Daily Sketch No.58 House in the Trees, Barga, Tuscany

On the hillside behind the Conservatorio di Sant’Elisabetta, nestled between trees is a hidden building, part of The Palazzo Salvi Estate. I liked this secret building that I think may have been recently renovated due to the new roof tiles. By concentrating on just the building and the surrounding foliage, the sketch takes on a more abstract quality.

Daily Sketch No.57 Tiglio Shadows near Barga, Tuscany

Late afternoon I drove up to Tiglio, just above Barga to sketch some of the shadows that dominate this time of day. The road winding through the hamlet is very narrow but all Italians drive these narrows streets with ease although many cars have dents and scratches, including my old Citroen!

Daily Sketch No.56 House with Red Shutters, Barga, Tuscany

Most shutters in Italy are a dull dark green colour. A few are a dirty brown but the owner of this house in Barga Vecchia must be a bit of a rebel - the shutters are a lovely red. Not sure whether this is legal but they certainly add some colour to Barga Vecchia!

Daily Sketch No.55 Here Comes the Rain Again, Barga, Tuscany

I mentioned that I would probably be doing today’s sketch from the car and I was right! This sketch was done looking from the lower part of Barga up to the Duomo on the hillside. I liked the fresh greens on the trees.

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Daily Sketch No.54 Looking from the Duomo, Barga, Tuscany

As you can see from the clouds in this sketch, the weather is very changeable at the moment. A bit of cool sunshine and then a few sharp showers. As you will gather by reading my comments that accompany my sketches, the weather is usually mentioned. As a landscape painter, the weather has a massive influence on my work. It can transform a mundane view into a spectacular subject for painting. Tomorrow, rain is expected so it may be back to doing the sketch from my car!

Daily Sketch No.53 A Little Oasis in Barga, Tuscany

Barga Vecchia has many alleyways that lead sometimes to quiet little corners, a little oasis with pots of flowers, creating little green spaces as gardens are very rare in Barga Vecchia. From this vantage point you can just see the tower of the Duomo.

Daily Sketch No.52 Palazzo Balduini from Altana, Barga

Today, I got the chance of getting above ground level to do my sketch from an Altana, which is an architectural structure built in the upper part of a building to take advantage of the scenic view. This particular altana has several huge windows and the views are stunning, although like many, this one is used to hang washing! This altana would make a perfect studio or at least put a few sun loungers in and drink a cocktail whilst admiring the sun setting over the surrounding mountains. Sometimes I don’t understand the Italians!