I've been diligently working on my art while on my trip. I'll have some more pics for you soon. In the meantime, enjoy the view of the beach we went to on Lido.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Canal Serpent
I was looking at satellite images of Venice to get a sense of the layout from one of the pigeon's perspective and I noticed how the grand canal looks like a giant serpent. I'm surprised to not see more snake imagery here. I brought the image into Photoshop and reworked it a little bit. The result looks like a woodcut or linoleum print! Totally cool.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Lace Making in Burano
I've been away from a computer for a while, trying to enjoy my time here. It's like I've been transported to another century—until I get to an internet cafe, that is. So, I've been working on making some bracelets inspired by all the pretty glass beads I've found here. I've also tried my hand at mask-making. I'm currently working on an exaggerated plague doctor's mask. I say exaggerated because instead of a vulture, my mask is looking more and more like Gonzo from the Muppet Show. I'll post pictures of work soon, I promise.
I took a day trip to the island of Burano. It's about a 40 minute Vaporetto ride from Venice (did I mention the Vaporetto is like the T in Boston except it's a boat in Venice—much cooler). I visited a school and museum of lace making. During the 16C, the wives of fishermen started making lace with needles. Burano is famous for its lace, which is beautiful. It is so complicated and time consuming to make! No wonder it's expensive. I love that these ladies keep this craft alive. Burano is pretty low key compared to Venice and Murano. It seems mostly residential. The houses along the canal are very picturesque. Residents are only allowed to paint there homes in certain colors—pastels. It reminds me a little of Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Plague Doctor (i.e. the mournful vulture)
Every year before Lent there is huge carnival in Venice that lasts two weeks. People dress up in costume, don masks and revel in San Marco Square among other locales. I've noticed many shops selling these masks. A popular theme is the "plague doctor" mask. During the plague, people posing as doctors (the real doctors fled) would wear masks with a bird-like beak stuffed with spices and herbs and visit patients stricken with the plague. The whole look, from mask to rubber boots, was creepy! Look at the illustrations I found online:
Hmm...not very comforting.
Murano
Murano is a center for glassmaking. Long ago, when the Venetian Republic was born, glass making shifted to Murano because of fears of fire and destruction to Venice's mostly wood buildings. The Murano glassmakers lived like kings: immunity from prosecution, their daughters married into affluent families. The only catch was that they could never leave the Republic! Glass shops, like tourists, are everywhere. I gravitate toward the small, less expensive beads. There are so many pretty patterns and shapes. The technique I like in particular is called millefiori--thousand flowers. | ||
Shop lined canal in Murano. | One of many glass shops. | Millefiori-so cute! |
Monday, June 11, 2007
Linoleum Print & Watercolor
I made two water color paintings also. I made the one on the left first. I thought it wasn't good enough, so I tried it again. Of the two, I like the first, less perfect one more. Funny, huh. I'm actually working on a third one. In the end, I'll probably go with the first one but I have to keep trying.
Last, but not least, I made a print on a man walking down a narrow alley in Venice. How could I not make a work of one of the many little alleys?
Next I'm off to the either Murano, Burano, Torcello or all of the above!
Another Monotype
Friday, June 8, 2007
My First Monotype
I attempted my first monotype yesterday. It wasn't wholey successful but my plate looked cool so I documented it for you to see. It's a of posts sticking out from the water at dusk. The light is so, so beautiful. I can't explain the impact this type of lighting is having on me other than to produce artwork that somewhat conveys the feelings it inspires.
I'm going to try to paint this scene again.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Pictures from Doge's Palace
The Doge's Palace is a gothic palce in Venice. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice and contained the offices of a number of political institutions, arranged around a central courtyard. Talk about ornate!
Always the Light
One of the most amazing things about Venice is the quality of the light. In the morning it's foggy, misty, gray. By mid-morning/noon the sun hits its stride and glorious colors of Venice sing right off the buildings! Look at these images from the Academia bridge:
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Rialto Bridge
Monday, June 4, 2007
Lions, Lions Everywhere!
All Roads Lead Back to S. Marco's Sq.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Breakfast and Basilica
Breakfast room at Pensione Guerrato | This is the breakfast room. How adorable! It looks so painterly. So, one of my goals on this trip is to make artwork in media other than photography. That's a big step for me, as photo is all I really think about. So, I'm going to keep my photos to happy snaps and maybe use them, as well as this incredible place, as inspiration for new, different work. Maybe I'll paint this room? Or the coffee cup on the table...maybe I should start modestly. |
Flooded San Marco Square | After breakfast I went to see San Marco Basilica. The church is huge, ornate, and beautiful. It's a byzantine style church. I went so early that the square in front of the church was flooded. I guess that happens daily in Venice. They put up little walkways so that you don't get wet, but I got wet. I decided to admire it from the outside and then go back late morning or around lunch time. If you click on the link above, you can view the interior of the basilica. It's pretty awesome for those of you who can't be here with me. It's cool for me too because many parts of the basilica are closed off to tourists (because there are so many of us) so this is good way to see parts that one otherwise can't see. More to come! |
Thursday, May 31, 2007
My Hotel
I'm staying at Pensione Guerrato. Rick Steve's likes it. It's just past the Rialto bridge. You go over the bridge and make a right at the fish monger (a little stinky). The pensione is toward the end of a little street on the right. It's amazing how quiet it gets on a little side alley!
Day One: Leaving Boston
We left Boston last night on an Alitalia flight to Marco Polo airport in Venice via Malpensa airport in Milan. Night flights exhaust me but that's pretty much the way to go when traveling to Europe. I usually can't sleep and like to look out the window but there is nothing to see at night.
Our connection from Milan to Venice was short and sweet though. I'll leave you with a couple of photos I took from the airplane.
Ciao for now.
Our connection from Milan to Venice was short and sweet though. I'll leave you with a couple of photos I took from the airplane.
Ciao for now.
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