i.suck.at.blogging.
i.love.you.all.
i.think.i.want.to.live.here.permanently!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Ciao!
Hope all is well on the home front! Things are super over here in Italia! Recently Ive been slaving away on my stone carving...trying to make a sculpture happen. Its really great though, each day I get closer and closer and more excited about having an alabaster sculpture to call my own!
Yesterday was a really unique day so I thought I would write about it. I woke up at 5:45 A (Freakin) M to hike 45 minutes outside of the city limits of Cortona to see Le Celle ( the Cells) which is a currently functioning monastery literally nestled inside of the mountain. It was beautiful, I have been wanting to wake up early enough to see the sunrise in Cortona so it was great to finally see the city at that time of day. We even stayed to listen to the monks chant and sing for their early morning prayer. It was such a unique moment. It is even more interesting to think these dedicated men do this every single day of their lives. The hike out to their monastery was just as serene as the monastery was. Really just a perfect way to wake up on a sunday and experience God's awesome creation.
A couple hours later when I had made it back to Cortona I went down into town to get un cappucino and I saw Gino our 70 yr old Gardner. I know I talk about him alot but he is so awesome and friendly...i just cant help it! So Gino invited me to go run errands with him and then to a festival to see some of his friends. Right now your probably thinking did Casey seriously go with this older dude to a festival?!?!? HECK yes I did....cause Gino is officially my Italian grandpa and its fantastic. We went to this museum with historic vine picking/making equipment and then down to the festival. Which was actually just a countryroad that was blocked off and filled with all sorts of vendors. We had ciaccia bread and tried vine and talked to all sorts of family and friends of Gino. There was even a table with a lottery game to win a pig (and the LIVE PIG was out in front of the table where you bought your tickets). It was a spectacular avventura con Gino!
After that I spent the day working away and then ate pizza on the city steps with friends from the program here. AND WENT TO BED AT 9:30!! It was so perfect in sooooo many ways. I just had to tell you all about it! I miss you guys lots but I am happy to say I am super comfortable living here.
OH...I wanted to suggest something to all of you. If you have never eaten a whole fig (or its just been a while) you should go to the store, buy a fig, and sit and watch the sunset while you eat it. IT is splendid and I do that like everyday cause there is a fig tree outside my window. It will give you a very little taste of my very awesome experience here. Molto amore amici!
Hope all is well on the home front! Things are super over here in Italia! Recently Ive been slaving away on my stone carving...trying to make a sculpture happen. Its really great though, each day I get closer and closer and more excited about having an alabaster sculpture to call my own!
Yesterday was a really unique day so I thought I would write about it. I woke up at 5:45 A (Freakin) M to hike 45 minutes outside of the city limits of Cortona to see Le Celle ( the Cells) which is a currently functioning monastery literally nestled inside of the mountain. It was beautiful, I have been wanting to wake up early enough to see the sunrise in Cortona so it was great to finally see the city at that time of day. We even stayed to listen to the monks chant and sing for their early morning prayer. It was such a unique moment. It is even more interesting to think these dedicated men do this every single day of their lives. The hike out to their monastery was just as serene as the monastery was. Really just a perfect way to wake up on a sunday and experience God's awesome creation.
A couple hours later when I had made it back to Cortona I went down into town to get un cappucino and I saw Gino our 70 yr old Gardner. I know I talk about him alot but he is so awesome and friendly...i just cant help it! So Gino invited me to go run errands with him and then to a festival to see some of his friends. Right now your probably thinking did Casey seriously go with this older dude to a festival?!?!? HECK yes I did....cause Gino is officially my Italian grandpa and its fantastic. We went to this museum with historic vine picking/making equipment and then down to the festival. Which was actually just a countryroad that was blocked off and filled with all sorts of vendors. We had ciaccia bread and tried vine and talked to all sorts of family and friends of Gino. There was even a table with a lottery game to win a pig (and the LIVE PIG was out in front of the table where you bought your tickets). It was a spectacular avventura con Gino!
After that I spent the day working away and then ate pizza on the city steps with friends from the program here. AND WENT TO BED AT 9:30!! It was so perfect in sooooo many ways. I just had to tell you all about it! I miss you guys lots but I am happy to say I am super comfortable living here.
OH...I wanted to suggest something to all of you. If you have never eaten a whole fig (or its just been a while) you should go to the store, buy a fig, and sit and watch the sunset while you eat it. IT is splendid and I do that like everyday cause there is a fig tree outside my window. It will give you a very little taste of my very awesome experience here. Molto amore amici!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
sooo apparently i suck at blogging! this has got to be #1 on the lamest blogs to read list cause I never update it and when I do i usually spell words incorrectly and dont know how to properly load a link onto the page! Man on man...sorry bout that!
