On one of the days that we had class with Marc and Barbara, we did something quite different than the norm. Instead of walking around to go see beautiful art in a museum, or go visit beautiful churches, we went to school for a lesson on Fresco.  This was a pretty exciting class :) ! A dear friend of Marc's, named Maurizio (I apologize for miss-spelling), taught us all about the Affresco (Fresco) Process.  It was very interesting to see how Renaissance painting was done compared to how artists paint today. Being an artist, myself, I can honestly say there's quite a difference in the steps, as well as some differences with the materials in painting Fresco. 

Some were a bit hesitant at first, but all of us ended up taking turns giving each step in Fresco a shot. We were first showed how to mix the ingredients that form Fresco. From there, we all took turns mixing the ingredients. The materials that needed to be mixed consisted of Calce (Slaked (aged) Lime), and Sabbia (Sand), which is fresh Lake or River sand, that in order to maintain the color, it must contain no salt (Sale). 






For the surface preparation, Rinzaffo, a very thin liquid layer is used on a bare stone or brick wall to prepare for the Arricio. Arricio also referred to as a floating coat, is the first layer. Intonaco Plaster is the final layer to paint on. It is added to the specific parts of the work that will be painted on. 

Maurizio showed us all how to carefully check that the surface was good for us to start creating art on.

We were then shown that we don't draw our idea directly onto the surface. Instead, we have an outline of our image that we're planning to create on a thin, separate sheet. 

                                                                                 The outline of our image looked like before painting

From there, we proceed lightly to get the outline of the image on the Fresco. Once, the outline is on the Fresco, you can start to paint your design. We all took turns painting different sections of the piece. 

                                            Barbara painting!








The painting process. Sorry I cut you off Molly :/ !

This was a wonderful experience! I really enjoyed getting to see the differences between painting then and painting now. It's a very different texture, compared to just having my own paper lying around, or buying my own paper and being able to create my design immediately. The paint texture is quite different as well. It's a powdery-base, compared to the tubes of liquid paint that I am used to. I also found it interesting that you have approximately 7 hours before the Fresco completely dries. Meaning, you should have a pretty solid idea on what your idea is for your piece, before beginning. 
 Unfortunately, James and I weren't able to see the completion of this process, because we had to do our usual game of finding where our class was from our current location, grabbing lunch, and making it to class on time. However, we did see images of the finished piece and the lady, whom Hannah named, came out lovely :)!!! 

 

and so it ends

What is there really to say?  The trip is over.  There is so much yet to do in Florence.  I will be returning.  On my terms, however.  As much as I value my classmates and the experience and am very glad I went on this trip, I probably wouldn't do it again the same way.  I'm very much a loner in my normal life.  I need to be able to explore the city without considering other people.  And I especially don't want the stress of class and a weekly quiz distracting me from all the beauty to behold.  And hopefully, I will be staying in an air conditioned hotel next time because that last week was very unpleasant for me weather-wise.  I can't stand the heat!

But I will be returning.  I ain't done yet!



And for your viewing pleasure, this a painting I rather liked in a church I just wandered into on my second to last day.


Fare thee well!

~ Hannah

Final Farewell

     I am happy to be home but also I am sad that I am back home where the people sleep and eat McDonalds. When I was sitting on the plane and glanced out my window, I could see Boston just beyond the horizon. I said to myself "I am home...YAY!" After I got off the plane and saw my mom waiting for me it made my day. When I got home and unpacked and relaxed on the couch all I could think about was Italy and how fast time flew by. I was in shock that I was sitting in my house and on the couch. It seems like just yesterday that I was in the apartment doing some homework for my photography class. Crazy! I sometimes flash back to when we would all go out in the morning on a new adventure with Marc and Barbara.

     The next day when I woke up my caffe hand was empty. I couldn't help but wonder why there wasn't a caffe latte with three sugars in my hand. Then I remembered that I was in America. The agony! I might be over doing it but this really happened. I definitely believe that this trip formed a bond between the six of us including the professor/professoressa. I mean how cool is it that you get to hang out with your teachers after class and get gelato? Thats pretty awesome! 

