2022 has been an eventful and happy year as Marta and I were married here in Tuscany in September, and then in November we spent an incredible month in Thailand for our honeymoon. Neither of us had ever been to Asia so we were excited to visit a totally new part of the world. Our objective was to see the main points of interest around the country, stopping to paint for a few days at each place. So we planned our route, booked our flights and accomodations, and ordered a bunch of canvas panels from our friend Leo Mancini-Hresko at his new venture Mako Supply…
Mako Supply panels arrive at our place in Italy
Packed and ready we boarded our first flight from Florence to Paris, then after a short layover embarked on the long-haul voyage to Bangkok…
Toasting the start of the journey
Sawasdee krap Bangkok!
Scouting locations to paint
Wat Arun Temple seen from across the Chao Phraya river
Next day heading out with the painting gear
Marta painting the Wat Arun temple
Photo credit: Mary-Jane Dechavas
Me painting the Wat Arun temple
Photo credit: Akcarawat Jaipech
Checking out Golden Mount temple
Checking out Golden Mount Temple
Tuk Tuk'n from temple to temple
Finding my view at Wat Pho temple
Painting at Wat Pho Temple
Cute painting spectators
No pressure
Ok!
Marta's set up at Wat Pho
After Bangkok we flew up to the northern city of Chiang Mai…
View from hotel, Chiang Mai
Scouting
Marta at work on a bridge scene, captured by a passing photographer
Photo credit: Camila Preciado
Marta at work
Photo credit: Camila Preciado
Finding my subject, an elaborate concrete Naga sculpture in progress at the temple of Wat Chiang Man
Sculptor Narong "Jiangwat Serpent" Boonthep explains his plan for the day's session
Painting the sculptor at work
Progress as a monk from the temple checks out Narong's work
The temple's Abbott honours me by taking a look
Exploring Chiang Mai during the Loy Krathong festival of lights
Lanterns everywhere
Marta preparing to launch her floating lantern (Krathong) into the river
Searching for a nocturnal scene
Found it!
Progress on nocturne from hostel patio
Temple touring
Next stop: Sukhothai - an amazing historical park with ruined palace and temples…
Checking out the Sukhothai historical park
Looking for a good view
Scouting on bikes - this place is huge
Ruined temples surrounded by lotus ponds
Wat Sa Si
My first set up - backlit temple ruins
Progress
Marta looking for a spot
Marta's first subject - a Buddhist ritual taking place under a giant tree
Marta's second spot
My late day view - ruined chedis across the moat
Going for reflections
Progress
Next stop: Ayyutthaya - also featuring incredible ruined temples…
Our driver Joy with his tuk tuk - perfect way to see the sights
Quick tour of the main temples. Pictured: Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Riding in style
Wat Chaiwatthanaram
Exploring
Joy agrees to pose for me in front of the temple
Progess on portrait of Joy
Dramatic skies after a heavy downpour
Marta's view of prang and chedi temple elements
Progress on Marta's sketch
My second set up, by the river
Working on river sketch
End of a productive day
After Ayutthaya we headed back to Bangkok and flew south to Phuket, gatway to the Thai islands on the Andaman Sea
In front of our resort on spectacular Railay Beach West
Long-tail boat: the principal means of tranportation to and from Railay
On a mission to Krabi Town for turpentine
Magic hour on Railay Beach
Scouting at nearby Phra Nang cave beach
My subject is a towering limestone cliff characteristic of the area, known as a karst formation
Boat tour to the nearby islands of Koh Poda and Thale Waek
Finding our second set up on Railay West
Marta's sketch of a long-tail boat
Me working on a sunset sketch
Progress before we get rained out
From Railay we caught a speedboat to the nearby island of Koh Lanta…
Speedboat to Koh Lanta
Bumpy tuk tuk ride to the hotel
Appreciating gorgeous sunset from the beach bar
Off to see the Old Town
Old Town explorations
Marta finds a portrait subject she's feeling...
A colourful rooster happy to pose
I opt for a view of traditional fisherman shack and shop facades
Working out a preliminary compositional drawing
Next day we hit Bamboo Beach and I get in a quick watercolour
Back to Old Town, this time with the full painting kit
Marta finds her subject ready for the next sitting
My strategic streetscape position
Sketching out the buildings
These Mako gaterboard panels are great - super light and durable
Progress
After a good day's work
Next day we're back on the beach and meet some local kids who want to join in the drawing fun
Start of a portrait of Marta kneeling in the surf. My one larger canvas of the trip
Progress
Low vantage point to match Marta's position
Happy with the start - to be finished in studio
Marta working on a sketch of me sitting
Portrait coming along nicely
Working on the Mako panel
Me being entertained by the local kids - natural comedians
Working on a cloudy afternoon beachscape
Detail
Marta going for the sunset
Working quickly to catch the effect
After Koh Lanta we headed off to our final stop of the trip: Koh Phi Phi…
Wet painting in transit!
Hello Koh Phi Phi
Great anticipation
Our gear is heavy but it's worth the pain
View from Long Beach to Koh Phi Leh
Breathtaking sunsets
Scouting locations by long-tail boat
Next day I kayak back to my chosen subject - Nui Bay with its majestic karst formations
Work in progress
Quick sunset sketch back at the resort
Trying to catch the fleeting effect
Winding down with a couple games of dice
Next morning we're beseiged by a rowdy troop of Macaques
Marta's tree-swing sketch in progress
My last sketch of the trip: late afternoon view of Koh Phi Leh
Detail
Marta's last sketch - a tree-swing nocturne
Our haul of paintings from the month
Back home now and looking over the studies we made, many of which will be further developed in the studio, we feel truly fortunate to have discovered this beautiful country together and to have brought back such personal mementos. Whether we keep the paintings or they end up in other people’s collections, we will look at them for years to come and remember our incredible honeymoon in Thailand.