If by some miracle you're still reading this, thankssss! i love you infinitely for your patience!
Things are pretty super over here on the hill. Finally making some art pretty regularly and always getting surprised by the italian way of life. Just like week there was a 100 piece orchestra that performed outside in the main piazza of Cortona. a.w.e.s.o.m.e .
I have lots more to say and even more to show you in pic/video form if I can ever figure out how to download it.
buona sera for now! i'll write sooner rather than later...i promise!
If by some miracle you're still reading this, thankssss! i love you infinitely for your patience!
Things are pretty super over here on the hill. Finally making some art pretty regularly and always getting surprised by the italian way of life. Just like week there was a 100 piece orchestra that performed outside in the main piazza of Cortona. a.w.e.s.o.m.e .
I have lots more to say and even more to show you in pic/video form if I can ever figure out how to download it.
buona sera for now! i'll write sooner rather than later...i promise!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tutti i miei domani saro con te
I've finally found some time (and a computer with functional internet access) to catch up on what's been going on over here in Cortona. So here's the deal, this place is straight out of Etruscan times, as far as the architecture goes. The town is fantastic, all of these narrow, curving passageways that lead back to the main piazza or up to the top of the hill near the Medieval fortress. The locals are the farthest thing from Medieval though, they are the epitome of Euro-chic. Everyone, seriously even the toddlers, dresses better than I ever do! On some days I look put together enough to fly as a somewhat with it tourist, but never super fly like these Italians.
Besides their cool attire, the Cortonese are pretty friendly and generous with the UGA art students. The program has been coming here for 40 years, so the community kinda embraces us American art kids. The local grocery store, the only one and it is about the size of a fairly small barbershop, is called Molesini's and they gave us all tote bags to carry are groceries up the gigantic hill to our dorms. Oh the hill! It's great because I never feel bad about eating too much pasta or gelato since I am CERTAIN to work it off walking home. It really is a spectacular walk though. Right about the time where your calf muscles are screaming at you, there is this amazing lookout point. Apparently even medieval Cortonese peeps needed a break every now and then too.
The students in the program are great. People from all over the country, we are all used to working in all sorts of media. It's really interesting to be thrown into this environment together and be forced to work in ways we aren't used to. It's a healthy art challenge I think. I am the only student who is graduating this December (not the oldest though, there are a few going on fifth and sixth years) so its a good feeling to have both freedoms and limitations in my designs again. Freed from making what I'm so used to making and limited to certain materials, in my case stone and bronze.
The studio space is interesting because most of the classrooms are directly below our dorms. Also, they are all interconnected, you can walk through 3 other studio rooms on your way to class. It's kinda close quarters with everyone, but it is still really cool to be living with these people and working with them at the same time. My roommates are great, really chilled out and fun, Eliza from Philly and Olivia from Atlanta. But it seriously feels like all of the 47 other kids are my roommates too, we eat breakfast, sometimes lunch, and always dinner together, we work on art late together, we get pissed about the crappy internet in the common room together, its just like freshman year! Oh geez, one side comment that I just want to share. There is this kid, his name is Nathan but his nickname is Nicaragua, who is so funny. Not intentionally funny, but just funny in the way he lives his life. So he used to live or study abroad or was a cowboy or something in Latin America over the summer, speaks pretty much only in spanish to everyone he meets, and sometimes plays his flute in the dorm at night. he is a cartoon character. But i love it, he's so entertaining.
As much time as I'm spending surrounded by people, I do find a surprising amount of quiet time, which is tremendous around here because it is literally silent! There are some great paths to hike around the hill, a nice park with amazing views, and road that loops down around 'Bramasole', the under the tuscan sun house. It's never an eerie silent or creepy alone time though. just peaceful. I have never once felt worried about safety since I've been here. Granted, there is a old geezer town drunk, so I watch out for him. But really, he is just ridiculous. He's like 90 and wears Michael Jacksonesque gloves everywhere he goes. Not really a threat, just amusement!
So that's all I've got for now. More adventures to come. Ciao Ciao
Besides their cool attire, the Cortonese are pretty friendly and generous with the UGA art students. The program has been coming here for 40 years, so the community kinda embraces us American art kids. The local grocery store, the only one and it is about the size of a fairly small barbershop, is called Molesini's and they gave us all tote bags to carry are groceries up the gigantic hill to our dorms. Oh the hill! It's great because I never feel bad about eating too much pasta or gelato since I am CERTAIN to work it off walking home. It really is a spectacular walk though. Right about the time where your calf muscles are screaming at you, there is this amazing lookout point. Apparently even medieval Cortonese peeps needed a break every now and then too.
