"Piazza Santo Spirito" Oil on Canvas - 100cm x 125cm ©Matthew Holden Bates, Firenze, All Rights Reserved
Back in the 90's I lived in the Oltrarno neighborhood of Firenze. We had this amazing apartment, on Via Santo Spirito 6, Rooftop terrace with 360 degree views of all of the historical center of Firenze. The best view we had was of the Church of Santo Spirito designed by Brunelleschi himself. We lived there for a year, and I went up to the terrace every day that I could, rain or shine. Living there, in the Oltrarno, was a dream. I didn't have a car, I never went to the supermarket, just local bottegas, the butcher, the general store, the fruttivendolo, il giornalaio, the bar to get "un caffé". Good times.
Needless to say, Piazza Santo Spirito has remained in my heart, and I have painted the iconic tower many times.
"Piazza Santo Spirito" Tower Detail
In this painting I wanted to take the tower to a "next level". If you look closely you can see that I added my signature to the tower, under the bell. You would never notice it, but once you see it you can't unsee it.
"Piazza Santo Spirito" Fountain Detail
The centerpiece of the Piazza is an absolutly gorgeous fountain, and it became the centerpiece of my painting as well.
"Piazza Santo Spirito" Dog Detail
This painting was so personal, I decide to add myself to the mix, but not an actual self portrait, more like an alternative reality portrait. I don't have a dog, but this guy does.
Matthew Holden Bates painting "Piazza Santo Spirito"
In previous posts I have talked about how I use the Fibonacci Series to create my designs. Here is a diagram showing just how well the Fibonacci Spirall fits into the overall design of the painting.
Here is a short video highlighting the process of how this painting was made.
I am sure that you can tell that I put a lot of myself into my artwork. I try not to make, "just a pretty picture"! These paintings take a long time to make, kind of like anything that is worth our time to see, I add whatever it takes to get to the end of the project. I am here at Steemit to share my experiences, and I hope that you have enjoyed this post. If you like what you see, feel free to share the post, upvote and follow me on Steemit @matteopaints
You can see my online portfolio at:
http://www.mattbates.net