Not a collection of jugs

    An old friend asked me if I was hoarding, don't be silly, I answered, I'm ready to do lots of pouring, and in great style with these jugs and others that I do not possess. 'Another Jug' prints and originals are on show at the moment in Udine at Temporary/Permanent, a delightful little gallery run by Toni Casula and Giovanna Durì. Do go along and have a look if you're in the area. 

    Un vecchio amico mi ha chiesto se stavo accumulando brocche in modo compulsivo, ma no, che sciocco, ho risposto, mi sto preparando per poter versare molto, e a questo punto sono pronta, in grande stile con queste brocche ed altre che per ora non possiedo. Potere vedere 'Another Jug' stampe e originali in questi giorni a Udine, nella deliziosa galleria Temporary/Permanent, gestita da Toni Casula e Giovanna Durì. Fate un salto a trovargli se siete in zona.

Gardenia magazine collage

I'm working on August and September at the moment
and the monthly collage for Gardenia magazine is
definitely one of my favourite projects!
Here are some of this year's illustrations.
In questi giorni sto preparando i disegni per agosto 
e settembre. Il collage per la rivista Gardenia è sicuramente 
uno dei miei lavori preferiti! 
Ecco le altre illustrazioni di quest'anno.

Delights of a lifetime! Delizie di una vita!

It was both fascinating and moving hearing the story of this group of friends and then illustrating it for a 60th birthday present - thank you so much for asking me! The finished piece is this sumptuous table, one of the advantages of age is having such a great story to tell.
Sentire il racconto di questo gruppo di amiche per poi illustrarlo in forma di regalo per una che compiva sessantanni era affascinante ed emozionante - grazie di cuore per avermi chiesto! Il pezzo finito è questa tavola suntuosa, una dei vantaggi dell'età che avanza, una bella storia da raccontare.

Two private commissions/Due commissioni private

Some time last year I was contacted by a lady who lives in England and often comes to Italy for work. She had seen my maps for La Repubblica on one of her trips. A close friend of hers was about to have her 50th birthday and her ex husband was coming up to 60. She sent me some details of the places and events she wanted to include and together we worked towards defining the content. It was interesting for me as some of the stories were intertwined. Here are the final maps.

L'anno scorso sono stata contattata da una signora che abita in Inghiterra e viene spesso in Italia per lavoro. Aveva visto le mie mappe per La Repubblica. Una sua carissima amica stava per compiere 50 anni e suo ex marito 60. Mi ha inviato alcuni dettagli dei posti e gli eventi che voleva raccontare e abbiamo lavorato insieme per definire il contenuto. Per me era interessante perché alcuni parti delle loro storie si intrecciavano. Qua trovate le mappe definitive.

Welcome Victoria . Benvenuta Victoria!

A new commission, possibly my youngest client, Victoria,
6 months, though her grandmother had a hand in it too. Thanks Milena!
Una nuova commissione e a sei mesi Victoria potrebbe essere il mio 
cliente più giovane; chiaramente c'era anche la nonna. Grazie Milena!

Rue Schiller 9

This building is the Luxembourg headquarters of the Farad Group
and I'm delivering the drawing to them next week.
Questo edificio è dove si trovano gli uffici lussemburghesi del Farad Group 
e consegnerò il disegno la settimana prossima.

 

The Game of the Goose/Il Giuoco dell'Oca

Actually bubbles in this case, a present to a doctor who's retiring, commissioned by her colleagues.
Bolle in questo caso, regalo a una dottoressa che sta andando in pensione, commissionata dai suoi colleghi.

.

numbers + words = special present / numeri + parole = regalo speciale

A recent commission which will adapt to lots of different situations; maybe 
this could be another print edition... Un recente lavoro commissionatomi che 
potrebbe adattarsi a situazioni molto diverse, magari a un'altra 
edizione di stampe...

Latest commission

Another wedding present featuring trips all over the world
with a fabulous house in via Malpighi, to come home to.
Known as Casa Galimberti, it was designed in 1905 by the
architect Giovanni Battista Bossi for the Galimberti brothers.
It's in an interesting bit of Milan, around Porta Venezia, where
some of the best Art Nouveau (Liberty in Italian) buildings are
to be found. These sprang up at the beginning of the 20th
century when the "Lazzaretto", the hospital complex that dealt
with suffers during frequent outbreaks of the plague was
almost completely demolished. 
As Shakespeare so neatly puts it,
"Journeys end in lovers meeting".

Thanks Will!

New commission

For a wedding this time, on the 4th October.
A present of two rather beautiful quotes.
Viva gli sposi!!

Some of the recipes...

Here's the whole piece which left for its new home
yesterday evening. Now I can't wait to see it there and
experience the (-: lively) Octopus with Potatoes!

Meanwhile...I've just finished something else

It's a commissioned piece and this was a test - more next week after I've delivered the original!

Pupi Solari

I was very excited to be asked to participate in the book
project celebrating Pupi Solari's birthday recently.
Here are the pieces I did, one of the wonderful house and
garden in Liguria and the other showing a dinner party with
all Pupi's favourite food, friends and family!

...and here's the rest!

Yes, Potato project revealed! A really fun
commission for me and a Christmas present
too! A list of favourite things, one metre long;
interesting present...

Private commisssions

I'm very interested in cataloghing information and I have been
making maps about events or situations in my life for a while now.
It started over ten years ago when, after selling my mother's house
near London, I felt I needed to make some images to help me remember
the wonderful garden she had created. Since then I have also depicted
'My Italy' and am currently tracking the passage of my life through the
movements of various pieces of furniture and other belongings,
a job which, of course, needs to be constantly updated.
I have recently started doing these maps for other people.

One of the first maps of my mother's garden

Later images on canvas where I immagined myself walking in the garden

One of the pieces from the 'Things Moving' series, furniture travelling around.
Two are currently in a group show in Milan, Palazzo delle Stelline

A present for an American client whose company was celebrating it's 20th birthday. 

Lara's holidays, including her honeymoon, over a period of nine 
years which she commissioned as a birthday present for her husband.

'My Italy' as seen from where I am in Milan

This is so many people's favourite building...

 Belmont was commissioned by a friend for her mother’s 8oth birthday.

A bit of everything - favourite wine labels make a picture

Commissions

Lara's holidays, including her honeymoon, over a period of nine 
years which she commissioned as a birthday present for her husband.

House portrait of Belmont, Montgomery

A friend commissioned this piece as an 8oth birthday present for her mother.