The Story

Inspired by my travels in Florence, Italy, Journey draws on the ornately painted ceilings of the Palazzo Vecchio and the corridors of the Uffizi. Their scrolling vines, flowers, animals, and mythological creatures create the kind of imaginative, dreamlike world I explore in my own paintings.

I was staying just off Piazza della Signoria, and on my first day in Florence I wandered into the Palazzo Vecchio. I was awestruck by the beauty and intricacy of its painted ceilings. As I continued exploring the city, those fantastical decorations began to find their way into my paintings.

In Journey, one of my friends from New York rides a mystical creature through a world of curling vines and flowers. Placing someone from my present life in this setting was my way of bringing the centuries-old imagery into the present, and imagining where this creature might take her.

Materials & Framing

This painting was created with archival oil paint on a museum-grade panel, using luminous mineral pigments derived from lapis lazuli, azurite, rhodonite, and traditional Italian earth pigments. These richly colored materials have a deep connection to art history.

Lapis lazuli, azurite, and earth pigments were treasured by Italian Renaissance masters for their depth, brilliance, and enduring beauty. 

The painting is presented in a hand-painted, carved wooden frame made in Italy. The frame was carefully selected to echo the ornate architectural details, decorative flourishes, and gilded surfaces I encountered throughout Florence. 

Journey

oil on panel

5 x 7 inches

$1,500 USD

Free shipping is included within the United States and Canada. For shipping rates to other countries, please email kristy@kristygordon.com.