Gardens in Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I cannot help loving the Renaissance City, aka Florence, Italy. I do not always know why, but there it is. However, there are a lot of times in which I feel out of kilter and that is when I cannot be near a tree. So much of the greenery in Florence is hidden behind walls. I was once told that an open door in Italia is an invitation. I am not convinced that I believe this, but there are times in which I act as if I do!

Just over a week ago an American sculptor living in Italy came to Florence (Firenze) and asked if we could get together. Tammy Duris had contacted me many years ago in Colorado and recently we ended up spending a fun day together walking around central Florence. While peeking into an open archway near my home, we started speaking with the security guard. I was happy that Tammy asked him if the space was a residenza. He responded, “No, si tratta di una casa." So, then I asked him what was the difference between residenza and a casa (house). He explained that the first was a place for rent, the second a private home.

And then to my utter delight, he told me that he would allow us to go in if we went only into the courtyard straight ahead and did not linger or explore the other areas. So, I was able to see some trees and flowers! And even a sculpture! It was certainly not the prettiest garden space that I have seen, but my point is that so much of Firenze is hidden. So when you see an open door, sometimes you may just get to walk through it!

Just a reminder, this workshop is coming up soon:

"Portrait Painting with Artist Kelly Borsheim" May 17-19, 2013, Sanford, Florida (near Orlando)

Michelangelo Architectural Design Butterfly

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Some of my paintings and even sculpture have involved doing some research on my basic idea. Sometimes that is because I do not remember details or want to get a related quote exactly right, but often I know that when I am trying to clarify an idea growing in my brain, researching often leads me to a stronger way to express the idea.

Such is the case with my newest painting in the works now. I do not want to give too much away, but like many of my works in the last several years, the basic idea is about transitions. As in my painting "Le Scale dell'Eros", my new work includes the shape of an animal; in this case, I am using a butterfly to symbolize a metamorphosis type of transition.

I first came to Italy in 2004 with a desire simply to touch the work of one of my first sculpture teachers, the great (and very late) Michelangelo. Since that wonderful experience, I had a desire to live with more art around me on a daily basis and thus Italy, especially Florence, was a strong pull. Can you imagine my delight that my research on the Greek myth that accompanies the butterfly idea led me to a butterfly shape designed by Michelangelo? It is an architectural idea he had for the Porta al Prato in Florence. I do not believe it was ever realized… but still. Here is what I found . . .

Add to this that I am trying to push myself in a slightly new direction. I do not really know exactly where I am going, but having created art for many years now, I trust the process to bring me to places that I had not really thought of, but will be appropriate for where I am in my life in the time of the painting’s creation. That sounds a bit “foo-foo” to even me, but … do what you like with it.

That said, one thing that I have struggled with since I was ten years old is the fear of losing things (people really). But for this painting, I want the butterfly form to be more subtle than most things I have painted before. In an attempt to let go without fear of losing the communication of my idea, I sketched the architectural design of Michelangelo on my canvas in charcoal until I was satisfied with the proportions. [(I prepped the 90 x 130 cm canvas with a blue campitura).] I then painted the lines loosely in a blue-umber color. [See the lower left section of the butterfly.]

After letting that be for a small time, I then went in with a blending brush and mushed all of the edges. I tried to loosen up and let the brush strokes soften everything. I want to build from this basic shape and create a composition that I find mysterious, intriguing, and expressing an emotion… in all honestly, I am not sure what. This is a painting idea from something I have felt for many years now, having spent my life in my recent past going back and forth from Texas to Italia. Would you like to follow the journey with me? Or maybe it would be best for me to wait to see if I am successful in this endeavor?

There is still time to sign-up for the workshop that I will be teaching in central Florida this May. I hope you join me and let us make some art and work with designing a portrait!

