Independence Day for Italy

Cari Amici,
Oggi (Today) is Independence Day in Italia. But I am not feeling it. Nor will I get to see how the Italians celebrate. For weeks now I have had a tosse (cough), but in the last few days, I have “progressed.” Each morning I start the heater in the studio and prepare to create my latest charcoal drawing from a male model, but I cannot seem to make it through the three-hour session without needing to curl up on the couch. Now, the chills have set in and I am feeling a bit devastated because the weather has been incredibly lovely for the first time this week.

So, today, while I recoup, I leave you with these images that I took last week. I was wandering al centro in a wee bit of rain and returned to this alley that houses Florence’s only round tower. Or at least that is what I overheard a tour guide say while I contemplated my next image. She also said that this tower housed women prisoners (I forget the crimes they allegedly committed) and that the tower is sometimes referred to as the Straw Tower because the women slept on straw.

The Byzantine Tower of Pagliazza hails from the 6th century while the neighboring Medieval Church of San Michele in Palchetto is a 12th century addition. Today, you too, may have the experience of sleeping in Florence’s round tower, but since the building is now part of a 4-star hotel, you might be disappointed that you would not be sleeping on straw. (Mi dispiace.) Named after Florence’s most famous architect, The Hotel Brunelleschi houses 96 rooms, some overlooking his Duomo.

And adesso, I crawl back under the covers . . .

Hotel Brunelleschi Firenze, Via De Calzaioli, Piazza Santa Elisabetta, 3, 50122 Firenze, Italia; Tel. +(011 39 05527370; Web site: www.hotelbrunelleschi.it

Wisteria e Primavera in Florence, Italy

Cari Amici,
I live outside the city central now. While it makes my life more complicated, I do enjoy hearing the birds more while I am actually home and not in the studio. And I am learning more about this lovely city of Florence as I walk more around her.

La Primavera (spring) is here, but most days, you would not know it. It is raining more than last year, my friends say, and so, I am hoping the Arno River will get a bit cleaner and the plants a lot greener.


I include here some of the images I took along a street near my new home of wisteria, one of my favorite vines. These fragrant cascading flowers are beginning to blanket the sidewalks. In this way and in their purple color, they remind me of the jacaranda trees in Florida.

Look for an exhibit of my work in Florence, Italy, May 22-24. More information to follow.
Thank you for reading.

Move to a New Apartment in Florence, Italy

Cari Amici,

It feels weird being out of touch for this long, but events got away from me. I was coerced into moving out of my apartment when I realized that the contract I signed up for was not the contract I found myself living with. I was left homeless in June and it is difficult to affordably rent an apartment for only one month, especially near the summer. I am grateful for the many friends here who supported me and to Inga, James, and Jason who showed up at night to help me move the first load.

So, the night of the 15th was my first night in a new flat in Florence, Italy. I found some lovely women to room with and they speak very little English! So, although I am no longer living inside the central part of Florence, I like the energy in my new home. However, I also contracted some annoying cough and cold. Allora, I will have to get settled in slowly to accommodate my work and healing schedule.

The first night en route to my new place, some of my friends and I caught this lovely sunset over the Ponte Vecchio. Trust me, my image does no justice. It was great to share the awe with people I know. What a beautiful night!

Last night, I stopped in at the High Bar on Via Dei Renai, 27/A. Owned by Luigi and Laura, Florentines who lived and met in London years ago, the High Bar is very neighborhood oriented. Some of my paintings hang in this space. Luigi is the kind of bartender one imagines: he can choose something to cures what ails you and he listens to your problems better than most priests (and without the obligatory ‘Hail Mary’s penance afterwards), giving advice if he thinks it is warranted. They both know most of their visitors by name, and often know what is new in their lives.

So, last night, I took my laptop back from storage in a friend’s flat and went to the High Bar to get connected again. I told Luigi of my raffraddore and he suggested a nice hot tea with limone, menta, e miele (lemon, mint, and honey). I also enjoyed the aperitivo that he had prepared for the evening. My favorites being the unusual combination of chickpeas and oranges in a sauce for dipping pita bread and crostini with red cabbage.

So, thank you for the e-mails I received. I apologize for worrying some, but I am in a healthier space now. Buona notte e grazie!

Original Oil Painting Mario The Naked Gondolier

Cari Amici,
Back in November, I did a sketch in a white pencil on a dark charcoal paper of an Italian model named Mario. Another “light emerging from darkness” image of a fairly classical style standing pose of a nude male figure.

I liked the shapes so much that I decided to make this study of Mario into one of my Naked Gondoliers painting series. (Mario is actually the first one completed in this painting series.) And so, I have painted this lovely male figure in oil on canvas in my favorite sepia tones: Mario, The Naked Gondolier. I wanted just a hint of Venice in the image, so there is a dark curve of a bridge behind Mario’s head and a gondola under his feet. There is a slight hint of light rippling in dark water to the right. I love the mysterious qualities of this image and may keep exploring these ideas.

Mario measures 45 cm x 30 cm (approximately 17.5 x 12 inches). This oilo sul tela (oil on canvas) will sell for $600, plus shipping and insurance from Italia $25.
I take PayPal here or I can send you an invoice via e-mail.

