Rome near the Trevi Fountain around 5 o'clock.

blue parrot.

Colin Lanceley was my Supervisor during my Post-Graduate in Painting in 1985 at City Art Institute.I was a Melbourne girl looking to live in Sydney and experience all it had to offer.

I lived minutes away on the ferry, out of the most magnificent harbour in the world.....on the waters edge a little place called Fairlight...near Manly.
Commuting was pure bliss....life was good and learning made me wake up in a frenzy....I was a painter being watched over, by the best working artist's Australia had to offer.
Of that year there were 13 students chosen to study that program. We were a diverse bunch with closed off studio spaces on the top floor.

Strangely none of us were close.Competitive notions all around I suspect....alas my time in this inner sanctum, grew more and more exciting by the day.Colin spent much of his time telling me stories about being a young artist knocking around with Whiteley and all the boys.One story I remember well was the day he won the Russell Drysdale Travelling Scholarship....he was 19.
It took him to Europe and down to Normandy....he was put up in a house like studio to do his work, when on a sunny afternoon a friend had arranged for an artist to come for a visit.....that artist was Joan Miro.
For most of the day I kept thinking how utterly unselfish Colin was, so generous in his recollections....to share those unique and unsurpassed moments......was him being a great teacher and a thoughtful mentor....before mentor's became a dime a dozen.
My time in that most memorable studio space in that year, created a fervor of excitement...a feeling I will long remember.

With 97 pieces of work and a one man show to end my time at C.A.I ...I purchased my ticket to ROME.
As a dual citizen with an Italian passaporto...thanks to my dear Papa....life would once again be full.
Stefania my cousin was studying journalism and living very close to the city centre...I was made very welcome indeed.....she and I would walk the Via's late into the nights meandering from one thrilling corner to another......eyeing the most beautiful boys in the world...roaming like a true roman.

Lit for the God's "The Fountain de Trevi"was enamoring to say the least.
One late afternoon we bought ice creams and sat around the fountain....I was spellbound by the way all the windows were dressed....merchandising heaven.The pane of the window looked like a sheet of glass made from a large cut diamond...so glassy and clean.I looked in to see the most stunning blue parrot broach.....it had a little embossed card suspended from a gold chain dangling from above...the beautifully hand written card said.."COLLECTION OF IRIS APFEL"........truly elegant.

To my left was a very cluttered magazine shop, with old editions of La Sposa Bella....one in particular had a woman's face photographed in purple....which I adored.

Collage had been a strong component of my work for along time and this one was made on my cousin Stefania's kitchen table...while she cooked dinner....I'm fond of this work for that reason.

Cascading water at the Trevi and sentimental wishes thrown in with the coins... my attentions turn to the cuckoo clock singing....... its 5 o'clock.
Viva Roma...sempre.

purple fiori's