"Portrait Painting with Artist Kelly Borsheim"

2013 Art Workshop Dates:
Friday, May 17 from 6-9 pm;
Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (lunch is from 1 to 2 p.m.) and
Sunday, May 19 from noon to 5 p.m., 2013
(14 hours in total)

Location: Private historic Victorian estate in Sanford, Florida (central Florida). Paid attendees will be given the address before the workshop begins, but the location is near Country Club Road on Highway 46A.

In this hands-on introductory weekend portrait workshop, you will learn how to improve your drawing and observation skills for creating a portrait and how to achieve a more 3-dimensional effect in your art using pastels and charcoal. Or you may prefer to work with oil paint.

Happy Liberation Day, Italia!

Il Montino Pisa Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

In my last blog entry, I shared with you some images from the free exhibition in Pisa, Italy, about the paintings of Artemisia Gentileschi and the costume designs on Anna Anni. Today, I want to show you images of my day trip to Pisa (from Florence). My friend Simone and I did not go into the main piazza where the famous Leaning Tower exists, although we could see the tip of the tower from various points around the city we did visit. I am happy to say that he was able to change my opinion of Pisa in a good way.

After seeing the exhibition at the Palazza Blu, Simone took me to a hidden little gem in which the locals favored. It is called Il Montino and was tasty and affordable. It is tucked away to the left of a short clock tower not too far from the river.

You may see more images of Pisa in my Facebook page, look in the photo album titled “Day Trips.”

Thank you for any amount of appreciation for the time of writing and creating images to share with you. Glad you have you along on this journey!

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=3M3UZTASNLCPL

Artemisia Gentileschi Anna Anni Palazzo Blu Pisa Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Last week, my Florentine friend Simone invited me to go to Pisa with him to see the free exhibit of the paintings of Artemisia Gentileschi, a good painter who was the contemporary of Michelangelo. And a woman: A financially successful woman artist.

I actually used one of her figures in a work I created for my first exhibit in Italy “Kelly Borsheim: Luce dall'oscurità.” The Gentileschi work that I “lifted” was a composition of “Susanna and the Elders.” I looked for this painting in the current exhibit at Pisa’s Palazzo Blu, but they showed a different one of the same title, equally enchanting. I show it here with my friend as a size comparison. Palazzo Blu is literally a blue building and quite easy to find along the river.

I was delighted that my favorite piece in the show was “Allegoria della Pittura” (Allegory of a Painter, 1638-1645) by Artemisia Gentileschi and is in a private collection. For me, that is a bit of the point to attend these collective exhibitions of one artist. Otherwise, you might never see a work owned by private hands. I show my horribly blurry image of the portrait painting here.

The surprise that even Simone did not know about was the exhibit on the costume designs by Anna Anni Normally, I am not so interested in fashion, except maybe perhaps in a bizarre way. But I was intrigued by these costumes, for me a bit of another world, old-fashioned, charming and yet… je ne said quoi. See what you think. I might be a bit too romantic…. Or thinking too much of vampires.

The exhibit at Palazzo Blu in Pisa, Italy, continues FREE until 30 June 2013. Get by to see it and spend a lovely day checking out the sights in Pisa OTHER THAN the famous piazza containing the Leaning Tower.
Palazzo Blu
“Artemisia Gentileschi nel 1632: La musa Clio musa della Stori e gli anni napoletani.
(Cleo the muse of history and the Naples’ years)

Dopo il successo della mostra Wassily Kandinsky. Dalla Russia all'Europa BLU | Palazzo d'arte e cultura presenta la nuova iniziativa. Fulcro dell'iniziativa è il dipinto eseguito da Artemisia Gentileschi nel 1632: Clio musa della Storia. La mostra, che propone importanti dipinti, inediti o mai visti in Italia, si concentra sugli anni napoletani dell’artista e approfondisce le nostre conoscenze sulla sua cospicua produzione partenopea e sulle sue vicende biografiche nella capitale del Vice Regno e in Toscana, dove Artemisia conservava interessi e proprietà.

