September 2023

The idea of this trip started as a wish, a desire to test my plein-air skills (or lack there of).  I had no idea where I wanted to go but Italy has always been on the top of my list.

After many years of putting myself last, I knew I wanted to go to a place where I could soak up the atmosphere, taste thr local goods, enjoy coffee and sketch or paint whenever I wanted.

I didn't know how to start planning, so I searched online for a painting holiday and found one for a week in Venice.  Knowing I would want more I decided to add a week on the tail end  to see Rome on my own.    I jumped off that cliff, I reserved my spot for Venice, booked and paid for my flights and started planning my carry-on luggage packing list.

I was scared, excited and so anxious leading up to the holiday, but I enjoyed every minute and met some amazing fellow artists and tested my independence.

Venice and Rome were a dream come true, filled with sights beyond imagining and I was filled with awe.  I took many photos and sketched when I could.  The food was amazing and though some service staff were not as accommodating towards tourists, the locals were friendly and helpful.

One of the highlights from my trip was sitting in a local cafe in Tratevere, Rome.   I was sitting having a café latte when a couple at another table enquired about buying the sketch I was working on of a statue from Arsenale, Venice.  I finished it off, signed it and packaged it as best i could for them and sent off my sketch hoping they would enjoy it for many years to come!