May 14, 2011
After a glorious week in Umbria's ORVIETO, a small Italian town situated on a rock high above sea level, I'm in transit...with internet access once again!! YAY!! I thought, before I chatted with you about an extraordinarily beautiful part of Italy, I'd share a few pieces of art that I played with while journeying to and from ORVIETO. Two of them have to do with hands...
(The theme was suggested a couple of weeks ago by the THEME THURSDAY challenge blog...)
THREE MUSES encouraged blog readers to create art based on Victorian Elegance...
then recently challenged readers to ALTER MONA... Just returning from Mona's home, Italy, I walked right into that one!!
Now, on to ORVIETO, Italy. (I was here for a week-long art workshop with an artist I have long admired, D.J. Pettitt.) This seriously old town, situated between Florence and Rome, has a history dating back to before the first Olympic games in Greece, before Homer wrote The Odyssey and waaay before the birth of CONFUCIUS...back to the time of the Etruscans (prior to 200 B.C.) There's a system of Etruscan caves riddled throughout the rock upon which Orvieto sits, but much of what's above "ground" has its roots in medieval times...the narrow streets and piazzas tell part of that story. Much of its art tells even more. Most buildings are made from the volcanic stone ("tufa" rock) excavated from the caves, giving the town a beautiful, rich color...especially in the glow of the evening sun. It's about the size of a university campus, making it intimate, homey and easy to navigate. It's charming, with spectacular views of surrounding farmland, wine vineyards and mountains from our perch 700 feet above the valley. The sights, sounds, smells and tastes of this little town appealed to ALL my senses (and my heart:) the church bells striking on the hour; the extraordinary striped Gothic Duomo...the finest in Italy... constructed between 1290 to 1607; the use of much-sought-after truffles in their fresh, homemade pastas; the incredible, ancient art and the serenity and beauty of San Lodovico, the convent- turned-B&B where I stayed. I even had an angel looking out for me all week...she sat outside my window...
The class...my reason for being in Orvieto, was intense with learning and purpose. Since I don't paint and haven't sewn anything for 35 years, these were two skills I was anxious to garner. I also learned how to construct a book...something else that was new to me. I painted on specially-treated photographs I'd taken in Orvieto and used two of these paintings as the front and back covers of "my memory book"...made to hold my photographs of the small, sweet town that was my home for too short a time! The cover is painted-on photo of a sculpture found in the front of the DUOMO, the back cover is a fresco that's been worn away through the centuries, found in the convent where I stayed. (The convent building dates back to the 3rd or 4th century B.C.)
I'd love to show you some photos of Orvieto and many of the things I've described above, but the software for this blog must be reinstalled so the pictures will load properly. That will hopefully happen soon...
For now, you'll just have to close your eyes and imagine walking along the narrow, cobbled streets, stopping at a local cafe for a thick hot chocolate or cappuccino, watching the locals go about their daily shopping to the market or into the plethora of shops, listening to the hourly church bells that echo throughout the enchanted hilltop town of Orvieto. Enjoy...
Thanks for stopping by...
Until next week,
abbyj
Now, on to ORVIETO, Italy. (I was here for a week-long art workshop with an artist I have long admired, D.J. Pettitt.) This seriously old town, situated between Florence and Rome, has a history dating back to before the first Olympic games in Greece, before Homer wrote The Odyssey and waaay before the birth of CONFUCIUS...back to the time of the Etruscans (prior to 200 B.C.) There's a system of Etruscan caves riddled throughout the rock upon which Orvieto sits, but much of what's above "ground" has its roots in medieval times...the narrow streets and piazzas tell part of that story. Much of its art tells even more. Most buildings are made from the volcanic stone ("tufa" rock) excavated from the caves, giving the town a beautiful, rich color...especially in the glow of the evening sun. It's about the size of a university campus, making it intimate, homey and easy to navigate. It's charming, with spectacular views of surrounding farmland, wine vineyards and mountains from our perch 700 feet above the valley. The sights, sounds, smells and tastes of this little town appealed to ALL my senses (and my heart:) the church bells striking on the hour; the extraordinary striped Gothic Duomo...the finest in Italy... constructed between 1290 to 1607; the use of much-sought-after truffles in their fresh, homemade pastas; the incredible, ancient art and the serenity and beauty of San Lodovico, the convent- turned-B&B where I stayed. I even had an angel looking out for me all week...she sat outside my window...
The class...my reason for being in Orvieto, was intense with learning and purpose. Since I don't paint and haven't sewn anything for 35 years, these were two skills I was anxious to garner. I also learned how to construct a book...something else that was new to me. I painted on specially-treated photographs I'd taken in Orvieto and used two of these paintings as the front and back covers of "my memory book"...made to hold my photographs of the small, sweet town that was my home for too short a time! The cover is painted-on photo of a sculpture found in the front of the DUOMO, the back cover is a fresco that's been worn away through the centuries, found in the convent where I stayed. (The convent building dates back to the 3rd or 4th century B.C.)
I'd love to show you some photos of Orvieto and many of the things I've described above, but the software for this blog must be reinstalled so the pictures will load properly. That will hopefully happen soon...
For now, you'll just have to close your eyes and imagine walking along the narrow, cobbled streets, stopping at a local cafe for a thick hot chocolate or cappuccino, watching the locals go about their daily shopping to the market or into the plethora of shops, listening to the hourly church bells that echo throughout the enchanted hilltop town of Orvieto. Enjoy...
Thanks for stopping by...
Until next week,
abbyj
Fantastic art and what a wondrous journey you are on - so inspirational for your art and life. thank you for sharing your beautiful collages and words of travel and history!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lori! I appreciate your words!
ReplyDeletexox,
abbyj
Ooooooooohhhhh! Cannot wait to see what you learned,Abby! It sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAbbey:I just noticed that you have Cutting for Stone on your book list.Funny,but while I was reading it last week,I was thinking that I should tell you aout it! Great minds think a
ReplyDeleteIke,I guess!