Costumi di scena: Anna Anni e l'Officina Cerratelli

La nuova iniziativa di Palazzo Blu, realizzata in collaborazione con la Fondazione Cerratelli, è un omaggio ad una delle più celebri costumiste italiane. Anna Anni, infatti, ha firmato centinaia di produzioni per prestigiosi teatri in tutto il mondo. La mostra mette in risalto, oltre alle sue splendide creazioni, il legame professionale con Franco Zeffirelli e con tutti quei registi e artisti che con Anna Anni hanno condiviso il suo successo.

Orvieto Cathedral Duomo Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Here are some of my images from the Duomo (Cathedral) of Orvieto, in the region of Umbria, Italy. The building was started in late 1290. The church is designed with stripes of stone, alternating green and white similar to the Duomo in Siena that earns the nickname of “the zebra castle” with one of my friends back in Texas

While many hands are sometimes involved in the designs of Italy’s landmark buildings, Sienese architect and sculptor Lorenzo Maitani gets the credit for designing the façade. It does not feel like it when you are there, but the position of the church is such that one may see the full face of the church from a great distance from the city. It rises above the other architecture and Caroline told me that on a sunny day, that gold is gloriously broadcast about!

I also enjoy the addition of the pink stone on the façade. As in the famous Duomo of Florence, Italy, the white, pink, and green combinations serve to simply and sooth the eye when framing the more complicated compositions of the mosaic designs. The dark green bronze sculpted doors and sculpture also do this. I was amused that this piece of architecture featured so many statues of animals seeming to “take a leap” off of the face of the church.

Oh, the stories these carvings in marble tell! It is a shame that the lower part must be covered by a semi-transparent protective barrier. I often wonder what is the protection from – vandals or the extremely high numbers of adoring fans and maybe believers who just want to rub on the artwork. Enjoy!

Click here for more information about the workshop: http://www.borsheimarts.com/art-workshops/2013ArtPortraitWorkshopFlorida.htm

Orvieto Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Once the site of an Etruscan acropolis, Orvieto, Italia, is one of those places that you see in a lot of postcards. While my friend Caroline and I did not have much time on our way back to Florence from southern Tuscany recently, she wanted to show me the impressive Duomo (cathedral) in Orvieto, so we drove on up the hill and into the parking garage. Very few vehicles are allowed into this walled city and it was fun to ride up into it in an elevator with a dog! [Dogs are pretty much allowed everywhere in Italia.]

Even on the overcast day when we were there, you may get a sense of history and beauty of this town that I will definitely revisit! This little outdoor bar/ristorante shown here is right next to the Duomo of Orvieto, but I will keep those Duomo images for the next post.

Also, I had hoped to publish this post on Easter Sunday because I was really struck by the gentle face of Jesus in this fresco, also not far from the Duomo. But time slipped away from me and timing has rarely been my strong point. I have written about the Tabernacoli fiorentini, which got my attention by their sheer abundance and my friend Simone’s explanation about these shrines having been created outside in order to slow down the spreading of the plague. The protective Plexiglas makes most of these tabernacles very difficult to see, much less photograph. Peccato!

There is a simple composition in this fresco that felt comfortable in my brain the way many others have never done. In art, vertical lines often portray an emotion of security, the way that tall buildings and trees give us a sense of strength and solidity. [Horizontal lines are peaceful; diagonals are where the action is.] The slight lean of Christ’s body and his parallel cross break up the normalcy of ordinary vertical lines and it feels to me as if there is a sense of movement or life in this image.

And while it has obviously worn away, the fresco-making process shows us the outline of what once was a huge sweep of drapery on the figure that leads the eye up to the Cross. I suspect most people would not think of such a thing, but I like it that the diagonal lines are looking down from the right. We in the Western world read from top left to lower right. I flipped this image in my mind’s eye and decided it had more grace and surprise for me, maybe even a more contemplative feel, by having this diagonal energy moving “back into” the composition (ie from upper right to lower left). So, I am now curious to know how a person who reads in another direction would response to the shapes in this figure composition.

I also think it is cool that you do not see the figure’s lower legs or feet. A good design is a good design, even as it is eroding before our eyes. I hope you enjoy my snapshots of Orvieto, Italy.

