A beautiful summer day. House Martins and many species of insects flying around. This is a view from the Fornacetta looking up to the Duomo, which is just behind the cyprus trees. Stocking up on art materials in Lucca tomorrow, so another Lucca sketch is a possibility.
Barga Vecchia has many narrow streets and alleyways. This is Via di Mezzo, the main street that goes from one end to the other side and is possible to drive a car down particularly if you have a small car or an Ape, a three wheeled vehicle made by Piaggio who make the famous Vespa scooter. The word Ape means Bee in Italian because these vehicles buzz around making the sound of a Bee. They are like the transit van in Britain, a workhorse carrying light goods. Small, economical and cheap to run, they can get into places where no car can go. Many are used by older men and agricultural workers but even young teenage boys drive them, customising them with stereo systems and sporty wheels. I want one!
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.
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!
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!
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.
Many people have asked if the Daily Sketches are for sale. Please send me an email if you are interested in further information regarding prices/availability etc. Email: richardclareart@gmail.com
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!
