TRAVEL WITH MY ART #43, GHAJN TUFFIEHA BAY, MALTA
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! I'm back with a new painting! In this post, I'll share a quick landscape sketch I made inspired by island Malta. I actually painted this on a back of one of my sketchbooks. The back of that sketchbook is made from cardboard, so I guess the medium is acrylic paints on cardboard. I actually like painting on cardboard for some reason. Maybe it takes me back to my DIY roots. I've always enjoyed creative projects, arts, crafts and that sort of thing. Even now when I took proper art classes, and learned to do art properly, I still enjoy quick projects, mixing media, as well as almost improvised paintings.
This painting was a quick seascape depicting Ghajn Tuffieha bay (Malta). As readers of my blog surely know, seascapes are my passion. I've done many detailed seascapes in the past, but this one is anything but detailed. This Malta seascape is quick and energetic. It's almost Impressionist in its brush strokes. Instead of focusing on the details, I tried to capture the colour of the sea and the cliffs that have fascinated me so much. I started this sketch some time ago, in between other painting projects and recently I finished it (again between other painting projects). I don't think I've spend more than half an hour on it in total. At the moment, this painting is still on the back of my sketchbook. I'm not sure will I ever frame it. Maybe I'll just leave it at the back of my sketchbook. I can always pick it up if I want to have a look at it.
I haven't had much time for painting lately. I can't even disclose how many hours a day I really work (my regular work plus freelance), but it's brutal. Now, the challenge to find the time for painting is harder than ever! Maybe it's good for me to share my art as a way to stay motivated. What is art? What is art for me? Why do we need art? Why do I need art? Questions are a good starting point. I think making of art is a kind of miracle.
Think about it. All people have their own share of personal issues, health problems, duties, pressures and responsibilities. Still, somehow people make art. They raise above everything to produce a thing of beauty! During every era and period in human history, even the darkest ones, people have made art. Isn't that a miracle? Isn't that wonderful?
Malta is an archipelago of coralline limestone located in the central Mediterranean, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of the Italian island of Sicily.
With 196.8 kilometers (121 miles) of coastline - excluding the 56 kilometers of the Gozo island - Malta offers a Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.
Although the population is only 452,000, the country gets 1.2 million tourists yearly.
They are attracted by the beautiful beaches, resorts, fauna, and flora.
The official tourist office says, "Malta has beaches for everyone, from windsurfers to sunbathers."
The truth is you can also surf in Malta.
The most popular beaches in Malta are located in the northern region - Mellieha Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha, and Golden Bay are usually very crowded with beachgoers.
In Malta, tides are not relevant - you're in the Mediterranean Sea.
Swell patterns can't be precisely determined because there are many different winds and coastal lines in the surrounding areas (Italy, Tunisia, Libya, Greece).
You may not find a decent wave for over six weeks in the entire territory.
Nevertheless, the best swells come from the Northwest and Northeast, and they can't be considered rare.
The best surf spots in Malta are Ghajn Tuffieha and Golden Bay in the Northwest and St. Thomas Bay in the Southeast part of Malta.
Selmun, Ghadira (Mellieha Bay), Ghallis Point in the North, and Gozo Island are interesting backup sites.
"Hangovers" is a top-class break in the South.
The average sea temperature ranges from 15-26 °C (59-78 °F), so you'll only need a 3/2 mm wetsuit for the colder months (October-June).
In Malta, distances are never a problem. You'll need to drive less than 40 kilometers (25 miles) to reach the most distant point in the country.
Sometimes I feel like I take too many photographs, but then when I actually look at the photographs I took, I feel really glad I took them. Photography is a great way to preserve memories. Seeing these images of Malta, I feel instantly transported back there. I can almost smell the salty air.
#33:TRAVEL WITH MY ART LOZNA COMISSIONED, ISLAND HVAR
This seascape was another commissioned painting of bay Lozna (the second bay next to cape Kabal) on island Hvar. Some of you might remember I have already painted this gorgeous seascape location with acrylics on a A4 mixed media paper.
CHECK OUT MY OTHER VISITS TO MALTA
Malta as a country is actually composed of several islands, the so called the Maltese Islands (notably Malta, Gozo, and Comino). I only visited Malta myself. Anyway, these islands are a group of central Mediterranean islands. Malta is near to Sicily, located only about 96 km from Sicily! It's also not far from Africa (about 290 km from North Africa). The limestone formations are the norm! The islands are are dominated by limestone formations. Indeed, much of their coastline consists of steep or vertical limestone cliffs that are divided by bays, inlets, and cliffy coves. A sight to see, for sure!
VISIT MALTA WITH IVANA- HIKING TALES- THE CLIFFS
As I said, I visited a friend on Malta, so I stayed with her. At that time, she was renting a rather lovely home from an old granny. It wasn't a touristy place, and it was about thirty minutes bus drive from Valetta. While she was at work, I would typically hike around. Every day I hiked a bit further apart. It was great fun getting to know Malta better this way.
Hiking and exploring Malta by myself, I felt transported back to the happy days of my childhood (much of which were also spent on an island). I guess that the island beauty of Malta reminded me of Hvar in many ways. Naturally, Malta is very unique in some ways. I already wrote about its cliffs and unique wildlife in my last post. Besides all that, Malta has had a fascinating history and this is something you can observe on the island whether you go. However, more about that some other time. In this post, I will focus more on Malta's nature. It was really a joy exploring Malta slowly and without haste.
VISIT MALTA WITH IVANA- HIKING TALES- VALLETTA
In this post, I took you to Saint Julian's on Malta. I enjoyed visiting this small touristy town. Saint Julian is perhaps best described as a mix of traditional and new. The contrast is quite dramatic, you can literally see ancient ruins next to high skyscrapers. As you stroll Saint Julian's, you might even feel like you've wondered upon a construction site, as new skyscrapers seem to be rising continuously. Still, despite all of continuous construction and urban development, Saint Julian's has kept some of its old charm and remains a popular tourist site. Located only about ten kilometers north from Valletta, St. Julian's is a great place to visit. Here you'll see old traditional fishing boats located next to restaurants and night clubs. What do I remember from Saint Julian's? Well, it seemed so vibrant and full of life. The cafes were filled with laughter and chatter. You could hear different languages spoken. Malta is a rather small island and it's quite densely populated. I must admit that it didn't seem that densely populated when I was hiking Maltese cliffs and hills, but once I step foot in more urban areas, I could see it was densely populated indeed. It's a rather vibrant island! While in many ways it's a typical Mediterranean touristic destination, Malta has still managed to preserve its uniqueness. There's a lot to see and enjoy there!
Tus pinturas siempre me enamoran. Te mando un beso.
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