Monday 8 February 2016

Bandits and Thieves






A couple of sketches from last week and a lovely morning sketching and listening to the sea and surroundings.  My favourite part of sketching outside is absorbing the sounds and sensations of a place that then become part of the sketch itself.




This time I was with the Urban sketchers group at a tiny harbour hidden away in the city.  While we sketched fisherman mended and prepared their nets chatting and telling us stories from the area.  Little wooden boats came in and out of the harbour, usually in twos as one with a motor towed another without.




The area we were in is known as 'La Bandita' and used to be a fishing hamlet in its own right.  Over the years it became engulfed by urban sprawl and went into decline, polluted and dirty.  Now it is struggling to survive, the sea seemed to be clean but the little beach was still littered.

The name Bandita has various legends and stories attached to it but the general theme is about a woman who kept a nearby tavern. This tough talking woman gave protection and shelter to bandits and thieves earning her the name of  La Bandita or a sbannuta in Sicilian dialect.


Yes I often use the back of my hand to clean my brush!

4 comments:

Sandy in Michigan said...

Cathy, it's so good to hear from you. Thanks for posting your beautiful sketches and relating the interesting stories about the area.

Shirley said...

Love to see your watercolor paintings from Sicily, and these are beautifully evocative of the place. Reminds me of a very small beach below the cliffs in Sorrento, where we watched fisherman mending their nets at day's end. That was the first time I ever brought a sketchbook with me when traveling, and I wish now in retrospect that I had watercolors and better paper along.

john.p said...

I'm with you. Taking in the sounds of the environment are a big part of the process. Looks like a great place to spend time.

Unknown said...

Lovely watercolour. I also use the back of my hand :)