Following the Rally under the stars on 10th August the wonderful cars and things related to the rally were on display in La Villa, giving people a chance to see them up close.
Some people go all out for their sport.
Thank you Kerry for being roving reporter.
There was a small earthquake in Bagni di Lucca earlier this year. Fortunately nobody was hurt, but there was some structural damage to some of the ancient buildings in the area.
The 16th century church of Madonna della Neve in Guzzano suffered considerable internal damage.
The chapel was completed in 1537. In that year the pre-existing chapel was restored and enlarged to its current size and shape. Inside the chapel are notable works of art, including a statue of the Virgin with Child attributed to Della Robbia.
Claudio Gemignani of Gombereto is heading up an effort to raise funds in Italy to help save the church. Ann Barsi is looking after efforts in the USA where $5,000 has already been raised.
Ann Barsi’s book, “Pieve di Controne – 2012” will be sold at the Gombereto Medieval Festival on 31st August and all the proceeds will be donated to the restoration.
I hope you can all make it to the festival and buy a book to help the church.
Click here to see more on the book.
email Sig. Barsi at obarsi@verizon.net for more information on the fundraising efforts.
Our lovely friend Agostino sent these great photos of the latest art installation at Ponte a Serraglio. He lives above the village and has a bird’s eye view.
Here is a closer perspective.
…and from the other side of the bridge.
It looks like giant meccano floating on the river. I have no idea how it was done. Had I been at Ponte a Serraglio while it was happening I would have been able to tell, it is right under our balcony.
Thank you Agostino for the great photos!
It is no secret that I am a big fan of Paolo Citti. I am delighted that he has opened a new bar and cafe in Fornoli. I am even more pleased that his gelato making is fully operational.
Now the biggest problem is which flavour to have.
I find it difficult to go past nocciola and pistachio, but I was also tempted by chocolate and coconut…life can be molto difficile sometimes.
Say hello to lovely Paolo at Catene Cafe in Fornoli for me next time you go.
There are five sculptors working in the hot sun in the Villa Fiori gardens to create beautiful art pieces from Carrara marble…all part of the Bagni di Lucca Art Festival.
Our roving reporter Kerry braved the heat to see the action and share it with us.
Michael Cartwright is an Australian artist who lives and works in Bagni di Lucca.
His marble is taking the abstract shape of a bird.
Canadian artist Doug Robinson is working on a water and bird theme.
Sarah Danays is a UK artist who has a house in one of Bagni di Lucca’s hilltop villages. Her sculpture is taking the form of a bust to display a beautiful neckpiece.
Japanese artist Ryoichi Suzuki beautiful free form shape is developing daily.
Petra Boshart from the Netherlands is working on 2 pieces representing the flowing water of the nearby Lima River.
If you are at Ponte a Serraglio stop by the park and watch the developing sculpture. There will be a display of the finished sculptures at Ponte a Serraglio on Friday 26th July.
Go to www.artfestivalbagnidilucca.org for more on the sculpture symposium.
Every year the Borgo degli Artisti organises an art competition at Ponte a Serraglio in the beautiful grounds of the Villa Fiori. Kerry was there to take some photos for us so we can be part of the fun day.
It was a hot day and the artists sought shade where they could.
Lots of artists were there to paint our gorgeous village.
Here are the winners.
Thank you Borgo degli Artisti for a great event.
The first Bagni di Lucca Art Festival was officially opened with a party at Ponte a Serraglio. Several of the shops in the main street have been renovated and are now home to visiting artists.
On Saturday night the road was closed and there was a wonderful street party.
The artists exhibiting for the first weeks include…
Giuseppe del Debbio
Christian Gironda
Melissa Moore
Gianmarco Caselli
Jacolo da San Martino
Selby Hickey
David Finkbeiner
Michael Hanning
Thank you to my lovely friends Kerry and Moira for taking photos for us. I wish I had been there to join in the fun. I’m sure the next couple of months are going to be exciting in Ponte a Serraglio.
Congratulations to Jaqueline and her team for a successful opening to a very welcome event. For more information on the Art Festival please take a look at their website.www.artfestivalbagnidilucca.org
There is a new photography exhibition at La Rondine gallery in Ponte a Serraglio by Ella Haller Zwierzchowska. The young photograper’s colourful representations of India delighted visitors on the opening night last week.
The gallery was full of people having a great time.
Thank you Kerrie for photographing the event so we can all join in the fun.
Lucca is only 30 minutes from Bagni di Lucca and July is a great month to be around. The music festival has something for everyone. With a bit of luck there will still be some tickets.
Check out the website or call the number for more information.
Bagni di Lucca has a long history of making figurines from Plaster of Paris, or gesso, as it is called here. The tradition began in the 13th century when people from Bagni di Lucca started going to France to sell their silk and they became intrigued by the use of Plaster of Paris to make mortuary masks.
They experimented with it, as the soft alabaster, one of the main ingredients to make that type of plaster, was abundant in the area. They realised it would be possible to make inexpensive religious statues by making moulds and filling them with plaster…much cheaper than the usual carved marble or stone.
The figurines became very popular, as not everybody could afford a Della Robbia, or other original for their home or church. Presepi, or nativity scenes were big sellers and salesmen from the area would travel far and wide selling their wares.
I was very lucky to be able to see one of the last producers of figurines in Bagni di Lucca, and the only one who still makes his statues by hand. Meet Simone from Arte Barsanti.
The business was started by Simone’s great-grandfather in 1900. At its peak there were 60 people employed. Now it is just Simone with some helpful advice from his uncle Carmelo.
The little factory is a treasure trove of figurines, moulds and paraphernalia from years of work.
Simone took us through the process of making a figurine. First the mould is prepared.
The plaster powder is mixed with water until it is the consistency of yoghurt.
Then is poured into the prepared mould and shaken to get out as many air bubbles as possible.
The statue is then left to cure for about 20 minutes. If the figurines are under 30cm high they are solid plaster. If they are bigger than that they are hollow to save on plaster and to make them less heavy.
Once out of the mould, the figurines are finished by hand to remove any rough patches and fill any small imperfections.
They are then fired in the wood fired oven room.
The next step is to hand paint each figurine. The flesh coloured parts are spray painted first.
The rest is painted with brushes of varying sizes.
We were taken to the top floor where there is a little museum with some of the history of the business.
There is a photo of a recent Pope receiving a Barsanti figurine.
…and some old presepi, including one in a pumpkin.
…some old accounting equipment.
Best of all was an old suitcase which the travelling salesmen would take around the country to display their wares.
There is a delightful story that when Christopher Columbus arrived in America the first person he saw was a fellow from Lucca with a suitcase full of presepi for him to choose from.
We were given a beautiful presepio to take with us…my first…thank you Simone and Carmelo for a wonderful visit.
I really hope this wonderful tradition can be kept alive in Bagni di Lucca.
info@artebarsanti.it
39 0583 87882
Bella Bagni di Lucca 