Getting ready for tomorrow night's art opening

I'm busy today doing the last minute touches for a show that opens at my Richmond, Virginia studio tomorrow night. Read here for the details. No oil painting in the last couple of days so I thought I'd share a sketch of Venice, from one of my sketchbooks:

"Gondolas Near Piazza San Marco" 6x8", Watercolor & Ink

Bridge of Sighs

Here is a still-wet painting I've just finished of the Bridge of Sighs.

 

Built in the 1600's, the Bridge of Sighs (Il Ponte dei Sospiri) was so named because it connected the inquisition room in the Doge's Palace with the Doge's prison. Crossing over the bridge to their confinement the prisoners would give out one last, yearning sigh as they looked out at beautiful Venice before they went to meet their fate.

A rather sad and poignant story! But a beautiful bridge nonetheless, and one of the many landmarks of Venice. I've gone on a tour of the palace and the prison and it is fascinating.

This painting is 24"h x 18" wide (without the frame). It is oil on canvas, priced at $1200 unframed or $1350 framed. For more information, please contact me.

Gondola, Signori?

Here's a little painting I just finished of a Venetian scene. It is one that I did as part of a series of new gallery wrapped minis.

I am working on a few more of these "little Venice squares" (sounds like a breakfast cereal!) to offer in time for holiday gift giving season. This painting measures 8x8 inches. The edges are painted a solid burgundy color that compliments the painting, so no extra framing is needed.

This is a scene of a rather narrow side canal I saw while riding one of the traghetti across the Grand Canal.

More paintings of Italy can be seen on my website here.