Sansepolcro Italy Marble Tomb

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Continuing my post about the Cattedrale di San Giovanni Evangelista [11-14th century] in Sansepolcro, Italy, here is a look at more of the art inside.

The funeral monument and marble tomb of Abbot Simone Graziani (begun in the 16th century) is carved from marble and is situated on the wall next to a large painting. Not generally a fan of sculptures of horizontal bodies at rest, I nonetheless found the details in the frame surrounding the figure to be quite creative and beautiful. Specifically, I enjoy the combination of bas relief (“flat” sculpture, such as what you see on coins) and high relief sculpture (more in the round but still on a wall).

I also enjoy the combination of animals, human faces, and foliage and other organic elements. I chuckle at the intelligent and somewhat whimsical shape that appears at first glance to be a mathematical symbol or letter in an ancient alphabet only to discover that it is in fact a depiction of the hind legs of an animal. This work is highly decorative and beautiful in its symmetry.

To the right of the altar is a more complicated composition than the main altar itself shows off. With the rows of candles in front, this composition struck me as very well balanced. The painting in the center has a lot of negative space that not only gives the eye a place to rest a bit, but the upward glance of the figure and surrounding circle of faces all lead the eye up to the top. There is an incredible marble carving here of multiple figures ascending up through a domed window.

Seriously, how on Earth did these people LIFT such heavy and lovely pieces to such heights and without damage? These were the days before electricity and all the technology that came from after that time. Incredible what people have accomplished.

I also apologize for my inability to get the light meter to read what I wanted with this zoom lens. Still the art is inspiring, as intended in the church. All of the geometry is perfectly designed to lead your eyes to heaven. Wonderful!

Now, because I am a yin and yang kind of person, I must show something that is not so beautiful, although I wonder if it is a strange sign of love. This next and last image is of a painting that is in disrepair. I find destruction fascinating, perhaps the same way that small critters are confused into inactivity by the hunter for easier catching or a the lure of vampire’s hypnotic stare.

The light brown vertical lines you see are cracked areas in which the paint has fallen off… they connect up with the larger brown areas at the bottom. I suspect that the cracks have more to do with places in which either the canvas or the wood has been joined or folded or warped. (I forgot to look at this closely enough to get the details of this painting. Oops!)

But I just wonder if the bottom edge is gone for the same reason that many sculptures have details worn off or sport a bright bronze patina on some toes: people reach up to touch a beloved artwork and over many years, the oils from their fingers and the actual touching or rubbing of thousands of hands destroys the work. It is like polishing the worry stone in your pocket, if you will. This was what I meant when I said an act of love earlier. As an artist, I feel complimented that people loved my work enough to touch it out of affection or adoration.

As a side note, it is interesting how the color has faded on the shadow side of the leg in green… and ONLY in the green. Ah, so much to learn!

Today I have earned 48 years old. I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I know that I am in the right place and moving in a good direxion. On another, I worry about lost time and late starts (regarding my art mostly). Still, one foot in front of the other and if not now, when? The year just keeps on zipping past. I am on my way to Serbia tomorrow to accompany a friend. It may be a while before I post again. Happy summer to you and thank you for reading my little posts.

Sansepolcro Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I recently attended a wedding party in eastern Tuscany. I was actually the photographer for the groom, who is more serious about photography than I am. But, hey, a guy cannot always take his own photos, especially when he wants to enjoy the more important moments in his life! Thankfully, his camera has more juice and capability than mine does.

The photo shoot was scheduled for later in the afternoon when we got into a Bentley and rode south into Umbria for the photo shoot. Our driver Giorgio said in Italian, “No limits” when asked how fast this car would go … that just sounds cool, does it not? In the meantime, however, I decided to explore a bit of the town of Sansepolcro.

I wanted to share with you today images I took (with my own camera) of the Cattedrale di San Giovanni Evangelista [11-14th century]. It is a fairly modest cathedral, built on a slight incline, which one only really notices when viewing the outside steps.

The main altar is much more simply organized than most that I have seen in Italia, but I rather enjoyed all the empty white space above the main art piece at the back of the altar, as well as the echoing arched windows.

The paintings on the wall were pretty typical but some I thought were quite good compositionally speaking, and even technically. I am beginning to appreciate more and more how much thought goes into a multi-figure composition. Still, this church seemed to have more paintings about the actual crucifixion of Christ (I mean large main paintings) on the side walls than I have noticed before. I would have guessed that St. John the Evangelist would have been the primarily subject or perhaps more prominent in the artworks. All paintings here were well done.

Looking back towards the door one can see the lovely play of light and shadows as the afternoon sun peers into the cathedral through the round window and square doors. I hope that you can see it in this detail shot I took of just the window, but it appears to be made from large slices of an agate, with rich brown striations or patterns in the stone. Lovely, really.

