Firenze XI, Italian Landscape Painting
6/24/2012 8:55:29 AM
Around this time of the year, Calcio Storico is the talk of the town in Florence, Italy. For several days, Piazza Santa Croce is the place of this uniquely florentine sport event. Calcio can be described as a combination of football, soccer and rugbybut it's more than a sport event; it's a huge festival. With players in historical costume, four teams representing four districts in the city play against each other until they have a winner on June 24.
Piazza Santa Croce was packed with an enthusiastic crowd watching a calcio tournament under the sun. It's really something to be part of it but, for [...]
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Napoli II, Italian Landscape Painting
6/21/2012 4:49:31 PM
To anyone traveling to Italy, I won't hesitate to say, "Italy is so beautiful, wonderful, magical; you'll have the time of your life; have fun." I don't think anyone will come back later and blame me for being a liar because, most likely, it's true. In fact, before I go to Italy, friends tell me the same things.
Before my planned visit to Naples, however, more than a fair share of my friends said something along the lines of "Be careful" rather than "have a great time!" It got me worried a little but I had a great time there anyway.
OK, I won't sugarcoat [...]
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Yokohama Chinatown II, Japanese Landscape Painting
6/17/2012 1:45:30 AM
When I was in Dallas, Texas last March, I had the pleasure and honor of giving a demonstration to members of the Southwestern Watercolor Society. Sitting in the front row of a room full of people, was a gracious old lady. She was watching me paint with a loving, supportive smile and I cannot tell you how much that helped me relax in front of a large audience!
Later a mutual friend introduced me to her. Her name is Naomi Brotherton, a very well-known watercolor artist from the area, and she's still active throughout the South and Southwest. Learning that she was [...]
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Asakusa, Tokyo IV, Japanese Landscape Painting
6/14/2012 4:41:01 AM
Most visitors to Asakusa Temple walk under this massive red lantern hung at the Thunder Gate. The Japanese word for the name of the gate written on the lantern, many visitors stop here to take a photo of this landmark, making the surrounding area always very crowded.
Two young men were waiting for customers for their jinrikisha by this gate (jinrikisha, originally a Japanese word meaning human-powered vehicle, may be more commonly known as rickshaw in English). Pulling a jinrikisha is such a physically demanding job, it is perhaps best done by fit young men. I happened to strike up a conversation [...]
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Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan III, Interior Painting
6/10/2012 1:08:26 PM
The people in this shop are busily making ningyo-yaki, one of traditional Japanese snacks sold along Nakamise Street in Asakusa.
Asakusa is a temple town with a feel of Old Japan and is always fun… and crowded. Although it's in Tokyo, the area around here has quite a different atmosphere which gives us small glimpses of how life used to be. With the completion of Tokyo Skytree, now the world's tallest tower and not far from Asakusa, the area has seen a surge in tourism and is even more vibrant.
Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan III
A larger image of this painting is available on request.
Media: [...]
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Kiritappu, Hokkaido I, Japanese Seascape Painting
6/6/2012 2:06:05 PM
From the top of the cliff at Cape Kiritappu in eastern Hokkaido, I could see several fishing boats bobbing in rough water. As its Japanese name implies, the area around here is often foggy but on the day I was there it was mostly clear - only freezing cold.
On a small boat three fishermen were hard at work but I couldn't tell what was caught in their nets. No matter what, their catch must have been of excellent quality. Hokkaido, Japan's nothernmost island, is surrounded by the three oceans and has the most fertile fishing grounds in the country. Salmon from [...]
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Fish Market, Hokkaido II, Japanese Landscape Painting
6/2/2012 11:44:55 PM
Crabs, squids, salmon eggs, sea urchin, scallops, etc… you see many kinds of fish and shellfish being sold at this busy morning market and they are as fresh as they can be.
The best part may be that you can taste some or all of them on top of a steaming bowl of rice right there if you arrive hungry. Just look around those eating places along the street that offer a variety of seafood-topped breakfast rice bowls, and wander into one - the more crowded, the better.
For serious foodies, the joy doesn't have to stop with breakfast. Hakodate, the third-largest city [...]
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