small format

My Polaroid

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“ I double check the address and I am right, I didn’t expect to find this small house surrounded by other buildings. The appearance is quite modest and the garden surrounding it is wild and green like a Bavarian jungle. I have the task to get this ground, of course as cheap as I can – it looks like an easy job…we can build more apartments there, I will ring the bell…“

An old lady opened the door, deaf and suspiciously looking at the real estate agent…

Oil on panel 30x30cm 2021

Metropol Garage

‘ Her car is there so she must be at work, I can wait a little… I know we don’t have a date and I am not even sure she will be happy to see me here around but I must try it. She is so beautiful, I can’t wait days in the hope to meet her again at the coffee shop where we hada chat last week… why I didn’t ask her phone number?….I am such an idiot … now here I look like a stalker’. The Metropol Gar age door opened suddenly, there she was.’

Oil on panel 30×30 cm 2021

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I painted both scenes in the last weeks, they are spontaneous works and have been painted outside on the spot, enplain air, like the impressionists used to do. This way of working requires speed and focus in the execution and the small format forces to take quite bold decisions on the subject and composition.

The old house is entirely painted with pallet knives for the simple reason I forgot the brush’s case at home that day, nevertheless I like how it turned out. The snapshots I decided to depict were impressing me for the light and the simplicity – I feel they are close to ‘real life’ with some imperfections and stories to tell.

The garden

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The first weekend at home… a relatively warm day, actually I would have loved to go out and set my easel somewhere in the city for a street view subject. I decided not to do so even if I would have been alone and without company, mostly by principle.
Apparently the only way to reduce possible illness is to reduce possible contacts with other people.
Therefore I used my outdoor equipment and installed it in front of the window… the neighbors garden is not particularly spectacular but the afternoon sunshine was supportive and a little painting story could be created .
That’s all from the home studio

Love

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Some weeks ago this little painting was shown in a group exhibition in Milan – theme was love and the work was done for this purpose.

Frankly speaking i could not imagine a romantic love picture therefore I went back to my memories and found and old photo which depicts strong friendships feelings with an impossible tight hug and smiling eyes

That is love for sure, without compromise and expectation – just lived in that moment of life where all is possible.

Oil on panel 30×30 cm

Mr Ben – Munich life

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One of the last plein air painting of this season for me, this small work was created on a Sunday morning in Munich. People living in that area use to sit outside the cafes as soon as the sun in shining and enjoy a slow brunch.

Mr ben is also one of my favorite place for coffee, they know how to make a good espresso and this is crucial for my Italian soul… this is my tribute to my weekend cappuccino

Oil on panel 30×30 cm

White

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I love to paint white subjects and simple buildings. This painting is a small plein air study (24×30 cm) oil on panel that I made last Sunday. The day was bright and the building which has a bit of uncommon in the architecture was nearly shining im the sun. Rendering the light in an appropriate way and the subtile color variations on the white wall is a delicate pleasure as well as discovering the beauty in an everyday situation and place.

The bike

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Painting in the city again, summer light in Munich and me looking for a story to tell.

This is in front of the University, holiday period so just few students there…all very quiet

But the yellow bike is waiting for someone and patiently enjoy the sunshine,

Who will pick it up?

I didn’t discover it while painting, it remains to your imagination

Oil painting on panel 25×30 cm

en Plein air (and my love for it)

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This small painting is one of the series created the first week of August in Munich during a fantastic painting workshop one week long.

For my usual rhythm to have an entire week for painting is a luxury and to be outside every day with the ambition to find a good spot and create an interesting painting is just a great pleasure.

This picture was “captured” in a sunny afternoon, the city not so busy already in summertime modus, a couple sitting at a Café, lazy sunshine…

Painting outside consists all in the ability to capture the atmosphere, it goes all very fast and it has to be this way: the light changes, the people sitting leave the table, doors can be opened and closed… It forces me to be spontaneous, to memorize people gestures which I like and I want in my painting – rarely they stay so long to be model.

But the best of all are the colors you see, this is the real reason for me to be such in love with plein air , so many suggestions comes from the place and the light, it can be replaced by anything else.

Oil on panel 30×30 – Munich workshop with Stefan Nuetzel organized by Akthof

Yellow

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Hot and sunny was the day in the city it was not so easy to find the right spot to place the easel and paint im shade.

The summer feeling in a warm city, I looked for some view representative of this moment. I found those yellow umbrellas on a building deck, a terrace too hot to be populated at that time of the day – up to the sky in competition with the sunshine.

Plein air 25x30cm painted with friends, a very nice memory (this painting will not be sold for any price).