     On a more personal note Italy has changed me as a person and as an artist. Seeing the works of Michelangelo,Caravaggio, Donatello and Brunelleschi just brought tears of joy to my eyes because I never would have thought that I would see them this soon in my life. I could stare at their work all day. Since I am not a very religious person I felt like the churches had a huge impact on me as well because of the way it stands tall and reaches as high as it can to the sky. It just goes to show how there is no limit. I also enjoyed how over the top some of these places were and how you could almost feel the presences of past saints, popes etc. I am sure I will wonder over to europe again in the future. But until then ciao bella Italia! 

I truly enjoyed my stay in Italy and I can say that through the good and the bad I would not have changed the way things had gone. The first week was rough between getting sick, loosing power and key getting broken in apartment door but through those experience you begin to get to know the people you are with on a whole new level. Through my stay I saw amazing things but the highlight of my trip was creating relationships with the people I encountered on a regular basis, my Cafe friends, the people at the market, and of course Lorenzo owner of a gelato shop right outside our apartment. The way of life in Italy is something I will also miss. As americans we tend to rush, in Italy I learned to take my time and enjoy the simplicity of life and food. This trip has truly changed me for the better and Im just counting down the days til I can go back.
sincerly, Hailey Vincent

Science Museum

Mark and I had a chance to go the Science Museum in Florence and see so many interesting things. From how they gave birth to the amazing instruments they made and used. It was absolutely amazing to see all the cool gadgets they had so many years ago. But the most important and interesting thing about this museum (and i think i speak for Marc) was Galileo's middle finger. Enough said. Ciao!

Our last day's Outing!

 

On Thursday, 6/21 we had out last Group venture. We began at 

la fontana di Porcellina, near the Ponte Vecchio.  You can see the "Boar's"

head between Molly and Hannah. The myth is that if you place a coin on 

his snout and it falls into the drain below you will return to Firenze with your Lover;

sort of a Florentine version of the fontana di Trevi in Rome!  That's why his snout is so highly polished from years of folks trying!  Of course the most impressive thing in the

market that morning was our group!

Some Italiano mumble jumble

I suppose the question is where to start..In terms of writing about my adventures in Italia. I have partially been in a delay with getting on the blog train due to having mixed thoughts. That in no way means that I am unhappy being here, because believe me, if there's one person out of this group who would take staying in Europe and backpacking throughout the entire Summer, I'm the one who would most definitely go through with it in a heartbeat. There are many things that I have greatly enjoyed about this trip but there have been some downfalls as well. In addition, I find my days so chaotic that one of the last things I feel up to doing is spending sufficient time on my computer to proceed with blog entries and so forth...which is the complete opposite back home. In a way, I feel that that is a great thing. I'm constantly on the go even more here and electronic devices, other than listening to music, have been of no significant interest to me. I have been so focused on wanting to be out and about. I'm the type of person that loves to try and make the absolute most of an opportunity when it comes along. 
















 I find myself being extremely happy and energetic to be here. Both Italia and Firenze itself, are absolutely beautiful locations to visit and explore!! I find that the art, food and   shopping are three key things here. I can't count the amount of times I have been speechless at the art work that I have been able to see and/or photograph. I find it highly amusing that I managed to get yelled at in a museum for taking photos...just as I had thought before I came here. "NOOOOO FOTOS!" ...I just laughed and walked away. I can't help it. I truly have a huge passion for photography and up until the near end of this trip, I've constantly been inspired to take shots of anything and everything. My Photography course has been pretty great. I'm bummed that I recently missed the field trip to the Mental Institution, due to sun poisoning. However, my professor is wonderful and I have greatly been inspired to pursue further in photography and I have learned a lot in a short amount of time. My final presentation was exciting but nerve/wrecking. It went good and my professor was very pleased with my work, which is very exciting!!
I've come across some wonderful people from Italy or other surrounding European locations. But let's not forget night life. I've endured some very joyful surroundings, but have dealt with some disrespect from nasty Italiano or other random men. You have to watch out for yourself here at night, that's for sure! Sometimes the girls and I have experienced some humorous situations where you just have to stop and laugh though. For instance, the first night when we were walking around by the fake David. These guys were literally trying to get our attention based on our dinner of choice for the evening. The pick up line in Italy is apparently... Can I have some of your pizzaaa
HAHA... Other times we've walked around town, there will be guys on bicycles that do humorous hand signals. I remember this guy puckering his face and winking and I couldn't help but bust out laughing and Hannah's commentary was something to the effect of I feel quite disgusted right now...Haha. 
 Now, that I've begun blogging I feel that I could write and write and write! There's so much that can be told about Italia, and once I start typing I cant stop. CIAO for now!

