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Venice Without a Mask

1/28/2016 2:23:39 AM

Every winter Venice celebrates its famous Carnival (Carnevale di Venezia). I was fortunate enough to be there this year while doing work in and around the city. During the festivities, you see some people walking on the street wearing masks, elaborate gowns and beautiful dresses from the old times. There are events, balls and banquets to attend. It’s one of those times when Venice really shines with its glamour and splendor. The whole atmosphere feels almost unreal when this city shows its magical side. When I travel, I like getting to know people who live there. For a short “living like a [...]

6th Annual Signature American Watermedia Exhibition

2/23/2015 10:28:08 PM

Among many juried exhibitions for watercolor/watermedia paintings, the Annual Signature American Watermedia Exhibition holds a unique place as it is probably the only one open to painters with signature status in any watercolor society in the U.S. In its sixth year, the Fallbrook Art Center opened its doors on February 7 to the visitors to their popular annual watermedia exhibition who attended the opening reception. I am deeply honored that my entry "Masquerade, Venice, Italy I" was selected by juror Stephen Quiller to be in the show but he also chose my work as a recipient of one of the top awards. [...]

International Watercolor Exhibition - Thessaloniki, Greece

9/29/2014 11:42:39 PM

I am honored to have my work included in the Second International Watercolor Exhibition, which opened on September 15 in Thessaloniki, Greece. This show was organized by George Politis, a wonderful Greek watercolor artist and a dedicated teacher, and will run until October 7. I have "Afternoon, Venice, Italy IV" and the other piece of Venice in this exhibition. Showcasing small- to medium-sized watermedia gems from both Greek and international artists, who were selected by a panel of international jurors, the exhibition is worth visiting if you are near the Gallery of Society of Macedonian Studies in Thessaloniki, the second-largest Greek city. Thessaloniki [...]

Immagini dell'Acqua, Milano, Italy

9/8/2014 4:08:02 AM

It is with a great honor that I am participating, as an invited guest artist, in the 40th anniversary exhibition of the Associazione Italiana Acquerellisti (AIA). Mr. Fernando Cavalieri, the AIA's President, together with Ms. Cristina Bracaloni, the AIA's Vice President, very kindly extended the invitation to me earlier this year to take part in the events including the opening of this special exhibition and live demonstrations. The theme of the exhibition is Immagini dell'Acqua (Images of Water), and it will take place at the Acquario Civico in Milan, Italy from the 2nd to the 26th of October. An international watercolor exhibition, the [...]

Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy

11/21/2013 3:56:53 AM

One of my favorite paintings is John Singer Sargent's piece that depicted the façade of the Salute. Rather, this painting is much more than just "favorite." Early on in my career as a watercolor painter, I was simply in awe when I saw it for the first time. I would even call that a life-changing experience. Almost anything my eyes see in Venice can be a painting. At least that's how I feel. But scenes involving Santa Maria della Salute are especially magnificent... "Santa Maria della Salute, Venice III" (10"x29") - available "Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy IV" (19"x13") - sold "Venetian Sunset VII" [...]

Al Ponte di Rialto, Venice II, Italian Landscape Painting

10/31/2013 8:21:42 PM

My travel sketchbooks vary in size but my favorites are 8.5"x5.5" or 12"x9". If my primary purpose of going somewhere is solely to paint, I, of course, carry with me all the plein-air painting gear, a tripod and a watercolor block of much larger size up to 18"x24, " which can be quite a handful. If I want to visit a place first, I like the portability of my small sketchbook just to make quick studies in whenever and wherever I want. And I do this sometimes with just lines, or sometimes with a few colors. My 12"x9" is actually a watercolor [...]

Al Ponte di Rialto, Venice I, Italian Landscape Painting

10/29/2013 10:09:39 PM

No matter how touristy, Venice never ceases to amaze and inspire us artists. I have been to many places in the world to paint, but honestly, there is only a few where I can truly feel like a kid in a candy store. Almost everything is overpriced in Venice and some things look too tacky even to attempt to paint, but knowing that it can be a big tourist trap is never enough to keep us - or at least me - from going there. There's no denying this canal city has the magical power to mesmerize us. In fact, when I'm [...]

Fish Market, Venice, Italy I, Interior Painting

7/17/2013 9:11:21 AM

Being an artist, by and large, is a solitary profession but it is good to get together with other like-minded artist friends from time to time. When I do, I may paint with them, visit an exhibition, attend an opening, exchange information and ideas or share a meal. Whatever that may be, the experience can be really inspiring and uplifting. Last year, I spent some time in Venice, Italy, painting together with my artist friend, Eugen Chisnicean. We did a lot of painting en plein-air in many spots in the city, and made a book VENICE AND VERONA with those paintings, including [...]

