Venice: City that Paints Itself

Venice: City that Paints Itself
Poems by Fran Castan; Paintings by Lewis Zacks

A unique look at one of the world’s most beautiful and best loved cities. Original paintings by Lewis Zacks and poems by Fran Castan were made on site — in the squares, on the bridges, beside the canals, living and working within a community of artists. “Canals, those tributaries of light, dazzle each facade and project images on interior walls, like a moving picture show. That light — constantly swimming and resurfacing — caused me to see everything it touched as canvas and led to the title poem, “City That Paints Itself,” says Castan. Her husband, Lewis Zacks, continues, “I couldn’t believe my good fortune to be standing where master painters had worked over the centuries and to feel their guidance toward my version of such landmarks as Santa Maria della Salute. I didn’t need many details, just a silhouette and the absolutely beautiful afternoon light of Venice, when the sky seems to be almost gold.” Harvey Shapiro, poet and retired editor of “The New York Times Book Review writes, “This little hymnal, composed of paintings and poems, sheds radiance over the stones of Venice.”