For 40 years, I lived in a humble art studio tucked between the Pacific Ocean and the Grand Canal in Venice, California. By day, I worked odd jobs. By night, I hunkered over an easel, working from pencil sketches—to a chorus of crickets, foghorns, and a neighbor playing gypsy jazz and classic rock on her accordion.

I painted the canals of yesteryear—crumbling sidewalks lined with quaint, one-story cottages. My work reflects an unabashed nostalgia for simpler times, coming of age in LA before the 405 roared into life and sprawling ranchland vanished. I painted a child’s world as it might be seen by an adult, or vice versa.

One year, I made calendars of my Venice paintings as holiday gifts. I called them “Venice Canalendars.” Back in pre-digital-camera days, getting print-quality photos of art was tricky. Some works in this calendar were painted and sold years ago, surviving as faded, half-forgotten Polaroids tucked away in drawers.

I’ve restored and digitally remastered some of my early paintings, combining the traditional brushes I’ve used all my life with creative tools available to artists today. My goal wasn’t to reinvent the originals, but to bring them back to life while capturing the spirit of Venice and preserving the character and soul of the art I created decades ago.

The 2027 Spirit of Venice Calendar is a yearlong trip through the Venice I painted, remember, and still love. Welcome to my Venice — both real and imagined.

~ Frank Strasser

© 2026 Frank Strasser. Spirit of Venice artwork and fine art prints.

Originals, Prints, Commissions, and Calendars, from Venice & Beyond.

Questions or orders? Email: hello@frankstrasserfineart.com