San Giorgio, Venice II, Italian Landscape Painting

7/3/2013 10:44:13 PM

The church of San Giorgio Maggiore (the same name as the island where it stands) looks strikingly beautiful with its bell tower soaring into the sky. It looks as if it stands right on the water of the Venetian lagoon when seen from across the lagoon. The view, especially from the waterfront promenade by Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark's Square), is one of the most photographed of Venice. Curious what the view might be like from the other side, I hopped on a boat and went over to San Giorgio Maggiore. It was breathtaking as I imagined. We could see the similar-looking bell tower of San Marco, [...]

San Giorgio, Venice I, Italian Landscape Painting

7/1/2013 11:21:18 AM

Painting en plein air in Venice may be every painter's dream. But, compared to painting in the comfort of an indoor studio, painting outdoors has more elements to factor in, so it can be quite challenging. For one thing, in Venice, there is a constant flow of people, mainly tourists, virtually everywhere. Yet with careful planning and a bit of luck, we can manage to set up an easel and paint without fighting a crowd even near a popular spot like San Marco. Get up and go out to paint before tourists finish their breakfast, or try it when day-trippers leave at the end [...]

Fish Market, Venice, Italy II, Interior Painting

6/29/2013 6:18:39 AM

One thing watercolorists should never forget when painting outdoors is a bottle of water. Water to paint with, that is. I always pack a bottle for painting and another for drinking. But when we are outdoors, we often face a situation where we need more clean water than we brought. Sometimes it's readily available but sometimes we have to look really hard. I have used water from a kitchen of a nearby restaurant, somebody's backyard, a sprinkler head in a public park, a canal, a mountain stream, etc. Sometimes a friend who's painting with me spared some. Here at Mercato del Pesce, [...]

Venice Canal XII, Venice Italy Painting

10/5/2012 5:59:02 AM

If anyone has traveled with me, they know that I don't generally rely on maps. Even in a new place, I may look at a map just to get an idea in which direction to go, but after that I venture out while maps usually stay inside my backpack. It is not due to a lack of spatial ability or my gender that I don't like them. I think it has more to do with my adventurous nature, or wanting to be surprised by unexpected discoveries. I don't normally plan my route following tourist attractions, so that's another reason maps are not [...]

Morning, Piazza San Marco II, Venice Italy Painting

9/28/2012 7:39:44 AM

Judging from how crowded Piazza San Marco always is, an astronomical number of people must visit Venice's main square each day. Ironically, however, they go to the square but not see the square. The Basilica, the Campanile and other elegant buildings that surround Piazza San Marco - they are always in plain sight. And most visitors stand or sit inside the square to marvel at the magnificent architecture around them while their small children, if any, chase the pigeons. But what kind of pavement is laid there on the floor? What about the design work? Not many people actually remember simply because [...]

Trattoria V, Venice Italy Painting

9/25/2012 3:19:43 AM

It is the quality of light that makes the brief period of time before sunrise and sunset so attractive. When the sun is low on the horizon, light is soft and diffused, blending lighted areas and shadowy areas nicely. It has such a soothing effect that most of us respond to this type of lighting very positively. Landscape painters and photographers have known this as "golden hour" and think this is the ideal light condition to work in. Colors look richly saturated and it is easier to capture the true atmosphere of a place in soft light. A downside may be that golden [...]

Canal Grande VII, Venice Italy Painting

7/3/2012 6:36:43 AM

Spend 10 minutes on top of the Rialto Bridge overlooking the Grand Canal, and you will perhaps see a dozen different kinds of boats that go up and down this city's major water corridor - waterbuses, taxis, barges, private boats of local residents and of course gondolas, etc., all navigating their way through each other. The Grand Canal is said to follow the course of an ancient river and the area around the Rialto Bridge is the place of the first settlement that later became the city's center of trade. From what we see today, the area is still the scene of [...]

