the markets and cafes of Italy.

The white haired gentleman seated beneath the umbrella must've sat there (kindly posing) with his coffee cup in hand for at least an hour, just watching the world go by... and I was happy to do the same with my paintbrush in hand all morning long!

Reflections on Painting

Water Lilies on Ingrid's Pond

 9"x12" oil on panel

Reflecting on doing this painting yesterday, I wish I'd picked a shadier spot to stand...it may be December, but here in Florida it's still down right broiling hot in the sun!

Observations

Painting by the Water

8"x11" oil on panel

I did this painting- of a fellow painter doing her own painting-  at North Jetty Beach in Venice yesterday. It was quite a chilly and windy morning, crisp and clear. The bright sparkles on the water were stunning, but a challenge to translate into paint! 

All of us artists were bundled up in sweaters and jackets, so I had to chuckle when a lady pulled up and got out of her car wearing nothing but a bathing suit, sheer cover up and flip flops. I figured she must be from Canada...guess the snow birds have returned.

Another funny thing I noted, with plein air painting I always assume I'm being so focused and observant, however, at one point I realized that the boat I'd painted in the back was gone (never even noticed it leave the dock?!) Then, towards the end, I realized it was back (again, never even noticed it pull back in?!) 

Light Chasing

Phillippi Creek Park

8"x11" Oil on Panel

 This past Thursday I met up with the Light Chasers plein air painting group again, this time at Phillippi Creek Park in Sarasota.  Much to my dismay it was a pretty cloudy day, but luckily, as we started out the sun broke though for just a bit and cast some lovely shadows across a path. I quickly painted them in, as the light was fleeting, and as I continued to work the rest of the painting- what we lacked in sun- a nearby mockingbird made up for with a sweet song, serenading us all morning long.

Rome Sketches

                                 A Few Pages From my Sketchbook                                

One of my favorite things to do in Rome (besides wander around eating gelato) is sketch. Below are a few recent pen & ink drawings I did of several of my favorite subjects- the Pantheon and Campo de'Fiori, just to name a few. The last is of a typical, picturesque little corner cafe in Trastevere. Inspiring subject matter for paintings and drawings is about as eternally endless in Rome as the Eternal City itself!

Under the Pantheon Portico at dusk

Entrance to the Rotunda

Campo de'Fiori

Via Della Scala

Paintings of Tuscany and Rome

                          Paintings of Tuscany and Rome

Allora! (As the Italians love to say) I recently returned from my painting trip in Chianti, near the little town of Tavarnelle val di Pesa, and Rome. Below are the paintings I did there. A few of them are still wet, so my apologies for the resulting glare. The weather was glorious (despite a couple days of wind and rain- not so conducive for plein air painting!) as was the food and company of fellow artists.

For anyone in the SouthShore/ Tampa area, I'll be having a gallery show of my paintings, both from this trip and from last year's in Baratti, at the SouthShore Regional Library during the months of November and December.

Please join me for the Artists Reception Opening on 

Thursday, November 1st from 6-7:30pm.

Hope to see you there!

La Strada a Tavarnelle SOLD

10"x14" oil on panel

Il Castello

10"x14" oil on panel

La Matina a Chianti

8"x12" oil on panel

La Casa dalla Vigna

8"x12" oil on panel

Alberi d' Olive

10"x14" oil on panel

La Villa

12"x16" oil on panel

Vasi di Terracotta

12"x16" oil on panel

L'Orto delle Cipolle SOLD

8"x12" oil on panel

Il Capanno del Giardiniere

8"x12" oil on panel

L'Orto di Botanico, Roma

8"x12" oil on panel

Vicolo di Trastevere, Roma

8"x12" oil on panel

Parco degli Aqcuadotti, Roma

10"x14" oil on panel

           All paintings, unless marked SOLD, are available and for sale though my website, www.corywrightart.com or through The Studio at Gulf and Pine art gallery, www.studioatgulfandpine.com located at 10101 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria Island FL 34216

Down by the Bay...

Sarasota Bay Front

Oil on Panel

9" x 12"

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of painting with a group of artists known as the "Light Chasers, Plein Air Painters of the Sun Coast." We met at the Bay Front in Sarasota and this was the result of my morning's endeavors...  

This afternoon I leave for Italy to paint in the Chianti Region and in Rome for a couple weeks! I promise to have lots of new work to show upon my return... Arrivederci tutti!

Sketching in Boston

Peach and Two Apples

Peach and Two Apples

5"x7" oil on panel

Inspired by a painting posted last week on artist Julian Merrow-Smith's "Postcard From Provence" daily paintings website, www.shiftinglight.com , I recently set out a to create a similar still life.  Below is the result- still a far cry from the masterful ease with which he seems to lay down his colors, but, maybe after I've done over 1700 daily paintings like he has, maybe then I'll start to get the hang of it...

She Sells Sea Shells...

                                                                     Sea Shell Study
                                                               5"x7" oil on canvas board
                                                                         
This past weekend I went to the beach and spent a good time Saturday afternoon searching for sea shells with friends. Like my children often do, I too came home with a bucket-full! This little one kept me busy for a couple hours today... and oh, how good it felt to smell the turpentine again!

Rome if you want to...

Hi and welcome to my ArtBlog, a place where I can share my artistic endeavors and accounts of plein air painting adventures...

Just a few more weeks and I will be leaving for Italy... not that I'm counting down the days or anything!I am excited to be doing another plein air workshop with two amazing artists, Marc Dalessio www.marcdalessio.com & Daniela Astone www.daniela-astone.com (and equally excited that my sister will be joining me this time!) We will be painting with a group in the Chianti region of Italy, just south of Florence, during the last week in September. From there I will be going to Rome for a few days to paint with my very talented friend Kelly Medford www.kellymedford.com. While at RISD (the Rhode Island School of Design,) 1994-1998, I was fortunate enough to be accepted into the school's European Honors Program my Junior year where I spent 9 months studying in Rome. It was during that experience that my love affair with The Eternal City began. Recently I was flipping through my sketchbook from last year's trip and thought I'd start out this new blog by posting a couple pen and ink drawings from last September. I love sketching in Rome and have been greatly influenced by the work of my friend and fellow RISD EHP alumnus, author & illustrator David Macaulay www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/waywework. 

I can hardly wait to share with you the resulting sketches, paintings, photos and stories of my upcoming trip... in the mean time, now that that the kids are back in school and my new website www.corywrightart.com is up and running, I'll be "brushing up" on my painting here, this side of the Atlantic, and will be keeping you posted!

This is one of my favorite fountains, "La Fontana delle Tartargughe" (The Turtle Fountain) located in Piazza Mattei, in the neighborhood where I used to live. 

   

   The immense dome inside of St. Peter's Basilica

"La Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi" (Fountain of the Four Rivers) 
by Bernini, located in Piazza Navona.  
All the uccellini (little birds) perched on the enormous sculpture struck me as amusing.