THE GODDESS IS PRESENT
Pillars of the Cistern below St John’s Basilica in Selçuk. They are likely from the nearby Temple of Artemis, since St John’s was built from marble scavenged from there. Whether Artemis or her later incarnation as the Virgin Mary, the Goddess is present. — Dalyan — TriciVenola 2021-2023 — St John’s cistern in Selçuk blended with a plain air drawing of the tombs above the water many miles south in Dalyan.
GRETE ROLAND 2018
TriciVenola 2018 — I’ll always be glad I got to meet this fabulous woman, still a beauty in her 82nd year. From Norway, she founded a successful theater troupe there, acted in many projects, and has lived all over the world. She’s now in another country.
KARA KOLYANA CAMII
At last I’ve drawn one of Selçuk’s intricately-bricked mosques, and now I know why it took me 19 years to get around to it… — TriciVenola 2023 — Eto Bey, at the market across the street, kindly gave me a chair and refreshment while I drew. It took forever!
SINAN OF SELÇUK
Mild-mannered Selçuk fruit merchant Sinan showing the face of a warrior — TriciVenola 2023 — I just asked him to smile and this is what happened. His fruit stand is next to the mosque. Crossed the street and brought me sliced melon. Lovely!
STONE HUNT, MOSAIC LOVE
Izmir Ethnography Museum — A dog tears at a wild boar as a bash-kneed Cupid with a spear lunges at a bull — Nymph & Satyr — TriciVenola 2023 — Classic love theme at right, but what’s going on in that stone frieze? In the Izmir Archeological Museum.
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