Firenze Still On My Mind.....

Almost a month ago, six of us set out to Italy together. What began as a mission to paint the Tuscan Landscape (on-site or as some know as en plein air), quickly became more. We'll get there on the "other" later, and a little now...but lets talk about our travels in Florence first, or as we all came to know it as Firenze.  What a lovely city!  With just over three days here, we had enough time to really settle into things. We quickly realized that we loved the capuccino best, our Hotel Loggiato de Serviti for its views, its amazing location and outstanding staff, and the accessibility of this city. Firenze IS romantic, beautiful, charming, and its vistas has no limits. The food. Yes, it was very good. 

Art galore. This could simply be my heaven on earth. 

Intriguing Architectural Detail in the Piazza of Santa Croce

Headed towards the Piazza, Near Hotel - Loggiato de Serviti

The Duomo Stands With The City Circling It

Preferred Method of Transportation

If you have walked and walked and can't walk any more, than Gelato is a good option.

 Make sure it's fresh and piled high:)

Street View, the Light Shines Out

Sky at Santa Maria Novella's PIazza

Drawing Venus at the Uffizi, Student Devra here on left

After too many images and not seen before in person, I found this sculpture extraordinary. His face. So thoughtful. Almost sad. Perhaps he is considering the world but he is only so young. A beautiful face. This sculpture was considered Michelangelo's sculptural masterpiece.

Boboli Gardens. Sometimes manicured. Always wild. The Italians allow their gardens to wander.

What a vulnerable position as an Artist?
I wouldn't be considered with the preciousness of my own work but would prefer to be recognized on creating an original piece rather than my ability to copy.... Though these drawings create a real experience with Artist working on real time.

Outside the Piazzo Vecchio, En Route to the Uffizi Gallery, The Medici Lion, Marble

The Light.....

Looking towards the Ponte Vecchio

I see you Venus.

David's Hand, Just to give this a bit of scale: one length and a half of man's face.

A Teacher's Dream. A Student's worry. I'd be delighted to draw from and work from these collections. Enjoyed the videos here at the Accademia on traditional mold making.

Roof Views from San Lorenzo

Noble Dog in the Market

Boboli Gardens....

Marianne and Stephanie  - Looking Lovely....

Enjoying a laugh, companionship, friendship and a stiff cocktail to drink at the Rooftop Cafe at the Uffizi.

For the Young Artists In All Of Us

What does this mean? Its a pretty simple answer. We need to retrieve them, pull them out and give them permission to fly. I am talking about the young artist inside of you! We were all born to play, to make marks. Painting is all about play. Many of you have asked me to be a part of your journey, and I am honored. I think you'll do best if we both see me as your facilitator. You might ask me to show how to "bleed" one color into another when gracing a blue washed sky, and I'll be happy to do so. But I want you to navigate your practice. To find your own voice, and I am there to help you get there. It won't be easy. Who would have guessed?  To paint what, how, what are my interests, how do I want my paint to look, what are my intentions, what do I do next? I am working on you, so you can answer these questions yourself. I want you to see there is no one answer, no one way.... there is only your voice, energy, the paper in front of you and some tools. Before long, you'll engage your young artist and let them show you how to work intuitively, confidently... and we'll be on our way, painting just like we knew the whole time.

How did I get from there to here? Persistence. Mentorship. Practice. Practice. Practice. Persistence. And a great Mom who dragged me from museum to gallery, and gave me permission to be me. I think perhaps she's still "facilitating" from above....

So, let yourself unfurl....  Be well. ~ Hélène

Spannocchia Magic. Painting Workshop September 15th - 22nd 2014.

Have you ever been to a place such as this? Where you feel connected immediately?
And simultaneously tied to the past and part of its future? Spannocchia, a sustainable farm and educational center in Tuscany, Italy is such a place.  A group of passionate adults will travel to Spannocchia with me to study painting there, but what is in store for these students and me is so much more - a lifetime's worth of memories and images to inspire for years. Would you like to join us for a week at Spannocchia? We will paint everyday while exploring the farm, garden and vineyard. Our painting practices will measurably stretch.. we will be immersed in Italian culture and landscape. We will also do some sightseeing in Siena and beyond. Sounds wonderful. It will be. Enjoy the following photographs and thanks to my brother Reed for generously generously sharing them with us. More details about the painting workshop following the photographs. Also, check out www.spannocchia.org Feel free to reach me at (207) 485 5691 or helene@helenefarrar.com with questions you might have. Best, Hélène

Spannochia, A View of the "Tops"

This is the real deal

Villa, Spannocchia.

And the gate opens...

So much to see, inside and out....

Connecting with the Tuscan Landscape: 

Painting Poetically and Confidently With Hélène Farrar
September 15 – 22nd  2014
Paint the poetic rhythms and forms of the Tuscan Landscape in this small group workshop
with Artist Hélène Farrar at Castello di Spannocchia.

Immerse yourself in the painting process and retreat into the Tuscan countryside of Spannocchia in this seven-day workshop. Give yourself the golden opportunity to stretch your observational and improvisational painting skills (oil or acrylics), while enjoying one of the most beautiful working farms and estate near Siena. Explore concrete formalities of painting: composition, light, shape and form while learning how to “solve” visual problems as they arrive working from on-site.  During your stay at the beautiful 19th century Tenuta Di Spannocchia Villa, you can enjoy its historic working organic farm, hiking paths, farm animals and also, its amazing food! Wine making, cooking classes, Italian lessons and many other activities are also offered as part of your Italian experience at Spannocchia.

