Fiesta delle Donne, Women's Day & Mimosas

             I first saw them in Alberobello, growing in his mom's garden. They were so lovely, brightening the bleak winter, the first signs of spring. My first knowledge of mimosas are little pink balls, and have compound leaves that close up upon your touch. In Chinese, also know as 含羞草（han xiu cao) or "sullen/shy/farouche grass".  I remember enjoy playing with them and watching them response to my touch as a child. Even now, it's simple pleasure to have this "interaction" with a plant.

              Here are what they look like in Italy (or perhaps Europe). I saw them in February and he had plucked them from the garden and adorned the house with it. I couldn't resist having him place in the pouch of his sweater. These yellow balls of lovelies are seen all over in Italy on 8 March, International Women's Day as ladies receive them from friends.

     

              It's funny that Women's Day falls on 8 March. Also know as 三八妇女节 (san ba fu nv jie),  "三八" (san ba) or literally the numbers three and eight in Mandarin. San ba is used to describe people who are nosy or loves to gossip. A stereotype description of women. I was wondering which came first and read up a little on the history of this day. The holiday was predominantly celebrated in communist and socialist countries. After the founding of the People's Republic of China on 1st October 1949, it was proclaimed that March 8 would be made an official holiday with women in China given a half-day off.

              In Florence, many museums and churches are open free of charge to women on International Women's Day. I used this privilege to enter Basilica di Santa Maria Novella, to look at some of the famous frescoes by Filippino Lippi, Ghirlandaio and Orcagna. It's Florence's principal Domenican church and faces the lovely piazza that bears the church's name.

            I love the façade of the church and the above was my second attempt at it, with a slightly different perspective including the sequence of avelli. This array of bichrome arches are the tombs of the church congregation, extending this image of burial at a sacred place to urban periphery.

    19 May 2012

              This was my first attempt of the façade back in May last year. It sparked my interest to learn more about it's architecture and history. The special feature are the ornate scrolls and this I discovered were to solve an geometry problem with something aesthetic. I was able to find more information from this site: http://arthistoryblogger.blogspot.it/2012/05/facade-of-santa-maria-novella.html

           I did a total of 5 sketches of Santa Maria Novella. The expanse of this church, it is impossible to view it in just one single angle. To completely "conquer" it, it was necessary for me to also capture it's side view, viewed from Piazza Unità d'Italia.

   16 June 2012

    04 May 2012
    First sketch of the avelli. 

     16 May 2012
    View behind the glass wall from the tourist centre in Florence near the main train station. I was able to enter on Women's Day to this area that was usually out of bounds to public.

A Mental Conquest

           Sketching is my method of conquesting something I cannot possess. After attempting the impression sketching in class, I realized what really made me enjoy sketching (especially ancient architecture) is the capturing of the details. Florence is so full of symbols, that nothing we observe is there by chance. They usually carry a deeper meaning than just merely an aesthetic function.

            The three great churches in Florence - Santa Maria del Fiore, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce although very different in their façades, have one common feature. All are adorned with polychrome marble panels of white and green and have classical iconography and geometry. These architectural iconographies fit a rigorous overall geometry. Another church that fits into this category is San Miniato al Monte near Piazza Michelangelo.

              This is my first proper sketch in 2013. I started on a new job and for two consecutive days I get to see the beautiful façade of this church. I should have included the stairs leading to the church. It was the first comment given to me when I showed it to get another opinion. However, I think leaving some details out won't harm it and end up crowding the sketch. Piazza Santa Croce is one of the most visited squares in Florence. I witnessed scores of tour groups passing this square from the nine hours spent looking out. 

            Basilica of Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan church in the world. It has been very particular to me due to several reasons. The symbols it carries on its façade is perplexing; the most striking being the Jewish Star of David. That's because it's 19th century façade was designed by Jewish architecture Niccolo Matas from Ancona. The church is also known as the Temple of the Italian Glories (Tempio dell'Itale Glorie) as it is the burial place of the most illustrious Italians like Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini. There are two statues of Dante, one of the outside as well. Ironically, due to his Jewish background, Matas was not buried within its walls but under the porch. Yet, something so prominent to be displayed for centuries - the Star of David is allowed as the main composition of the neo-Gothic façade.

