Art Publicity in Italy

Whew hoo! How cool is this? (scusami, self-indulgent moment coming up . . .)
My mug shot and name made today’s newspapers in Italy!!! There is a small teaser photo on the bottom of the front page of the 11 March edition of “Il Giornale della Toscana” and then a rather large image of me starting my drawing of Caravaggio’s ‘St. John the Baptist as a Youth (with ram)’. Yup, just what every girl needs – a photo in the paper of her working on her knees.

The article on page 11 is rather long and takes up more than half of the page. The images and text came from giornalista Fabrizio Boschi of “Il Giornale della Toscana” and is about the new plight of the madonnari (street painters) after the law regarding Street Art was changed in January.


Caption quote:
A sinistra una “Madonnara fiorentina”, Kelly Borsheim, 43 anni, originaria del Texas. È a Firenze da un anno e mezzo, ma adesso per lei, come per gli altri suoi colleghi, si prospettano tempi duri. Lei è anche scultrice di marmo e bronzo: una vera artista a tutto tondo. I Madonnari sono artisti di strada, così chiamata dalle immagini, soprattutto sacre e principalmente Madonne, che sono soliti disegnare per strada.

A VERY Rough Translation:
On the left one "Florentine Madonnara", Kelly Borsheim, 43 years, originally of Texas. She has been in Florence for a year and half, but now for her, like for her colleagues, they see hard times. She is also a sculptor of marble and bronze: one true artist to all round. The Madonnari are artists of the street, therefore called from the images, above all sacred and mainly Madonne, that they are usual to draw for the street.

Signor Boschi’s article told about the work of the madonnari and also about the increase in the tax or permit fees for the street painting organization. Claudio Sgobino is the leader of the Madonnari and he chained himself to the Neptune fountain in Piazza della Signoria on Monday 10 March in protest to the large fee hike. Claudio has been in Florence for 20 years, but has worked as a madonnaro for 23 years.

Then late in the day, my friend Lisa O’Neil sent me a text message that she also found me in a group shot with the madonnari in the Metro paper. The image below was located in the Metro on pagina 7 and was taken by the journalist in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. I am standing on the left – wearing pants, no less!



So, let us see what kind of changes might be had after Claudio’s publicity campaign.