On the Rialto, Venice 1911

Clarence Gagnon made 'On the Rialto, Venice' with paint, probably oils, and feeling. The whole thing is built from these small, vibrant marks – yellows, blues, whites all dashed together, building a picture of this famous Italian scene. But it's more than just a pretty picture, right? Look at the paint itself; it's thick in places, almost like frosting. You can see the movement in his brushstrokes. The way the dark blues of the balustrade contrast with the sunny yellows in the background is really striking. And then there's that gondola right there in the center, it really draws your eye in. The figures look like a big swatch of black, but it is offset by the gold beneath it. Gagnon’s work reminds me a little of the Canadian Impressionist, James Morrice. Neither of them is afraid to let the painting be a record of the process, a testament to the fact that a painting is never really "finished," just abandoned. And that's something to celebrate, because art is an invitation, not a declaration.