“Waking up in Venice Italy”: Adventures of a Traveling Plein Air Artist
Grand Canal After “After Party” is over
The last time we checked in with our heroines
desperation had begun to build.
We were out of cinnamon gummies.
My mentor had scared off a pack of young revelers with a HEARTY scream. Effective self-defense class maneuvers coming in handy. Better to be alone than surrounded. I mistook the emergency fire break box for a button you should RIP OFF THE WALL, hulk smash style, wires included, effectively disabling our only chance to call for help. We prepared ourselves to wander the streets until dawn, hoping we could find our way back to the pier and at least break out our Plein Air paints to keep us occupied, if not safe, on our first night in Europe. For Peets sake my husband had warned me about just this situation. I absolutely could not allow him to be RIGHT about THIS! If we are going down, we are going down painting!
Looking around desperate and wild eyed, I noticed somebody awake and watching us, from behind a desk, of a fancy looking but closed hotel. I banged on the glass. He was not impressed. We both banged on the glass. He came to the door and we let ourselves in. Already the manners I had when I landed in Europe were long gone. He did not speak English. We spoke just enough Italian for him to understand we were plenty spooked and unlikely to leave without a fight. I was prepared to camp in the lobby until morning. With great trepidation he rented us a room, the executive suite, at 300 Euro ($400) from current time 2:30 am until checkout 9 am. We would have paid any price. We settled in, took showers, plugged in our phones, hugged each other, checked in as safe with our family. We may have even slept a couple hours.
As I opened my eyes to face my first day in Venice I wasn’t sure I would be able to safely live and paint here as I had intended to do. I unplugged my phone, glad to see my adapter had done its job, checked in with my husband as “made the night.” took a deep breath and threw open the shades. Oh! Well…Love at first sight. I may not be able to force myself to leave this place when it is time. I live here now and my heart will long to return here for all of the rest of my days.
Our Garden
We spotted our hostel garden directly below our veranda but we even from a birds eye view the maze from where we were to where we needed to be seemed impossible. When we checked out our temporary hotel manager called our hostel and had a LONG conversation in Italian before he agreed to come get us.
With every step toward our hostel I fell deeper and deeper in love with Venice. I understand now why so much art, music, and culture, come from Italy and why artists are drawn here still. It is a unique space created by artists, preserved by artists, and inhabited by artists.
There are three art colleges in Venice and it is quite in style to be a benefactor to an artist or musician, so the list of exhibits and performances happening in large scale and small at any given time seems endless.
The locals say it is very safe in Venice because it is an island, surrounded by a moat and there is no place for a criminal to run away to. We did indeed make the night without incident.
The people are kind and happy. The streets are a cobblestone maze surrounded by water. There are no cars here, the local children play soccer in the plaza in real life, no screens, there are artists and musicians at every turn. Hanging laundry on the line and growing your own food in a windowbox garden is the norm. Wifi is free city wide and is my connection to my loved ones and this blog.
We are living here for weeks but I am already a bit sad there won't be enough time to paint everything I wish to remember. The further I venture from modern life the happier my soul feels.
Today we Plein Air Paint the canals of Venice!
