macellaia

Remember when I was studying in Italy? Yeah, I should probably work on the "studying" aspect. It seems that there is a midterm for art history on Wednesday. Wonderful Friday night in Cortona spent making a study guide. Don't worry, as my typical "work under pressure" procrastinator, I won't actually use this study guide until about Monday. It is just unfortunate that I was making a box until 2am last night and am napless today. But here is a nice drawing for "y'all:"

why yes, this only took me a few hours!

La lettera C è la più soggetta al tradimento - cugino, cognato, e compare

(Le Cella)

So in the Franciscan church the friars and what not take a vow of obedience, chastity, and poverty. But the interesting thing about that is, that in these monasteries (such as Le Cella) and churches that were built solely on donations, and gathered (or still do gather) people also following the same vows as hundreds of years ago... there are... GIFT SHOPS! not, "take a postcard, we accept donations" but real, "buy this overpriced book" gift shops. Any church with a gift shop really throws me off, but these Franciscan churches just seem overly ironic, and somewhat hypocritical.

But the Cathedral of St. Francis in Assisi was beautiful. And in more importantly, the chocolate in Perguia was delicious!

To be honest, outside of walking up and down mountains, drawing, and eating, I'm not really sure what I've been doing here!? I did make 12 drinking vessels, that I was told were very good. I guess "something clicked" in ceramics according to Thomas. I've also eaten a lot of gelato. But what is a girl suppose to do when Tuesday and Thursdays they give us FRUIT for dessert? Unacceptable. Those are our designated gelato days. Yesterday the power went off several times. One time I was in a restaurant and the entire city went out..it was the darkest I have ever been. Sadly, it meant the Italian "Minute to Win it" also went out.

But to leave you with a proverb by Walker.... "a stitch in time, saves two in the bush"

Lui sta per pagare

Some good news bears, and some bad news bears...

Good news bears: When I was on my four hour walk, I forgot to mention that a woman and child stopped and watched me for a good 15 minutes. A few minutes later, the woman returned and watched me again. She told me "BRAVO!" and "MOLTO BENE!" and "BELLISIMO!" followed by... "MAMMA MIA!" hahaha, yeah that happened for real... someone used "mamma mia." Second good news bears, I successfully ordered in Italian! Granted, it was literally 30min after the lesson on "how to order things in italian." But still, at first I was a struggle but I redeemed myself in the end. The waiter even shook my hand! 

Bad news bear: I drew some mountains while standing by the ledge of our mountain. The drawing blew away when I was nearly finished. No, it did not just blow down the street so I could chase it...It legit blew OFF the ledge... My drawing that replaced it... not so good. Thankfully, I am good with inks I guess! So I got one good drawing from today. This is about where I lost my drawing...

io non prendo niente per ora

I went for a four hour walk. Which ended up with this...

...but also a lesson in wearing sunblock when walking around for four hours on top of a mountain!

However, it resulted in this view...

yeah, pretty sure that is my campus?

And i created this...

...i dont know why this is sideways.

Overall, awesome day :)

Qualcosa

Today we went to Siena. Which is a city that competed with Florence back in the day. It was also a center of trade along with Florence for both wool and banking. Which is ironic, since it took us at least an hour to locate a bank! They got hit pretty good by the black plague, and we were lucky enough to hold a book from the plague... yayy. We got to go into the Saint Domenico church along with the Duomo basilica. We got to see what we learned about in art history...though I will still probably struggle.

The above picture however, is from Viterbo which was between Rome and Florence. Just like Cortona it is a little, walled Etruscan city. The pattern is from a ceramic that I really liked. We just started class, so I don't have anything "real" yet, but I will keep posting sketches I like until then!

Just livin' my life here in beautiful Cortona, Italy. Drinking free Sangria and various white wines, getting beautiful three course meals for dinner, and telling everyone I am a national bacci ball player. There are also millions of cats roaming free in Cortona, as Chris would say, "ALL THESE CATS!!"

qui non puoi guidare veloce

so, i think i am going to have to agree with my dad on the whole screened window issue. it is ridiculous not to put screens!!!! if you want a breeze or just some fresh air, you are also taking in some lovely bugs. which include millions of mosquito that result in just as many bites! and worst of all, i glanced up to notice a rather large bee. needless to say, i am now in the dining hall rather than the room with the bee. in summary... screens are taken for granted. along with sugary, delicious cereal! obviously when i made my trip to the grocery store i bought some "cocoa puffs" and peanut better.

on the positive side they put soccer on the tv in the bars rather than baseball or football! so i can be classy and drink some white wine and cheer on italy. though last night i was rooting for the slovanian charlie browns. i also won 5 dollars.

i wish there was some way to really make clear how tall this hill we are on really is. in my fashion of exaggerating, i am sure most of you that know me are like "oh, it is probably just a little baby hill!" but just check out the view- that doesnt occur without a literal hike! so after walking up and down this molto grande mountain four times yesterday, i am rather sore today. my core down will be quite nicely redefined by november. however, i will stay my lanky self on my upper body.

l'uomo non ha la barba bianca

After walking a thousand miles of cobblestone, awing at ancient ruins and cities. After eating a hundred types of pastas and pizzas, making a fool of myself in the gellato store (twice), and actual good coffee from a machine. After cheap wine, and good wine. After beautiful 3 course meals, and mediocre 3 course meals. After countless statues of Bernini and MichaelAngelo, paintings and tapestries galore, and sketch followed by sketch. After all the “NO FOTOS!” and “SSSHHH”s of the Sistine Chapel and Academia. After countless bottles of Roman fountain water. After fresh food markets, and fake designer markets, and all markets in between. After millions of adorable, leash-less pups. After rock hard beds in no air conditioning, and constant 90 degree weather. After a week out of a suitcase, no hair dryer, and losing a computer charger. And finally, after a hike up a cobblestone laid “mountain.” I have swollen feet and huge calves!!!
…And am finally in my permanent room in Cortona, Italy! While my room does not over look the beautiful landscape, I can literally climb out my window at 7:50 and walk across the path to ceramics. Win some, lose some. Now begins the semester of hand washing clothes and hills!

Real.Life.