Venerdi in Venice: Gondola of Mystery
 |
| ink & watercolour illustration, 8.75" x 7" [22.5 x 18cm], private commission |
Now, you know I'm the soul of discretion, so I've protected the anonymity of my subjects by placing large sunhats on their heads. Yes, that's the kind of privacy you can rely on when engaging me. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out that the gondolier was not my client and has to make do with his traditional straw number. {And seems singularly unimpressed.} As you can see, this unhappy chappy is not Hugh, who was entertaining us at the time if you can recall. Smiles all around. And on that note...
Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!
OK, there is my guffaw for the day!! But, that's a little beauty, Shell.
ReplyDeleteVery apropos, after finding we have "gondolas" (hah!), in several of the capital cities here in Oz. What ARE they thinking?? Next, I'll see one on wee Platypus Pond, here in Sunny Downtown Atherton!
Enquiring minds will soon discover the identity of those mystery passengers, missy. :-)
Maybe the gondolier needs a few macarons or some good bread and cheese to cheer him up :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful piece; I can imagine floating along peacefully, sipping a nice glass of wine while the (now cheerful) gondolier safely steers us along...
I'm so happy about the commissions. Lucky client.
ReplyDeleteWonderful painting ~ and now I'm wondering who is the client??? lucky,lucky person.
ReplyDelete~Dianne~
Of course you're discreet, Shell. Always the professional. Congratulations on the commission and I'm sure those movie stars in the gondola will be pleased.
ReplyDeleteI love gondola rides! It's so romantic. Have a beautiful weekend, Kellie xx
ReplyDeleteA beauty Shell! They look fab in their sunhats! xo
ReplyDeleteYvonne ~ so that's what the noise was. ;) As for those faux gondola rides, I'm shocked. But this little part of me would love to see one on your wee Platypus Pond!
ReplyDeleteMs M ~ I'm sure you'd manage to coax a grin from him before long.
Thanks, Hiker! She's a lovely client.
All things French ~ thank you ~ and I feel like the lucky one.
Petrea ~ heh heh, if they were movie stars, I'd have felt obliged to add dark glasses to the hats just to be really sure.
Kellie ~ it's a very romantic notion, isn't it!
Thanks, Favourite Vintage Finds! I could do with a hat like that when gardening. Have a beautiful weekend!
That's such a relief to know. The only reason I haven't been engaging you for memento pictures whenever I take a little trip to the post office is that I can't afford the sun hats. But if you just add them yourself, from the imagination, that really resolves the budgetting crisis and I hope I may be able to persuade you to accompany me to the post office on Tuesday to capture the moment of paying my tv licence.
ReplyDeleteUn nouveau vendredi avec Venise et j'en suis très heureuse...Ton dessin est splendide, j'essaie de te donner quelques nouvelles par mail.
ReplyDeletebisous
Danielle
My first visit to your blog. How talented and creative you are. I love your work and all the things you shared today. It is nice to see and learn about bloggers from across the world.
ReplyDeleteMay I ask why they'd want their identities obscured? If I commission you, not only would I ask for my likeness to be prominently featured ("Look, that's ME in a Shell Sherree illo!") but I'd ask you to put yourself in it with me so we can glide through Venetian canals together.
ReplyDeleteAnd I could tell right away that isn't Hugh. I've got him right here making me pancakes.
PCN has a point--about being featured, not about Hugh. I don't know about Hugh. He's not making me pancakes, that much I know.
ReplyDeleteYou had me all excited. I thought the link was going to be leading me to some Hugh video. We're talking about Hugh Jackman, right?
ReplyDeleteI just want to be there !! I'll dream of it all weekend, thank you.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Marylene! Sorry your clients couldn't have Hugh for their ride, but we're just not into sharing him, are we? At least they were smart enough to hire you and get (imho) the best souvenir of their trip ever. Their gondolier looks like he was hoping for a fancy fedora himself.
ReplyDeletePetrea---I've got Hugh, Daniel Craig and Hugh Laurie over here for breakfast if you'd like to come over. We'll next do some finger painting.
ReplyDeleteYep, the best souvenir of the trip. Alexa is right about that. Bet your client loves it! She should feel like a star. After all not just anyone is featured in a Shell Sherree original.
ReplyDeleteOops! Anonymous is me! Guess I am a bit distracted.
ReplyDeleteMise ~ I'll even allow you to specify the fabric design for your sunhat. Pink toile, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteVenetiaMicio ~ merci beaucoup ~ c'est formidable! Bon weekend à toi et cher Micio...
Hi, LV! Welcome ~ thanks so much for dropping by. I'm happy you've enjoyed the view.
Thanks, PCN ~ I'll remember that! And I'll be over shortly for the fingerpainting. With chocolate, I gather?
Margaret ~ perhaps this will entertain you?
Marylène ~ sweet dreams!
Alexa ~ sharing, shmaring. I agree, we're more than enough to keep him occupied.
Thanks, dear Cali ~ and I knew it was you. And you're allowed to be distracted. ;)
What a lucky couple -- a trip to Venice AND a fabulous Shell illustration to bring them back to Venice in a glance. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteKatie ~ the client didn't even get to travel to Venice, but wanted a souvenir for a family member who recently made the trip. How sweet is that!
ReplyDeleteWoot! (To quote a famous person). That was a splendid video to make my eyes pop open this morning! Grazie/merci/ta, mate.
ReplyDeleteLordy, I saw HIM in The Boy From Oz .. what energy and personality. Wonder if he'd like to adopt a granny?
Yvonne ~ oh, I wish I'd seen him in The Boy From Oz! I'm thinking adopting a granny is an exception to the usual offers Hugh receives. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, and if you've been following the comments, you'll enjoy taking a bo-peep at the gondola that materialised on wee Platypus Pond. Thanks, dear Yvonne ~amazing, bella!
ReplyDeleteA house is not a home with a Shell hanging on the wall is my motto!
ReplyDeleteV
Shell, sorry to piping in so late here but now I, too, will be dreaming of gondola rides in Venice. Your client has a sensitive, creative artist with a perfect little memento.
ReplyDeleteBises,
Genie
Aww, you're a honey, V!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Genie ~ it's a pleasure and privilege to create such mementos. Sweet dreams!
What a great talent to have - to be able to spontaneously capture the 'feel' of a place with your fingertips and your imagination. Your artwork is so much more telling than a mere photograph...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Indie.Tea ~ I appreciate your kind thoughts...
ReplyDelete