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And for those who are drawn to the original pencil drawing of the standing male figure, “Study for Mario The Naked Gondolier” is also available. The figure is about 42 centimeters (just over 16 inches) tall. I drew in the light shapes only with a white pencil on a dark charcoal grey Canson paper.

The paper for framing purposes is around 47 x 30 cm, not counting what would be under the mat and frame. The drawing is signed and dated 7 November 2007.

The original drawing of Mario sells for $200, plus $20 shipping and handling.

And again, thank for your making the dream possible.

Pastries and Pals In Florence, Italy

Cari Amici,
When I was not painting today, I took some time out for visiting friends. Lisa’s husband John has been visiting Florence from Florida. John became one of my first readers of this blog, I think, shortly after I met Lisa last September. And so today, he got to be surrounded by chicks. We three met up with Skye and Anna at Piazza Salvemini en route to I Dolci di Patrizio Cosi – one of the best pastry shops in Florence. My favorites are Fruttini Misti, mixed little fruits in small pie crusts.

After leaving Patrizio Cosi, we walked down Borgo degli Albizi. I include an image here of one of my favorite courtyards in centro. I never tire of it. Now there are beautiful red flowers – perhaps hibiscus – in the pot.

While Skye and Anna were exploring shops around Piazza della Repubblica, Lisa, John, and I went up to the terrazza on the top floor of La Rinascente that I referenced recently. Lisa treated us to a couple of beers and we enjoyed the sun warming up the day. For sitting around doing virtually nothing, it was a pretty good way to go. A wonderfully warm older Italian woman took two shots of us that I include here. And as she and her party left, she wished us a “Buono soggiorno.” (Have a good stay.)

Soon after, Anna headed off for another walk before sundown and John and Lisa headed back to their place. Skye was still angling for some shopping, so I went with her. We stopped in at some big name department store not too far from the Duomo. Skye was enchanted with the clothes there, while I was less enchanted with the sales staff – one woman in particular.

Knowing that Skye would buy what she was trying on, I felt entitled enough to ask this saleswoman where the restroom was. She actually looked me up and down before saying, “Il bagno e rotto.” (The bathroom is broken.) Now, I am no fashion queen to be sure, but that was just rude!

Later, as I was foolin’ around with my Canon, she told me, “NO fotos!” Feeling a bit annoyed, bored, and rather unappealing, I sat down in an orange area near the fitting rooms where Skye was. And I used my snapshot camera to take this self-portrait. Orange is supposed to make one feel happy. Sometimes I think that only chocolate and good friends can do that.

Cascine Market Florence, Italy

Cari Amici,
I felt my cold break in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, although even today I am still feeling some lingering effects. I was happy, though, because I had made plans to meet my friend Anna (who shares a birthday with me) to go to the Tuesday market in the Parco delle Cascine. This park stretches along the famous Arno River, downstream from the Ponte Vecchio.

Although I have been told that Florentines love their gardens, a tourist is unlikely to see much of these in centro unless you can get invited inside the historic buildings to see the courtyards and rooftops. I have a tendency to experience withdrawal symptoms if I do not have contact with trees often, so I was looking forward to seeing more of this park.


The park is lovely (by day – by night, one can see prostitutes and it was not too long ago that the police cracked down on a substantial child prostitute business here) and the market was much larger than I expected. I love the food booths, the plants, and the inexpensive clothes. But they also sell sheets, linens, and other household items. Anna bought a pot for cooking.

We got a kick out of our lack of understanding the Italian language: One shoe booth promoted “Stock solo €1.50”. We were unclear on whether solo meant “only” or “each” since the shoes did not appear to be sold by the pairs. The weather was very spring-like and quite perfect, save for the flying seedlets snowing down on us. I know that I should have been able to name the guilty plant or tree, but labels seem to be escaping me. But enjoy the photo of the temporary groundcover!

And finally, I would like to include this image that I took on our return trip. We crossed the Arno and could see the beginning of the market on the left. And in front of the hills that surround Florence, the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio can be seen behind the bridges we must pass before arriving back where we started – Florence’s Ponte Vecchio.

Thank you for reading!
Kelly

Painting Jess by Candlelight

Cari Amici,

I have been trying to find some time to improve my productivity while I also try different painting techniques. Too many distractions: free museum week, madonnari demonstrations (both over now) and this raffreddore (cold) that I thought I kicked last night. However, I was able to prep some thick water-color paper for accepting oil paint late last week and have been gearing up to do more work when I can get out of bed.

The watercolor paper has a nice bumpy sort of texture that I think lends an interesting softness to the painted image. I painted three coats of acrylic gesso on each sheet and hope to create a series of paintings that are extremely well priced. Each sheet is approximately 11 x 8.5 inches.

Some images stay with me longer than others. And lately, the aesthetic that seems to lure me the most often is the idea of light emerging from darkness. Candlelight has always been a favorite of mine. And I love the sepia tones and have chosen to use them to focus on the light.

So, the first in this project is titled “Jess by Candlelight” and she will sell for $150 (US). Please add $20 for shipping from bella Italia for a total of $170. No sales tax, though. I can accept payment via PayPal. If interested, please send me an e-mail or click on the PayPal button.

Thank you so much for being a part of my creative journey!
Ciao, ciao,
Kelly