The students in the program are great. People from all over the country, we are all used to working in all sorts of media. It's really interesting to be thrown into this environment together and be forced to work in ways we aren't used to. It's a healthy art challenge I think. I am the only student who is graduating this December (not the oldest though, there are a few going on fifth and sixth years) so its a good feeling to have both freedoms and limitations in my designs again. Freed from making what I'm so used to making and limited to certain materials, in my case stone and bronze.
The studio space is interesting because most of the classrooms are directly below our dorms. Also, they are all interconnected, you can walk through 3 other studio rooms on your way to class. It's kinda close quarters with everyone, but it is still really cool to be living with these people and working with them at the same time. My roommates are great, really chilled out and fun, Eliza from Philly and Olivia from Atlanta. But it seriously feels like all of the 47 other kids are my roommates too, we eat breakfast, sometimes lunch, and always dinner together, we work on art late together, we get pissed about the crappy internet in the common room together, its just like freshman year! Oh geez, one side comment that I just want to share. There is this kid, his name is Nathan but his nickname is Nicaragua, who is so funny. Not intentionally funny, but just funny in the way he lives his life. So he used to live or study abroad or was a cowboy or something in Latin America over the summer, speaks pretty much only in spanish to everyone he meets, and sometimes plays his flute in the dorm at night. he is a cartoon character. But i love it, he's so entertaining.
As much time as I'm spending surrounded by people, I do find a surprising amount of quiet time, which is tremendous around here because it is literally silent! There are some great paths to hike around the hill, a nice park with amazing views, and road that loops down around 'Bramasole', the under the tuscan sun house. It's never an eerie silent or creepy alone time though. just peaceful. I have never once felt worried about safety since I've been here. Granted, there is a old geezer town drunk, so I watch out for him. But really, he is just ridiculous. He's like 90 and wears Michael Jacksonesque gloves everywhere he goes. Not really a threat, just amusement!
So that's all I've got for now. More adventures to come. Ciao Ciao
Sunday, September 13, 2009
ciao amici!
I'm just writing to say the first week of classes went well. I can't wait to get really going...right now we are primarily focused on preliminary designs. Went to Orvieto yesterday which is an amazing little town that you have to take a funiculare (cable car) to get up to it. Just wanted to add that last night I found out my grandma passed away. She was an indescribable woman and will of course be missed. It was a rough night last night but i'm doing better today. It is really strange to not be grieving with my fam and friends but everyone here has been really sweet and offered many hugs. Mae Wright. She was superb :)
I'm just writing to say the first week of classes went well. I can't wait to get really going...right now we are primarily focused on preliminary designs. Went to Orvieto yesterday which is an amazing little town that you have to take a funiculare (cable car) to get up to it. Just wanted to add that last night I found out my grandma passed away. She was an indescribable woman and will of course be missed. It was a rough night last night but i'm doing better today. It is really strange to not be grieving with my fam and friends but everyone here has been really sweet and offered many hugs. Mae Wright. She was superb :)
Thursday, September 10, 2009
In the piazza...
So every night after dinner, the whole group of students (and sometimes our rad professors) stroll down through the main piazza for either gelato, people watching, and stop at the local pub, or all 3!! Last night we were pleasantly surprised by interpretive fire dancing that included a crazy love triangle story acted out by the fire dancers while twirling flaming wands around their heads. It sounds made up...but it was really freakin cool! Best part was the finale with the most extreme sparklers i've ever seen and really awesome live drum beats keepin pace with the flaming dancer.
it was crazy times in Cortona!
it was crazy times in Cortona!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Che bellisima!
Okay, I just got to Cortona today and I'm not sure I can describe just how perfect this place is. It's kinda blissful, everyone is always smiling, we live on the top of a hill, the town is small and beautiful and the Italians come out to greet all of us American students! It's just unbelievable. The dorm rooms we live in actually overlook the town below Cortona called Camucia, and the horizon is just filled with hill after hill. Everyone kinda glows here...i'm not even kidding...maybe it's the wine...but things in Tuscany as definitely as golden as they seem. I want to give so so so many more details but I'm so poopty so more to come soon. I'm home though, in my little Italian town!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Precious internet access!
