Art International Zurich

“Your work has been accepted,” were the only words passing through my (tired) brain, the day I discovered the jurors in the Art International Zurich had approved my application to participate in the 16th international art fair they are having this year.  I was over the moon!

Every Autumn, galleries and independent artists from all over the world, like migrating birds, make their way to one of the most important and beautiful cities in Switzerland:  Zurich.  The Congress Hall will house a wide range of contemporary artworks which have been carefully selected by its very own committee.  Exhibiting my work along work of other talented individuals in the heart of the historic centre of Zurich has me feeling very accomplished!

What contents me the most about this event is that I will be representing, through my paintings, the beautiful place I call home:  Ticino.  Without its stunning mountains, historical cities, history, and forests, I think I wouldn’t create the art I create!

The Art International Zurich is open to everyone with a passion for culture and the Arts.  “Reflections of Ticino,” and “Ticino through my window,” will both be displaying on the main floor of the hall, stand K27.

Some of the work in display are:

A series of reflections of the city of castles: Bellinzona.

Val Verzasca’s favorite spot, ponte dei salti. A reflection of it, on the river’s rapids.

The very famous painting of the reflection of San Pietro and the promenade of Ascona.

Morcote’s promenade. Image selected for the Art International Zurich catalogue.

An interpretation of a little port, in Gandria, leading to lake Lugano at night.

A little rustico (house made out of Ticinese stones) in Bosco Gurin in the winter time.

The typical local fruit in the area of Ticino: Castagne.

The place I call home, and its beautiful houses looked from above.

If you are in the area and want to say hello, please visit ART INTERNATIONAL ZURICH for more information.  I hope to see you there!!!

The day “Morning coffee” is gone…

It is time to say goodbye to yet another piece of art created by my very own hands.

The sale of “Morning Coffee” brings joy and sadness all at the same time. This funny feeling does not end at the shaking of hands/dried ink sort of speak. Next week I’m putting the series down and I’m preparing myself to experience both joy and sadness simultaneously.

The memories of hot summer afternoons, overlooking the tranquil waters of Lake Maggiore, sitting under the shade of trees older than history…all those things is what “Morning coffee” is to me.  The three, 1m x 0.70m canvases covered with all sort of patterns recreate the most beloved and visited spot of Ticino:  The piazza of Ascona.  To call the piazza of Ascona “popular” is an understatement.  Every sort of gathering happens in this piazza.  In the past, women are said to have come to the piazza’s shore to do some laundry, but I personally believe there was more chatting and little washing.  It’s in the nature of this spectacular piazza.  It seduces you to leave all shores behind you.  You can’t help but feel the need to love life as you see the peace and the beauty of the lake and its surrounding mountains.

This magical aspect, the one I discovered while sipping the so many latte macchiatos I’ve had at the piazza, is what I hoped to capture in my 3 paintings.  I seem not to be alone thinking I have succeeded in recreating a “happy feel” as soon as one lays eyes on these 3 paintings.

Here is a „last look“ at Morning coffee.  What is the end to long hours of work is a new beginning for yet other amazing paintings of this piazza.  And that’s the joyful part of selling art.  Thank you client!

 

Morning coffee 1.

Morning coffee 2.

Morning coffee 3

 

Locarno Film Festival

Watching a film under an open sky, enclosed within the walls of the beautiful buildings surrounding the stony piazza grande, Locarno, is an experience, residents and visitors alike, look forward to enjoying every summer.

The excitement of magical warm nights in the piazza Grande, is not confined to this famous square. Not at all. Everyone is celebrating and honoring human creativity, Art, and cultural richness through different talks, events, and workshops.

This is why I’m so excited to announce that I will be joining in the celebration! I will be hosting a series of Ticinese aperitifs not only to honor Ticinese art, but also Ticinese culture.

I must say that preparing for these events is a lot of hard work, but also lots of fun. Looking for the best Ticinese ingredients for the aperitifs has taken me down the road of discovery. I’ve learned a thing or two about the delicious Ticinese salametto, and have come to believe the best cheese in town comes from a lonely wooden shed along an isolated road up to some isolated valley.

What’d be better than a starry night to watch a good film, you’d ask? A Ticinese aperitif at Perdomo Artworks, I’d say!

About the events:

What?
A ticinese aperitif, with local artist Carmen Perdomo.

When?

11, 12, and 13 of August, 2014. From 09:00 till 13:00.

Where?

Perdomo Artworks, @ Contrada Maggiore 6, 6612 Ascona.

How?

Free entrance; you just need to show up!

If you come by bus: take bus number 1 towards Ascona. Take bus stop in front of police station. Walk direction of the Post Office. Continue by foot on Via borgo. Turn left on Contrada Maggiore. Turn right on Passaggio San Pietro. Bus ticket is about 3 chf.

If you prefer to walk it: from Piazza grande, walk towards the Visconteo Castle, pass the underpass (big roundabout) and continue towards Via della Moretina. Pass the bridge and continue towards Ascona. Walk towards the Post office, continue on Via Borgo. Turn left on Contrada maggiore. Turn right at Passaggio San Pietro.