More tomorrow . . .

Italian Homes Florence

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Whenever I am invited into someone’s home or working space here in Florence, Italy, I make it a point to go, even if it is early in the wee hours. The buildings here have so much history and while there have been renovations over the years, with the addition of electricity and plumbing for example, it always surprises me how many beautiful and art-filled places of yore still exist and are available to people to rent. [Although, sadly, it is true that many Florentines have moved out of the central part of the city because it has just become too expensive and maybe a bit too full of stranieri (foreigners) for their tastes.]

Most people visiting central Firenze (Florence’s true name) will never experience her mysteries and full beauty. The gardens and most of the Italian homes are hidden from casual view. It makes one wonder just how dangerous the medieval times really were! Walls are thick and one must often enter a courtyard to see much green in this city.

Recently, after an evening out with friends, our small party was invited over to join the neighbors of one of my friends for a couple of drinks. These images I took of their home give you an idea of its elegance. The two images in the middle of this collection were taken in the bedroom of one of the men. I must say that the trompe-l'œil borders on the ceiling were the most three-dimensional that I have seen. I was quite impressed and enchanted. I hope you can get an idea of what I mean…

Art Studio Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Anyone who follows my postings on Facebook might have the impression that I only play while I am in Italy. That is only partly true. Besides, how many images of an artist working can someone stand to look at? While part of my day is spent trying to learn more Italian, I am making art during other parts of the day.

Still do not believe me? Well, here is a snapshot of my studio… which doubles as the little room that I live in here in central Florence. I have only got three easels set up at the moment, with two of them holding works that are almost finished. I just want them around because often when I wake up and see them with a fresh eye, I find something to tweak. With me, there is usually more thinking than doing.

I do not claim to be a tidy person . . . never have been. It is just not how I choose to spend my time and I think the time to clean comes when my preferred activities become hindered by the things around me. I do not live the exotic life that some people seem to think that I do. However, once I step out of my little room, I am in Florence, Italy. And that is currently alright with me!

Other news:

• My marble carving “Back to Back” was a finalist in the Art Renewal Center (ARC) International Salon Competition, Sculpture Category.
• My book ”My Life as a Street Painter in Florence, Italy” is not only available on Amazon.com in the USA [with a really wonderful review there by a Estaban Ess that I just found out about], but now can be found on Amazon in the United Kingdom, as well as AT LEAST Amazon in Italy. I am anticipating that the book is also available in other countries in Europe. How cool is that?

Italian Garden Tigullio Gulf Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I wanted to share more images from my recent visit to the Villa Durazzo after my post about the inside of the building. The gardens surrounding the villa are lovely and trust me, my snapshots do not do it justice.

Here we are in Santa Margherita Ligure in the northwestern Italian coast, overlooking the Tigullio Gulf. Our host, a local boy (and friend), explained during our hike into the hills between his home and the nearby Portofino that the locals actually refer to this gulf as the “Gulf of Idiots,” but using a word that is slang for “idiot” in the dialect from Genoa. The people of Santa Margherita apparently earned this nickname when a whale was found inside the protected part of the gulf. The fishermen thought it was dead and tied it up. Someone later tried to climb on top of it, only to have the whale send a rush of air up through its blowhole. The whale escaped unharmed, but the town cannot live down this story.

Back to the gardens: I spoke with an old man in the garden who told me that some of the palm trees there were about 400 years old and started to show me how to determine the palm’s age. He was really sweet (and I have a thing for old people) and thus, I went back to speak with him again after we left the villa. I also wanted to point out one thing. In the back patio where you see the mosaic of pebbles in white and black, there is a well. It has REAL flowers placed around the top edge of the well and was simply gorgeous! It is so easy to see why people want to get married here. There is a special magic that occurs when mountains meet the sea.

Villa Durazzo Ligure Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

It is a lot of fun to visit a place with a local. I see more than I might have on my own and he might also see something new in his hometown. There really is something to that idea of “I can go here anytime, and thus, I never have.” Such was the case recently on my return visit to Santa Margherita Ligure, on the northwestern coast of Italy. My friends and I went to visit the Villa Durazzo. This amazing place is part of a complex now owned by the city of Santa Margherita Ligure. The nearby Church of San Giacomo is what you are most likely to see almost anywhere you stand in this coastal town as it is quite the landmark, high up, and very visible.

An ancient castle was erected on this site over Roman ruins dating back to 300 A.D. The castle was owned by the Marquis Gianluca Chiavari. His daughter Maria married a Genoese nobleman, Gerolamo Durazzo, in the 1620s. Their eldest son, Gio Luca (1628-1679) inherited the castle from his grandfather, but chose to demolish it and build a new palace in 1678, the year before his death.

