Color – luscious, vibrant, bright & bold. This is what I was drawn to and so very "in love with"...Tuscany. The countryside is filled with a riot of colors. Shapes of things are equally captivating…majestic cypress, square country villas, sparse & spiky olive trees, rolling hills, hill atopped with Medieval towered villages and lush green vineyards. It’s easy to see why so many painters have been drawn to the area for so many centuries.

I didn’t want to leave! Yet, the cities of Florence and Siena were yet to be explored. Still more quaint villages and so little time!

Siena was hosting it’s Palio race. It was bedecked in flags shouting each street's allegiance. There was drinking, boasting, competition and lots of testosterone - all good Italian fun!

Florence was more serene and inspiration oozed from every stone, tree and building! Art and the love of art was evident everywhere. One Florentine told me “Yes, the Uffizi is famous but we Florentine’s prefer the art in the Bargello….ah, the Bargello”. (The native Florentine love sculpture, just look in any square or Plaza.)

My paintings from this series are on paper and canvas. All paintings are textured by utilizing a thick, multidirectional layer of gesso on the underpainting. The layers of acrylic paint and color glazing adhere to the underpainting bringing a richness of color and light density typical of the area. My on location sketches and photos remind me of a scene and it’s like I take a quick vacation back there when I paint that scene. I play with using warm next to cool colors to provide space and excitement.

I will be painting memories and scenes from this, my first Florence trip for years to come. It was such a rich source of inspiration and fun.

Kay Martin, N.A.P.A.

Revised: November, 2007