Thursday, April 23, 2009

Art Exhibit Publicity Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

OK, my exhibit opening was well attended and a LOT of fun. I did not get home until around 3 a.m.! In fact, Sei Divino and I will be having another reception, the “Not Quite Closing Party” on Saturday May 2, from about 7 - 11 p.m. here in Florence, Italy.

Besides getting listed in “The Florentine,” here is some more cool publicity:
http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/2009/04/16/35509.html
If you can read Japanese, check out this: http://mihodesigns.seesaa.net/article/117542666.html


It was a bit stressful trying to get my art in centro, but I still depend on Hafiza’s bike to help me. Still, I had to leave the very large box with a framed charcoal and pastel drawing at home because I just could not figure out how to load him up. He is quite large. Anyway, once I delivered the remaining artworks to my frame shop in central Florence, I was ready to call a taxi.

Once at Sei Divino, Antonio helped me relax and soon, I was back to my efficient confident self as we hung the artwork. It is the unknowns that cause stress and I always fear that tasks will take longer than I think (because I have little concept of time). Simo (short for Simone), the cook, was preparing that night’s yummies. Two of the three co-owners Cristian and Fabiano came in a wee bit later and Fabiano told me that this was the best exhibit they have had here. He told me that a man from Sicily called to find out more about my exhibit. People were wonderfully kind to me, and after midnight my friend Tuulia came over to pull me onto the “dance floor”; a joyous evening.

Normally, I am the photographer for my friends’ events, but not so much for my own this evening. I ended up photographing the exhibit after Sei Divino was closed and again the next afternoon. I had to go back anyway to replace a sold drawing with a new one.

So, I hope that you can see the exhibit, either online:
borsheimarts.com/lightfromdarkness.htm
Or with me again on 2 May in the evening. And later, we could dance . . .


P.S. Happy Birthday, Grandma Viv!







Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Since it is Earth Day, I thought I would show you a few more of the photographs that I have taken of my Italian friend Doria’s charming garden not too far from central Florence. Can you tell that tulips are my favorite flowers?









Only yesterday I learned that THIS WEEK is Cultural Week in Italy. All of the State-run Museums are FREE to enter. I have work to do! April 18-26, 2009. For more information, call 800 991199 or visit www.beniculturali.it

Now, make a wish! Or as Luca told me they do in Italia, say “Pippo Filippo” (pee-poh fee-lee-poh). The puffing wind that your breath makes when you make these syllables blows the seeds from the dente di leone (assuming you put the flower up to your lips first). Happy Earth Day, it is a “let us wash each other’s back” situation . . .

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Belly Dancing Calenzano Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

My inaugurazione (art reception) at Sei Divino here in Florence, Italy, went well last Thursday night. The reception was 7 - 11 p.m., but there were still lots of people there and I was pulled onto the dance floor around midnight. Home by 3 a.m. and the next night was a 1920s-theme birthday party for my friend Terra. I will write more about my exhibit when I can get caught up and in a few days, you may see 1920-party images on Facebook, if you like.


Saturday morning my friend Susan called me. We met at the Santa Maria Novella train station about noon - just as hail poured down on us (made me laugh) and we caught the # 2 bus to Calenzano. We found the dance studio on Via Vivaldi and caught up with the workshop being conducted by Aisha Ali. It was really fun. If I were not a sculptor (and if I had not been born such a shy person), I would definitely have been a dancer.


The music was great. Back in the 1970s, Aisha went to many countries and began to record the music she heard there. We danced to Egyptian, Tunisian, Moroccan, and Algerian music. I think we had a group of about 50 dancers. It was so great to be inside a real dance studio - with the bar along one wall and the mirrors against the other. Most everyone wore belly-dancing attire. There was so much color in the room!

Today, I go to meet my friend Elena in Piazza della Repubblica. She designs shoes for Gucci and made a trasloco to Roma with the company back in February. So today will be a fun reunion.

On a more serious note, several people have written to me asking how they can help me to help the victims of the terremoto (earthquake) here in Italy. I do not have an easy way to set up fundraising to help the Italian earthquake victims. However, fellow blogger, Sara Rosso, wrote a wonderful personal story and gave resources on how you can help.

Check out her blog entry:

http://www.msadventuresinitaly.com/blog/2009/04/07/earthquake-in-abruzzo-italy-and-reflections-on-another-california-earthquake/