Carnevale in Venice

3/3/2011 11:05:35 AM

It's time for carnevale in Venice. This year's festivities have already begun last month and will end on March 8 with a huge party to end all parties. People walk on the streets, wearing costumes and traditional Venetian masks. There are extravagant balls, concerts, parades on canals. This is a big winter celebration, 40 days before Easter, when Venice transforms itself into a mysterious world of elegance and magic. Gondolier, Venice, Italy XI Click here for an enlarged view. Media: Original watercolor on paperImage Size: 10 x 6 inches (25 x 15 cm)Mat: Yes (15 x 10 inches; white) Frame: No Purchase: Sold Venice Reflections X Venice Reflections [...]

Gondolier X, Venice Italy Painting

2/28/2011 7:02:09 AM

San Bartolomeo is a church tucked away behind the Rialto Bridge. Some time after its foundation in the 9th century, it became the church of the German trading community that enjoyed an active commerce in this area. The bell tower was constructed when the church was rebuilt following the 1688 earthquake. The onion shaped dome with an octagonal drum is visible from the Grand Canal. The traffic on the Grand Canal, Venice's main waterway, is always very busy near the Rialto Bridge, with all kinds of boats going up and down and across the corridor. But skilled gondoliers would just paddle their [...]

Venice Canal Paintings

6/22/2010 6:42:57 PM

I am on the road again... I hope to post new paintings that I'll make at my destination, after unpacking, settling into a new time zone and feeling free of jet lag. Just prior to my departure, I was working on a commission of a Venice painting. My client asked me to create a special piece for her dear friend who is finishing his studies in this canal city. While doing some research for the commission, I became so inspired to make several more paintings. I don't really know why... just to be in the right mood for the commission piece, maybe. [...]

More Paintings of Canal Grande, Venice, Italy

6/20/2010 1:51:52 AM

Canal Grande, Venice III Please enjoy more paintings of the Grand Canal of Venice. Canal Grande, Venice, Italy III, IV, V Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 inches (21 x 29 cm) Mat/Frame: No Purchase: Sold Canal Grande, Venice IV Canal Grande, Venice V [...]

Three Gondoliers, Venice Italy Painting

6/18/2010 2:13:21 AM

Voga alla veneziana, rowing Venetian style, is something anybody who wants to be a gondolier has to master. According to Veniceworld.com, gondolas are eleven meters in length, 600 kilos in weight, and made with eight different kinds of wood in 280 pieces. They are flat on the bottom and asymmetric, the left side being larger than the right by 24 cm. This is the reason the gondola is inclined on one side. We've all seen it - a gondolier slightly tilting his body and pushing a long oar to navigate a canal in Venice. Knowing the structure of a [...]

Rialto Bridge III, Venice Italy Painting

6/16/2010 2:24:28 AM

"Avanti! Avanti! (Forward)" Did I just hear a battle cry from the past? As my waterbus approached the Rialto Bridge on the grand canal, I found myself thinking about the time in history when Venice was a maritime power (13th-15th century). Rapidly expanding its territories in its heyday, Venetian Republic fought many wars. The area near the Rialto Bridge must have seen a lot of activities back then as merchants came to a market here from different corners of the world. In this regard, nothing much has changed as many people are still visiting here from all over the [...]

Venice Canal V-2, Venice Italy Painting

5/31/2010 1:50:27 AM

A canal view from the top of a bridge in Venice is a classic. When the light shines from the back of a canal, it brightens up small sections of the walls here and there on both sides of the canal as it passes through. Reflections on the water can be hauntingly still at one moment and swaying back and forth at the next. In the eye of a traveler who visits here from far away, just capturing a canal scene like this is truly a magical moment. Click here to see more paintings in my Venice Italy [...]

Venice Canal VIII, Venice Italy Painting

3/1/2010 2:07:11 AM

Could the couple walking toward me be honeymooners? The sun was blinding me so I couldn't tell but I had a feeling they probably were. According to Modern Bride magazine, the five most popular honeymoon cities are Paris, Venice, Honolulu, San Francisco and Sydney. In other similar surveys as well, Venice is almost always one of the top travel destinations for honeymooners. It comes as no surprise because Venice is such a romantic city no other places can be easily a match. For an ultimate honeymoon experience in Venice, how about taking the Simplon Orient Express luxury train from London [...]

San Marco II, Venice, Italy Painting

2/12/2010 1:50:15 AM

As anyone who's been to Venice will tell you, you will never get lost there if you are heading to Piazza San Marco. All you have to do is look for a little yellow direction sign that says Per S. Marco. It can be found almost anywhere (you might even find two of those signs at the same spot, one pointing to the right and the other to the left). As anyone who's been to San Marco will tell you, there's hardly enough elbow room to turn around while standing in the middle of the Piazza. That may be only true at [...]

