Public art in a town of 600 residents (dial-up warning)

[Heidi]

On Thursday morning, I spent about an hour wandering around the little town of Vira not far from where we live, and was amazed at the abundance of public art in a town so small. Much of the art in Vira is privately owned but accessible to the public. Here are some photos. Enjoy! :hi:


Just a few yards from the highway that runs through Vira, there are little cobblestone streets leading down to Lago Maggiore.



Frescos decorate the sides of several homes in the old center of Vira.



Several of the homes share a courtyard and fountain.



Here's another fresco on the side of a home in the old-town part of Vira.



The heavy wood door to the tiny chapel just east of the Catholic church.



Inside the chapel is this enormous surrealist painting, about 6 feet tall and 3 or four feet wide.



The Catholic Church, situated above the shoreline of Lago Maggiore, is another work of art.



A ceramic relief that hangs at the entrance to my friend's studio.



Another ceramic relief hangs at the entrance to the elementary school, which is conveniently located between a bar and a cemetary. Inside the school are sculptures donated by Ticinese artists; the school is closed for summer, so I couldn't take any photos. Last year, a huge, iron sculpture ("G 2003") by American artist Richard Serra stood on loan in front of the school.



An ornate, handmade fountain stands in the elementary school courtyard.



The rustici (old houses in the style native to this part of Switzerland) are considered art here, although some of the owners use them as vineyard storage sheds or chicken houses. Renovating a rustico requires federal permission because there are so few of these structures remaining. This small vineyard is adjacent to the elementary school.



Even the headstones and vaults in the cemetary, located next door to the elementary school, are ornate.



The promenade along Lago Maggiore is beautifully maintained.

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. WOW!

Absolutley beautiful! And so peaceful... :::sigh:::


May I come visit??? :hi:

Thank you so much for sharing those photos! :loveya:

[Heidi]

4. Plenty of room in Vira for more art lovers!

Hi, gf! I was just amazed when I walked around in the old part of town, and saw how much public art is accessible in such a tiny little corner of the world. That sort of how I think _life_ should be. :)

:hug:

[ghostsofgiants]

2. Very cool!

:hi:

[Heidi]

15. Hi, p1!

Your hair is privately-owned public art! :thumbsup:

[ghostsofgiants]

21. As is your kindness.

:)

[Haole Girl]

3. Beautiful!

Thank you for sharing those. You have an artist's eye, that's for sure! :)

[Heidi]

5. What I think is really cool

is that so much of that art was actually _purchased_ by the community. Some of it has been on loan or donated by the artists, but most of it was actually purchased. I think it's great when a community values art so highly that they want their kids exposed to it on a daily basis. :thumbsup:

Thank you for your kind words, gf. :hug:

[enigmatic]

6. the surrealist painting in the chapel is a masterpiece

Wow Heidi, I need to go there..:)

[Heidi]

8. Isn't it awesome?

I can't remember when I've ever seen such a bold depiction of Christianity in a small-town American church.

(And we'd love to see you! :hug: )

[Nicole]

7. Great pics

What a beautiful place to live. The art pics are great but I'm really loving nature's artwork there. The scenery is amazingly beautiful, especially the scene surrounding the old house.

[Heidi]

9. Hi, Nicole!

Here's a shot of the ferry dock on Lago Maggiore. The little street in the top photo in my OP leads right down to this dock. :hi:

[Nicole]

23. Gorgeous

What a wonderful place that must be to spend an afternoon. I love that little street between the houses that leads to it also.

[Suich]

10. Very nice, Heidi.

Thank you for sharing them.

:hi:

[Heidi]

12. Prego!

Glad you enjoyed them, Suich! :hi:

[aquaman]

11. Hey Heidi......

Amazing pictures. Thanks for sharing. Hope you are doing well this morning...... :hi:

[Heidi]

13. Aquafriend!

:hug: Nice to see you! How's aquaspawn?

[aquaman]

17. He is doing great....

He has had some digestive issues for the last few days...Interesting diaper changing going on. Other than that, he is doing wonderfully.

[Heidi]

18. Good!

But I'm sorry you've had to be exposed to "interesting diaper changing." :scared:

[SeattleGirl]

14. Wow, Heidi!!!

Thanks so much for sharing this fabulous art!

[Heidi]

16. Hi, SeattleGirl!

And thanks to the community of Vira for valuing art so highly! :thumbsup:

How are you, my sweet? :hug: :loveya:

[SeattleGirl]

27. I'm good!

Gosh, but some day I have GOT to travel to your neck of the woods!