WORKSHOP FEE: $2500.00 private room with bath in Fattoria. A non-painting partner’s fee is $1500.00.  Please send a non-refundable deposit of $250.00 to hold your place. A savings of $200.00 applies if remainder of deposit ($750.00) is made by March 1, 2014.
Balance must be paid by May 1st, 2014.
WORKSHOP FEES INCLUDE:
• Tuition – daily class in and around the estate of Spannocchia di Castello.
• Room and Full Board, including lunch – your choice of room in the Villa.  Spannocchia serves a 4-course dinner Monday - Friday evenings and Sunday evening at 7:30 PM. Dinner begins at 7:30 with the primo piatto (first course), a pasta, soup or risotto made with seasonal vegetables or meat. The secondo piatto (main course) is a meat—usually pork, beef, venison, or chicken, served with a contorno (side dish) of seasonal vegetables from the Spannocchia vegetable garden and insalata (green salad) that can be dressed to taste with Spannocchia-produced olive oil and vinegar. Dolce (dessert)— panna cotta, tiramisu, cantucci , and vin santo for example--is served at the end of the meal. Bread, wine, and water are included in the meal as well. On Saturday night workshop participants will have dinner in one of the nearby villages. This is the only meal that is not covered by the workshop fee.
• Historical tour of the Castello with one of the staff members of Tenuta di Spannocchia will be scheduled for two hours after breakfast on the first morning of the program.
• Access to other areas of the Villa including the library, living room, terrace and gardens with views of the vegetable garden, castle tower, vineyards, and olive orchards.

NOT INCLUDED: Airfare, ground transportation to Spannocchia, taxis, gratuities, optional activities, Saturday night dinner, painting supplies.
All program participants must arrive between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM on the start date of the program, unless other arrangements are made.
If program participants wish to stay extra days before or after the official program dates, please contact the reservation website, http://www.spannocchia.com/ or by contacting our Guest Service Coordinator at reservations@spannocchia.org.

Connecting with the Tuscan Landscape:
Painting Poetically and Confidently With Hélène Farrar      September 15 – 22nd  2014

Enrollment Form

WORKSHOP FEE:

$2500.00 / student.  A non-painting partner’s fee is $1500.00.
A full deposit is $750. Please send a non-refundable deposit of $250.00 to hold your place.
A savings of $200.00 applies if remainder of deposit ($750.00) is made by March 1, 2014.
Balance must be paid by May 1st, 2014.
Please make sure all payments payable to Hélène Farrar Art.  Check and Credit Cards payments are acceptable.

Participant(s) Information:
Name_________________________________________________________________________
Address___________________________________________________________________
City________________________________State____________________Postal Code_______
Email_______________________________________________________

Emergency Contact Name, Relationship and Phone Numbers____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
All enrolled participants will receive written confirmation and further workshop information including meeting dates and times following receipt of enrollment form.  Participants will also receive a Release and Waiver of Liability Form, additional information about the Spannocchia Foundation.

Cancellation Policy:
If the minimum number of participants is not met by July 1, 2013 payments will be returned.
In the event of cancellation
60 days or more prior to departure date             Full Refund less $50. Administrative fee
59 – 30 prior to departure date             50% Refund
Less than 30 days prior to departure date  No refund

Insurance:
We strongly advise that participants purchase travel & health insurance to protect your investment.
www.insuremytrip.com or other company of your choice.

"Struttin' Their Stuff - Chickens and Friends" Coming to Artwalk Gardiner December 6th!

Coming Soon to Water Street Cafe in Gardiner soon!!!!!!

White Pullet  30 X 22 inches Encaustic

Chicken with Green  22 X 30  Encaustic

By the Barn  12 X 20  Encaustic

Hen Eating  5 X 5 Encaustic

Fast Food  10 X 10  Encaustic

With White Flowers  5 X 5 Encaustic

Standing Tall 5 X 5 Inches Encaustic

Returning to the Tent  12 X 20 Inches  Encaustic

With My Mama  10 X 10 Encaustic

Orange Fringe  5 X 5 Encaustic

Skinny Chicken  10 X 10 Encaustic

A little background to my chicken works and other BIRDWORKS

My journey into "Birdworks" started about eight years ago. I was sitting in a rental car in a New Mexico parking lot with my dying Mother. She pointed out the window, “Look at those birds. They are just so lovely. Here, give them my hamburger bun and let’s just watch them.” As they swooped down for their dinner, their flying and fluttering forms forced a moment of quiet and observation in an otherwise intense and painful period in my life.  Birds from that point on became something else - a witness to life’s events and cycles, portraits, commmentaries on life and relationships, and a generous slice of humor.

Birdworks and chicken paintings alike have also become explorations in developing a rich color experience and rigorous surface. Most of them are created in encaustic (a molten beeswax paint dating back to the Ancient Egyptians). The texture on these are heavy and many push limitations of what painting is. Painted surfaces are created with a variety of tools (from ceramic to dental:) and you have to work quickly while the wax and support are still warm. I both carve into the wax surface and build layer upon layer (some paintings have 30 - 50 layers of wax).  I also work with varying the heat on top of the surface. Encaustic is an old Greek word meaning to "burn in". Hence, every layer is heated into the one prior to create proper connections. I use a combination of a heat gun and a torch to do this. My original interest in painting chickens evolved from a colorful conversation with one of my young students about her family chickens arriving in the mail.