First Watercolor Painting

Palladio’s Basilica, Vicenza, Italy, 1991.

I vividly remember painting this scene of Vicenza, Italy.  It was my first attempt at painting with watercolor.  I recall positioning myself along canal Fiume Retrone which gave me a view of the south side of Andrea Palladio’s famous copper-domed Basilica, its clock tower rising in the background.

After lightly sketching the outlines of the scene, I got up from my sketching spot to get a better look.  For some reason, I left my sketchbook, pencils, watercolor kit, and my yellow Sony walkman behind.  I walked down the canal a number of paces and studied my subject from a different angle.  When I turned around, I saw a teenage, Italian boy walking away from my belongings, Sony walkman in hand.  Not knowing much Italian, I yelled after him, “Bambino! Bambino! (Baby boy! Baby boy!)  That’s my walkman!” 

He gave me a smirk as if to say, “Look, lady, I know it’s your walkman, that’s why I’m taking it.  And don't call me “bambino!”

Well, at least he didn’t take my paints.