After a very long absence, here I am: I’m back in Ticino, back in Ascona!
Yet, not everything is as it was. Although I never thought I would find a nice studio like the one I once had in Ascona, I was lucky to have found this beautiful rustic atelier in the Onsernone, a valley so wild, not many know where it is! However, just like Ascona, the valley has been home to many artists and writers who, like me, were looking for a special place to find inspiration.
And indeed, it’s not that difficult to feel inspired between these beautiful mountains! The deep green colors of its forests in summer, the colors of Autumn, the bitter cold yet sunny winter, and the smell of herb and wild flowers of Spring. There is no boring season in the mountains!
My new atelier is on the main road of the valley in the picturesque town called Russo. I am surrounded by thick, solid and steady Ticinese walls. Time has only been able to destroy where once was a fresco…in the back wall. Little is known about the history of the house where I am at but for now it sure makes a nice cozy place where one can spend hours painting or making a sculpture.
I am so looking forward to doing exactly that: create, explore, and teach. Yes, this time around, I open the atelier to people curious to give painting or sculpting a go! The lessons are tons of fun…strangers becoming friends, friends working together, laughing together! My new atelier will be filled with plenty of smiles! And so here I am, a happy me, back in Ticino!