Setting up for THE RACE OF THE SOUL

"It's not a race, it's a way of life!"
Watching the set up for il Palio in Siena, we began to feel the excitement mounting: tables being assembled in the streets and piazzas with food and wine (and songs) for 120,000 people. Intricate medieval bleachers and decorated balconies, all the locals wearing scarves and the colors of their Contrada (neighborhood). It was a sight to behold - and feel at the very core. Anyone who has a neighborhood, a community, a family, a circle of friends can multiply that feeling of connection and admiration by ten thousand and add 600 years.

Eat, eat, eat, draw, repeat.

Waiting for the Palio trails and dinner in Siena.

Opera from the balcony

Chuck listening to a singer warming up. We were enjoying dinner in our little apartment and had to pinch ourselves.

BEWARE THE NEON GLOBS

Much better to seek out small metal containers of homemade, artisanal gelato. Normally, it is found on the other side of the river or just one block off the sea of loud and/or fat tourists juggling selfie sticks, maps, purses and cranky children.
If decisions are difficult, they are made easier by this wheel. Two Euro gets you a heaping cup with two flavors, a tiny spoon and cookie - and sometimes a seat. No need to slurp, lick and drip all over town.

HORSEPOWER

We're leaving Florence early in the morning to go to their rival city, Siena, to watch il Palio and join the locals for their pre-race trails and dinner. There are 17 neighborhoods that fan out from the main square. Candlelit tables extend down each street as far as the eye can see, everyone shares wine and food together, torches light the buildings and the horses sit/stand at the place of honor.
Speaking of horsepower, we are considering this method of transportation - fine for me, but Chuck has already bonked his head waaaay too many times.

MORE GRAFFITI GLOBAL WARMING

Oggi Notte

After dinner, a few touch ups to the three sketches done today. You MUST understand: the apartment is a VERY long, narrow hall. If Chuck extends his legs, he touches the opposite wall.

Not a Catholic thing

For a city filled with churches, it's nice to see bicycles getting some good (albeit slightly confusing) press for their once-a-month gathering.

RE: Death in Florence

omg, you scared me, I thought something happened to one of our group!

Annamarie Nelson
Academy of Art University
Online Director, School of Fine Art~Painting
60 Federal
San Francisco, Ca 94107
707-321-4893 (cell)

http://www.academyart.edu/content/aau/en/academics/fine-art.html
http://blogs.academyart.edu/fine-art-showcase/home.html
Instagram: aau_fine_art

________________________________________
From: Tina Hittenberger [freckle469@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2016 1:08 PM
To: Tina's Blog
Cc: Karen Bergin; Connie Tudor; Chuck Pyle; Philip & Susan Nix; carrieann@carrieannplank.com; Macy Chadwick; Nelson, Craig; Nelson, Anna
Subject: Death in Florence

After hours in 90 degree heat, pretending to be a classic marble sculpture, this Winged Victory collapsed in the doorway. He left his wings atop his plywood pillar.

ANATOMY 1800's FLORENCE STYLE

Wax. Probably better than cadavers. They DO look comfortable.

Rhinos

Legend has it that the diMedici's had a rhino as a pet. It seems both fitting and timely that, this summer, the Florence Museum of Natural History has a special and powerful exhibit on saving them. Chuck capture one - in his sketchbook not in real life - before we went up to see the 18th C Speculo's wax display of every known aspect of human anatomy. A bit macabre but an air-conditioned (duh...) must!

Death in Florence

After hours in 90 degree heat, pretending to be a classic marble sculpture, this Winged Victory collapsed in the doorway. He left his wings atop his plywood pillar.

I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED

Who buys underwear for one Euro. Piles of fluorescent and lace panties in the markets are as universal as plastic bags, but I usually avert my eyes when I walk by the stands.
At Cascine, I found the model and spokesperson! The seas parted as she strolled the length of the market. Probably on her way to the one Euro cosmetics.

SCHMATTAS AND SCATOLINI SADNESS

Lots and lots of Schmattas (tiny-print shapeless housedresses for Italian Mamas) and stretchy lycra skinny jeans for shapely Italian Donnas at the "populare"non-tourist Mercado San'Ambrogio. But no marbled paper, book arts supplies or artists' tools at the ancient Scatolini shop, purveyor to the arts since 1883. The manager laughted that books were now made in China and, today, Florence is "only about eating, drinking and buying clothes."
He has internet at home, but no cell phone - and evidently only a very few customers.

Santa Reparata and AAU

Week Two starts out with students fully engaged, supplies being used with enthusiasm and drawers full of graceful Bodoni type - Italy's most emblematic typeface-waiting patiently.

Fashion meets Book Arts

At the Villa Barbini, the Roberto Capucci Foundation has glorious haute couture dresses made from exquisite Thai silks. The precision, folding, overlapping, movement and surprise unveiling all remind me of books and their similar attributes. There is more than the seed of an idea here....