basta, enough, stop!

One of the first Italian words I learned was "basta", enough. A child was being reprimanded, and the word sounded terrible to me. Later I discovered it to be an incredibly useful word when, senza la lingua, I could point to what I wanted to buy then say "basta" when the quantity was sufficient.

Today is "finish the two watercolours" day. The painting of the church was first. There were a few tiny lines to lift off, some terracotta tiles to soften, some window frames to subdue. And then, expecting to being strengthening shadows and contrasts, I decided to walk away from it. It is finished. My work with it is over. It has a character of its own, painted by me but with a slightly different, softer hand. The work is more mellow, gentle. It doesn't need the strong contrasts of the New Zealand landscape.

Maybe, finally, I have internalised the different light that Europe offers. The gentle mauves, the pastel pinks, the wonderful warm terracotta (literally, cooked earth) and the lazy warmth of the sun on ancient stones.

I have been contemplating the work for a few days now, expecting each day to see something that must be corrected, altered, strengthened or softened. There was almost nothing. Each time I looked at the work I saw it as a storybook illustration, not as my work.

It is time to let it go, to walk away.
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