Beach Girls

Ok, let me preface this picture story. Tommy took us to the beach last Sunday. It was a gorgeous day and we spent it at the beach near his friend's house (another comic artist in Livorno). They also have a snack bar and umbrellas for rent on the beach. We were giving our own area with chaises, etc. The sea water was beyond aqua blue and Tommy asked to take some photos with my camera. The battery was low. Naturally the first thing he did was take three photos of us girls. And one of the beach umbrellas.... Battery died before he took any pictures of the... water?!? So this story's a bit incomplete, but a fabulous day nonetheless.

Favorite moment: drinking espresso at 5pm in the heat
Least favorite moment: seeing men wearing Speedos when they just shouldn't be




Related links:
> Marina di Bibbona

Snapshots from Roma (updated 7/1)

The blog-neglecter returns for a short moment. I've been working hard at the studio on a carborendum print. Also on finishing the Pompeii etching and some other pieces. When I have free time, I'll admit I spend it with one ragazzo (boy/guy) in particular. É molto simpatico e carino.

Let's begin the tour with the Pantheon:




I always enjoy spending time around the Piazza della Rotonda and its nearby streets and shops. Poggi is an art supply shop with a stellar selection of paper and instruments. I find art supplies to be much more economical outside of Firenze, so I like to stop into Poggi when I'm in Roma. We also visited the Tazza D'Oro or as the signage states in bright yellow letterforms, "Casa del Caffé". I'm a huge fan of Roman caffé, as it's created with Roman acqua and the water in Roma is far superior than the Florentine sludge I drink on a daily basis. On my previous visits to Tazza D'Oro, I've ordered caffé normale (espresso), however in the warm heat of a June afternoon, we ordered three granite (blended, sweetened iced caffé) topped with panna (fresh whipped cream). Decadent and refreshing!

This was my first visit to Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, which I'm so glad to have finally discovered, thanks to Anna. This is the church that holds the body of Santa Caterina di Siena, senza (without) head. For those of you who have been to Siena, you've seen the head. I myself felt a bit incomplete with having just seen the bodiless head in Siena. Well, to visit Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, one completes the Santa Caterina pilgrimage and finds a renewed sense of calm. Fascinating isn't it?

Am I the only one curious as to why Firenze's beloved Beato Angelico is buried in Roma?

Grand maestro Bernini's elephant in front of the chiesa (church). One day I would like to bring my niece here to show her this sculpture:


I read somewhere that prior to its presence in films of the 50s and 60s, the Fontana di Trevi was rarely visited. Some films featuring the fountain include La Dolce Vita, Roman Holiday, Three Coins in a Fountain.

One coin in a fountain (Cristina):


Gidget goes to Rome (Mom, this one's me, heh):



As I only had one day in Roma, we not only savored granite, but we also stopped in for gelato after the Trevi. Anna took us to San Crispino and I ordered something fruity, but in my dreamy state of gelato-filled pleasure, I didn't remember the flavors! I will make a bold claim that this was the best gelato I've had here in Italy. (See link below)

Fresh from the aquaducts:



Related links:
> Ditta G. Poggi (art supplies)
> Tazza D'Oro (caffé emporium)
> Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
> Il Gelato di San Crispino

Lunch on the Tevere (updated 7/1)

This week I also squeezed in an overnight trip to Roma, the city in which I am falling more and more in love with upon each visit. Anna sent this photo recalling our lunch on the Tevere (Tiber) with Cristina and Romano... Thanks Anna!


Al Biondo Tevere is the name of the trattoria which is owned by the Panzironi family, who live in Romano's family's building nearby. Anna has informed me there is no website. Which is interesting, because it's a historically significant locale, frequented by the Alberto Moravia, Pier Paolo Pasolini, celebrated politicians, writers and the like. In fact in the interior the walls are adorned with dozens of photographs and brass plaques with signatures of its friends and clientele. It should, in my opinion as a web professional, have a rockin' website.

The plates:



I did some photo capturing on the way to the bus stop. It's only just a bar, but I liked it:


My favorite children's books, apparently popular in many languages:



Related links:
> Pier Paolo Pasolini al Biondo Tevere
> Barbapapa
> Wish list for care packages

A week in Garfagnana (part 1)

Last week three of us students were selected to do an internship at a serigrafia (screenprinting) studio in Mologno, a small town near Gallicano and Barga, north of Lucca.

We worked 60(!) hours that week, so we didn't get to see as much of Garfagnana as we would have liked, but we did visit the town of Barga for a midnight drink. The food we ate in Mologno and Gallicano was stellar, authentic Lucchese fare.

Our agriturismo was dreamy, and we stayed in a 2 bedroom house for a week for 100 euro each. We made some time to use the piscina (swimming pool) one of the evenings.

The view from my window:


The chaotic laboratorio (studio):



An automotive vision in Barga:



(Note: I've been quite busy with the internship and in the studio here in Firenze. Also this week I had a friend visit and lots of evening activities, so I haven't been keeping the blog up. However I do have lots of new photos and stories to post... Thanks for checking in!)

Related links:
> G4 Pubblicita (il laboratorio)
> Mologno (the town)
> Garfagnana (the region)
> Ristorante Eliseo (in Gallicano, near Mologno)

Works in progress

This week has been without a doubt my craziest week here in Firenze. Some highlights in chronological order include:

- My trip to Roma
- The most fabulous whirlwind romance
- Attending a Fellini-esque ("Holly Golightly goes Italian") party
- Attending another party where I met all the enoteca (wine bar) professionals in Firenze while tasting the most amazing wines
- Finishing the incising for the bulino (burin on copper) plate
- Discovering today that I'll be spending the next week in an internship in Barga (near Lucca), staying in an agriturismo for the duration

Whew!

Here are some of the photos of my works in progress. The first image is my bon a tirer (French term meaning ready to edition). I still need to experiment with the inks and papers, but the plate work is done.


This is my mixed technique prova (proof) of the Pompeii scene. I've done many techniques here including aquaforte (line etching), aquatinta (aquatint powder to create gray tones), pastello (pastel to achieve a pencil effect), maniera allo zucchero (sugar lift to remove large amounts of ground from the plate), and spit-bite (painting acid directly onto the plate). The part that's still missing is the marble column with the sundial at the top. Additionally I'll create more value and volume by scraping the plate and adding more aquaforte for details.


And my beloved workstation as it stood for a moment today...

La mia Roma

I'm still blogging-lite this week, but wanted to share a few of my photos from Roma. I fell in love with this city over the weekend and I'll be returning soon. My vision isn't traditional postcard imagery, but rather I tend to find beauty in simple things I find during the day. I threw in the photo of il colosseo for those of you who would like to see a familiar sight. Enjoy!

New blog posts in the works

I've been very busy at the studio and also we took a short trip to Roma this past weekend, but I wanted to post a short note that I have more entries to come. Here's what I'm working on:

- Even more Toscana travels with the parentals
- Our mostra (art show) in Certaldo
- Bella Roma
- Photos of all my current etchings (a request from more than one reader, thanks!). I have five etchings in progress. Hoping to finish all of these by mid-July, but I'd love to share them in their current states.


Thanks for all the recent comments. I love hearing from all of you.