               Piazza Santa Croce, perhaps known informally as the "Square of Leather" to tourists, earned it's reputation from the genre of business surrounding it. All around the square and the streets leading to it are shops of leather products - bags, shoes, jackets, accessories. Florence is well-known for it's leather products, with Piazza Santa Croce as one of the most concentrated areas of leather shops.

Art Classes - Creativity shouldn't be taught. Only techniques.

First and foremost Happy 2013! I haven't meant to let such a thick layer of dust to collect on this blog, but many things had been happening all at once (great things) and I had to try to link them with sketches for updates. 

My first attempt to use a pencil for the whole sketch. I started right after Christmas of 2012, but never quite completed it. It is a wall that is part of the Roman ruins in Rome. Also the spot I lost my second pair of sunglasses in Italy. I used the sketching set that was a gift from lovely Melissa to encourage me to try different techniques.

My new term started rather confusingly. I had completed my 3 months summer course in Art Restoration and it was an intensive schedule. So I was expecting this one year course to be more or less the same, but I was wrong! Not informed till the last minute, I was quite confused when I received the timetable for the new term. Painting classes once a week? Hmm, ok, if it's included in the course and I do not have to pay extra (which seems the latest trend) why not? I mean art restoration require also knowing the techniques and process, which are essential for an all-rounded art conservator wannabe.

However, I am only expecting these classes to enhance my art restoration skills. Not having to purchase the whole palette of oil colours, scalpel, watercolour, canvas, entire sets of paintbrushes, cult pens, pastels. For once a week lessons. When I have the money and time to spare, yes. I'd definitely be interested.

Anyway, though the teacher is a "simpatico" elderly gentleman or in Italian means likeable and pleasant, I was rather disturbed for several months with this impromptu "Art Classes". Number one point, I am cheap. I do not wish to have to purchase a whole lot of materials for this less than one year and for perhaps just a few times use. I need to prioritize my funds. Which is why I chose to sketch leisurely by the way. Just paper and pen to take with me everywhere and that's it. So you can expect I wasn't that motivated. But I was obliged to go, and so decided to take things in my own hands. Since I like to sketch, why can't I request sketching lessons from the teacher?

Professor Simpatico was very nice of course and allowed me to do what I liked, but HIS way. My sketches had been all along self-taught. Previously lacking perspectives, light and shadow, but one feature is common. I tend to include all the minute details in the architecture. That was my objective when I started to sketch anyway. To "concur" the building is to know its every feature through sketching. Anyway, Professor wanted me to learn to sketch in just 5-10 min. That means, just an impression to capture the basic features that identifies that particular building. 

Here's after several attempts of Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio. I repeated it so many times and with lots of disapproval from Professor and this finally. He showed me by demonstrating how to do this part and that part of the sketch and for many times, I just stared blankly at the paper, not knowing how to start. Having used my left-brain almost my entire life until now, art classes are one of the most difficult classes ever!! After attending several, I have this feeling that art lessons curb creativity. Or are our ideas of "how to draw" too deeply imprinted in our adults minds, that we paint with my brain, not my eyes. 

Anyhow, I often felt that descriptions of contemporary art often do not make sense. The person viewing often have to understand the process of the artist's mind before understanding the art. So art classes do not make sense to me. Unless I am being taught a technique. How to properly handle a brush, how to do glazing, how to apply varnish etc. Else, I often stare at the piece of paper, trying to connect what the teacher just said with my hand movements. After that, the person should be left on their own to be creative. Creativity should not be taught.

Another attempt at impression sketching on Ponte Vecchio. I did this under 30 minutes as compared to the previous one I did in several hours. I tried. I still prefer to capture all the detailed features. As one of my friend Laura told me when I first started sketching "Chloe, don't let others tell you how to sketch. Do it your own way".