[MrScorpio]

19. Wow!

I miss Europe

[Heidi]

20. Europe misses _you_,

my friend. :hug:

[MrScorpio]

29. I gotta come back

I should have stayed

[texanwitch]

22. Hello Heidi

Taking my lunchbreak right now.

Beautiful little village, looks like you had a nice time.:hug:

Great pics, nothing that lovely around here.

[Heidi]

24. Kisses from Vira, gf.

;)

Lots of beautiful sights in Texas, including you. :hug: I love Texas!

[texanwitch]

25. I had hoped to get the weekend off so I could go to Camp Casey.

I can't seem to get two days off together, I really don't want to drive to and from near Waco in one day.

[Heidi]

26. Have you been there before?

If you go, could you take some digital photos? On the other hand, it's a looooooong drive to and back. :hug:

[texanwitch]

28. I went for one day last year at the end, when it really hot.

It was 106 in the shade under the big tent. I never drank so much water in my life, had 3 bottles of water with me all the time.

This year Cindy has bought some land, lots of trees, much cooler.

It is a major pain to be about 4 hours away and cannot get there for two days, I would love to camp out at least one night.

I would have to leave real early to have anytime there and then drive back tired. Then I would have to go to work tired.

I will try to get there, at least one day.

[bridgit]

30. nice...

:thumbsup:

[Heidi]

31. Hey!

:hug: :loveya:

:*SMOOCH!:*

[bridgit]

32. hey, Hon...

:hi: :hug: what a crazy world these days, eh :loveya:

[xchrom]

33. more than anything else -- it's the art

that i love about europe -- as the wonderful pics show --

it's everywhere!

fabulous.

[Heidi]

35. Hi, my friend.

That's one of the things I love about living here. In so many instances, even the smallest things are artfully prepared and presented. If I have time later, I'll scan in and post here a postcard from the little bakery/grocery store where I shop when I'm in Vira. :hi:

:hug:

[xchrom]

37. i would LOVE to see it --

and i know what you mean -- you turn a corner in europe -- and bingo -- some small shop owner has prepared the most beautiful display -- just stops you right in your tracks.

especially the florists.

[Heidi]

39. See downthread!

And oooooooooooooooh, the florists . . . I buy fresh flowers nearly every week. :)

[xchrom]

40. see?!?!?! -- that's it!

from public art everywhere -- to shops -- there is such pleasure available all over!

and it's free!

sigh -- well i'll be back soon enough.

[arwalden]

34. Hey!

Thanks!! That was fun!

[Heidi]

36. It really _was_ fun!

One of the best parts of walking around Vira is listening to the old men sitting around gossiping . . . and listening to their observations as the young, female tourists walk past. :rofl:

[Heidi]

38. Inside the little store in town:

[AirmensMom]

41. Yum! Just in time for breakfast!

:bounce: Great pics, Heidi! Thanks for sharing! :hug:

[Heidi]

42. Thank you, friend.

The things in that little store are sooooooooooo yummy. :bounce:

Wishing you and your kitties a beautiful weekend! :hug:

[AirmensMom]

43. Thank you, gf!

:hug: And the same to you and your kitties ... and Wesley. :loveya: :grouphug:

Now, if you wouldn't mind plucking a few goodies from that store and shoving them over here through the modem ... :P

[Heidi]

44. I-love-art-kick.

:kick:

[never cry wolf]

45. That is one thing I absolutely adore about europe

They have a wonderful sense of place. You can find so many of these sort of warm aedicular little "moments" around the next corner or down a hidden alley.

I am an architect who studied there for 9 months. I compiled 8 credit hours for doing sketches of these sort of scenes and believe me, it was an easy eight hours credit. They are everywhere you turn and draw themselves...

Sighhhh, I miss it.... thanks for posting. Brought back many warm memories...

[Bullwinkle925]

46. I'm so frickin' jealous. I wish I lived there!!!!

What beauty - architecture, geography, art - you have it ALL!


O8)

[Bullwinkle925]

47. I'm coming to visit , Heidi -

be there in a few hours.


Looks like a nice place to run away to!!

:hi:

[BensMom]

48. Something really caught me..

Cemetery next to a school.
I love that concept.
Is that a usual thing in Europe?

[Heidi]

49. I think the cemetary was there first.

Where we live, the cemetaries normally are next to the church, but since the church in Vira is within feet of the lake . . . ya know what I mean. :hi: