Painting in the dark?! Evening concert in Civita.

Last night, I was dead tired, but it was the night of a big event here in Civita... a concert in the piazza by jazz singer Rosanna Casale, and the entire town plus a whole lot more would be there. so I really couldn't miss it.  I hopped in the shower, put on fresh clothes, grabbed my sketchbook and stool, and headed for the piazza a little after 9:30pm.

Sitting way at the back, I pulled out my book and pencil and started to sketch, barely able to see in the dark.  Luckily, I had already drawn this church facade many times, so I had a picture in my mind to make up for what I couldn't see with my eyes.  OK...pencil sketch done...then I sat there for a few minutes while the music played on, debating whether or not to pull out the paints.  Aw heck, it was a JAZZ concert--given the music, I HAD to improvise paint it on site, even if I couldn't see!!  So, I poured the water, propped everything up in my lap, and started to paint...IN THE DARK!

Luckily, I knew what color was where on my palette, as I literally could only see darks and lights, and those only barely. I was laughing the entire time, curious to see what this would actually looked like in the light!  The sand of the piazza blew, and now that the sketch is done, I can feel the grit embedded in the paint on the paper. Amazingly, the sketch actually captures the feel of the event pretty well!  

After sketching, holding my book open so the paint might dry, I walked around and saw the warm and wonderful people I have come to know a bit here--Alessandro and Giovanni who had Jim Corey and me to a lovely lunch in their absolutely stunning home in Civita--their bedroom and bathroom are literally built in the Etruscan caves on the cliff, Paolo and Cristiana who live in another exquisite home and garden here--Cristiana urging Paolo to bring me what turned out to be a delicious tiny cup of local grappa, an exhausted Gustavo sitting outside Manuella's restaurant kitchen having his own private table with the best view of the piazza, and a brief glimpse of NIAUSI's president and my new fratello, Giacomo Corey...

it was so very worth it to be there, to see and feel this evening in the heart of Civita and to even capture it in a sketch...

Drawn and Painted in the dark, during an evening jazz concert in Civita' piazza. August 2

What it really looked like!!