La Salute, Venice 1911

Clarence Gagnon made this painting of the Salute in Venice with oils, and I just love how the blues and whites are dashed across the canvas like quick, impressionistic notes in a sketchbook. I imagine Gagnon standing there, maybe on a wobbly little boat, squinting at the light as it hits the dome. It's like he's trying to catch a feeling more than a picture, you know? Look at the way he builds up the texture, kind of thick and juicy, especially in the water. It's almost like you can feel the salt air and hear the gentle splash of the waves. That little boat in the foreground—it’s a simple dark brushstroke, but it pulls you right into the scene. He was probably looking at the French Impressionists when he made this, like Monet and Renoir. It feels like he’s having a conversation with them, adding his own voice to the mix. Painters do this all the time, riffing off each other across time and space. It’s a big, ongoing jam session, really!