The weather in Italy is sunny and warm all summer. That’s hardly a surprise. What’s been surprising is how cool it’s been this July – but really, nobody’s complaining. The Carol and Ed Maddox show left on the 7th with smiles on their faces and incredibly heavy luggage. When Ed and Carol are here, they are treated not only to Carol’s thoughtful and spot-on critiques and her treasure trove of techniques, but also Ed’s expertise on wines and foods…sometimes quite obscure…usually with an interesting story and strange provenance. They painted, trekked, ate, drank, and shopped until a point at which I would have dropped. They didn’t drop. They got an espresso and shopped some more. Now we have a group led by the multi-talented professor, calligrapher, poet, and painter, Laurie Doctor. Besides being pure and complex artistic expressions, these exquisite sketchbooks filled with letters and words and poems and sketches and paintings, must be the perfect souvenir of a stay in Umbria. Laurie’s evening lectures are spellbinding.

Big news at La Romita is the successful installation of an ecologically advanced, water based air-conditioning system in the church / studio. The system uses relatively little energy, no ozone depleting chemicals, and keeps that large space at a comfortable 75 degrees even on the hottest afternoons. It has met with enthusiastic approval from our artists. This 75 degree weather we’re having right now can’t last all summer but I must admit it’s gorgeous.

Enza and Ben are in Washington for a few weeks for those who would like to contact them….

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