1/3 of my feelings are mixed...

It's no secret in my group that I am ok with returning home. It's not that I have been whining a lot or anything like that...but when people ask me, I tell them point-blank that I am glad to go home. So that's the other 2/3. The part of me that has mixed emotions is mainly the part dealing with the NECC crew. I know full well that when we get back tomorrow it won't simply be a case of picking up the "shit phone" (the Nokia to the layperson) and calling each other to walk the 15 minutes, or whatever, to go get a Gelato. That part of me knows that life gets in the way...always. And, that's fairly sad. This small group has grown pretty close, despite the semi-anonamous beginnings. From the very start I was a little apprehensive...big surprise...about there being as many as 17 people going on this trip. Then they told us that there may not be enough to make the trip happen at all; that was interesting. I am very glad that they decided to go ahead with everything despite there being 6 of us. I may not be the poster child for this trip. Others in the group have certainly embraced their lives here much more. Yet, as a social experiment, and having taken my first true photography class, it has been quite an experience. I do wish that the multitude, even plethora, of extra expenses had been better explained to us though. It does get pretty darn expensive here everyday if you aren't careful. Overall, I am glad it is 3 weeks. Sorry people that wish to stay.... I won't miss the Euro, the language barrier, the smells, the tourists, the mosquitoes, the lack of air-conditioning, the small showers, the intermittent internet, the narrow streets, etc... but I will miss the closeness of the group, professors included, that has come from us being thrown into the blender that is Florence...together. I certainly can't see climbing towers or mountains or going to the Mediterranean with everybody from the Haverhill campus....Lawrence is right out, lol. Anyways, here I come shower and buffalo chicken and driving...I miss driving. And, I thank whatever that I had my music with me. It helped keep me sane(it's a relative term, folks), really. Deep breath.

Oppulence!!...yawn.

The more extravagant things I behold here in Florence...the more I long to return to my more minimalistic existence. Seriously, I am really what the group and I are calling "museum-ed out." The dust of this 3 week whirlwind tour hasn't yet begun to settle and I find myself being forced to reflect and choose favorite moments. This i s almost impossible for me at the time of this blog. I can say, however, that I came to Italy not caring about old paintings or sculptures and I remain in that frame of mind even now. In fact...the more old stuff I see, the more I long for the future. I know it's wrong...ok..maybe not "wrong" per say, but many things are just better as they get refined. Besides, I am not one for over-the-top fluff. I am fairly vain, but usually in a negative way and prefer not to be in photographs. The well-to-do in the paintings and palaces and churches and blah blah blah are just the opposite. "Look upon me and all my splendor. Fear me and fear my wealth. I have power over all." Bite me, I say. I mean, there are things I have seen that are incredible...such as the structures themselves...things built to serve a purpose (like tables or ceilings)...that have lasted for centuries. I am impressed with this much more than the "artwork" most people come here to see. I believe art is more a release and should have more behind it then just to adorn the rich and famous' bedroom walls. I am fully aware that they couldn't just post pics to Facebook and live eternally through the digital revolution like we can today, but when every single painting is about religion or religion or religion or the rich....it's spirit crushing for me. I guess I just don't see the world that way. So, in some ways I am seeing what I expected to see. And, in other ways there are things here that are great. Maybe next time the class should go to the Ferrari factory in Modena...'cause for a petrol-head like me; that's art. Art that you can use. HA.

