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Friends and Art Lovers: A Dream Trip of Painting and Traveling. Come Along!

Updated: Jun 13


Happiness is traveling the world (Croatia, Venice, Tuscany) to paint the town!

 

Painting with Gouache in Croatia

Thanks to Martha and Winslow Art Center, I traveled to Croatia to paint the town of Ravinj. This beautiful town stands on a headland, with houses tightly crowded to the seafront. A fishing port with cobblestone streets, not the best for rolling luggage, but oh! what vistas this town offered. For my first time painting in gouache, I am a fan. And thanks to Bernie Dellario, we learned this new water medium. So fun to travel and meet so many with like interests. Oh, the friendships you'll forge! Reminds me of Dr. Seuss's Oh! The Places You'll Go! That too!

My plein air gouache studies will be Cotswold Marketplace soon, all priced between $85 and $185, so please go take a look!




 

Hello Venice!

Is this an Art Blog or a Travel Blog?

Leaving Croatia, we traveled to Venice for a quick 2 nights. It was beautiful, crowded and so much fun. Did I mention the shopping? And oh!, so much inspirational material I gathered to paint in my studio. A highlight for me was reuniting with the oh so talented artist and art teacher I travelled with 9 years ago, Maggie Siner.




 

Onto Italy's Countryside in Southern Tuscany with My BFF Oil Painting Partner

I returned to a site my family visited 9 years ago: La Foce and Chiarentana, located in Val d'Orcia. And it is here that Laine Francis, my "go-to" art companion/colleague, and I painted the beautiful countryside from sun up to sun down. A better friend and traveling partner I cannot imagine. Yes, we are still talking to each other! Such a beautiful area! Just see for yourself. Tip: Pack lighter than I did!



 

Paint Beautiful Florals with me in Boone, NC

We have one spot still open at my full-day, in-person oil painting workshop.

If interested sign up here.

Thursday, June 27

9 am- 4 pm

Common Good Co - 685 West King Street. Boone NC

All levels welcome

Class limit of 10

We will paint florals from life, with a focus on simplification, squinting, values, light and shadow and color. Composition, values, edges, and brushwork will be covered. If you can't join me for the workshop, be sure to stop in and see the beautifully renovated gallery space on the 2nd and 3rd floors.


 

Practice at the NC coast, before Traveling Abroad

Let's Paint Outside! "En Plein Air" painting is a french expression that means "in the open air." And that is just what we did at the charming coastal town of SouthPort, NC at their 2024 Plein Air Festival in early May. I think it is a bit harder, but I usually feel like my paintings are a bit fresher too. No studio time to overwork. Thank you Laine, Julie, Diane and Luke! What a marvelous time sharing the meals, painting together and boat trips with you all. So much fun. Again, one of the best things about being an artist is the people you meet and the friendships you forge.



 

Portraiture with Marjorie Hicks in NC I would be remiss if I did not mention Marjorie Hicks and her wonderful portraiture workshop, which I was fortunate to attend in April. Portraiture is new to me but so interesting.Thank you Carol, Kathleen and Marci.



 

On a Personal Note

Just a quick peak at my sweet grands, Elliott and Millie. Growing up so fast.



 

Thank You So Much for Following Along With Me

Hope you have enjoyed the read. Please feel free to forward to any art lovers. Feel free to reach out if you have a special image or pet you would like me to paint. To see all of my available paintings, check out my Instagram or visit my website.


 

Patti Ratcliffe | 1630 Providence Drive, Charlotte, NC 28211 | 704.451.3381 patti@ratcliffeart.com 


"There is no greater harm than that of time wasted." -Michelangelo

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