Paintings by Blair + Laurie Fox PESSEMIER: Venezia

Venice from Arsenale/Giardini Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 12 x 18" 30 x 45cm

Tuesday we went to Venice for the day…our guests, Blair and I, and Harika. We’d all been to Venice before, but who can resist a spontaneous visit to that beautiful city? We drove in air conditioned comfort (our friend’s rental car) and parked just outside the city. We could have left Harika in the cool, shady garage, but she seemed to know at once where she was.

It was a flurry of trips with guests this week: on Monday we toured Bologna. I was so impressed by these visits, I decided to include them in my painting workshops. In fact, this week, we set up a workshop totake place 17 -24 June in Cortona (Tuscany) Italy!

Montalbano from Verucchia Blair Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 12 x 18 30 x 45cm

We hopped on the vaporetto and headed toward Accademia. These waterbuses are one of my favorite things about Venice – one can just ride around looking at the most beautiful, decorative facades in the world. It is almost unbelievable how wonderful it is.

We got a seat on the vaporetto, but soon succumbed to standing out on the deck… Harika travels in a sack on the boat, and had a muzzle (a requirement). Dogs are king in Venice, where there are no cars or bicycles.

House near the Giardini in Venice Blair Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 12 x 16" 30 x 40cm

At the Accadamia stop we took a right toward a sandwich shop we ate at when we spent a month there in 2015. We ordered a large collection of sandwiches and cold white wine. It was about 90 degrees outside and the airconditioning was struggling to keep it below 80. Harika sat in the wood booth, trying to steal my prosciutto. Usually she is more restrained, but Venice brings something out in her. A smaller white dog barked and took a snap at her on our departure.

We walked from there to the Seguso, a pensione where Blair and his friend stayed 40 years ago when they were in their “year abroad” program with Notre Dame’s architectural school. They took pictures. The small white dog was sitting out front with her owner. After the picture, Blair walked by and the dog tried to bite his ankle. Hence the muzzle law.

View from Verruchia and the cheese store Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 12 x 24" 30 x 60cm

Harika tried to lead us back to the house where we once stayed on via Piscina. Instead, we took the vaporetto from Zattere to Giardini, where our friends wanted to see an architecture show. Blair and I painted. It was a hazy day. Harika and I sat in the grass (I had to spray mosquito repellant on me – I am a mosquito magnet). Just sitting was so hot, we eventually retired to a café and I ordered a liter of water. Blair had lemonade. Harika was served water in a large bowl before we got our things. See what I mean? Venice is for dogs, or is that doges?