"It's The Final Countdown!"

       We have two more days until we say ciao to Italy. It seems like it was only yesterday that we arrived here. It is crazy to think that we have spent 3 weeks here because we have done so much. Again this it's crazy! Many would agree that we have enjoyed our time here and in fact some us want to stay here forever. In fact some of us have already started looking for jobs in Firenze. It's not a bad idea but I think many of our bosses at home would be unhappy. But with the two days remaining, I say that we live it up and try to cram in as much as we can until our departure. Ciao! 

Florence Smells

Ok. You have to remember that this is coming from someone that lives in the suburbs and always has. And, it is also from someone who's olfactory sense isn't always up to snuff. All that being said however, Florence kinda stinks. When you wake up at 7:30am and get out the door to greet the day only to take in that first unpleasant waft, it's a total turn off. Then with each 5 or 6 new steps you may encounter 3 or 4 new, and equally unpleasant, odors. My favorite, of course, is the raw sewage variety. Chalk this one up to the renaissance era plumbing...fine. But, then there is last nights american college student's vomit...trust me....it's there. Or the constant puppy fecal matter or urine fragrance.....yuck. Is it like this in every city? It might be. Of course there are other smells too; like industrial train tracks, centuries of decay, or the ever-plentiful 2-stroke exhaust.....sigh. These are things I never want to get used to. So I usually just hold my breath or grin and bear it. Thankfully, there are 1 or 2 good....really good...smells also. But, you didn't think that was possible... The best example is the bakery on the corner of my street. Every day, between sewage and urine, I get a magnificent wiff of this place. It always smells the same and it always pleases me to pass by. Chocolate pastries and non-chocolate pastries...wow. This is my favorite aroma of the trip. There are most likely other bakeries or food shops delivering appetizing scents..but I maintain that mine is the best. The other aromas I find appealing are those of the beautiful women here. I leave you there.

A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum...

Yesterday, while most of the others went to Sienna, Barbara, Nikki, and I opted instead to go to Rome.  We went through some of classical Rome (none of Vatican or anything like that: next time!) but unfortunately didn't get to see the Pantheon.  What we did get to see, however, completely blew our minds.  We saw the Colosseum, walked through the Forum, and made wishes in the Trevi Fountain.   Oh-em-gee.  It truly was a remarkable day, and I am grateful to Barbara for coming with us.


Til next time,

~ Hannah

Here's our fabulous group at il Museo Bargello this morning. We were joined by a friend from home, on the right end, Rafael Lindau.
It was a spectacular morning weather and Museo-wise. After immersing ourselves in all things sculptural @ the Bargello we walked a few blocks to Casa Buonarroti, the former home of Michelangelo. We walked the same streets as he had, a frequent thought of mine in this marvelous place.

Check it out: http://www.casabuonarroti.it/it/

Lucky me...?

I got pooped on by a pigeon today.  I am equal parts disgusted and amused.  Luke got so blessed today as well.  Good day for luck, bad day for hygiene.  Here is a photo of the perpetrator for your amusement.


Til next time, ciao!

~ Hannah

June 12, 2012
Another amazing day in Italy. From seeing the David.....the real David and the pink one! to making pasta from scratch in my cooking class. However I would say the highlight of my day was having the best gelato I have ever tasted. Gelateria De Midici let the picture speak for itself.

Stop And Stare

    Today we went to the Galleria Dell' Accademia and saw Michelangleo's David. This magnificicent sculpture was just overwhelming. I personally could not take it all in because I could not believe my eyes. This was the groups first time seeing the David in person. We were all speechless and our jaws dropped. We didn't have any other words besides "Oh. My. Gosh."
    The way Michelangleo presents the David to us is just absolutly stunning. He captures the human figure in a way that is indescribable. We could not get over the fact that a man with two hands and a chisel was able to make this. The piece is so well detailed that when you walk up to it you are able to see all the things you would see on a human figure. I highly doubt Michelangelo left anything out because if he did, then he sure fooled us. But on a serious note, if Michelangleo was here I would give him a great big hug and thank him for doing what he does best. 

