I painted this on the Riva overlooking the lagoon with the Santa Maria Della Salute across the water. The atmosphere in Venice is unlike anywhere else.


I’m used to dealing with Ireland’s strong winds, but in Italy the sun is the obstacle. I had to pick up this brimmed hat and position my easel so that the painting was in the shade. Thanks to my husband for getting this shot of me and for bringing me gelato, I couldn’t have survived this two hour painting in such harsh conditions without it.

The Santa Maria Della Salute is known for being octagonal, which I couldn’t really see from my position, but the way the sun was falling over the dome and how the atmosphere made everything dusty with pink was plenty captivating for me.