Heya! I'm finally on the internet again! It was kinda nice being unplugged for a bit but i'm glad to be back. I'm in Florence now, I was in Rome for a total of 3 days. The days flew by, it's kinda a blur of new friends and professors, really really important Renaissance art ALL OVER THE PLACE, of course good italian food, and about a million other things. Some highlights, we took a walking tour of Rome at night with our professor/only actual Italian associated with our group, Marco. "Walking" doesn't really describe what we did...it was more like a sprint because Marco walks so fast. We buzzed by, oh ya know, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Roman Forum, all before climbing a massive hill to see the whole city of Rome. It was beautiful, the city is absolutely huge. But by the time we finished we had lost half of the group because unless you were literally jogging you would get left behind! ha oh my!!! As far as major monuments we've been to my favorite was probably morning mass at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican city (aka the Pope's pad!). The congregation itself was small and recited in Italian by an Italian cardinal, but the morning time in that massive cathedral was extremely peaceful. I can't go into more details about everything we did because it's 1:50 am (the internet was a little overwhelmed by all of us so this is the best time to get on) and tomorrow is our first full day in Florence.
hopefully my updates will be getting more frequent (and more coherent!) over the next couple of days while things start to get settled. We head to Cortona on Saturday so it will be wonderful to relax and fill you in on more of my trip. So much love for all of you!!
hopefully my updates will be getting more frequent (and more coherent!) over the next couple of days while things start to get settled. We head to Cortona on Saturday so it will be wonderful to relax and fill you in on more of my trip. So much love for all of you!!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
In Roma!
Well I'm here in Rome! crazy crazy. I've been in route for what feels like days (with very little sleep) but I'm still very pumped about getting here. We're in this awesome hotel with four different buildings and each one is named after a saint. I'm in San Gimigiano!! Literally all I've seen is the hotel cause i'm too exhausted to explore beyond that today, but what I've seen is pretty! Unfortunately my internet in this particular location is short and expensive so I can't say much cause I'm on the clock here!
Just know that if Rome is beautiful while I'm this delirious, I can't imagine how bellisimo it will be after a good night's sleep!
Just know that if Rome is beautiful while I'm this delirious, I can't imagine how bellisimo it will be after a good night's sleep!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
oh geeez....
8 days...8 days! can't believe it. i'm in the middle of trying to figure out the whole packing thing. it's kinda intimidating right now. I go into my room and look at the pile of clothes and then look at the bag for a couple minutes and then just get up and leave. ha...oh well...i work better under pressure anyways! we did make one excellent decision about my packing situation, space saving bags, those bags you stuff full and then vacuum or roll all of the air out. BEST THINGS EVER. now I don't have to worry that my work gloves and flame-retardent coverAlls are taking up too much space in my tiny suitcase.
haha ya know the typical concerns when your traveling :)
haha ya know the typical concerns when your traveling :)
Friday, July 24, 2009
Hey there Blog!
Hiya Friends, Family, and whoever else stumpled upon my humble blog!
So I'm pretty sure most of you already know that I'll be studying abroad this final semester in Italy but here are some of the specifics...
I'll be living in Cortona, Italy which is a town in Tuscany ( I think about an hour outside of Florence).
I'll be taking my final Advanced Sculpture class, a Ceramics class, and an Art/Architecture in Italy class.
I'm excited and a tinsy bit nervous to get over there! Not nervous so much about the living in Europe alone part but more about the making art in a foreign country part. HA! Of course, why should I be nervous? There's only hundreds and hundreds of years of art-making history in Italy...no pressure or anything. But really, sculpture is awesome but extremely draining, mentally and physically. I want to be able to make meaningful sculpture during my time abroad but it is hard to conceptualize and plan when you're not sure if you are gonna be using an oxy-acetelene welder or just a chisel!
Whatever happens and whatever I end up making, I'm certain the experience will be 100% worth it! As for now, I'm still brainstormin' and enjoyin' my wonderful fam, crazy dogs, beautiful beaches, and BIG cozy bed in Florida.
I leave you with this little gem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGnh0q4RuQ8
So I'm pretty sure most of you already know that I'll be studying abroad this final semester in Italy but here are some of the specifics...
I'll be living in Cortona, Italy which is a town in Tuscany ( I think about an hour outside of Florence).
I'll be taking my final Advanced Sculpture class, a Ceramics class, and an Art/Architecture in Italy class.
I'm excited and a tinsy bit nervous to get over there! Not nervous so much about the living in Europe alone part but more about the making art in a foreign country part. HA! Of course, why should I be nervous? There's only hundreds and hundreds of years of art-making history in Italy...no pressure or anything. But really, sculpture is awesome but extremely draining, mentally and physically. I want to be able to make meaningful sculpture during my time abroad but it is hard to conceptualize and plan when you're not sure if you are gonna be using an oxy-acetelene welder or just a chisel!
Whatever happens and whatever I end up making, I'm certain the experience will be 100% worth it! As for now, I'm still brainstormin' and enjoyin' my wonderful fam, crazy dogs, beautiful beaches, and BIG cozy bed in Florida.
I leave you with this little gem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGnh0q4RuQ8
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