This blog is supposed to be about making a living as an artist in the south of Italy and I had frankly given up on that ever happening and planned to live off the remains of the house sale until I was of pensionable age. (300 euros a month  for the forseeable future.)

I would obviously have all the free sunshine I needed,  very cheap wine , lovely people around, great views, no mortgage (cheap property) , be able to paint as much as I like, have a good lifestyle.

So it was not seeming like a great hardship .

But last month I sold 4 paintings and earned 200 euros. (That is without considering any expenses) and now that my artist’s retreat is ready to go – if I was to rent it out , even at a very reasonable rate then I could theoretically live on the income . Wow!!      Just a thought………

There is so much happening in this area right now. Matera- only 40 mins away is going to be the european capital of culture in 2019 and this could mean a lot more interest in the area and a lot more visitors . Closer to home , my part of town (Dirupo) through some law I don’t understand ,has now been freed up to be improved, to encourage tourists, to allow allow small shops to open and I think I read that there was an application for the area to become a world heritage site.

Then I have joined a group of volunteers who meet on saturday afternoons and are repainting all the communal walls round about which is improving the area – and good fun too.

Having a house including a small private gallery and now an artist’s retreat in this area could be very good for me.

( Before I go any further with this I am planning to check out permissions needed etc.)

So as promised the last time here are photos of my Artist’s Retreat, fully furnished and ready to go. If anyone is interested at all then email me at annecalcarole@gmail.com  .Am happy to answer any questions about living in this area and occasionally know of houses for sale too.