Art's Influence on Travel
Collecting family memories as we explore the world.
Local artists have an incredible ability to reveal the soul of a city. In lively cities, you’ll often find artists nearby, ready to share their work and stories.
Great artists love to talk about their art and won’t push you to buy anything. They’re interested in what you like and try to find something that suits your taste. They enjoy discussing what makes their work special or just chatting about life in the city.
These artists have a strong bond with the places they live and work in, and they love sharing their art. If you like their style but can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, they might even offer to create something just for you.
Buying art while traveling can be tricky due to limited space and the risk of damaging it. Still, when we can, we love to bring home a canvas to frame and hang on our walls. It’s been a wonderful way for our family to remember and appreciate our travels.
Here’s a few of our experiences…
A couple of years ago, we visited one of our favorite places, Maui. After dinner, we enjoyed a leisurely walk along Front Street in Lahaina, soaking in the lively atmosphere. Our kids darted in and out of various shops as my wife and I followed along.
We spent some time in a gallery owned by a local artist named Rafael. He came over and chatted with us, sharing his unique technique for capturing Hawaiian landscapes. His method of layering paints created a striking 3D effect that really stood out.
Though we didn’t buy anything that day, Rafael and his artwork left a strong impression on us.
Sadly, just a few weeks after our visit, Rafael's shop and paintings were lost in the devastating fires that swept through Lahaina.
I've continued to follow Rafael's work over the years. He now creates his art out of the Westin in Ka’anapali. I hope he will someday be able to return to his gallery in Lahaina.
Just before the COVID pandemic, we traveled to Italy to explore Milan, Florence, and Rome. During our journey, we encountered a couple of artists and ended up purchasing their work.
In Milan, we met an artist near Castello Sforzesco and had a pleasant conversation with him. We admired his style, and after some discussion, he offered to paint a picture of Santa Maria delle Grazie for us. We agreed to meet him later that day.
After spending the day exploring Milan, we returned to the castle. There, we found the artist we had spoken with earlier. He had finished his painting, beautifully capturing the gothic church where Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" resides.
He even let the kids pick out one of his other paintings that he included in the price. Below is our family picture with him.
Later in our trip, while outside Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, we discovered another painter. This time, we fell in love with an oil painting of Ponte Vecchio.
Unfortunately, the challenge of buying paintings abroad and fitting them into your luggage became apparent with this one. The canvas ended up with creases that we couldn’t smooth out.
Back in 2016, on our first visit to Italy, we explored Naples, Rome, and Venice. It was our first international adventure with the kids. We capped off the trip with a weekend in Venice, where we loved wandering through the labyrinth of streets, often getting lost but always stumbling upon something new and exciting.
During our stay, we visited Murano and Burano, each island having its own unique charm. As we explored each island, the kids kept asking to go on a gondola ride. We had already done a lot of activities and it didn’t seem worth the expense. However, on the last day, we gave in and we found a wonderful gondolier. When it was over, we had to admit that it was worth every penny. The kids loved every minute of it and the memories we have are priceless.
Later that day, we spent some time in St. Mark's Square, watching the sun set. Nearby, an artist was packing up for the evening. We quickly browsed through his canvases and found one that perfectly captured our time in Venice. Initially, we were worried about bringing it home safely, but the artist assured us it would travel well. Despite our concerns, he was absolutely right.
What I love about meeting different artists is how it has taught the kids to appreciate these experiences as well.
A few years later, we were in San Francisco before setting off in an RV to explore some of California’s National Parks. During our time there, my son came across a small painting of the Golden Gate Bridge that he absolutely loved. He decided to buy it with his own money, showing how much he’s come to value these artistic encounters.
Now in high school, my son recently went on a school trip to Italy, visiting many of the places we explored together when he was younger. My daughter was on the same trip, and they had a blast recreating some of the photos we took of them when they were little—it was so fun to see those side-by-side comparisons.
They also visited Murano and Burano, where my son picked up a vibrant, colorful painting, continuing his appreciation for art nurtured during our family travels.
We've discovered that art is a wonderful way to enrich our travel experiences. It has allowed us to meet fascinating people, support their work, and learn their stories. Plus, we've brought home mementos that transport us back to those amazing moments whenever we see them.
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