Pietriolo - I

lunedì, 27 gennaio 2025

I have been wanting to create a painting of Pietriolo - the sulfur springs that are a few kilometers from Pari, GR Toscana. According to local legend, the popes used to come to Pietriolo to bathe. In modern times, the Pietriolo hot springs are quite a popular attraction, even in inverno (winter) whern they remain quite warm. The deep blue pools are fed from underground and are various gradations of warmth. If one gets too warm, they can simply take a dip in the river which flows next to the pools of the hotspring and is crystal-clear throughout the year.

The entire area is surrounded by Roman (and possibly Etruscan) ruins, which further add to the ambience of the area. This scene is visible from the bridge that sits above the springs. The area has a surreal beauty to it, which I attempted to capture through a combination of ink and color. While I created my first several pieces of 2025 with black ink, I decided to use my custom-mixed seppia ink, which provides support for the watercolor glazes without overwhelming them.

After being away from the watercolor for so long, I was both curious and excited to see how the color would work with the textures. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my new technique of texturing worked well for detail without making the piece feel too heavy or constrained, something that I struggled with last year when learning how to integrate the watercolor with the india ink.

Yours in inspiration,
Michael Weaver