I visited Pompeii and Herculaneum, cities excavated from volcanic ash to reveal artifacts of ancient lives. It was eerie walking amongst the ruins, but our guide pointed out a design feature of the shadowy spaces: one could stand in a room, look through a window and through that outside space and into another window leading into another space. So one could stand in cool shade and look out to the brightness, then into a small window of coolness.
Christopher Street wtih Sasha, oil paint on linen, 42”x32”
Years later, about to move out of NYC, I decided to paint my home there as a sort of farewell. That creative construct of being in several spaces at once that I had seen in Pompeii came to mind.
Living Room (NYC), oil paint on canvas, private collection Montvale NJ
My apartment was tiny but held many different spaces. I set up my easel wherever I could see a way to include a glimpse beyond the scene I was painting.
We moved into a duplex in Connecticut filled with art and antiques, caretaking for owners living in Milan. I painted room after room, Sasha the cat following me around.
Hallway, oil paint on linen, 48”x36”
Interiors hold so many surfaces - mirrors reflect light, windows and doorways invite passage through, and objects offer a glimpse of another life.
Sasha as Mermaid, oil paint on linen, 16”x24”, private collection Milan Italy
I left them mostly uninhabited so viewers can feel alone in the room.
Living Room, oil paint on linen, 32"x40", private collection Bedford NY
I experimented with different painting styles for inside and out.
Desk, oil paint on canvas, 16”x20”
I began to think of windows and doors as an escape within the escape of the painting.
Iris, oil paint on canvas, 48”x34”