Capturing Light in Florence
Last week while in Florence to visit and pick up an order of frames (Florence has the best frame makers!) I had the lucky chance to spend a few hours painting. Though the city is hustling and bustling this time of year with eager visitors, there are a few side streets that do not get much traffic.
Via Vellutini, Florence
Oil on Panel
12 x 8″
$500 | Available
Purchase
Across the river near the neighborhood of Santo Spirito is one of my favorite places and where I lived for several years. These narrow views are characteristically Florence to me and so to paint one of them is a joy. The real challenge of a view like this is that the sun passes through the narrow window of sky between the rooftops, leaving me such a short window to try to capture the light and shadow that even in a rush with a smaller canvas, I was unable to capture it in one shot. I returned here the following morning, waiting poised for the right moment to capture the one building on the right casting its shadow on the building on the left mostly in sun.
The people who live in this street enjoy only and hour or maybe two of sunlight, which must get very dark in the winter. But when the sun does come through, it changes the feel of the place completely and I feel lucky to have caught this sunny and silent street.
Joan Tavolott
July 24, 2014 at 12:06 pmBeautiful how the sunlight just livens it up. Lovely!
Kelly Medford
July 28, 2014 at 8:16 amHi Joan, I love (attempting!) to capture these slivers of light as they slide through the narrow streets, a fun challenge.
Thanks so much for following the blog and your interest in my work!
ben
September 4, 2014 at 3:35 pmnice one what streets is that? true alot of those streets only see sun for a few hours a day in the summer when the light is overhead
ben
September 4, 2014 at 3:36 pmnice one! what streets is that? true, alot of those streets only see sun for a few hours a day in the summer when the light is overhead