Tag: cinque terre

February 2021.











The Ligurian coastline is possibly the most iconic in Italy. In addition to being extremely scenic and beautiful in its own right, the coast of the Cinque Terre is home to some incredible geology, the sharp jagged rocks are characteristic of this coast.





This is my painting of the rocks at Riomaggiore. 





  • Rocks, Riomaggiore. 40cm x 50cm. Oil on panel.
Many writers and poets have stayed along the coast of the Gulf of La Spezia. Riomaggiore, the first village of the Cinque Terre was an accessable and important place in the painting world in the 19th century. Riomaggiore inspired the Florentine painter Telemaco Signorini.

Sea and alleyways, light and shadow. The dark and narrow streets, the lashes of the sun  between the rooftops, the melancholy of the steep stairways, the quiet small piazzas, the bright colourful houses. Riomaggiore has it all.  It was thanks to these characteristics that Riomaggiore ended up playing a fundamental role in defining the Macchiaioli school.





Below is the view he painted of the harbour during the end of the 19th century. 





  • Telemaco Signorini, Riomaggiore (1892-1894)










  • Gwen, 4cm x 45cm, oil on panel.





                             My studio companion, Gwen.

			

			
				


	
	






	
	

		
New Year
	


	

		
newyearsasetta2016b
New Year 2016, Sasseta. Oil on wood, 20cm x 30cm.


Sasseta is a typical Ligurian mountain village in the valleys behind the Cinque Terre, 55 people live here including me and my family and the surrounding area is called Zignago that has a community of 550 which covers an area of 2785 km, made up of rural farmland and woodland.


Sometimes Italy feels quite densely populated due to the geography of the land and many people live in the sprawling towns on the flat or as near to the coast as possible but right here in the mountains life slows down, less people want to live so remote and there is more space and fresh air even though the neighbouring wild boar can be pretty annoying!


I really enjoy painting the colours of the countryside in winter, so many reds, pinks and greys find their way onto the palette and with the recent mild weather the trees still have most of their orange autumn leaves still on the branches.


Thanks for stopping by!



		
	

	


	
	






	
	

		
La Chiesa di San Pietro, Porto Venere.
	


	

		
Chiesa di San Pietro, Porto Venere. Oil on Board, 20cm x 30cm.
Chiesa di San Pietro, Porto Venere. Oil on Board, 20cm x 30cm.


Last week I was lucky enough to go and visit Portovenere which is a small medieval Italian fishing village near the Cinque Terre. The houses are each painted in bright colours, tradition being the fisherman would find their way back home easier from the stormy seas.


The Church of San Pietro was originally a 5th Century Pagan temple dedicated to Venus and was then consecrated in 1198. It is small and simple inside with a great sense of history and an incredible position thanks to the Pagans who chose to build their temple over looking the sea on all three sides. Luckily for me it wasnt stormy weather when I happened to visit and I found the perfect painting spot, not because of the view as I am sure with more time on my hands to look around there would have been many more interesting compositions to choose from, but because I had found an old washed up tree with holes just big enough to hold my brushes in 🙂


A personal brush holder!
A personal brush holder!


Painting out of the sudio can be uncomfortable if you are not well prepared which sometimes I am not so I was glad to come across this spot. Portovenere is a great place to visit if you are visiting the area, you can get a boat from here to the Cinque Terre or if you feel energetic walk along the rocky cliff paths from here as far to Monterosso in 6 hours, just watch out for the sheer drops down to the sea!

	


	
	






	
	

		
The Beach in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre.
	


	

		
This is one of the beaches in Cinque Terre, in the village of Riomaggiore as you turn left by the harbour.  its only access is a narrow pathway carved out of rock which brings you to a very hot and stony beach! Both an uncomfortable painting and sunbathing spot, I suppose you have to suffer if you need a suntan or a painting. Painted out of season in November there were less tourists in the Cinque Terre but still the sun was quite hot.


La Spiaggia a Riomaggiore, novembre.
The Beach in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre.  Oil on board, 20cm x 30cm.