Moving

Hi, 
I am moving my blog to website:
http://www.christineharrisonstudio.com/art-lifeblog

I have two new blog posts about Venice. I will be moving the old ones over and updating them in couple of weeks.
I will continue to let you know here if you are interested or you can comment on the web blog page.

Christine

Venice Grand Canal

It's hard to pick one photo from four weeks in Venice but this the Grand Canal from the vaporetto as we traveled back from the studio to the flat. We did this trip everyday. A bus ride like no other!

Here are some of the magnificent houses along the canal.

This was their front door. One would arrive by boat! Some of these buildings go back to 11th and 12th century beginnings. The upkeep has turnrd many of these buildings into hotels...and some into 

beautiful musems.

Seaweed Bloom

Durning our first week we went with Matilda the scuola director on a outdoor painting trip. This is the view from of the grand canal across from us. 

This is the first time I photographed the seaweed. Matilda said it was not in the lagoon when she was a child. It is something that came on the ships from the east. I have done a little research and it seems the lagoon estuary scientists have been working over the last 20 years to contain the blooms. The seaweed was not like anything I am familiar with from the west coast. It was the start of a group of paintings and prints.

Scuola Internazionale de Grafica

The artist residency studio has skylights, tables, easles and room as many as nine artists. Most of the time there has been 5 or 6 artists working in the space.    

You can hear the workmen and the gondeliers  talk and sing as they go by.

In Venice just know that

You will get lost. It is just part of learning about this city.

You will get lost.

There is no map or app that will tell you everything. But a compass does help!

Some people head to the nearest vaporetto (waterbus) if they are lost but the compass can help stear you. This way you will discover interesting things. 

Pateras are found throughout Venice. This paticular one is for protect.

Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica was the location of the port of ancient Rome. The archelogical site is open to the public with a museum and an easy walking tour. It is easy to spend a day here. Both Dennis and I founnd wonderful inspiration here. Some of the sculpture is showing up in Dennis's prints. The site is a complete town with theater, baths, forum, temples, apartment complexes, wealthy homes and necrpolis or 'city of the dead'.

Theater corner stones

Bakery

Sarcophagus

Along the main road

Baths

Many of the mosaic tile floors are covered with tarps trying to keep the weather off them as they try to figure how to restore them.

The following pictures are from the indoor museum.

Ravenna 2

The tiny mausoleum Galla Placidia was astounding. I did not take pictures inside but there are many professional pictures on the web..check them out!

It is only lite with four tiny windows but the beauty of the glass and gold were breathtaking. This tiny space possibly impressed Charlemagne as he traveled south to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor. It is thought to be the model for his tomb chapel : Palatine Chapel in Aachen, Germany.

 These are some more images from the mosiac floors of San Vitale.