Squero di San Trovaso is one of the places I always return to when I am in Venice. New gondolas are built here and gondolas are repaired and serviced here too. It always has a lot going on...and I love all the bits and pieces that can be found there.
This sketch was done over two sessions. I started it on a damp, drizzly day. I was sitting under a fairly well covered area and was doing fine for a while, until it started pouring. Then the ground around me started flooding as the puddles that were already there started growing. I noticed that the bottom of my backpack was actuallysitting in water so I packed up quickly before I had big problems...but the sketch wasn't finished. I went back this week (on a dry day) and finished it. Meanwhile I had to take almost everything out of my backpack so that the backpack and the supplies could dry. Luckily I keep all of the papers I'm using in protective plastic sleeves so they were safe.
I had one small section left in my Hahnemuhle concertina sketchbook and found a great scene to finish the book. There is an area with covered arches near the Rialto Market. One of the arches opens to the Grand Canal. The gondolas kept going down the small river across from it so I was able to to sketch the gondola activity based on a few boats that turned into that canal. I am hoping to take photos of all the paintings in this sketchbook and maybe make an iMovie. If I get it done and don't have major problems with it, I will post it here on the blog.
It is hard to resist sketching the doorways along the canals. The tide was really high and part of the door and the steps are cornered with water (aqua alta).
I went off in search for Campo Santa Margarita in the Dorsoduro section of Venice. It was quite a lively location with a lot of bars and restaurants. There were crowds of young people hanging out all around me. I sat down and started sketching a couple. A few minutes later they decided to change tables so I had to look for new models. I’ not sure if this couple was aware that I was sketching them until another couple walking by noticed and commented rather loudly…”it’s that couple there.” My models did stop by a bit later and loved the sketch. Too bad it was still quite a bit away from being finished. (Rule #1 - start sketching the part of the scene that may move away first.)
The current Creative Spark ScavengervHuntvhas “sweets” as an item as well ad “box”. These tasty pistachio filled cookies were sitting on the table calling to be sketched. Pistachio seems to be a bit thing here and the pistachio gelato is so good!
This Burano house seems to have had a hard time deciding on one color. It seems like quite a few layers of paint are showing through. It has a certain charm.
I love taking a trip to Burano. All the colorful buildings just make me smile. I sat across the canal to sketch this snack bar.
While I’m here in Venice I’ve tried to keep up with the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunts. I find doing some of them as Procreate sketches works best. I don’t need a separate sketchbook.
One of the items was leaves. I have a small pot of flower that our pianist, Natalie, brought me when we arrived.
I wandered and found a spot I hadn’t been to before. A bridge, a walled garden, a staircase, a flag and a canal all converged in one spot. While I was sketching a woman came along and asked if it would be ok if she sat and sketched there too. It was one of her favorite spots. She was originally from southern CA but has been living in Italy for a few years…first in Rome where she got her masters in something to do with the Italian Renaissance. Now she is living in Venice and loves it. We talked for quite a while. Sketching can be more fun with someone to share it with.
The other day we had rain all morning. Finally it seemed to have stopped. I didn’t want to take a chance on getting wet, so I walked over to the San Silvestro vaporetto stop and sat inside the covered waiting area. There are a few seat and the view was pretty good. My paper and I stayed nice and dry.
Many restaurants that are along the canals here have seating outside. It is a nice way to dine and watch the world go by.
Luckily I was able to meet Sandrine for another afternoon before she went back to Paris. I met her outside the Palazzo Grimaldi and we did some shopping in that area. As the afternoon went on we ended up in Saint Mark’s Square. We were lucky and found a bench near the vaporetti and taxi docks. The sky looked lovey and we pulled out our sketchbooks and paints. Of course we continued to paint until we couldn’t see anything any more. It was a great ending to Sandrine’s time here. Hopefully we will cross paths somewhere again!
An urban sketcher from Paris, Sandrine Sla, who I met at several of the USk Symposiums was in Venice taking a workshop. She and I got together twice in the late afternoon to sketch. We sat at a cafe on the Zattere and sketched Giudecca across the canal. It was nice to have some sketching company. We chatted as the sun was going down.
This and other sketches are inside a concertina sketchbook I’ve been working on. I will try to post the whole thing all together when it is finished.
While I was sketching the section of the building yesterday, tourists were constantly blocking my view so I sketched them separately.
Before leaving home l bought a ticket to Saint Mark’s Basilica. I also wanted to go upstairs to see the horses and the view from the balcony. I wasn’t sure I could do all that climbing, but the website said you could purchase that portion at the basilica. Unfortunately the only was you could buy a ticket was to scan the QR code and do it on your phone. But to do that I would need working with-fi and I didn’t have that. I was out of luck. Instead I headed outside to sketch. I sat on a ledge by the bell tower. That was fine until it got crowded and people kept blocking my view. I did the best that I could.
