La Rocca, Pesina, Italy
10 November 1996
Watercolor on cold press Lana paper
4in x 6in, archivally matted & backed to 8in x 10in
US$ 295 (includes USPS Priority Shipping)
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From Alkmaar, I traveled through Germany, night after night for a good three weeks. Most of those dates were in the former East and it was all very interesting and each stop in Jena, Weimar, Bautzen, Dresden and the rest was a story in itself. Finally, I left the order, clocks and chill of Germany (which I was becoming accustomed to) and boarded the train past Kufstein and the jade green Inn River, the darkened Alps, to Milano and then to Verona where I was met by Donato and Marina LaRocca. Donato, Marina, their full-grown son, my guitar, large suitcase packed with CDs and I crammed into their tiny car with Donato at the wheel and raced off (and I do mean raced) down the ancient narrow, curving roads up towards Lake Garda. I was already exhausted and now unnerved by the ride.
Not in the house ten minutes, Donato called that there was a message for me on the answering machine. I climbed the dark, narrow stairs and found my way into the unlit office, figured out how to work the answering machine and finally listened to the message. It was my roommate telling me, rather briskly, that my cat of seven years had disappeared into the White Mountains of New Hampshire one dark and stormy night. Sorry, she said, there was nothing she could do. And that was it. Between the incessant traveling, my exhaustion from the long journey of that particular day, the first year anniversary of my mother's death and the simple fact that this roommate did not call upon the sense god gave her to not leave such information on an answering machine in another country, well, I just freaked right out and began a head first plunge into a rather serious depression. Not the best start for the Italian leg of my tour. And being suddenly unable to control the flow of tears did not make me the best dinner companion but, somehow I managed to fulfill all of my performance obligations with a very good front, pro that I was. Everyone was very kind. Bob Neuwirth came to visit the day after I arrived and he sat and gabbed with me as I made the above painting of Donato and Marina's house. Later we split the bill at my house concert there. Of all people on earth, Bob was a good choice to show up at that particular moment.
My great fortune was that in my hands I held the tools for my recovery — the new little paintbox and watercolor pad. Those and a magical encounter, just around the bend.
La Rocca, Pesina, Italy
