Landscape artist Valerio Mirannalti’s pastel paintings are now on display at Corridoio Fiorentino, following their grand reveal on March 13, 2025, during another special Palazzi Community Center event. This solo exhibition invites guests to a rare opportunity to explore Tuscany’s diverse landscapes- captured in stunning detail through the vibrance of pastel.

The Pastelscapes exhibit transports the audience to Tuscany’s tranquil countryside, all using nothing but pastels. Pastels dry the same color they appear when first applied to the canvas, which makes them a great medium for illustrating Tuscany’s vibrancy. The challenge for Mirannalti, however, was beating the clock. Pastels are notorious for their quick dry time. Each painting had to be nished in under one hour, even the largest canvases which got up to 30x30cm.

“I know the painting is finished when my timer runs out,” Mirannalti explains. “But sometimes the pressure gets to me. I get frustrated when the painting doesn’t turn out how I imagine, and when I try to adjust it, the pastel doesn’t cooperate.” For those who are familiar with the difficulty of working with pastels, Mirannalti’s accomplishment becomes even more impressive!

From some distance, his work appears almost photographic, with vibrant colors and the complex detail that capture the true essence of the Tuscan landscapes. Students especially get a kick out of seeing the Tuscan landscape in one of their school buildings because for many, the city’s urban surroundings can tend to dim the beauty of the Tuscan countryside.

One onlooker brought up a specific piece that stood out to her at the exhibition, “I like the one with the dirt road and the puddles of water in the ground… the vibrant colors and the sky reflecting off of the water in the mud is really awesome.” Whether a local or visitor, Pastelscapes invites you to uncover Tuscany through the eyes of an artist who brings its landscapes to life with each stroke.