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Bethany's Story

My artistic story began in earnest in 2010. I was successfully selling my decoupaged wine bottles (which we will be making in Tuscany) at local art shows but I had never considered expanding to include anything else. While flipping through Somerset Studio art magazine, I saw a little paragraph advertising a painting class...  in Orvieto Italy...  in a convent...  painting faces! Having never painted before and with no formal artistic training I had no business in that class. The thought of traveling to Italy nagged at me for months. My brain kept telling me "but you've never painted before", "but you'll be terrible", "but it costs too much money", "but people will think you're crazy going off by yourself." 

I took a chance!

Although I had doubts in my head, my heart was screaming "TAKE A CHANCE!!". For the first time in my life, I listened to that voice inside of me and booked the flight. Even though I was right about one thing (I WAS terrible at painting faces) the passion for both painting and the beauty of Italy ignited on that trip has forever changed the course of my life.  

After that experience, I painted every chance I got. I didn't know "the rules" so I made up my own and developed my own style of finger painting that is totally free and uninhibited. I started teaching my simplified techniques at workshops and found that I really enjoyed the look of pride and amazement on people’s faces as they realized what they could do.   

The convent where I had my first art class

My first face in Italy.  Nice eyes.  Yikes!

Sunflower done with fingers and a toothpick

Then came my second fate-changing moment... 

Because I just HAD to go back to Italy, I organized a couple trips with my friends. On our second trip in 2016, we had a lunch on a beautiful estate in Tuscany that forever sealed my fate. As I’m eating, fireworks started going off in my head. This place would be PERFECT for doing art workshops! There were several apartments, incredible indoor and outdoor spaces where we could do art, and an owner who was charming, and an amazing cook! What an undertaking! Could I do it?   

I couldn’t stop thinking about it and became obsessed with the idea. So, just as I had earlier, I took a chance. I created Appassionata Me with the mission to ignite the same love for art and Italy that was given to me on my very first trip. I wanted to open the door to new possibilities for women who may not normally have dared to dream this big. I wanted to give women who may not be comfortable traveling alone, a safe place to do it. I wanted to give women traveling together the most memorable trip of a lifetime.   

This is definitely a passion project for me. My love for Italy grows with every trip. No matter how many times I go, it remains the most magical place on earth to me. I am so grateful that I get to do these tours with so many adventurous women. Thank goodness I took a chance!!  

I want to give you an artistic experience you will never forget.

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