Ardvrek Castle.

This was my first oil painting so it is very special to me. It was based on a photograph that I took when holidaying in Ullapool about 10 years ago. The weather was glorious and the scenery stunning and the photos that day reflected this. I thought to myself at the time, that if I were ever to try painting, this would be the picture I’d paint. It was always at the back of my mind so when my friend took up painting and I thought that I’d also give it a go, I had no hesitation in what would be my first subject. It took me about 6 months - there was a lot of painting over earlier parts! - but I was really pleased with the end product and it made me determined to continue with my new hobby.

Fallone Opening

This is a painting that I did for my dad, Michael Fallone. He started playing chess at a very young age, demonstrating great potential as a player, going on to win the Scottish Chess Championship in 1963. He played for Scotland in the Chess Olympiads in Moscow (1956), Tel Aviv (1964) and Havana (1966). Dad has a very unique style of playing, having been taught by his Italian grandfather (who had no English and my dad had no Italian!) so there was little reference to books and traditional chess openings. Dad developed his own style of playing and regularly played his own opening, which became known as the Fallone/Scottish opening. This painting shows a still of a stage of this opening, using the pieces and chessboard with which my dad taught me the game when I was a little girl. Dad still plays chess occasionally, and at age 88, he still beats me every time!

Fallone’s Pizzas

In 2017, my brother, Mike Fallone, took the very brave decision to start his own Italian catering business. He bought a horse box and converted it into a pizza van, selling Neapolitan wood fired pizzas. Since then he has gone from strength to strength, with two pizza vans, a gelato bike, a business unit, and provides Italian catering for full weddings and corporate events. A great inspiration! This is a painting I did for my brother of his first pizza van.

Italian Church

This is a painting taken by my cousin, Judith McLean, of the Chiesa di San Nicola (the Church of St Nicholas) in Belmonte Castello. This church holds a special place in our family history as it is where my great grandparents, Michele Fallone and Carolina Vettraino were married on 2nd April 1904. It’s on my bucket list to visit at some time in my life.