colors: venice
︎ ······· emerson lawton
︎ ······· gouache / colored cardstock
︎ ······· december 2019 / junior year
︎ ······· gouache / colored cardstock
︎ ······· december 2019 / junior year
Some of the best parts about living in Venice were the architecture and color palette of the city. Everything was so lived-in with history seeping out of every crack. Every campo water fountain, every sestiere sign, every creaky window, every slanted floor told a story. This series of 4 gouache paintings explores the unique architecture, colors, and environment of the city itself and the way light and shadow enhance the character of these inanimate features.
The sister series of 4 smaller paintings are studies of Venetian locals and their everyday activities. The pace of life in Venice is slow, but not lazy—everyone values their own time and they know how to balance work with family and relaxation. Taking time for myself away from work and school every day is one of the most foreign but best habits I picked up while living there, and I wanted to preserve that feeling of sitting back and observing life happening around you, worry-free and content to just watch.
The sister series of 4 smaller paintings are studies of Venetian locals and their everyday activities. The pace of life in Venice is slow, but not lazy—everyone values their own time and they know how to balance work with family and relaxation. Taking time for myself away from work and school every day is one of the most foreign but best habits I picked up while living there, and I wanted to preserve that feeling of sitting back and observing life happening around you, worry-free and content to just watch.
each painting is fully capable of
standing alone
but mixing and pairing them creates new narratives and subplots within the larger Venetian story.
