Seonaid Ross

There is nothing quite like Venice at night. The floating city is alive with laughter, music, bars, nightclubs, the opera, restaurants and a variety of open air concerts. This painting depicts a starry night where all the canals are reflecting the skies above but also the essence of the nightlife - the lights on the bridge contain turquoise shades, greens, blues, whites, golden hues and every colour reflects into the water below creating a mysterious effect. The reflections from adjacent buildings cast further bright reds, hot oranges, blues and yellows into the reflections of the canal below. The colours mingle and appear to dance in the dark water.

Shades of night are ensconcing the little picturesque medieval hill town. The bright pinpoint lights can be seen illuminating the pathways toward Monteriggioni. Yet one can feel the vivid red May poppies swaying in the soft evening breezes along with golden, green and siena long grasses so typical of Spring's awakening. The deep blue sky is expressive and seems to almost reflect the motion in the greenery below. Soon, life within the village will explode into a hive of activity as siesta has passed, and shops are opening along with bars, restaurants and gelato stands.

An overwhelming feeling of man made beauty fills this beautiful hall! The skills required to create it brought artists from France, Italy and Holland to craft the colourful room of gilded long decorative mirrors, beautiful paintings and sculptures which are everywhere. The colours are harmonious in many interesting combinations - the soft blue walls are picked up in the exquisite gargantuan Persian carpet which also contains elegant red shades, golden tones and even a subtle purple here and there as well as a soft gray. The furniture is elegant and blends in harmony with the many ornate features of this stunning space.

After weeks of sun-filled mild May days the clouds are beginning to gather and a spring wind indicates that the fair weather is threatened. Everyone is happy as the new green grasses, bright red poppies, golden grasses and wild flowers are ready to bathe and drink as they continue to thrive in these beautiful hills. The young olive trees are covered in their early delicate white blossoms which look so fragile but add balance to the painting with the stalwart dark cypress trees in the background swaying gently in the wind.

An inspiration drawn from the Tuscan Hills awash in spring colours typical of the month of May when everything explodes with vivid reds and violets, brilliant greens and golds after winter's barren landscape! This painting is expressive of the joy of living, the rhythms of life, renewal and freedom!

The Golden Domes on the roof of this elaborate Catherine Palace simply take one's breath away when first gazed upon, as does this endless blue, white and gold ornate palace. Everything has been restored to perfection after World War II. The sun bounces off the golden domes during the daytime and they look so dramatic in the night sky where they can be seen from a great distance!