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? 

First a collage featuring a photograph my friend took of me, a photograph I took of Malta and a photograph of my painting (that I took). On the photograph my friend took of me you can see me wearing a magenta coat, a second hand scarf and leggings. I pretty much lived in this coat while I was on Malta. I won't get into fashion details, because there will be another post, showing you this place in more detail.

Below you can see the reference photograph. Above you can see my Malta acrylic landscape (sescape) depicting the cliffs and our beautiful Mediterranean sea. 

GHAJN TUFFIEHA BAY IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS AS ARE THE SURROUNDING BAYS

What kind of place is it, you might ask? Obviously, it's gorgeous, but you probably want to know more. I don't have the time to prepare a super detailed post, but I'll say that Ghajn Tuffieha (Riviera) is absolutely gorgeous. The beach is stunning. The surrounding hills are simply a dream to climb and hike. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed my visit there. Maybe this painting can give you something of the impression. 

I'll say that this spot is popular with the surfers. It's one of the places in Malta where you can go surfing. Obviously, people also go swimming there, but if you want to surf- this is the place. 

A FRIEND OF MINE TOLD ME SHE ENJOYED SURFING THERE AND I HOPE TO TRY IT SOME DAY

Personally, I have never tried surfing. I'd love to try it some day. I've always wanted to try it. I've only tried paddle surfing, but that's not the same thing at all. I think surfing in Malta would be a great experience. Maybe some day I'll get to try it.

For now, I'm happy to reflect on these lovely Spring photographs. Everything was so green when we visited. Gorgeous greens and blues everywhere! The blue of the sky, the blue of the sea and the green of the plants. To make everything better, there were even some flowers to match my magenta coat. My friends took these photographs of me posing in the field of lovely magenta flowers.  Maybe I didn't get to try out surfing while I was on Malta, but I tried hiking and flower matching, and that was more than enough!

Cited from surfer today site:

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.

Some of these photographs really turned out lovely, if I may say so myself. They really take me back there! What a joy to reflect on them! Life has been both tiring and challenging lately, and I really enjoy reflecting on my old Malta vacation. 

A BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS LOVELY BEACH WHERE I HOPE TO TAKE A SWIM SOME DAY!

Cited from which beach com (a site that gives information about Malta and Gozo beaches): 

The area of Għajn Tuffieħa (literally translated to Apple’s Eye) consists of the area of Riviera and the more popular Golden Bay. Both are equally stunning although Riviera tends to be a little less populated. This beach is nestled below the hills in an area that is still unspoilt with development. Getting to the beach means you need to go down a significant flight of steps but it will be worth your while.

Like Golden Bay, Riviera is listed as one of the best sunsets spots on the island. Facilities are lacking, mostly because the beach is more secluded, but you can get a snack from a kiosk just before you start your way down the steps. A restaurant is also open on the right side of the beach.

The hills which surround this beach make for a great hike during the colder months. Swimming here is generally safe but keep an eye out for the occasional ‘Red Flag’ which signals strong waves.

WHEN WE VISITED, THERE WAS HARDLY ANYONE, BUT MORE ABOUT THAT SOME OTHER TIME

I'll speak more about my visit in some other post, today we'll be concentrating more on art, and what inspired my painting...and that is these amazing views, the stunning blue colours of the sky and the sea!

Malta's cliffs are truly something spectacular! I wouldn't be surprised if they inspired even more paintings. What do you guys think? Should I paint Malta again?

IF CASE YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF MY ART HERE ARE THE LINKS TO OTHER 'TRAVEL WITH MY ART POSTS'

#1 PALERMO ISLAND SICILY (ITALY)

There's a story behind every painting and there's certainly a story behind every art piece posted in this travelling art series. 

    #2 BAY MALA STINIVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

This was a nice scene to paint. I'm not sure have I done these gorgeous colours justice with my painting but I tried. 

   #3 IRKUTSK, SIBERIA (RUSSIA)

This is the only place in my travelling art series that I have painted my haven't actually visited. In my third post, I shared this a watercolour pencil sketch of a place I never visited: a church of Our Lady of Kazan located in Irkutsk, Siberia (Russia). 

 #4  MATEJUŠKA, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA)

The fourth painting I shared is one of a location in my hometown. This watercolour pencil landscape was inspired by Split city, Croatia. More specifically, it was inspired by one of my favourite sights in Split city and that would be these absolutely gorgeous historical stone houses in immediate vicinity of Matejuška port. 

