Category Archives: Venice
A Place, a Painting, a Drink and a Platter. No 5 –The Veneto and Southern Italy!
Hi Everbody
Continuing with this food drink and place theme this post covers my visits to Venice and the Veneto region, and the most southerly part of Italy, the wonderful, Sicily.
As every region has such great specialities I just can’t cover them all but in these lovely places we have had such great times, drinks and food. And of course that special Italian hospitality and warmth of the people themselves.
First lets stop off in the VENETO and VENICE.
Miramare Castle near Trieste. Watercolour 15 inches by 10. The coast in the distance is actually Slovenia!
On the coast towards Trieste stands the lovely Miramare Castle. Commissioned by an Austrian Archduke it is resplendent with beutiful gardens and flowers. It is a truly delightful place to visit and then if you can, travel to Trieste and eat in one of the many restaurants or cafes there by the waterfront. There you can taste the local San Danielle Proscuito with some local Veneto wine. Trieste was the main port of the once Austro Hungarian Empire and didn’t become part of Italy until after the end of First World War in 1918.
VENICE
And so to Venice itself. Oh. what wonderful place, where every corner you turn is a great vista and the back streets and canals are a painters’ paradise.
It has been hard to choose which of my many Venice watercolours to include but the choice of food and drink was easier as one special Restaurant really stood out for me in Venice.
Just off the Riva Degli Schiavoni, in a small side street called Calle del Pestrin, is the excellent Restaurant “Corte Sconta” . Great fresh sea food and a very nice place to eat. The Vongole was superb, well worth the walk along the Riva with the spectacular view above and below. More local Veneto wine too, or Prosecco!
Riva deli Schiavoni. Watercolour 14 inches by 10
If you plan to stay on The Riva degli Schiavoni then try the “Locanda Vivaldi” with its traditional Venetian rooms and a great location.
Arriving at the Locanda Vivaldi Hotel by Water Taxi. 15 inches by 10.
This watercolour was painted from a photo taken as we arrived by water taxi to stay there!
In Venice the trip down the Grand Canal is amazing with fine views and if you can visit the Fish Market then do! From there walk back slowly down the side streets until reach the Academia Bridge. All just amazing!
Santa Maria della Salute from the Academia Bridge. Watercolour 12 inches by 9
The Fish Market on the Grand Canal. Watercolour 14 inches by 10
The Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge. Watercolour 10 inches by 15
And so to finish this section on Venice here is St Mark’s Square from a Vaporetto, but don’t forget to buy your ticket before you board!
Down South to SICILY
Italy is a Country of so many regions, customs ,food and wine, and the wonderful scenery.
On the Mediterranean’s largest island all of these can be found in abundance.
We have enjoyed Sicily a lot and Taormina is a great place to stay and admire the views and the food and wine. I was first introduced to Pasta Norma there which was and is great! But also the fresh Ocrobus grilled is superb and this I really did enjoy in Taormina. If you can try the wine “La Segreta Nero d’Avola” from the Planeta Winery, very nice indeed and available in the UK
From Taormina the sight of Mount Etna steaming , or even erupting is amazing. Try to take trip up to the top if you can and feel the hot earth beneath your feet!
Sunset ,Mount Etna gently smoking from Taormina. Watercolour 14 inches by 8
Here are two more paintings of Sicily too.
The coast at Naxos near Taormina. Watercolour Sketch 9 by 7 inches
Fishing boats at Cefalu on the Northern Coast of Sicily. watercolour 15 by 7 inches
There is so much more to say about Italy but I will leave Rome,Puglia and the Amalfi coast till another time
Happy travelling
Brian
Some of these and many watercolours are for sale or just to see on my site at
A few recent watercolours, Summer is here!
Hi Everybody,
With no travel outside of the UK really possible for us yet I have been painting a few watercolours of places that I love or would like be going too.
Firstly a watercolour pen and wash sketch of Polpero in Cornwall, somewhere we have been to, but, I am indebted to “The Hungry Travellers Blog” (https://www.thehungrytravellers.blog) for their permission to use the photograph from which this watercolour is based. I like the verticality of the buildings that they captured in the photo.
Polpero in Cornwall. Watercolour sketch 10 inches by 9.
Next two recent commissions of Tuscany and Umbria. I have painted these scenes before but I do love to paint scenes like these again and again! Of course they are always a bit different.
Lucca in Tuscany. Watercolour on Arches paper. 18 inches by 8.
A view of evening in Umbria. Watercolour on Arches paper. 18 inches by 8.
The Lake District of England is very spectacular and so here is recent watercolour of Derwentwater there.
