Acrylic on textured acrylic paper. 40 cms x 50 cms. Private collection.
A self-portrait of a younger me wearing one of my favourite vintage dresses on my first trip to Italy.
A highlight of that trip was a daytrip to Venice.
It was September - the weather was super-hot and sunny and the canals and bridges were packed with visitors, but a friend managed to get a quick snap of me on the world-famous Rialto Bridge - the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal.
A bride and groom went by on one of the pleasure boats that jostled for position in the water below. For a three figure sum I could have hired a gondolier and joined them on the canal - but as that was my entire budget for the rest of the week, I stayed on dry land instead!
An article about this painting, written for 'The Artist' and 'Leisure Painter' magazines' emailed newsletter, appears in the Blog section.
Dorset Artist - inspired by nature and the beautiful wildflowers & coast of my home county
Oil & acrylic original paintings
All images © Andrea Hook
Selected for 'The Artist' Highly Commended Online Exhibition 2022
Double selection for 'ING Discerning Eye Exhibition 2020', Mall Galleries
Selected for 'The Artist' category of The Artist and Leisure Painter Magazines' Open Art Competition 2020
Selected for Artists & Illustrators Magazine's Artist of the Year, Mall Galleries Exhibition 2017
Winner of the New Forest Open Art 2015