#5 HVAR CITY, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

 For my fifth post in this series, I illustrated a historical Franciscan monastery on island Hvar with watercolours. As some of you might remember, I lived on island Hvar. Having had enough time to study this beautiful island, now I feel confident in illustrating it.   

 #6 ZENTA MARINE, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA) 

Every painting is a different memory. For my sixth painting in the series, I illustrated a scene from my hometown and once again it's all about the boats. I distinctly remembering sketching this one.

 #7 ZAVALA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 

The seventh post in this series was my personal favourite. I love how I captured sea in this post. I still often revisit this painting to admire it. It was also gifted, so it's not available for sale. 

#8 SUCURAJ, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

In the eight post in this series, I shared a canvas painting of Sucuraj. As usual, I used one of my own photographs as a reference for this acrylic painting. 

#9 MALA STINIVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

For the the ninth post in the series, I repeated a location. It must be a special location, you might be thinking and you'd be right. I'd already illustrated bay Mala Stiniva on island Hvar once, when I decided to paint it again.  

 #10 HVAR TOWN, ISLAND HVAR ( CROATIA)

My tenth painting in the series saw me returning to magical island Hvar. In the centre of this painting there is a 12.5 meters long traditional wooden fishing boat and in the background you can see Hvar town (where we first spotted this boat about a year ago). I invested a lot of time and effort into this painting. 

#11 JELSA TOWN, DANCE OF THE SAILS (CROATIA)

In my eleventh post in the series, I returned to Jelsa on island Hvar to paint a nightscape. The medium was acrylic paintings on canvas. This painting was also gifted, so it's not available for sale any more (even if the original post implies it is). This is the second night seascape I made (you can see the first one here). 

 #12 ZAVALA, ISLAND HVAR, (CROATIA)

For my the twelfth post in my series, I returned to Zavala to paint another acrylic seascape canvas. I typically invest more time into my canvases, as opposed to landscapes painted in my sketchbooks. 

#13: SUCURAJ LIGHTING HOUSE, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 

The thirteenth painting in the series is more of a sketch. I wasn't completely happy with it and wasn't sure where I went wrong. Maybe it was the number 13 that brought me bad luck. 

#14: BAY BRIZENICA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 

In the fourteenth painting in the series, I depicted island Hvar again and this time a bay that is not widely known. 

#15 BAY LOZNA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #16 BAY VEPRINOVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

In my fifteenth post in the series, I illustrated bay Lozna on island Hvar. Another sketchbook seascape painting that turned out very satisfactory.  I worked on this painting for about two days. 

#16 BAY VEPRINOVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

Another attempt at capturing the sea in the small frame with acrylic paints on paper.

#17 BOL, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #18 PLANINICA, (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)

In my seventeenth post, I illustrated island Brač and more precisely to- Bol. 

#18 PLANINICA, (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)

 Planinica hill in Bosnia and Herzegovina. You might remember this place from my numerous posts about it. Like Goranci, Planinica is only a short drive away from Mostar. If you are lucky, you might even come across semi-wild horses.  I've been meaning to paint Planinica for a long time.

#19 SUCURAJ, BOATS AT PORT, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 

The nineteenth painting in the series was an ambitious acrylic canvas  that was again all about island Hvar. This time I painted boats in a harbour.

#20 BEACH SOLINE,VRBOSKA,  ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

Sometimes nothing beats a quick painting. In the twentieth post in my travelling art series, I shared a quick painting of Soline beach in Vrbovska.

#21 STARI GRAD, VIEW FROM HOTEL ARKADA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 

This painting was inspired by photographs taken in April a few years ago near hotel Arkada, Stari Grad city (island Hvar). Like the last painting in my series, this acrylic painting was done on mixed media paper in  A4 format is. Therefore, it's neither a large painting nor a very detailed one.

#22 MAKARSKA BOATS  (CROATIA)

Another acrylic on paper. This time my inspiration was Makarska town in Dalmatia (Croatia).

#23 ZAVALA  BEACH PANORAMA (CROATIA) 

I have put  so much effort into this painting but I think it paid off. 

#24 ŽNJAN BEACH, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA)

This Žnjan painting was painted on plain air which was a fun experience. I remember one lady approached me to talk to me. I painted it on beach Žnjan in Split city, Croatia. I don't do a lot of painting in the open but sometimes I do venture outdoors, for example HERE.

