Day 102: Free Flowing
Maybe you’ve seen this fountain before? Or ones similar anyway. It’s one of my favorite things to paint and one of the many things that characterize Rome.This fountain, along with its 2,500 counterparts around the city are always a welcome site these days with the relentless summer heat.
Morning at the Fountain8×5″Oil on Panel© Kelly MedfordThis fountain is nestled in what seemed to be a tiny village around the corner from my house. I set out this morning with no real idea of where I was going. There’s this tiny narrow street next to the gas station and I’ve always wondered what was back there. Today I turned off to have a look.This little group of houses has its own clean, fresh water source situated just under the most enormous fig tree I’ve ever seen. I was there only about 10 minutes before people started coming to utilize the fountain. One man kept coming to fill up his watering can for his garden. Another older woman came to clean her kitchen pots. I almost swooned to see this handsome older woman in a red skirt leaning over to clean out her pot. She chatted to me, and I didn’t dare ask her if she would mind holding that pose for say half an hour or so?!These fountains are a staple of Roman life and never to be taken for granted. The water is clean, cold and comes from the mountains and isn’t treated. I guess it would be the equivalent to New York city’s water source (only a few thousdand years older).I’ve written about and painted these fountains before, they’re called nasone for the shape of the curved spout, a big old nose.You can buy today’s painting here for $120 from my website.Thank you for following the project- I hope you’re enjoying the paintings and stories!