Dirndl study #8, 24 x 18 cm, oil on canvas, ©2011 Julie Galante.
Oktoberfest starts in less than a month, and Munich is itching with anticipation. The giant beer tents are already being constructed. Billboards around the city are advertising the latest fashions in dirndls, traditional Bavarian outfits that are popular at the 17-day beer festival. These dresses are one of my favorite parts of Oktoberfest – they come in every possible color and fabric, flatter pretty much any figure, and offer buckets of visual inspiration.
I painted several Oktoberfest daily paintings last year, and they proved hugely popular with my collectors. I’m excited to revisit the subject again this year. In addition to small daily paintings, I am planning to do a series of larger portraits of women wearing dirndls. You can almost hear the oompah music around the studio these days.
Is there an Oktoberfest where you live?
I think it is great you are going more of these, Jul. They are fantastic and I love the paint texture on the blouse’s ruffles- it makes me anxious to see the piece in person.
@Jen – Thanks! This particular painting is destined for a small shop in Munich. It should be up next week. Oh yeah, an announcement about that will be coming up soon. 🙂
Beautiful painting!!
I went to college in a town that had Oktoberfest. The whole city smelled like beer for the two weeks we use to celebrate!! I miss it!!
Happy ICLW
#75
This is one of my favorites, ever, Julie. And who knew there was “new” fashion for dirndls?!
@Sarah – Thank you! During Oktoberfest Munich smells like a lot of things, some of them a lot worse than beer. 🙂
@Carolyn – So nice to hear that! I’m glad you like it. The new dirndl fashions surprised me at first, too, but whole new collections of them come out every year. Fashion shows and everything. They are big here!