Pastel Streetpainting in Florence, Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Yesterday was a fun day in streetpainting here in Florence, Italy. I saw some old friends, met some people that I only knew from my Web site and Facebook, had a little party, and even got some pastel painting done in the street.

I have been given Thursdays with my colleague Johnny from Ireland. I drew with him last year, as well, and he is fun to work with. However, he draws with our friend Kumiko on Wednesdays and asked if I minded picking up where they left off the day before. Johnny models in the mornings (when I arrive to work) and later on Thursday evenings, he attends life-drawing sessions. I should, too, but since I only am permitted to draw one day as one of the madonnari fiorentini, I will draw in the studio another day.

Allora, we drew Michelangelo’s “La Sacra Familia” otherwise known as “Tondi Doni” -- all in pastels directly on the street. I was amused that a woman working as a badante (assisting people needing special health care in their homes) and living in Firenze for the past two years (but from the country of Georgia) stopped to ask me if I was Russian. I get this guess only second to my being French. It always amuses me and makes me want more to visit Russia.

Last year I wrote about some of my street performing friends, including Mimito Sorrydista He stopped by to say hello and I got to see him as a blonde this time ! I hope you enjoy these images.


This next image was of me with a high school class visiting Florence from Belgium. This was their last day in the Renaissance City. They stayed with me for at least 20 minutes (good for street painting visitors) and later several of the boys returned just before getting on the train home. I asked them that after a week, what was their favorite part of Florence and one boy (white T, standing) said enthusiastically, "You!"
I think he has a future in politics or maybe as a lady-killer. :-)

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If you would enjoy getting away from your normal routine and working with pastels, won’t you please consider this art workshop I am teaching in an amazing location on the Big Island of Hawai’I. We will work on-site, and even with a model for part of the workshop. This happens in early September and is hosted by Hawaiian Art Journey and the Kona Village Resort. They will take care of all of your concerns so that you may relax and focus on making your own art.

Registration is refundable up to 30 days before the workshop starts and we need to get commitments from art lovers early so that you all have time to make your travel plans. (You may also combine this art event as a romantic getaway – guests are allowed to have non-workshop attendees accompany them.) Check out the details below.
Pastels in Paradise – Art Workshop with Kelly Borsheim
Hawaiian Art Journey

Austria Linzerpflasterspektakel

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

While I do not have as much time now to organize my fotos and write something that I hope is worth reading, I did want to share some different sort of images with you.

After I left Vienna, I took the train to Salzburg and spent more days exploring the nearby villages and mountains. Twice I saw this wonderful look of man and nature together. It was a fruit tree that grew smack up against the building and the branches had been trained to grow around the windows. Contrasting the green fruit and leaves with red chrysanthemums in windows boxes made for a lovely, although almost grid-like, effect.



My friend Sylvia had explained the subtle differences of Austrian home design to me, explaining that so many tourists expect all Austrians in this region especially, to live as in the film “The Sound of Music.” She is not keen on the homes that have that “touristy look” and prefers the more authentic Austrian home fronts. But it is also fun to remember that Austrians are people too and like all people, they will have different tastes. I love being reminded of this and as we turned a corner, I saw this cool African sculpture with this giant fishing hook. Enjoy.


And finally, I wrote about my friend Mimito Sorrydista affectionately known as “The Man of the Wind” back on my June 8 blog entry. He caught me online last night on Facebook and we chatted for a bit. He told me that he was chased out of Florence but he did not have much more time than to explain to me that is was because of “vigili in borghese. ma il pubblico che poco prima si stava divertendo anno infierico contro di loro. protestando che l'arte va rispettata.” which I understand to mean that possibly someone made a complaint about street artists, or specifically him, but I have no details. I am aware of some problems with the street artists in Florence, but also aware that the new government might be a time to change things.

He then proceeded to tell me that “la realtà in austria è decisamente pregevole. apprezzano e si divertono con gli artisti.” or Austria appreciates artists and makes it fun for them to do what they do.

He is currently performing among about 200 street artists from around the world in Linz, Austria. The festival is called “Linzerpflasterspektakel.” Can you say that three times fast? Check out their site www.pflasterspektakel.at (in English too) to see who the performers are. Hurry, the festival ends Saturday the 25th!

I must say that while earning money depends on the tourists, like always, this festival does house the artists during the festival, reimburses for transportation (within reason), and gives the artists a food budget. Still, tip nicely or at least something, because there is more to life than eating and sleeping. The artists must buy costumes or art supplies and often spend a lot of time outside of performance hours to hone the skills you witness in only a short period of time.

Buon lavoro, Mimito!

Mimito Sorrydista Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I have always been shy when meeting new people. That would almost go for double when meeting the street performers in Florence, Italy. I recently wrote about gReY, il mimo. I watch him perform any chance that I can, but I did not meet him in the street. Instead, a dear friend of mine brought him to a private party in Florence almost two years ago.

Last month I met Mimito il sorrydista. Some call him ”L’Uomo del Vento” (“The Man of the Wind”). Born in Rome, he has performed in many countries, but now you may find him on the streets and in the piazzas of Florence. He knows a lot of the madonnari and will occasionally take his break by hanging out near us street painters. I am shy, not generally rude, so it was inevitable that we would meet.

This street performer explained to me that his name ‘sorrydista’ is a word that he made up. In Italian, ‘sorridere’ means “to smile” and he wanted to make a sarcastic play on words with the English “sorry.” Forget your worries. Street performers such as Mimito want to help you laugh even if only for a moment. Their humor is natural, kind, and fun for all ages.


So, I photographed Mimito il sorrydista helping this class of young boys become posers. I hope you enjoy the series. Afterwards, Mimito put a purple spiked hair wig on their teacher and got him into the act. The kids loved seeing their teacher in a TOTALLY new way. It was all good fun.





Even a “vigilanza” will stop to watch Mimito. And, of course, even this southern Italian woman could not escape his Italian charm.



When Mimito is not being blown about by the wind, he is an accomplished musician and finds others to play with. Seen here in Piazza della Repubblica in Florence is Mimito with a guitar player. Beside him is his companion Kleo (clay-oh). Mimito told me that Kleo was free when they met and later, this puppy chose to go home with Mimito. It turns out that the now four-year-old dog has showman-like skills. While I have only rubbed her belly during a break from street painting, several of my friends have seen Kleo perform. She can keep a palloncino (balloon) up in the air while running across the entire piazza! I am glad they found each other.




Especially after witnessing this white poodle who could not stop barking at ”L’Uomo del Vento”


The following image shows how Mimito experiences ‘Stendhal Syndrome’ in front of the recent street painting my Wednesday and Thursday group of madonnari created on Via Calimala. This was a copy of Caravaggio’s “The Supper at Emmaus.”

And I leave you with a self-portrait I took with Mimito on the day that we met. My face is relatively clean considering my normal state during chalking on Via Calimala. Enjoy!

Visit Mimito il sorrydista at his Web site: www.sorrydista.com

More images of this charming artist can be found on Flickr.com (search ‘sorrydista’)

Be like me and befriend Mimito il sorrydista on Facebook, search for
Maurizio Mimito Stefanizzi

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