Susan Johnson

Italian Ports

June 6 - June 30, 2019

Reception Saturday, June 8, 3 - 5 pm

Susan Johnson takes the featured artist spotlight at Benicia Plein Air Gallery with her exhibit "Italian Ports", running June 6 - June 30. The community is invited to the artist's reception on Saturday, June 8, from 3 to 5 pm.

Susan’s "Italian Ports" collection was inspired by a month-long small ship cruise she took last summer to 23 colorful, Italian fishing villages. Beginning near Rome, she traveled
down the west coast of Italy to the isles around Naples, around the boot on the Ionian Sea, and up the Adriatic coast to Venice. It was a painter’s dream trip, especially Susan’s, whose favorite subject matter is water -- a lake, river, or seaport -- surrounded by provincial architecture.

Traveling From Puglia, Paestum, Pozzuoli and Pompeii to San Marino and Siricusa in Sicily, Susan documented the sites with quick acrylic sketches, which later became the paintings that comprise this show.

Each day was a completely new adventure as the travelers slept while the ship cruised to the next port. Up at a reasonable hour with breakfast served on the deck, Susan took morning tours of what a particular village had to offer – a visit to a caper farm, lunches with small farmers, olive oil tastings, limoncello aperitifs, and lots of pesto and pasta. Some shipmates climbed Mt. Etna and toured the ruins of Pompeii despite the record heat wave. Susan chose to stay on the ship viewing the harbors and mentally selecting the colors and painting at her easel on the deck.

A founding member of Benicia Plein Air Gallery, Susan began her painting career
with Jerrold Turner’s “Da Group.” Her work is inspired by the color and brushwork of the French Impressionists, the Fauves, the Post Impressionists and the Society of Six.

Learn more about Susan Johnson at  www.beniciapleinair.com/susan_johnson

Also On Exhibit

Summer Group Show

Benicia Plein Air Gallery presents a year-round exhibit of plein air paintings by all 13 of the gallery's artists, showcasing a colorful variety of media and styles. Drop by to see what's new!

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