This new building, now referred to as Villa Durazzo has seen many renovations over the centuries and now has modern conveniences such as plumbing and central heating. The place is filled with art, from classically painted family portraits to decorative but simple designs, some intended to be three-dimensional. It gives quite the effect. Some of the original wood floors were changed and now show off the talents of mosaic artists. Many of the chandeliers are made of the famous Murano glass [Murano is an island near Venice].

My friends and I saw several pianos in this villa, and two bedrooms. The last image here is from the first bedroom. Note the elaborate carvings in the twin bed boards. I was delighted to see some carved figures in the wooden armoire nearby, since one of them inspires me for a pose of one of the female figures I will create for my summer’s mural commission here in bella Italia. This next painting in the other bedroom, that has a proper matrimonial bed, faces the pillows of the room’s occupants. Can you imagine having this painting of a woman with a sword plunged into her bosom as the last thing you see before you fall asleep? Yow-sah!

Villa Durazzo is open most of the summer and is also rented out for various private events, such as weddings and meetings. Currently a visit will cost an adult 5.50 euros (3.00 for children) for an entrance fee with a printed-out booklet detailing information about each room in the villa, as well as a thorough history of the building itself. Open Hours are (as of this writing) : from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, with admission closing 30 minutes before each closing time.

Contact:
Villa Durazzo – Piazzale San Giacomo, 3
16038 Santa Margherita Ligure, Italia
Tel. (+39) 0185 293135
E-mail: info@villadurazzo.it / Web sito: www.villadurazzo.it

This post is dedicated to my Uncle Joe. I miss the Joey of our younger days and hope that he was able to find some beauty in his life.

Shoe Repair Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

In one of my earliest blog entries, I wrote about meeting the shoe repair team of Giuseppe and his father Signore Carmine. I had been walking down Via dei Pepi in central Firenze, Italia, when Giuseppe tried to entice me into his shoppe. He was not doing such a good job, but his father was much smoother in his approach and won me over.

Since then I have seen Giuseppe on various occasions over the years, including back in February of this year when a friend and I saw him in a bar we had ducked into for a drink. I asked after his father and learned that he had died months before my return to Italia this time. On June 9th, I posted on Facebook:

“Gotta love Italia! I got kissed today - smack on the lips, too! My favorite sandal broke in the studio this afternoon, so I went by to see Giuseppe at the shoe store. We met 6 years ago when I was walking down Via dei Pepi and G's father coaxed me off of the street and into his shoe repair shop. G ran after me after I left the stop that day and dropped some shoe polish in my bag, saying, "Nostro segreto" This evening, as he glued my shoe back together, he said, "sono innamorato a te." He would not let me pay for the shoe repair and also gave me a "regalo" of some cushion inserts (in my size, naturally), but was happy with his little surprise move on me - hahah. I suppose I will always have my feet taken care of! Sadly, his father died earlier this year....

Well, the responses were quite fun! Several women came forward to say that I told the story perfectly, just the way Giuseppe is with ALL the girls who pass his shoppe! One musician friend of mine said that his girlfriend felt she had to find a new shoe repair place because Giuseppe was so naughty. But I think that our Giuseppe is harmless, although maybe that is the cruelest thing to say to/about a man, especially a Romeo.

Before the kiss he gave me, I had told him that I had a pair of winter shoes that needed repair (in fact, they were the same pair that I wrote about many years ago). As luck would have it, the bottoms of my favorite sandals became separated. So, I returned to the shoe repair shoppe and left my two pairs of shoes with Giuseppe’s mamma. She wanted to up the ante and offered to replace the heels of my winter shoes. So, I agreed hesitantly and went to the studio.

However, I returned a day later to find that not only had they not started the work (because the mother was not sure if I wanted the extra service), but Giuseppe told me that he would lower the price and glue my sandals for free if I would wait a moment. He also gave me another regalo; this time it was BLACK shoe polish for the pair I had left with him. Of course, he got another kiss, as he asked me to dinner. I joked with him that now I know for a fact that I am not the only woman he is “enamored” by and I think he is quite the playboy. He laughed, denied it all, but then exclaimed, “Well, at least you know that I am not gay!”

It was a week or so before I was able to get back (this past Friday). My leather shoes look lovely again! And again Giuseppe asked me about my boyfriend and also how long I would be in Italy. To deter him, I told him that I would be returning to Santa Margherita for a few days (true). It did not work. He simply asked if we could have dinner together after I return. Ha… persistence is the key, man. I also received another gift, this time a pair of black shoe laces since he noticed how worn mine were. I asked for his permission to take photographs of us together and to talk about him and his shoppe on my blog. He gave me his address too. so if you need some shoe repair and want a bit more personal attention . . .

Petrocelli Giuseppe - Lavorazione e Riparazione - Pelletteria e Scarpe
Via dei Pepi, 28-30 R (R stands for the red lettered address numbers)
50122 Firenze, Italia
Tel. 055 2345099