Gary Kirkpatrick

Artist and travel blogger.

Pareja: enamorado con amor — Couples: In Love with Love

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Pareja: Enamorado Con Amor/ Couple: in love with love. Acrylics on panel, 22 x 31 cm. 8.5″ x 12|

This is the first in the series exploring the expressions of affection.  I was sitting in Parque Turia in Valencia as a couple across the lawn embraced before the 15th century bridge crossing what was then the main channel of the Turia River, since diverted and made into walking and bike paths as well as playing fields, and of course a meeting place for lovers and snugglers.

Love takes many forms.  We can always use more, can never have too much, and should not oppress but encourage its flowering thus deepening the bonds that hold us together.

¡Hola de Valencia! First drawing from Palau de la Musica

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We are back in our favorite winter quarters, where the sky is always blue and the winter temperatures moderate, the street life vibrant, the food fresh and varied, and the people warm and friendly.  It’s a place that brings smiles to our face the moment we look out the window or go out the door.

bar plaza sant jaume
Bar Sant Jaume (Saint James), pen and ink

The flight from Rome is normally quite beautiful.  You might get a view of the Coliseo.  You fly over Sardinia and then get a lovely view of Valencia.  Not this flight.  Weather has hit the entire Iberian Peninsula, and even Valencia is effected.  Light rain greets us but still we shed the jackets and sweaters we were wearing to get to the airport in Rome.

We are staying in a new ‘piso.’  This one is near Plaza de Toros, much larger than our previous place, more expensive too, but better for the painter in the household.  We will miss our view:

 

View from Our Place in Plaza Cisneros pen ink
View from our old place in Plaza Cisneros pen and ink

We go to the Palau de la Musica here most Sundays to listen to the symphonic bands, of which there are many in the province.  The first Sunday we heard the Banda Municipal.  I often do small pen and ink drawings as I listen.  Here’s the flautist playing a piece by one of local composers:

 

Flautist Palau de la Musica
Flautist Palau de la Musica 2″ x 4″

 

Arrivederci Roma: The Marcus Aurelius

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October 31, 2015

It’s our last day in Rome and I spent the morning drawing the statue of Marcus Aurelius in il Museo Capitoline.  This has to be one of the most impressive pieces of art around, for its magnificence, proportions, gilded in bronze and dating from around 180 CE.  It’s astounding and a privilege to sit before it.  It is in its new setting in a special room at the museum.

 

Marcus Aurrelius closeup
Marcus Aurrelius closeup

 

Marcus Aurrelius
Marcus Aurrelius

Just around the corner there is this Etruscan piece from 700-600 BCE

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Reclining figure

This one is terrific but pales in comparison to the Sarcophagus of the Spouses in the Etruscan Museum here- called Villa Giulia.  Circa 520 BCE.  Terracotta.

 

Sarcophagus of the Spouses
Sarcophagus of the Spouses

Museo Nazional de Arte Clasica Romana (Roman Art) has some mighty fine statues

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Amazing Ivory image in black case
Amazing Ivory image in black case

 

The Museo Nazional de Arte Clasica Romana is across the street from Termini.  It houses a fine collection of Roman era sculptures on the first two floors, very professionally exhibited with excellent English translations.  The top floor houses wall paintings from Roman era villas, many of which are in amazing condition.  There are also some excellent examples of mosaic art.  Here are some examples.

 

 

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