Back again!

Michael and I have been living in the south of France since the covid outbreak. We bought a little holiday house a few years ago and then recently added a studio to the nest so we could work when we came here. We love it here. We love it with the same concerted passion we

The Best Gnocchi Recipe Ever……….. a secret from Montefegatesi

On one of those magnificent lunches we were invited to during the sculpture symposium, we ate a most delicate and delicious homemade gnocchi at the home of Candido Martinelli in Montefegatesi.  Candido is one of the artists at La Rondine Gallery. So rapturous of the melt in the mouth texture and yummy homemade tomato sauce,

Exhibition of Marble sculptures from Bagni di Lucca Sculpture Symposium

The sculpture symposium is over.  The artists, one by one are leaving.  Sad to see them go.  They became like family, bonded by big family meals, heart to hearts and animated discussion.  Their works were exhibited in ‘La Cantina’ and garden in Ponte a Serraglio on the weekend in the golden ambience of a summer’s

Sculpture Symposium in Bagni di Lucca

Every day since the first of July you wander over the passerella to the Villa Fiori gardens and you hear the musical tapping of metal on stone.  The sculpture symposium, one of the many wonderful events of the Bagni di Lucca Art Festival, has seen the works of five sculptors evolving and ‘becoming’ over the

The Photography of Ella Haller Zwierzchowska at La Rondine Gallery

Colour must be the story of India.  I wanted to see more.  I wanted to be overpowered by it as you are when you go to India.  The taste of it was yummy, a glow in the light, exotic fabrics edged in gold, the haze of dust, the flamboyant twists and turns of architecture, crumbling…The

Creating an Art Festival in Bagni di Lucca

On a late summer’s day last year, under a pergola dripping in wisteria and overlooking splendid vistas, a thought was born to a philanthropist and his friends, to have an art festival in Ponte a Serraglio.  For years we had all been coming here, and every year another one or two shops would close down. 

Carving Marble in Pietrasanta

Sollai, our youngest son, arrived in Bagni di Lucca just before Christmas last year after a year in Montreal with his acrobat girlfriend, Danica.  He had spent the year working on log cabins, stone chimneys and gardens up around the lakes and creating his sculpture carving alabaster and marble, in his city studio.  Even though

Bagni di Lucca’s Art Festival

Originally posted on Bella Bagni di Lucca:
Bagni di Lucca is set to host a brand new Art Festival this summer. In the sunny months of July, August and September Ponte a Seraglio will be filled with performance artists, painters, sculptors and photographers. Meet part of the organizing team. From the left…Jaqueline, Ira, our Sindaco…

The Summer Art Fesival of Bagni di Lucca

Shaping up to be a great Art Festival

Bagni di Lucca cat does meerkat impersonation

Originally posted on Bella Bagni di Lucca:
We are cat sitting at the moment. Meet Tiggy May. She has made herself at home and has decided that the view of the village from our window is fascinating. She spends hours watching the goings on from our couch. Something happened which really appealed to her and…