The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day

“The Remains of the Day”
Coloured pencils on Arches Aquarelle smooth. 36.5 x 30.8 cm. February 2019.

Venice: November 2018.  It is nearly 4 pm and the sun is already inclining westwards.  I am going west as well, plodding back towards my apartment, happily worn out.  But then…a light bulb moment…

I see a vision which causes me to stop and ask myself, “What if I point my camera lens into the sun?”

The sun is poised above Punta della Dogana and Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, shining directly into my eyes.

I raise my camera, quickly compose and then close my eyes against the glare as I click, click, click.

The air is all haze and halo, evaporating some objects while solidifying others (including people) into dark abstractions.  Sea mirrors sky – blazing here, sparkling there.  A seagull has swooped into my view.  Perfect.

There are approximately 90 minutes of daylight left.  I will be back sitting on my bed by 5 pm scrolling through photographic images on my camera…  ‘Here’s a good one.’

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The two drawings from this day are bookends – starting with “Early One Morning” (07:50)  and finishing with “The Remains of the Day” (15:50).  Matthew (husband) came up with the titles – the first being a Celtic folk song and the second, a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Early One Morning

“The Remains of the Day”