Sunday, December 30, 2012

2013

Lord knows I've changed this year. "I feel as if I'm always on the verge of waking up," which is how I do feel, but occasionally, every week or so, I feel as if I am waking up. I have an awakening Oh, that's what I want. That's where I want to go. This is how I really feel. This is how I really am.

I've never felt so content and happy with myself, in this place I live in, and the people around me. I've accomplished a lot for myself in 2012- I changed my major, volunteered as a teacher at a non-profit, interned for a gallery, studied abroad, found myself.

I have many goals for this coming year. After a reveling 4 seasons, I'm ready for another round.
  • Exercise more regularly
  • Do a juice detox
  • Plant a herb pot
  • Drink tea instead of coffee
  • Eat healthier, broaden my cooking abilities
  • Read as many books as possible
  • Professionally document my artwork, and finish my website
  • Purchase a DSLR
  • Intern at a museum



 Some pictures from the last day in Florence, on top of the Duomo.
 The bell tower

 The last sunset. Arrivederci, Firenze! I will definitely be back.
But now, I'm back in Maryland, getting drunk and happy with my boyfriend.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Florentine Christmas

 The Christmas Market at Piazza Santa Croce
 Incense holders- the smoke comes out of their mouths. I want one so bad!


 The glorious tree at the Duomo

"Christmas Eyes" artwork in a shop window

Christmas in Florence is like magic. They string lights across the street on every block, and everything is glittery and twinkling and beautiful. That moment when it really feels like Christmas time? Walking down Via Servi at night in my red wool coat, underneath the bright lights. Decorations in the shop windows, seeing my breath. My cheeks are cold and everyone looks happy. It was a magical feeling.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Art Show

The MICA class of Saci had their art show on Friday. It was called 14 Degrees of Separation, curated by 2 of my classmates. I showed my installation: Italy, a Journal

I did a number of small drawings of places around Italy. They are mostly of landscapes and buildings. My intention was to document my experience here in a visual way, and remember how everything felt and looked in my eyes.
 
 Our work looked great together.

We came home to a lovely congratulations display from Shannon and Shuyler, and Italian Christmas beer, from a local brewery

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Parchi e Mercati

With the  year coming to an end, I've been coming up with goals I want to accomplish in the next year.  One of them was to start a blog. This mostly came from my wish to start documenting the things I do, get all of this "self-reflective-y" stuff out, and work on my writing skills; I've been lacking in that department since becoming a full-time art student. So hence, the first post (of the last week I have as a student in Florence):

It was really beautiful yesterday. I decided to get up early and skip my screenprinting studio to go to the Tuesday morning market at the Parco di Cascine. It was a pretty long walk down streets I've never been to before, but I got there without getting lost. I finally have this intuition-in-a-different-place thing down. When I got to the Arno I saw this man standing on the edge of the bank, reading a newspaper in solitude. Like a scene out of a movie..
 
The Mercato Cascine is like a flea market, with housewares and outdated clothes, clearly meant for locals and clean of souvenirs. Even though I still feel out of place when I don't really know what I'm doing, or how to speak Italian well, I felt like I belong here, in Florence. It really feels like a home.

 I took a walk through the park. It felt so nice so have leaves and grass under my feet, and the quietness of being alone, without the crowds of the city.

On the way back, I found the perfect pair of leather boots for my Mom. The leather is so buttery and soft- and I found them for under 100 euros. It felt like divine intervention had occurred.

Yesterday was great. Today we worked on setting up for our show. I installed my drawings, and I'm very happy with how it looks. Finishing it up tomorrow, then the opening is on Friday night.

Now I'm having a glass of wine and finishing some drawings I hope to add to the piece.
Salute to my first real blog post!