Why?
Enhance your film festival experience by seeing on canvas, some Ticinese landscapes. Eat, and drink Ticinese local produce. Meet people with same interests. Connect, share, and discover art and culture.

I look forward to meeting you!

Gandria’s Red boat : a day to recall

I looked through my journal today, to try to find again, the how’s and the why’s,that gave rise to creation of “Red boat.”  This is what I found:

“Red Boat” will be part of my collection, “Ticino through my window.“  Today I discovered a small red boat in the port of Gandria, Ticino. Its beautiful red color wasn’t the only thing that demanded my attention, but also the gentle motion by which it rocked backwards and forward. A motion that made a squeaky sound to the touch of a tree branch just resting next to the boat.  “It looks as if they’re playing,“ I heard my inner voice saying.  “Perhaps the boat likes to be tickled by the arm of the tree, and that squeaky sound is the sound of the boat’s laugh!“ I smiled big. I walked down to the water, grabbed my glass from my backpack, grabbed my watercolors, and started sketching these funny playmates.

I unhooked my painting, took one last look at it, and said:  “So long!”

“Red boat is going to Australia to be appreciated and pampered by two happy new owners.  I couldn’t have asked for more!

The Birch trees of Val Bavona

There is something spectacular about Val Bavona, and it’s not just its popular 80 meters high waterfall in the town of Foroglio. Val Bavona offers more than that. There are trails with amazing views, and places where experienced and not so experienced climbers can enjoy some steep mountains. For me, Val Bavona has offered me more than beauty and entertainment: it has given me the inspiration to create a new painting!
The Birch trees of Val Bavona, is now part of my collection: “Ticino through my window.” It depicts a forest of Birch trees along the famous trail of Cristallina. It’s been fun recreating the colors and overall composition of a tiny ecological part of what’s one of the most beautiful valleys in the canton Ticino.

Art made by nature

It caught my attention: The blue paint has cracked (with time) and now my town enjoys the viewing of a new painting! Thank you, mother nature!

A typical artistic day, in a nutshell!

A very quick video of what a productive day as an artist should be…clearly exaggerated!

Portrait

I had just to make my last hair stroke on my new portrait painting to count the work as officially finished.  As imagined by friends and family alike, my portrait painting is not a self portrait, but a personal study of someone else’s life.  It’s a painting I’ve named:  ephemerality.  This word can describe every stage of the work, as with each brush stroke the image was transformed to a new “being,” or a more recognizable being.

The work itself is my own interpretation of the moment I was lucky to caught on my sitter.  The white background for me, represents her innocence and the purity of the image.  The white egg hanging from her ear lobe represents her fertility.  There is a ticking clock behind, in the background.  Unlike any other kid, this one is serious.  She’s aware, like myself, that time has tremendous powers and I, as an artist, am just an observant of ephemeral moments. 

Something new

On my way home from town, I looked up and noticed the fresh snow on Bogorno.  Something down my feet caught my eye eventually.  I quickly came off the spell of the mountain’s beauty,  There, about to be squashed by my own foot, a brown leaf covered by newly formed water drops was my source of inspiration today!  I quickly grabbed my watercolors to catch on paper, something so simple yet fascinating.

“Don’t just look up!”  I thought to myself….

Invito

 

The modified self portrait of Marianne Werefkin, the founder of our museum of contemporary Art, here in Ascona.

„Ticino through my window (Ticino attraverso la mia finestra).“

 

 Ciao a tutti!

Perdomo Artworks ed io, Carmen Perdomo, abbiamo il piacere di estendere il nostro invito a Lei, che ama l’arte ed il Ticino.

Venerdì 4 ottobre dalle ore 18.00, presso la galleria “Perdomo Artworks” di Ascona, inaugurerò la mia nuova collezione di dipinti “Ticino Through my window”.

L’idea – di guardare il Ticino attraverso una finestra – mi è venuta durante un viaggio di due anni fa ad Avignone, Francia. Dopo aver fatto un centinaio di fotografie alle mura ed al pavimento della sede papale di Avignone, provai a fare una foto alla città attraverso una vecchia finestra. Nel riguardare lo scatto mi sorpresi di quanto la distorsione che il vetro aveva prodotto riuscisse ad esaltare ancor di più la bellezza di quel posto. Dopodichè mi chiesi come sarebbe sembrata la mia di città, attraverso quel vetro. In quel momento decisi che, una volta tornata a casa, avrei fatto di tutto per avere un vetro come quello; fortunatamente lo trovai proprio in Ticino, a Tegna.

Fu così che, tra un dipinto e l’altro della mia prima collezione “Reflections of Ticino”, mi ritagliai del tempo per attraversare le diverse zone del Ticino col mio vecchio-nuovo compagno: il vetro “alla francese”.

“Ticino through my window” include quadri di meravigliosi scorci del sotto e sopra ceneri ed è anche un tributo personale al simbolo della storia dell’arte ticinese, la fondatrice del “Museo di Arte Moderna di Ascona,” Marianna Werefkin.

 

Vi aspettiamo numerosi!

Carmen Perdomo

 

Un po’ della collezione:

 

Marianne Werefkin

 

Morning coffee

 

Jesus

 

Morning in Gandria

 

DOVE SIAMO: