Venice - March 10, 2011
Venice – March 10, 2011: We got up around 7:00, worked on our computers, had breakfast, and took a water taxi over to Murano about 10:00. We went to the Marco Polo glass factory (which you can only get into with an appointment) and watched the men make parts for gorgeous chandeliers. The glass blowing techniques are the same as in the US, but these are masters of design and color.
After seeing the men at work, we went across the passageway to the gallery. I’ve seen Murano glass before, but this was more than I ever expected in scope and quality. I looked at several very pretty pieces, thought about them, and then went in a back room where they had works by Ermanno Nason, one of the great masters who is now retired in his 80s. Jeff and I looked over about three or four pieces we both loved, narrowed it down to two, and then I chose one (with great help from Jeff). As Jeff said, the pieces are so beautiful, they move you to tears. Prices are negotiable. The man working with me quoted what was list and what was the “factory price,” which was about half of list. When I decided on what piece I wanted, I made him an offer below the factory price which he accepted. Either I made a good deal or paid too much, but I’m thrilled.
We walked over to the main canal of the island and had lunch. As always, wonderful. Several courses for the fixed-price lunch, wine, water, some after-lunch strawberry wine and cookies. We’re eating this way every day, two meals a day. I excuse this by all the walking we’re doing!
One of the women, Jeff, and I took a vaporetto back to Venice while others waited until later to take the water taxi back. Jeff and I spent the next several hours wandering around the city, turning into alleys one way and then another. It’s very easy to find your way around even though you cannot see outside the alley or street you’re on to get a landmark. We had no problems. Went into a wonderful church with sculpture lining a whole wall, open private chapels, great marble flooring. Since we have crisscrossed the city several times following either Stewart of Louisella, we knew where we were most of the time.
We ended up crossing over the Academia bridge, finding the Peggy Guggenheim museum, and ending up at Santa Maria de la Salute, a huge white domed church. And a vaporetto back to Lido was right there!
Worked on our computers/pictures for a while. Met to walk to dinner … same place we’d eaten at the first night: Gran Viale. Jeff and I ordered a first course of spaghetti with lobster. It was a full half lobster that came with the noodles. Yum! And then I had sole, Jeff salmon.
We spent from 8:30-11:30 with Stewart going over a sampling of about 30-40 of each of our pictures. We had a digital projector and met in the breakfast room. Very nice. Very affirming. And you learn quite a bit seeing what others take and how their eyes see things. I was falling asleep during part of it, had to stand up. Got a second wind. And it was 1:00 before we went to bed.
So, amazing glass, really good food, about 4000 pictures today, great group, fun to see each person’s work.
After seeing the men at work, we went across the passageway to the gallery. I’ve seen Murano glass before, but this was more than I ever expected in scope and quality. I looked at several very pretty pieces, thought about them, and then went in a back room where they had works by Ermanno Nason, one of the great masters who is now retired in his 80s. Jeff and I looked over about three or four pieces we both loved, narrowed it down to two, and then I chose one (with great help from Jeff). As Jeff said, the pieces are so beautiful, they move you to tears. Prices are negotiable. The man working with me quoted what was list and what was the “factory price,” which was about half of list. When I decided on what piece I wanted, I made him an offer below the factory price which he accepted. Either I made a good deal or paid too much, but I’m thrilled.
We walked over to the main canal of the island and had lunch. As always, wonderful. Several courses for the fixed-price lunch, wine, water, some after-lunch strawberry wine and cookies. We’re eating this way every day, two meals a day. I excuse this by all the walking we’re doing!
One of the women, Jeff, and I took a vaporetto back to Venice while others waited until later to take the water taxi back. Jeff and I spent the next several hours wandering around the city, turning into alleys one way and then another. It’s very easy to find your way around even though you cannot see outside the alley or street you’re on to get a landmark. We had no problems. Went into a wonderful church with sculpture lining a whole wall, open private chapels, great marble flooring. Since we have crisscrossed the city several times following either Stewart of Louisella, we knew where we were most of the time.
We ended up crossing over the Academia bridge, finding the Peggy Guggenheim museum, and ending up at Santa Maria de la Salute, a huge white domed church. And a vaporetto back to Lido was right there!
Worked on our computers/pictures for a while. Met to walk to dinner … same place we’d eaten at the first night: Gran Viale. Jeff and I ordered a first course of spaghetti with lobster. It was a full half lobster that came with the noodles. Yum! And then I had sole, Jeff salmon.
We spent from 8:30-11:30 with Stewart going over a sampling of about 30-40 of each of our pictures. We had a digital projector and met in the breakfast room. Very nice. Very affirming. And you learn quite a bit seeing what others take and how their eyes see things. I was falling asleep during part of it, had to stand up. Got a second wind. And it was 1:00 before we went to bed.
So, amazing glass, really good food, about 4000 pictures today, great group, fun to see each person’s work.
posted by Bud Hirsch at 2:13 PM
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