Daily Sketch No.130 Night, Piazza Garibaldi, Barga, Tuscany

Another great night in Barga, live music, people dancing. No music in this area, Piazza Garibaldi, just people walking from one piazza to another and several Fiat Panda’s chilling out after another hot day!

Daily Sketch No.129 Late Evening, Parco Kennedy, Barga

Another lovely evening, the last rays of sunshine now behind the distant mountains. Barga now comes to life again with the piazzetta once again tonight, the sound of music in the air, bats fly around and people enjoying themselves.

Daily Sketch No.128 Festa delle Piazzette, Barga, Tuscany

The Piazzette in Barga is held every July. Around 10 days of live music brings lots of people from the surrounding area starting from 8pm to midnight and beyond. Great atmosphere and good business for the local restaurants and cafes.

Daily Sketch No.127 Bicycles and Shadow, Lucca, Tuscany

Yesterday morning I strolled around elegant Lucca looking for shade and came across this pack of cycles, resting in this shadow, waiting for hire. A complex scene but by drawing a few cycles and suggesting seats and handlebars in the background, your brain knows they are masses of cycles! I wanted the bikes and the shadow to be dominant in the sketch so no need to colour anything else except a bit of bright colour on the building.

Daily Sketch No.126 Barn near Nebbunella, Barga, Tuscany

A few minutes drive south of Barga is the little hamlet of Nebbunella. Very rural with working farms, old men chugging around in Apes (3 wheeled vehicles) farming the land, their wives inside cooking and cleaning. This is rural Italy. The barn featured is typical of the area, slatted brick windows, no glass just air holes created by the bricks. If you bought this property and renovated you would have to keep these which would make the inside of your house very dark indeed!

Daily Sketch No.125 Marino’s Renault 4, Barga Vecchia, Tuscany

Marino who runs Aristos Bar a few seconds walk from here ALWAYS parks his old white Renault 4 here in this same spot in the piazza. Over the years I have seen photos and paintings and it is always there, the very same spot! Was this parking spot passed onto him, does he have a plaque on the wall?, I will have to investigate!

Daily Sketch No.124 Vine Posts near Barga, Tuscany

I liked this view looking through these vine posts not far from Barga, almost like prison bars, they add verticals to the sketch. Today a bit of grey in the sky but still very warm.