Welcome! Friday, Jan 15 2010
Events and Field trips and Itinerary and People and Uncategorized 9:03 am
Why Florence? Here is what the NY Times says… Friday, Jan 6 2012
Sites/Museums 7:06 pm
A Renaissance city gets a contemporary kick.
Since 2009, Florence’s youthful mayor, Matteo Renzi, has championed efforts to build a livable, living city that celebrates — but is not yoked to — its rich history (and historic riches). The result? An energized arts scene unfolding inside various medieval palazzi, ancient landmarks restored and reopened to the public for the first time in decades and restaurants abandoning traditional Tuscan staples for sophisticated contemporary food.
The grand 15th-century Palazzo Strozzi is now home to the Center for Contemporary Culture Strozzina, a destination for must-see events like the coming “Americans in Florence: Sargent and the American Impressionists,” which opens in March. Spazi Urbani Contemporanei, an arts space occupying a 15th-century former monastery, now features works from emerging Italian artists. Last year, the 148- foot-tall 14th-century San Niccolò tower reopened to the public with one of the best panoramic views of the city. And in September, the flagship Gucci Museum made its debut in the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia.
Next for the Tuscan capital are plans to restore the banks of the Arno River and spruce up the city’s largest park.
INGRID K. WILLIAMS
Read more…
Information Sessions – January 11 and January 25, 2012 Thursday, Jan 5 2012
Accommodations and Events and Field trips and Itinerary and People and Projects and Sites/Museums 8:57 am
Please join us for an informal session to discover more about the 2012 Tuscany Exploration Seminar. Meet program directors, Curt Labitzke, Cynthia Caci and Daniele di Lodovico. Learn more about the program, the admission process and, most importantly, come and ask questions!
Whether you have already applied or are considering the possibility, these sessions are for you. You have two options — come to one or come to both!
Dates: January 11 or January 25
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m..
Location: Art 211
No previous art experience needed? Really? Monday, Dec 12 2011
Projects 10:14 am
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- A demonstration on paper and book-making.
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- Making sketchbooks.
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- More book-making projects.
Many of the participants may be like you, very excited about spending a month in Italy, looking forward to seeing some amazing art and learning more about the history of the works and the region. They are also excited about the opportunity to spend some time making their own art in response to their experiences, learning a few new processes, and having fun with their peers. Many of the group members may not be art students. Some have past experience but most are just eager to learn and looking forward to trying new things. The demonstrations will be designed for folks with little to no experience so please do not feel intimidated about your technical skill level. Everyone will quickly develop a working method that suits their individual needs and abilities and will hopefully make a few things that they will look back on some day as a document of the beautiful summer they spent in Italy.
This is a 5 credit class. Of course, like any class there will be assignments you’ll need to complete, no different than here at the UW. And your participation with the group is also a factor in the evaluation process. We believe everyone going with us will be there because they want to, will work hard, learn a few new things and do extremely well. Everyone’s work will be unique to them, quite exciting to see develop.
Remember you can only learn what you already don’t know.
The final day of the 2011 program… Sunday, Sep 18 2011
Uncategorized 6:55 pm
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Today is the last day of Tuscany 2011. In order to distract ourselves from this sad fact, a group of us decided to go to the Accademia which holds an astonishing collection of Venetian painting from the 14th – 16th centuries.Much is made of the characteristics of Venetian painting, often in contrast to Florentine painting of the same time. Both cities enjoyed relatively stable governments, strong economies based on trade, and the patronage of both secular and religious groups and individuals. Venetian painting, as exemplified by Giorgione, the Bellini, Tintoretto, Veronese, Tiepolo and Titian, does reveal a close examination of color and light. Landscape also plays an important role (possibly due to the lack of it in Venice’s unusual topography).
We agreed to meet back at the Foresteria at 6:30 to have a final show of the work that has been accomplished since arriving in Venice. Scenes of the city as well as works created from inspirations at the Biennale covered the tables.
Off to our final group meal. Gino was the proud host. He spent all day making desserts and homemade pasta, just for us.
Departures will begin as early as 3:30 in the morning, so we tried to get back early enough so people could grab a couple of hours sleep.
Curt and Cynthia couldn’t be more proud of this group of students. Everywhere we went, people commented on their politeness, eagerness to learn, and pleasant attitudes. We look forward to a reunion back in the States!
Ciao, Italia.
Shiny. Sparkly. Glass! Saturday, Sep 17 2011
Field trips and Itinerary and Uncategorized 6:42 pm
No trip to Venice would be complete without a journey to the island of Murano and the heart of Venetian glassmaking.
While glass was certainly known in Italy before it was developed to a fine art in Venice (the Romans used glass in their bathhouses, for example), it was Venice’s position as a trade partner to the Orient (Syria, Egypt and Palestine, all with significant glass-making histories) that brought the industry to Venice.
Some say that the island of Murano was chosen to prevent fires from breaking out in the more populated areas, but others believe that secluding glass-making to Murano was a way to regulate the trade and protect the secrets of the designs and processes.
Murano is a relatively short vaporetto ride — we arrived in just a few minutes and then dispersed to walk around the quaint little town, lined with shop after shop of glass vessels, lighting fixtures, jewelry, and brik-a-brak. No surprise to any of you reading this blog, but purchases were made!