Because time got away from me and I have been very busy dealing with my taxes and a new housing contract and other such head-twisting tasks, I decided to extend the early bird savings deadline for my portrait workshop in Florida… the new deadline will be April 17, 2013 – two days after the IRS tax filing day. Just in case you are as side-tracked from art as I have been lately. Click here for more information about the workshop: http://www.borsheimarts.com/art-workshops/2013ArtPortraitWorkshopFlorida.htm

Little Jerusalem Pitigliano Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I found myself exploring the town of Pitigliano, Italy, recently thanks to my friend Caroline. Pitigliano lies south and east of the more famous Grosseto and is very close to the southern Tuscan border. Pitigliano has a history dating back to the Etruscan times, but in 1293 the Orsini family gained control and began its history warring with Siena.

The city emerges above the tufa rock, rising from organic to geometrical forms, with caves visible in which I was told that hermits used to occupy. Those spaces closer to the paved road that leads into the city were once used to keep donkeys. Now they are simply storage rooms.

I thought it was funny that the map of this city perched on an elongated peak looks a bit like a slug from above, since my traveling companion and tour guide described this city as beautiful, but a bit claustrophobic. She said she could not life there because of the closeness of everything, namely the narrow streets. I knew that I wanted to come back to explore this place longer than the two hours or so that we had there.

While there are few if any Jewish people living in Pitigliano today, it was historically a town quite friendly to the Jewish population. My friend Caroline and I visited the former ghetto in the historic district, now a small museum. We learned that in 1556, a Jewish cemetery was created by the nobleman Niccolò Orsini IV, who had always been supportive of the Jewish population in his territory. He gave the land for this purpose to his personal physician, David de Pomis, a Jew. You may see this cemetery in the last image of this post, below the cypress trees on the left and above the bridge of arches.

The Ghetto was officially begun in 1622 by the ruling Medici family. In the 1800s one-fourth of the population of Pitigliano was Jewish and the community became known as “Little Jerusalem” (a name given by the Jews in Livorno, a city to the north). The brochure says that after the Unification of Italy in 1861 and the emancipation of the Jews, many Jewish people left Pitigliano for larger cities. It is also reported that the remaining Jews were helped out of the city by their supportive neighbors as the racial laws and dangers of World War II came about. Today the city is reported to have so few Jews that they cannot gather enough for a minyan, the minimum number of ten adults required for specific religious gatherings.

The thick stone walls of “Little Jerusalem” give one the impression of being in a cave. In truth, the Jewish people simply adapted the existing spaces when they settled in this part of Pitigliano. And people for centuries have understood the value of going underground for consistently cooler temperatures to store wine and other goods. A couple of the upper rooms near the entrance housed Jewish items, many of which I found quite beautiful, such as this woven Havdalla Candle for use on a Saturday evening. I also found the scroll and the Hebrew writing lovely.

The image of the room with the black bars in front of it is the butcher’s area. It was here that animals were slaughtered in accordance with the Jewish laws. After death, the blood is drained from the animals so that the people will not consume it since “blood is life.” [I do not quite understand this idea (do we not eat to live?), but then it may be that the brochure has simplified a lot and I did not intend to do an in-depth study of cultural rites, however interesting.]

The Synagogue of Pitigliano was built in 1598, but collapsed gradually in the 1960s. It was restored in 1995 and contains furnishings from the 17th and 18th centuries. One cannot enter the prayer room; however we followed the stairs to a balcony. A beautiful wooden rail in a lace-like pattern protected us from falling. It was quite high, but I did manage to stick my arm out above the top rail to show you the downstairs, as well as the ceiling.

You might wonder why I am writing about ruins and such when this blog is usually about art. In my mind, everything is connected. And as my late friend Vasily Fedorouk liked to say, “The artist is the best kind of scientist because he studies everything.” I think the word “best” is something lost in translation for my Ukrainian-born friend, but I think you can grasp his sentiment for artists.