Cinque Terre

If you ever come Italy, the one place you have to visit is Cinque Terre. It is one of the most beautiful, breath taking views you will ever see. From the five towns to the hiking in the mountains it is a amazing experience and you should it once in your life if not more!

Ciao,
Luca'

San Marco

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by the beauty of something that you couldn't help but cry?  I experienced that today at San Marco.  We walked into the church and I suddenly just couldn't breathe.  Tears started forming in my eyes and I had no choice but to let them fall.  I've never seen anything like it before in my life.  We just don't have anything like it back home.  Pictures do it no justice.

Buona notte,

~ Hannah

June 7th 2012

Today molly, nikki, hanna, and I all went to the local cafe and saw Ileanora (not sure if I spelt that right) for our daily cafe, before we rushed to meet the rest of the crew to climbed up the Duomo and continued to climb but the view at the top was breathtaking and I would climb it again just take a look at the picture...enough said. Then we all headed to the market to buy the freshest food you could imagine...so fresh you need to eat it withing 2 days. Then I headed to my second class where we took a tour around florence to taste food! Gelato and white truffle sandwhich mmmmmm As if I didn't have enough to eat all ready we all met up at Marc and Barbara's apartment for dinner and dessert to celebrate James and Hannah's birthday =) Art and Food that is what best describes my trip in Florence so far.
Ciao, Hailey

Wednesday June 6, 2012
After grabbing my Cafe, like everymorning molly, hannah, nikki, and I all rushed down to the Uffizi Gallery. I saw amazing art from artists such as Michalangelo, Da Vinci, and Botticelli. Seeing the Birth of Venus was the highlight of my day, and may I say it exceeded my expectations. During my second class we made mousaka and eggplant stuffed with mozzerrella mmmm. Then I decided to go on a run to explore the city.....yes I did get lost but what can I say if you were to get lost anywhere might as well be Italy. CIAO

random shot for no apparent purpose

I have been taking many photographs during this trip.  I expect to have taken thousands by the end of the three weeks.  Some are truly wonderful.  I took this one today and I think it's my favorite I've taken thus far.  I couldn't even say why.  It was a random shot I snapped on my way home from class.  This is near the Jupiter Fountain.

Until next time, arrivederci!

~ Hannah

Here is our rested and fully acclimated group at the roof

cafe of Galleria degli Uffizi, see the Duomo in the background?

As you can see the weather here has been marvelous so far!

Fantastico!

  On day three, we explored San Miniato al Monte which was the place where St. Mennas supposedly brought his head after his execution. Both inside and outside of the church were just breath taking.  From the frescos on the wall to the marble on the ground it was just astonishing.  It's amazing to think that a person is capable of such a skill. When we walked outside we could see all of Florence and said "This is home". Ciao!

Our group and Barbara in front of

Santa Croce, the magnificent cathedral

originally built in 1294.  Michelangelo, 

among others, is buried here!

http://www.santacroce.firenze.it/english/storia_arte/sguardo/

Day 2 in Florence, Italy

Today we had orientation to find out all about our classes, facilities, etc. We went to the local market and had a fantastic lunch, picked up a few things there, then we were off too see more of the streets. Ciao!

Our Group has arrived! L/R: Luke, Hannah, Molly, James, Hailey & Nicole!

They were tired but happy to be here!

I have just texted with Luke, the group is in Roma, their flight was fine!  I will be meeting them at the Firenze (Florence) Airport @ 2:20pm!

Welcome all to the NECC 2012 Study Abroad in Italy Blog!  The students will arrive here in Firenze (Florence) on Sunday, 6/03 along with Prof. Barbara Stachniewicz.  I have been here since Tuesday, 6/25 getting things ready.  Our group will be studying the Art History of Renaissance Florence with me in the mornings and taking another course of their choosing at FUA, Florence Univ. of the Arts in the afternoons. We look forward to three weeks of Art,Culture, Food and fabulous experiences.