Biennale, Day 2 Friday, Sep 16 2011
Uncategorized 5:49 pm
This morning we set out for the Arsenale, the second major site of the Biennale. It was here that Venice’s maritime fleet was built and, as such, is a symbol for her economic, political and military power. Over 50,000 square meters are devoted to exhibition space.
Video, sound installations, photography, sculpture, painting, ceramics, film — there was something for everyone.
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We had dinner at I Piramidi again. Tonight’s menu offered pasta, pizza and a contorni (vegetable side dish). We also shared a few tiramisu at the end…
Biennale, Day 1 Friday, Sep 16 2011
Uncategorized 5:29 pm
We met in the breakfast room to eat a light “prima colazione” of bread, cereal, yogurt, juice, caffe, etc. and then set out for the vaporetto stop to catch a water bus to the Giardini, one of two sites that houses the work of this international art exhibit.
The Bienalle (bi-annual) exhibition brings together contemporary art from around the world. Established in 1895, this year was to be the 54th exhibition. The theme is “Illuminazioni” (Illuminations) and is a nod to the traditional Venetian mastery of light and color. In fact, three of Tintoretto’s paintings were brought over from the Accademia to be displayed alongside the art world’s most cutting edge work.
The Giardini houses multiple national pavillions — singular structures devoted to particular countries. For example, this year the USA featured the collaborative team of Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla. In all, 89 countries are represented, some at the Giardini and others at collateral spaces throughout the city.
We entered at 10:00 and most of us spent the entire day there. Here are some examples of the work we saw…
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Tuscany, out! Wednesday, Sep 14 2011
Uncategorized 5:00 pm
After a long night of packing (and questioning certain purchases that now made our burden even heavier), we had our last breakfast at the Foresteria Gould in Florence, said good-bye to Ani and Marta, and walked 10 minutes to meet our charter bus in Piazza Tasso at 9:00. The final leg of our journey to Venice began.
The bus was large enough for everyone to have two seats to themselves, so it was a comfortable 4-hour ride. Mid-way, we stopped at a “truck stop” — more like a “truck super center” for snacks and even some last minute gift-buying. Once in Venice, we unloaded at Piazzale Roma, a new transfer point in the city, approximate to the vaporetti (water buses) that would ultimately take us to a stop near San Marco, the closest to our hotel. 26 people with more than 50 pieces of luggage were transported through the canals that make up Venice’s thoroughfare. The magic of the cityscape was lost on no one, even those of us who have been here before. Undulating light and shadow, incredible colors, and the atmosphere of water and sunshine are indescribable. We were duly entranced!
From the Zaccharia vaporetto stop, it is a relatively quick walk to the Foresteria Valdese. Well, quick if you discount the following factors:
1) Narrow passageways.
2) Throngs of tourists (for every 100 Venetians on a daily basis, there are 89 tourists in town).
3) The aforementioned 26 people with no less than two bags apiece.
4) Bridges, lots of bridges.
We checked in to our rooms and lugged our baggage up four flights of steps to the second floor of the Foresteria. Exhausted but excited, we agreed to meet later in the afternoon to walk to Piazza San Marco and do what we do best: ascend the camponile! While we are certainly in great shape at this point in the trip, we did not get the opportunity to climb the tower — the top is only accessible by elevator. Our timing was perfect; the bells rang at the top of the hour and we were treated to an amazing view of La Serenissima, Venezia!
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Back down to the piazza (the only one in Venice meriting the name — all others are called piazzale) and a short walk to the restaurant, I Piramidi. There, Gino (the owner) and Jeff (our server) offered pasta or pizza with a choice of beverage.
We headed out on a night time vaporetto ride (everyone had 7 day passes) and then home to get some sleep. Tomorrow, the Bienalle!
L’ultimo giorno — our last day in Florence Tuesday, Sep 13 2011
Field trips and Sites/Museums and Uncategorized 4:47 am
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No trip to Florence would be complete without a visit to the Bargello which houses the majority of important sculpture from the Renaissance. In a building that influenced the fortress-like Palazzo Vecchio and once served as a prison, as the mayor’s office and, until the mid-19th century, the home of the chief of police, we were able to enjoy works by Donatello, Michelangelo, Annamati (including a special exhibition of a sculptural program for one of the Medici villas near Florence). If that wasn’t enough, there is also a wonderful collection of ceramics, coins, metalwork from the Near East, and carved ivories. The students were charged with making a drawing from something they found of interest.
The afternoon was free to run last-minute errands (primarily, shopping for gifts) until we met up again for a group dinner. We returned to Il Gatto e’ la Volpe and topped off the evening with a gelato from the Gelateria La Carraia. Home to pack and prepare for our morning departure to Venice!
Choose your own adventure… Monday, Sep 12 2011
Uncategorized 6:48 am
We are in the last week of our program and one of our last few days in Florence. It is hard for all of us to believe. On Wednesday, we depart for Venice.
This morning, we decided to give the students multiple options to visit the museum or site of their choice. While the state museums are closed on Mondays, there are still many options available, such as the Boboli Gardens, the Pitti Palace, the Medici Chapel. the Archeological Museum, Leonardo da Vinci Museum, the Pietra Dura Museum, the History of Florence Museum, Casa Buonarotti, Medici Riccardi Palace, Palazzo Vecchio, the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, the Stibbert Museum, and the Church/Museum of Orsanmichele.
We gathered again at 4:00 to clean-up the studio and to have an artists’ reception. We had a chance to look at everyone’s work, talk about what we liked, and then snacked on olives, focaccia, meat, cheese and fruit.
