Recent printing

15 x 45 cm (?) Calligraph

35 x 50 cm Calligraph

50 x 70 cm Calligraph

Libro d'Artisti

Book arts has quickly become my favorite class at school. Above are examples presented to the intro class, which I am TAing for under a wonderful woman named Kathy. Being an American herself, who has lived in Italy for the past 30 plus years, she knows all the annoying habits that Italians have and has been quick to offer suggestions or help on how to stay afloat. She even brought me some pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.

The school has gone book crazy as I am now working on 4 books for various classes. All of the assignments are extremely open ended, allowing me to mold the projects to my own design. Very nice.

I should have the first book done in 2 weeks I'll make sure to post it then.

Watercolors from model

Back on the bandwagon

Wow, this post is horribly overdue. Sorry ya'll, I'll try and sum up some of my adventures.

Finishing up the quarter in a flooding city was suprisingly easy, mostly because all of my work could be put off until after winter break. I did manage to pull some things together at the last moment and come out with a few nice pieces, most of which I have already posted.

This semester seems like it will be a free for all. With the large group of undergrads who arrived two weeks ago, I have been flat out told "do your own projects". I've had many conversations with the director about his seeming lack of interest in my progress towards completing my degree to which I am quickly dismissed. So pretty much it is now up to me to make sure this happens. By referencing other Master programs and contacting the accrediation firm who give the greenlight on the MA in the states, I have created a program for myself. I guess that is just italy- self starters are the only ones to get ahead.

As I said, there is a new group of undergrads here now living with me. It feels strange to have all of these memories and experiences in venice while the world is still fresh for them. Every day i get about half a dozen questions on how to get somewhere or how to do something. My answers to many of these questions must sound harsh to their new ears: "Everything is 20 mins away, if you want this done you'll have to make it happen, and I know it sucks, but that is italy."

With all of this I have been put in a strange position at school- long story short, the lab tech/translator/wood-cut teacher was let go because frankly the school didn't want to pay her anymore. A new tech was hired at 30% workload of the old tech and are just expecting me to "help-out" and do most of the work. Okay, not a problem- I am in there all the time anyways, knowing how to prep things isn't a bad thing. However I was quickly repremanded by the director for volunteering to help pick students at the airport. Something about my position needs to be made very clear- that I am a student not an employee. Okay.... so why am I now taking records for student expense accounts in the lab?

Really, I am complaining a lot only because it can be extremely frustrating to get contradicting information, but I have full access to one of the best print labs ever and full control over my future here. When I'm tired and don't want to go to class, I just leave, and everyone is fine by that.

But through all of this nonsense I did have one of the best birthdays of my life! Abel came to Venice for 5 days and we just went around using the city for what it trully is- a wonderful place for two. I rented us a flat in a quite part of town which was amazing- our own washer, a tv, nice new appliances, a real bed! It makes me remember that I trully live in a bomb shelter. Anyways, it was beyond words. I am so happy he came, and am already counting down the days until ireland!

from our apartment window

Okay, long and horrible, but that is the update. I'll be more on this- promise.

San Martin

Okay, so this is almost a week late, but with belated glee I present San Martin!

San Martin is a holiday here in Venice that celebrates gernerousity and giving. The story goes that the nobelman Martin was riding his horse one old day and came across a begger. The begger was cold and miserable, as well imagined, so Martin took his sword and cut his cloack in half to give to the begger. As this happened the sun came out and made a beautiful day.

In modern days it is a time to buy these wonderfully decorated cookies and give to your loved ones, while children go to stores and sing the San Martin song for treats while banging on pots and pans. Very loud. The song, which is in Venetian dialect- I tried very hard to learn the song, but only ever got the first line of "San Martin".

Taking the picture of these girls was a small victory for me; I was able to ask the mother in Italian if a could take a picture and she understood me! Awesome. I was also buying my own San Martin Cookie at the time.

We have another big festival in venice on friday. Something about building a floating bridge and eating meat.. oh, and the plague. I'll report back more later.

Artwork so far

Rome

Let me tell you about my adventure in Rome!

The trip to Roma was a 2 day event for us in art history. Thankfully we were told we won't have to take notes, good thing too, there was just far to much to take in. A cute story to help explain the mass amounts of stuff: In Rome there are only two Metro lines, both which close at 9 p.m. The reason being, according to the art history teacher, was that every night they do archeological studies in the subway. I'll let the pictures do the speaking for day one, but we were so lucky to have such beautiful dramatic light! It was awesome.

The art history class in full

This thing was huge. Think Mines of Moria.

Britt, both a scholar and a lady.

AJ and I feeling impressive.

There are no people in Rome, only bodys with cameras.

After a full day of learning it is time for dinner- we go to a resturant, order our food from the menu which seems reasonable, but the prices of drnks was no where. The food was so-so, and some plates had to be sent back because they were cold. Bill time came and for some reason, the 10 of us had run up 220 euro. Per que?Well those drinks, the three litters of water, three pints of beer, and three glasses of wine cost over 100 euro. That's right, a bottel of water ended up being 15 euro. As in 45 euro for water, over 50 bucks US. Well, the solution we all found? Leave what we owed for the food, service, and what was a reasonable price for drinks, and ran like hell. Running by the Trevie Fountain to the Spanish Steps to escape the explotation of a group of American girls was the right thing to do. Ah, memories.

On the second day we got up early to go to the Vacitan Museum and St Peters Basilica.

I didn't even try to take pictures of everything there- it was impossible. There was just much to much. For three hours I wandered around the museum, getting lost in halls and seeing what is, as far as I can tell, everything in the universe. From Eygptian mummies to contemporary art, there is everything! The one thing I did find specail, was these nuns across the courtyard, also looking at all of the art. How wonderful, in the eyes of the lord and art, we are all equal to learn and understand.

St Peters was amazing, overwhelming, the true grandure of faith shown in bronzen and stone. The brocque statues of various saints which were 7 times life size was amazing. The open area is also marvelous. I took a few pictures of outside, but the rain was hampering the photo taking.

Looking out from St Peters

Statue of St Peter

I went with the Gemmer family (visiting my roomie Annie Gemmer) to have some true Roman pizza. So yummy! Everything was by the kilo, and tastey as all get out. Even with the rest of Rome trying to screw me over, the nice guys outside of the brick wall around the vatican were wonderful. We got free candy for Obama being the president elect. Woot!

This was all followed by shopping, Giovanna getting seperated from us on the train, her finding us again, getting slightly lost in the train station, and some wine with prof kristina on the train ride back to venice that night. Being a "grown-up" I got to have wine too!