The weather has been crystal clear warm and breezy….I have been spending a great deal of time setting up my studio and getting art supplies.  I have started to get into a good rythym of working now that the everyday logistics have worked out.  Once I could find the art supply stores I was all set.  Comunication with home was the other pressing issue, not I am logged in and skyped, googled and a touch away by phone.  Definetly a great sense of connecetedness with all this cyber talk.

So on Sunday I decided to an outing to Piazzale Michelangelo, the day was to good to be indoors.  On my way I passed through Piazza Santa Croce, which was magnificent.  I crossed the Arno and walked up the many steps to the top.  The view of the city was spectacular and the mountains surrounding were inviting, It was very windy, but warm.  I was so glad to be up there looking down on the city and the bridges.  I did some sketching and was inspired.

The title of this should be a couple of days in Florence, however I was too excited to get this out to you……the first photo is shot from my open kitchen windows, then my front door and taking a walk around the block…..join me in this first walk and climb to the top of the Campanile for a breathtaking view of Florence…………

The difference between visiting a place and living there is I have spent the first three days getting a phone, paying rent, trying to get internet, food shopping, and getting lost.  I feel really healthy I have probably walked five miles each day just finding my way,  this morning I did a wonderful thing, I climbed to the top of the Campanile and experienced the panaramic view of Firenze.  I am here, in this beautiful city of art and history.  My apartment is centrally located between San Lorenzo and Santa Marie dei Fiore.  I am overwhelmed that when I wake up for the next three months I can walk in two minutes to the Duomo.

I have been welcomed by Santa Reparata International School of Art.  They have just moved to their new facility, it is spacious and well equiped for prinmaking, photography and painting.  I am setting up, and learning where to find the art stores.  I wish I had taken more supplies with me, however my bags were full.

Next week I will begin Italian and the book arts class and by that time the press will be set up in my studio.  I did buy some pastels and started drawing, hung up a few things in my studio so the white walls would not be so bare.  I will be filling them up I am sure.

Karen Kunc Reduction Woodcut Workshop at Cape Cod Community College.  This workshop was sponsored by the Printmakers of Cape Cod.  It was organized by Mildred Smith and Alice Galick under the leadership of the President of the Printmakers of Cape Cod Robert Cunniff.  It was held in the fully equipped printmaking studio at CCCC. This movie is a short summary of three full days of learning the techniques of reduction woodcut.  All participants came away with successful editions of their prints, many ideas to try and an increased appreciation of Karen Kunc’s process and exquisite woodcut prints. For more information about Karen Kunc visit her website at www.karenkunc.com.  This video has been created by Sara Ringler, a member of the Printmakers of Cape Cod and Visual Arts Coordinator at CCCC.

It has been a very exciting summer for making art and having new experiences.  I attended a workshop at Carriage House Paper given by Donna Koretsky snf Shannon Brock.  Carriage House Paper, located in Brookline Massachusetts is a fully equipped paper making studio adjancent to the house of Elaine and Sidney Koretsky which houses the Paper Museum.  The Paper Museum exhibits the field research and artifacts collected by the Koretskys on hand papermaking throughout the world.

For three glorious days inside the studio and out in the sunshine (which helped the paper sculptures and paper to dry) we couched and pressed, created three dimensional armatures and explored the intricacies of shrinking translucent flax combined with abaca.

Paper making is all about water, a tactile fluid medium to explore.  I loved the added aspect of how the fiber contorts as it shrinks while drying.  I had not anticipated how much I would enjoy creating 3-dimensional pieces, it took me back to when I was a potter working with clay.

There is an image of a women, her back is turned to the viewer, she is walking towards a full moon.

It is a Japanese print I came across in an unlikely spot, a gift shop on Cape Cod.  It was quite beautiful, a small print, vertical with very subtle grey colors.  It is a fitting metaphor for my journey, a woman going off towards something in the distance.

After teaching art for 16 years I am taking a sabbatical for one year to study, make art and travel.  I have three main areas of focus; I will explore printmaking, book arts and paper making using Eastern and Western perspectives and techniques.  The goal of this journey is to integrate these experiences into my teaching and my art.

To all my family, friends and colleagues ……I will try to stay in touch with all of you.  I will also look forward to hearing back from you.  Till then.