ITALIA

I apologize for my absence but I am now back, with my creative energy renewed, after a recent family vacation in Italy.  I have taken many photos that I will be sharing over the next few weeks and months as relevance demands.  Let me begin with the main reason for the trip - San Marino. Below is a view from one of the castles.

 My father was born in San Marino (a small republic within Italy).  When I learned that my parents were planning a trip, I was able to convince Arturo (along with our two teenagers) to accompany them on their journey.  We were also joined by two of my sisters and other family members.  While we only spent a couple of days in San Marino, we did spend two full weeks traveling by rail across Italy.  A day of swimming in Rimini yielded this foreboding photo.

No, this is not a volcanic eruption, only a fire,  but it did create a moment of trepidation.

It was a wonderful experience and along the way I was completely inspired by the art, history and beauty of the Italian countryside.  Not to mention the food!

 I did pick up some very old printed materials that I will be including in my upcoming pieces.
We only returned last evening and I have much to do before I can get back into the studio but I look forward to sharing my experience with you in the coming weeks.

Viewpoints

I wanted to take a moment to elaborate on my piece entitled Larry's girl.  While it was created as a memorial piece for a friend, the message in the piece is also important.  This piece was created as a remonstration on the persecution of individuals who choose a path that differs from the society in which they live.  This particular piece references religion.  The veiled image is self explanatory and was chosen as a religious representation.  Closer inspection will reveal images chosen to rebuke individuals and government who attempt to snatch religious freedom from the individual.  In naming this for my friend, I am also making a statement regarding the way Larry, who was an unconventional individual was, therefore, unfairly judged, and often felt ostracized by society.  Many of my pieces represent my respect for the individual who stays his course regardless of public criticism.

This piece follows along the same line.  I believe nearly every individual has experienced some form of oppression.  We also, unfortunately, are capable of assuming the role of oppressor.  It is my hope that the viewer will relate to the duality of the human experience.

This piece speaks for itself.  The pavers were created from vintage food advertisements.  Click on the images for a closer view.

Larry's Girl

This piece is relatively new and is a memorial piece for a dear friend of mine, Larry, who passed away suddenly in early May of this year.  The figure in this piece hung unfinished on my studio wall for some time and every time Larry visited, he commented on how much he liked her and asked me if I would consider selling it to him when it was finished.  Of course, I agreed but unfortunately, he was unable to enjoy the finished project.  So, as a tribute, I named her Larry's Girl and I believe he would approve.

This is another piece I displayed at  my July show at the ArtCapsule gallery.  Vintage buttons adorn the neck of the instrument along with vintage thread from my stash of goodies.

I have taken a little time off recently as I seem to have damaged a nerve in my thumb during the frantic pace needed to finish pieces for that show.  It is on the mend and I hope to get back to work in early September.

In the meantime, I have been gathering my inspirational trinkets in a recently procured vintage mailbox.

I'm not really sure what I will do with these babies but I couldn't resist their adorable faces and they will, at the very least, be on the sidelines, cheering me on.