The wide open waterfront along the Adriatic begins to transform each spring, as orchards of umbrellas are planted in careful grids, each bagnino (part-lifeguard/part-concierge) preparing for summer. As the warm weather rolls in, and time permits, the seasonal owners begin to find their spot for the season and the umbrellas begin to bloom.

$95 (unframed original) Buy It

Urbino sits nestled in the hilly interior of northern Le Marche, a Renaissance gem surrounded by medieval hamlets. The town offers a series of hilly passages, flat squares and is home to the incredible Duke’s Palace, a true architectural masterpiece. The human scale found within the palace interior and courtyards seem to extend into the town planning to create one of the most remarkable places in Italy. Bring your walking shoes if you do visit - while the scale of the town is very pedestrian, the Italian word “scale” (which means stair) is also a dominant feature and the climbs add an element of adventure to the walks.

$95 (unframed original)

Passing through the main piazza at street level, you enter the narrow passageways that form the organic plan of the historic center. The multiple levels that climb the hill along side the grids of olive trees are linked together by a wide stair that follows the jagged outline of the medieval wall. The stair has one of the longest runs in the area, offering multiple access points into the small center as well as views to the west and south.

$95 (unframed original, 5″ x 7″)

Prints and framing available (ImageKind)

While the painting was not done with ‘time’ in mind, it seems like a fitting way to view it. The obvious reason - Big Ben front and center - is possibly the worlds most famous clock, although I didn’t reference it once for time during my trip to London last year. A second time reference is the inclusion of The Eye in the image - who joined the London skyline just a short time ago (in city years). Finally, the colors in the sky can start to suggest time of day - in this case dusk, my favorite time to capture an image.

Sold (unframed original, 9″ x 12″)

Pisa, Italy 9inx12in image in 10inx14in matte, original watercolor on 300g Fabriano Cold Pressed paper

$175 (unframed original, 9″ x 12″)

While they lack the character of the cabins they replaced, the fisherman huts that sit along the pier in Fano do offer a rhythmic break to the flat horizon of the Adriatic. I have never actually seen them in action, so to speak, while the giant mast and system of guide wires suggest it may actually drop to the water and sail off one of these days. My thinking is that these sculptures on the horizon can be equated to tree houses, housing the ‘fishermen’ who head out for some ‘fishing’ but really just need to get out of the house and play a little briscola with his pals. The only thing missing is a sign saying “No Girls Allowed!”

$125 (unframed original, 5″ x 7″)

A small hilltown that has been a focal point to me since I arrived in Le Marche. It marks the start of a network of ‘castles in the sky’ connected through their monolithic character, perched atop the rolling hills of Le Marche, each rich with its own unique history. Walking through Montemaggiore’s small streets or ‘vicoli’ it is hard to imagine that from the northern edge in August 1944, Winston Churchill and Generals Alexander and Leese overlooked the battles along the Gothic Line in the valley of the Metauro River below.

Sold (unframed original, 9″ x 12″, 300g Fabriano Cold Pressed paper)

From Wikipedia:

The ancient Roman colony of Forum Sempronii took its name from Gaius Sempronius Gracchus.   Near the Furlo Pass, during the Gothic War, was fought (552) the battle of Taginae, in which Totila was overcome by the Byzantine general, Narses.

Fossombrone was included in the Donation of Pippin, but remained subject to the Duchy of Spoleto until 1198, when it passed under Papal rule. The Malatesta sold it to the famous Federico III da Montefeltro, under whom the city flourished. Also positive for the city was the reign of the della Rovere dukes, who enlarged it (especially Francesco Maria II expanded the settlement in the lower area up to the Metauro river). In 1631 it returned to the Papal States, being annexed to Italy in 1860.

Sold (unframed original)