Immortality in Venice

Hot on the brushstrokes of George and countless other artists, I tried to convey the sense of constantly evolving history passing through, in and around L'Accademia in Venice. I can't imagine how many waves have washed against its imperious foundations, how often the sun has baked each ornately crafted inch of block and plasterwork, how many footsteps have echoed around the marbled floors, how many fortunate souls have rested against the smoothed handrail and sighed at the sight of the Grand Canal flowing by and hoped, just for second, that they could be a part of this building of form that goes way beyond function. While I was painting, I was haunted by the idea that whoever built this work of art knew that one day I would arrive and that through painting the building would understand how precious and intertwined life and art must be to make a lasting impression. In the time allowed, I need to put all I have ever been, am and will be into every brushstroke. There are tens of thousands in this painting.