#25 JELSA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

I used one of my own photographs as a reference. The medium was acrylic paints on mixed media paper.  

 #26 ZAVALA BEACH BAY, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

This was a super quick oil pastel sketch and I liked how it turned out.

#27 MALA STINIVA IN SUMMER, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

This one is a little different because it's more a drawing than a painting.

  #28 TRAVEL WITH MY ART, BASINA BAY, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 

This watercolour painting can perhaps be categorized as both destination and fashion illustration. It depicts a certain location- Basina bay on island Hvar, so you could call it a landscape or a location painting. 

#29 TRAVEL WITH MY ART, BAY TORAC AT SUNSET, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 

In the twenty- ninth post in this destination art series, I painted bay Torac using acrylic paints on canvas. As far as the making of this painting, it was a pretty standard affair. 

#30 TRAVEL WITH MY ART, VALETTA, ISLAND MALTA (MALTA) 

In my thirtieth post in my travel and destination art series, I shared an illustration that I made  for and gifted to a friend of mine who lives in Malta. The medium is  water pastels on paper. 

  #31 TRAVEL WITH MY ART : CAPE PLANKA (CROATIA)

This was a commission painting. This is a big painting! 

 #32 TRAVEL WITH MY ART: SQUICK ZAVALA SKETCH (CROATIA)

This super quick painting was another painting inspired by Zavala on island Hvar (Croatia). It is not nearly as elaborative or challenging as the last piece I shared in my destination art series. 

#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. 

#34 TRAVEL WITH MY ART BOTA SURF CENTRE, VRBOSKA, ISLAND HVAR, CROATIA

In  the thirty-forth post in this series, I painted a beautiful spot in Vrboska. I was really happy with how this one turned out. The medium was acrylic paints on paper. 

#35 TRAVEL WITH MY ART : BEACH KAMENJARA, VRBOSKA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA ) 2023 

Today I'm sharing with you an A4 acrylic seascape inspired by a photograph taken by my husband. It's a typical quick 'Ivana' seascape. Painted pretty quickly, it is not very detailed. 

#36 TRAVEL WITH MY ART A COMISSIONED CHAPEL PAINTING MOSTAR 2024

This painting took me about three months to finish for multiple reasons. 

#37  A SEAVIEW FROM A PARK (SPLIT, CROATIA)

I used my old photographs as a  reference. I took these two photograph last year while I was walking trough this park.

....AND FINALLY A FEW OF MY MOST RECENT ONES....

#38 BUNA CANALS NEAR MOSTAR, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 2024

#39- STJEPAN FORTRESS BLAGAJ (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA) 2024

# 40 TRAVEL WITH MY ART, A VIEW FROM MARINE LUČICA, SPLIT (CROATIA)

#41 TRAVEL WITH MY ART: SUĆURAJ LIGHTHOUSE, ISLAND HVAR

#42 TRAVEL WITH MY ART : DRVENIK, CROATIA

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 

I visited Malta in 2022, but I only blogged about it last April when I decided to do a series of Malta. A series I actually haven't completed, so expect more posts from Malta. One of the things I enjoyed most while visiting Malta was hiking. I hiked both alone and with my friend (who is also named Ivana).  Today I'll share photographs from a hike we did in March 2022, when we explored Malta's fascinating landscape and cliffs. I was both surprised and delighted to see these cliffs. It's something I would expect to find in Northern countries and not on a Mediterranean island.  I was fortunate to have a friend that showed me around. 

VISIT MALTA WITH IVANA- HIKING TALES- SOLO HIKES

I spent a lot of my time on Malta just hiking! No wonder I loved my stay there so much.  How lucky was I! Not only did I get to visit this utterly gorgeous island, I also got to hike it for hours. Moreover, during my hikes, I felt like I was able to connect with Malta on a deeper level by exploring it with calm and patience.

 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

Valletta, a city of incredibly rich history. Besides it being the capital of Malta, Valletta is one of the most concentrated historical sites in the world. Simply a dream place for a historical lover like myself. Apart from being a historical landmark like no other, Valletta is simply amazingly beautiful. 

VISIT MALTA WITH IVANA- HIKING TALES- SAINT JULIAN'S 

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!

And that's a wrap! I leave you with a big smile on my face...and one image of my painting. 

Thank you for stopping by!