La Mortella Gardens on the Island of Ischia, Italy
This profusly dense garden was created on the idylic island of Ischia, which is offshore from Naples, Italy. William Walton and his wife Susana made this their life project. He was an english composer, and his works are well known. The garden today serves as a concert venue during the open months of April through the end of October.
My proposal was to bring in a painting project onsite to enhance the otherwise exclusively musical cultural experience of the gardens.
The site is much visited, and boasts rare tropical plants such as the Victoria water lily, and water features in a garden that was for the most part created by Russel Page.
My studio is in the center of the hillside garden, overlooking the exotic trees descending downward. The garden has the unique quality of being tropical in the lower area, and arid Mediterranean in the upper garden
My intention here is to paint the structural forms of the dense patterning in this lush setting and to focus on water subjects.