Derwentwater in The Lake District. Watercolour on Arches 19 by 9 inches
A quiet day in Venice. Watercolour 14 inches by 10.
Again and again I love to try to capture Venetian scenes and this one, quite near to the Rialto Bridge is a view that I love with the Church tower adding height to the waterfront view.
Lastly two more views of Engalnd
This first one is a view across the Suffolk Fens and the second of a farm and Oast Houses in Kent. I hope you like them.
Across the Fens. Watercolour 16 inches by 12.
Oasts and Farm in kent. Watercolour 14 inches by 10.
Maybe soon some real travel will let me post some “plein air” watercolours.
In the mean time stay safe and well and enjoy the summer if it is that time of year for you.
Best regards to all
Brian
PS Don’t forget if you see a watercolour here you would like to buy or commission a similar version just email me at –
brian@brianswatercolours.com
More views of Venice – Update 2
Evening glow at Santa Maria Della Salute from the Academia bridge in Venice. Watercolour 14 inches by 10.
Hi
I have been asked a few times since my last Venice post where we stayed and from where I took the photos that formed the basis for the paintings.
In fact we stayed at the Locanda Vivaldi Hotel right on the Riva Schiavoni which is just a short walk from St Mark’s Square and the centre of Venice.
We really enjoyed staying there and it is a nice hotel with a lovely roof top terrace.
Many photos were taken from there, some with zoom lenses and they are the basis for a lot of my Venice watercolours.
Of course when visiting Venice there are great scenes on every corner and there is unlimited subjects for artists. I certainly hope to be back there painting in the future.
We arrived at the Locanda Vivaldi by water taxi from the airport. Although more expensive that the ferry boats this is such an exciting way to get to the heart of Venice from the airport. We had booked in advance.
This week, looking back again though my photos I found one taken as we arrived and so this is a new painting depicting that moment. A small traghetto was passing by as we approached too the hotel under the bridge.
So here it this watercolour and a couple of others painted some time ago ,but again from the Riva Schiavoni or nearby
i hope you will enjoy seeing them
stay safe and well
Brian
Arriving by water taxi at the Locanda Vivaldi Hotel in Venice. Watercolour 16 inches by 12.
Arriving at San Marco by Vaporetto Watercolour 15 inches by 11.
Gondolas and San Georgio from the Riva Schiavoni
Views of Venice
Views of Venice
“Threatening clouds over Venice” The view from the rooftop terrace of the Locanda Vivaldi Hotel in Venice. Watercolour 14 inches by 10.
Hi Everybody
Some few years ago we visited Venice with friends and stayed in the delightful Locanda Vivaldi Hotel, situated on the Riva Schiavoni.
It has a great location and the views from the roof terrace are really lovely both of the Riva Schiavoni and the Church of Santa Maria della Sallute and also across to the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore.
i have been revisiting my photos taken from there and in doing so have painted two new watercolours of the views from the terrace, plus I have added to this post some previous watercolours also inspired by the scenes from that Rooftop terrace.
I love Venice and the amazing scenes at every corner you turn, and so I hope you like these few watercolours too.
Most of these watercolours are currently for sale on Artfinder if you are interested in purchasing one.
Happy Travelling and stay safe and well
Brian
A closer view of Chiesa Santa Maria della Salute. Watercolour 14 inches by 10.
The Church of San Giorgio Maddiore across the lagoon from the Riva Schiavoni. Watercolour 16 by 12inches.
Evening in Venice. Watercolour 16 by 12 inches
Back to Venice – I wish!
Sitting here in the UK in what is now rather dreary weather, too wet for golf and my mind turns to Venice!
We have been lucky enough to have visited Venice on a few occasions and each time there is some magical new sight to see.
So going back through the many photos I have taken there I realised I have never attempted to paint a watercolour of Saint Mark’s Square, “Piazza San Marco”. So yesterday I decided to have go at it.
Once when we were there there was a bit of flooding in the Square which does happen quite often so I have tried to convey that in this watercolour. I thought I had better say that in case you didn’t notice!
I hope you enjoy looking at it and just to set the scene here are two fairly recent paintings of The Rialto Bridge and The Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute as well.
Ah, Venice, oh to be there now sipping a cocktail in Harry’s bar!
Happy travelling
Brian
Piazza San Marco -A watercolour 14 inches by 10 on Arches Rough 300gsm paper
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute on the Grand Canal Venice from the Academia bridge. A watercolour 14 inches by 10 on Arches 300gsm paper.
The Rialto bridge on the Grand Canal in Venice. A Watercolour on Arches 300gsm paper.
