Bussana Vecchia and I'm back (almost)

I returned last Wednesday from my travels in Liguria and Veneto (including Venice) visiting dear friends ; a 16 day trip. Since my return, ALL my dreams are taking place in Italian and ancient landscapes as the one shown here from Bussana Vecchia. This has been going on for five nights in a row now.

This trip to Italy, my seventh, has made the strongest impression on me. Perhaps it's because I was accompanied by my Italian friends from Venice and who are now living in Genoa. I felt like Janus, with two sets of eyes: one set looking at a contemporary Italy moving toward the future and the other set of eyes looking at the historic, nostalgic, touristic Italy rooted and preserved in the past.Seeing this all at the same time!

Incredible food experiences which nourished body , soul and mind. I actually had a dream of making testeroli pasta this week...and this is after eating it only once! My Ligurian cookbook is on it's way.

Enough of that! Bussana Vecchia; a thousand year old town destroyed by earthquakes, re inhabited by homesteading hippie artists in the late 60's. Today it's a tourist destination inhabited by both Italian and foreign artists, some monied enough to have these studios as their second homes. The art was not to my taste. The true art is the town itself transformed from and with ruins and flowers into a haunting, romantic and beautiful vision by people who understand what can arise from rubble. I saw the town as a collaborative, ongoing and interactive installation or sculpture. We visited on Sunday morning, quiet and few people and we stayed long enough to have a slow food lunch. Good food- good friends-good life.

I have lost a month. I haven't picked up a paint brush since May 8th. Preparations for Newton Open Studios,a bout with the flu and my trip to Italy extended this "dry" time. I was unable to paint while traveling but I have my sketches and sketching helped keep me sane. Today is THE DAY that my studio is set up once again and readied for my return to painting-tomorrow!

Grazie Mille Alice, Stefano, Giulio, Gianni, Enrica, Paoli for everything;especially your friendship.