Venice Canal VII, Venice, Italy Painting

2/11/2010 3:05:00 AM

Whenever I get an idea for a new painting, I become so excited and anxious I can't wait to put it down on a paper. So my drawing is pretty quick and simple. I draw, with a 4B or 6B pencil, all the main shapes and a few details, especially highlights where I want to preserve the white of a paper. Then, I gaze at the paper in front of me for a moment, trying to visualize the painting I'd like to make happen. This is a small but very important step in my process because it makes me aware [...]

Venezia VIII, Venice Italy Painting

2/10/2010 1:45:59 AM

The moment I saw this lone gondolier disappear into the light, I realized I had been watching a silent play. I was the only person in the theater and the gondolier was a solo actor on this stage set in a narrow canal, away from where the crowd was. Buildings on both sides were quite old and wall colors were faded and partially obscured by what naturally grew in the water. But at this moment, the high walls became colorful velvety veils. Thanks to a wonderful job of a lighting technician, light/dark effects created on the veils added a mysterious [...]

Market Day V, Venice, Italy Painting

2/9/2010 2:31:07 AM

This market is near the Rialto Bridge and is by far the largest and busiest in Venice. Strolling under canvas roofs, admiring colorful fresh fruits and vegetables, watching a vendor and an eager shopper talking (something about the produce, I think, but it could be about the weather)... it is a pleasant walk in the morning. I used quick dry brushstrokes on the buildings and the street to suggest things covered with sunlight. To view other paintings of market scenes in Venice, go to Market Day, Venice IV, Market Day, Venice III, Market Day, Venice II. Market Day, [...]

Venice Canal VI, Venice, Italy Painting

2/3/2010 1:34:02 AM

According to Truman Capote, "Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go." Not really meaning to prove him right, I happened to have a box of chocolate liqueurs sitting in my studio when I was thinking what to paint. Lo and behold, it sure put me in the mood for another piece of Venice canal. I decided to use a photo I took (below) which shows an ordinary canal scene on a gray day. To me, reference photos are for just that, for reference only. How faithfully I paint to what's in it or how [...]

Market Day IV, Venice, Italy Painting

2/1/2010 3:04:37 AM

If you can't get to a market, a market will come to you in Venice. I spotted a flat-bottomed boat carrying several different kinds of fruits and vegetables in one of the canals in a quiet neighborhood. For produce sellers and residents, this may be just a practical idea born out of necessity to meet their daily shopping needs. But it is quite an interesting sight for visitors. For someone like me who was sprinkled with dust of Venice magic, its appeal even evokes a bit of romanticism. A realist in Venice, would become a romantic by mere faithfulness to [...]

Gondolier, Venice VIII, Italian Landscape Painting

12/3/2009 11:57:44 PM

Gondolier, Venice VIII Sous Le Ciel de Paris (Edit Piaf), On An Evening in Roma (Dean Martin)... Songs inspired by cities like Paris and Rome instantly transport me to streets in these charming places. They make me miss all the wonderful things I enjoyed there. Choosing music that puts me in the right mood for a particular painting is often very important in my studioWhat would be perfect for a piece of Venice? How about Dalida's Gondolier? ... Tu chantais / Pour lui et moi / Lui et moi / Tu te rappelles / Lui et moi / C'était écrit / Pour [...]

Two Gondoliers, Venice I, Italian Landscape Painting

12/3/2009 1:39:30 AM

I don't know who designed it, but the gondolier's uniform makes them look good. They always wear black trousers and shoes. And they wear a polo or a T-shirt with stripes. I've seen two versions: red and white stripes or blue and white stripes. Sometimes they put on a straw hat with a ribbon in a matching color with a stripe. In an old city like Venice where buildings and streets (and canals) look more weathered than starkly clean or bright, gondolier's dark-colored outfit from waist down often fades into the background. But it's the stripes of their shirt that [...]

Venice Reflections VIII, Italian Landscape Painting

11/16/2009 2:07:37 AM

Venice Reflections VIII I don't even remember what else was there because I was so mesmerized by the light at sunset time in Venice. Its soft and magical quality was amazing. And the reflection on the water was spectacular. That's all I remember about this particular spot. Using my photo and quick sketch, I did my first painting Venice Canal III-5. I think I was able to capture the atmosphere and the flavor of this magical moment. Based on this first painting, I made a few more pieces, including today's painting. For today's painting, I used a vertical format to give [...]

Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy I, Italian Landscape Painting

11/15/2009 2:22:32 AM

Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy I Because "only a lazy guidebook about Italy doesn't quote a sentence said once by Napoleon," chances are many visitors are already familiar with his quote: San Marco is Europe's most elegant drawing room (venice travel website). In general, I am not really interested in painting famous landmarks. Instead, I find myself attracted to more mundane scenes: smaller squares, backstreets, local markets, etc. where ordinary people live. Standing in the middle of the San Marco Square among many other tourists and pigeons, and admiring the sights all around me, I indulged myself as a tourist. Because [...]

Trattoria, Venice, Italy III, Italian Landscape Painting

11/14/2009 2:00:40 AM

Trattoria, Venice III There's nothing like eating a good meal in a friendly, family-run trattoria that local people also love to frequent. But today I read shocking news: Venetians may soon be extinct and Venice will be a ghost town by 2030. They say tourism has driven up prices too high for local residents to live there comfortably. Does this mean, in just 20 years, I won't be able to sit in a trattoria like this any more? (Please go to my previous post to read about this trattoria). The number of permanent residents in Venice went from 145,000 in 1960 to [...]

Trattoria, Venice, Italy II, Italian Landscape Painting

11/13/2009 1:56:58 AM

Trattoria, Venice II Travel experience could be ruined with just one disappointing meal in a wrong restaurant. Yet it is not easy to find a good place, especially in a foreign land, that we will remember fondly even years after the visit. In a huge tourist destination like Venice, there are dozens of eateries that get recommended by travel gurus and popular guidebooks. But, then, there's always somebody who will refute the recommendation, based on his or her experience. So what can we really rely on when looking for a great place to taste the local food? I'd say [...]

Gondolier, Venice IX, Italian Landscape Painting

10/1/2009 1:40:15 AM

Anything that has gained huge popularity, or anybody who has attained an enormous success, usually finds a group of people who love to hate them. Venice is no exception. While many (including myself) fall in love with the place, some people scorn. They think it is just like Disneyland and is not worth spending their time and money there. At an art show several months ago, I met a couple. The husband commented on my Venice painting and added that he loved Venice. The feeling was not mutual with his lovely wife. She said, "Oh, I hate Venice. It's dirty and smelly!" Well, in Venice, there [...]

Venice Twilight I, Italian Landscape Painting

8/18/2009 1:12:24 AM

What attracts many landscape artists must be, first and foremost, the light in a scenery. Dealing with all kinds of light conditions to paint requires a certain level of skill to make it work in a painting. But that is something we all have to do and also greatly benefit from for our artistic growth. Brief moments before and after sunset are really magical. I think we are all moved to see last rays of direct sunlight or those reflected by the upper atmosphere onto the land's surface. But it is interesting that our emotional reaction to it really varies, depending on our state [...]

Market Day, Venice, Italy II, Italian Landscape Painting

8/15/2009 1:38:59 AM

Following the theme of my daily painting from yesterday, I am showing another piece that depicts a market scene. What I aimed at in this particular piece was to see if I could tell a story without saying too much. I wanted to create a somewhat mysterious picture with suggestions of elements strewn around. Some of the elements needed for this story were: cooler and moist air giving way to a hot summer day; a feel of a morning market in an outdoor setting with merchants busily moving about; local people starting their daily routine in a residential neighborhood in Venice. I also challenged myself to see [...]

Venezia II, Venice Italy Painting

5/22/2009 1:37:11 AM

Venice cannot be Venice without its canals and lagoons. Venice depends on the water that surrounds and cuts through it. The huge Venetian lagoon is especially important not just for transportation but also as a unique ecosystem. When fresh water from rivers and salt water from the Adriatic Sea meet here, interesting things happen. One example is an abundance of fish that makes Venice one of the best places for fresh seafood. Underneath these gondolas and far out near the horizon, there could be sea bass, mullet, eel, cod, squid, octopus, clams, crabs, just to name a few. Mullet [...]

Gondolier VI, Venice Italy Painting

5/18/2009 1:35:59 AM

Gondoliers - masterful navigators on the waters of Venice. If canals of Venice are a concert hall, gondoliers are like a frontman or a lead singer who sings the heart and soul of its water music. Many of us have the image of gondoliers being good singers. Some gondoliers do sing well although there are those who don't. So, if they don't, what do they do? I don't know how true this is but when a woman asked a gondolier if he sings, he replied, "Madame, there are the lovers and there are the singers. I do not sing [...]