This is a section next to Saint Mark’s Cathedral done in toned paper with ink, a white Posca marker, and watercolors.
Daily life in Venice often starts with coffee and then some grocery shopping usually in the other side of at least one bridge.
Near the S. Angelo vaporetto stop there is a hotel entrance from the Grand Canal with these red and white striped poles. What a pretty welcome!
Every once in a while I come across gardens and greenery in Venice. It is a nice contrast to the stone and plaster.
I don’t know how or why some entrances along the canals have colorful poles outside. I will have to check that out.
I have been trying to keep up with the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunt. This first one is a continuous line sketch of a sink area…color added later
Thud is a fun spot to sketch from. There are always people sitting and watching the activity in the canal. There aren’t a lot of spots where you can sit unless you want to sit at a table and eat or drink. This couple was there for a long time, and left just as I was almost finished painting them. Then I added in all the other details.
I like roaming around Venice until something catches my eye. The hanging laundry and the bridge did that. The gondola was a bonus!
We are staying in an apartment in a square called Campo San Polo. There are some great shade trees in the center. Care to sit for a while?
There is a spot near the Rialto Bridge that has tables outside where you can have drinks and snacks. It overlooks a gondola service area. I was able to get a table up front and ordered a spritz to have while I sketched. The glass had an olive on a skewer that I took out and put on the table. As I was sketching a big seagull landed on the table, snatched the olive, and flew away with it.
On Tuesday we left JFK for Italy. We flew to Milan and then took the Maloensa Express to Milano Central to take the train from Milan to Venice. Then it was one vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal to the San Silvestro stop where our apartment was a few blocks and one bridge away. Thank heaven for some angels who helped us get our luggage in and off the modes of transport. It was exhausting and Jerry’s back was bothering him. BUT we made it.
When I returned to the center of the town of Oyster Bay there were several artists near the gazebo. It was fun to sit and chat as well as find a scene to sketch. Melanie was standing and using the cannon as her easel. She had all of her supplies at the base of the cannon. I knew she would be there for a while because she was doing a large sketch of several storefronts. Perfect!
Once a year the NYC Urban Sketchers come to Oyster Bay here on Long Island for a day of sketching. Sketchers came by train from Manhattan, others came by car from Westchester and New Jersey, and joined with the sketchers who live on Long Island. I looked for a view I hadn't sketched before and found these signs advertising "Bait for Sale." How could I resist?
Our weekly meeting of the Patchogue Sketch Club had an autumn theme for the night.
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I knew I wanted to paint at Andrews Family Farm this season, but I was running out of day because I had a trip coming up. So I requested that my plein air group head there for a morning of sketching. Denise Andrews and the staff there are always so welcoming to us when we come to paint. The setups at the farm stand there always make me smile.
Looking at the sketch I painted outside the Bayport Flower House I noticed that the cartons that are holding the pumpkins say watermelons on them. Did it actually say that on the cartons, or did it say pumpkins? I will have to look when I am there again. Was my mind thinking watermelons??? LOL
I didn't get back to check the boxes. I've been too busy organizing and packing for our trip. We are leaving tonight and will be gone a few weeks. I have scheduled some posts to finish with the paintings/sketches that were already done. After that I will post from Venice as long as the blog cooperates when we are there. Ciao!
For the last day of summer I drove over to the beach at Smith Point. I love seeing the ocean and waves peeking through the dunes.
There are some large white homes along Bellport Lane in Bellport. Some of the houses art up on a hill from the street, like this one. It is up high with I'm sure what is a great view of the Great South Bay and the Bellport Dock.
This house is in Sayville facing the water along Brown's River Road. I've sketched it quite a few times since we moved out here, and each time the foliage blocks more of the house. I know there is a patio with several chairs and a big window, but it can't be seen. I wonder if the foliage blocks their view. I would want to see the beach and the marina while I sat there. Of course this does give them a little more privacy.
The Patchogue Sketch Club had a model this past week. Hector has posed for us before and he is always so dapper. The first set of sketches were about 5 minutes each.
I did a continuous line sketch for Creative Spark of a butter dish, something zesty (lemon), a mushroom, green beans and garlic. I had to add color.
Cornell University sponsors the Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center in Riverhead. There are assorted gardens to visit, but I stayed close to the entrance.
Last Sunday when I was at Arts on Terry I sketched my view between two booths. There was a woman sitting there doing face painting. It was hard to do because people would come and watch and block the woman and her "canvas." Some of the people were waiting because they were next, but I think a number of them that got in the way were just watching. Grr!!! Finally it cleared out enough so that I could see.
