Opportunity Knocks

Tuscan Door

Oil on linen

There are some subjects that I never tire of. Doors and windows, flower fields, street scenes, and marshes really appeal to me. I am not much on greenie green landscapes. Summer is not my time to paint outdoors unless it includes architecture or flowers. So, I am painting a series of Tuscan and French doors and windows right now. I don't care if my subjects are "romantic" to some people. I like to paint things that I can live with on a daily basis. I want to give viewers the sense of, "Ahh, I would like to be there right now." The difference between a television show and a painting is: you can't turn the painting off if you are tired of it.

So this post is two fold: One, this painting is from my Tuscany workshop last fall. Plans are underway to go in October this year. You have the opportunity to go, tour, paint if you like, eat local cuisine, drink local wine, and enjoy the company of like minded people. My feeling is, you never know what may happen by putting things off that you really want to do. Contact www.ilchiostro.com for registration and do something you've always dreamed about.

Two, this painting will be up for auction at the Arts & Education Council's Art-a-ma-jig on Thursday, July 22 at Tanner Hill Gallery, Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Arts & Ed Council sponsor lots of projects in the area. The Young Authors awards I attended this year to see my oldest grandgirl accept a medal for her poem and be included in a published book of works by children from schools across the area. You have an opportunity to support this organization by attending and purchasing original artwork. If you are interested in biding on this painting, email:

www.artsedcouncil.org and let them know.

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. -Maya Angelou

Are you listening?

Durinda