Ciao Tutti!!!

It has been about a month and a half now and I still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that I am in Europe, Italy or Florence for that matter. What have I done right in my life to have fully realized one of my dreams? Anyways enough with rhetoric.

Florence is beautiful and annoying all at the same time. Some of the most pivotal, important and magnificent pieces of art in history can be seen by walking on the streets. Santa Maria Novella is around the corner with Giotto's crucifix and Masaccio's Trinity are inside the cathedral. The Duomo and the baptistery are a few blocks down and Michelangelo's David is in the Academia just a little further away. Oh and Michelangelo, he's buried here too, his tomb is pretty awesome by the way. That being said, the side walks are too small especially when Italian drivers don't give much regard to the lives of pedestrians. The vendors are relentless, everywhere and all sell the same thing. And like most cities, Florence is pretty dirty, when you look down. When you look up and there isn't a beautiful Cathedral in the way, there's the most breathtaking countryside, hills mountains and olive trees I have ever seen (the bus ride to Munich was likewise as awesome) and any annoyance I may have had with this place completely goes away.

The food here is wonderful but I can't eat out everyday. Unlike at home, though, its easy to find inexpensive fresh healthy ingredients to make food on par with the food you get at restaurants and on the street. Also with access to good ingredients and foreign ones as well I have been able to experiment with recipes I've never tried before and have shared them with my fellow students and roommates and thus become more in touch with the culture I suppose.

In regards to the people here, they are mostly nice or at least tolerant of us. I have made some Italian friends and we have exchanged language lessons while we convere. Interesting enough, or obviously maybe, Italian misconceptions of Americans are right in line with American misconceptions of Italians.

Art wise, I'm a sculpture major so painting acrylics and taking photos is not my forte. Yet I see the David, Hercules and Neptune in Piazza Signoria and I want to just crack into some rocks with a hammer but all I have is a brush. So I got some clay and I'm gonna play with that. In the mean time I push on with the painting and the photography and get better each time. The way I look at things is developing and my appreciation for what I am seeing increases. So its ok.

Well I think thats all I have to say for now.

Ciao Regazzi

A Presto!

   

A seriously steep climb, a confusing entrance fee and a visitor from UCONN !

Today we went to Fort Belvedere, which is behind the Boboli Gardens. The Fort, built in the 16th century, is an impressive and imposing architectural structure. It served to protect the city, the Pitti Palace, and the Medici family. The views from the grounds provide a spectacular 360 view of the city and it serves as a fantastic site for major art exhibitions. Currently the contemporary Chinese artist Zhang Huan's massive four head six-armed Buddha is situated on site here, as well other stunning works from his Soul and Matter exhibition.

After a steep climb (and I do mean steep) we reached the fort by 9:30 to discover that it didn't open unti 10am, so we rest and have a group advising session.  When the massive gates open we are faced with an almost perpendicular set of stairs. Finally arriving at the top we discover, to my surprise, there is an entrance fee! The fort is free for locals...what!? Well we're here now. 

Later, Professor Emeritus Sal Scalora former faculty member, former Director of the Contemporary Art Galleries and The William Benton Museum of Art, joins us.  His Italian travels have taken him from Sicily, where he was an Artist-In-Residence, to Florence, and then on to Venice to see the Biennale. He enjoyed giving the students a little impromptu advice.  Grazi Professor Scalora!           -Professor Dancy

Ciao, Ragazzi!

Hello, all! It has been just over a month since we have arrived in Florence and so much has happened, I do not know where to begin. I have nothing but good things to say about this place; the food is incredible, the culture is amazing and the feel that I get from this city is unlike anything I have ever experienced in the United States.

I cannot talk enough about how much I have been enjoying the food here. What we have been able to create with such fresh ingredients is so much better than what we eat at home. And one of the best parts of this whole experience is that I am actually learning how to cook! There is no dining hall where you go to eat whatever they make for you, you have to make everything yourself and I love learning stuff like that on the fly.

The culture is so different from the United States. I feel as though people are so much more laid back and they take their time. They are not driven by their job or anything else, they do what pleases them! I feel as though life is so simple here, it is such a nice change of pace to really slow down and enjoy my surroundings. That kind of life style also really reflects in the way in which the Florentine professors conduct their classes, they understand that we are here partly for education and partly to discover a new world and really take in our surroundings. I also love that the people here are so helpful to non Italian speakers, I do not know if I would survive with out that extra bit of help.

This city is so gorgeous, the architecture and the layout are unlike anything I have seen in the States. I love how preserved this place is and how much history it holds. I have wandered the streets and purposely gotten lost so many times just to see what I could find.

Well that's all for now, everyone! Ciao!

Meow

Ciao! It’s been roughly a month since we first landed here in Firenze. Time seems to both be standing still and flying by. Florence has quickly revealed it’s beauties and faults such as it’s beautiful architecture and fresh veggies and fruits as well as it’s awful wifi connection which almost made it impossible to post this, hah, and the fact that my cat and loved ones are roughly 4083 miles away. It’s hard to find the right words to explain the process of being emerged in a completely new country and lifestyle. It’s something I think everyone just has to experience on their own. The process of getting accustom to a new culture is slightly different for everyone and I can already tell, without a doubt - life changing. Of course, I’m here to get an education abroad and a new perspective on learning other than the traditional classroom style approach we are used to from UConn. However, I think studying abroad is worth much more than that (despite the fact that I’ve had my fair share of home sick moments hah). More so, I truly think it’s a time for not only cultural discovery but self discovery. I’ve already learned so much about myself and that it really doesn’t matter where you are in the world, but who you are with, whom you care about, the memories you create, and the happiness you embody and share. 

In addition, I can gladly say I wouldn’t have picked a better bunch of art students to have traveled with to experience the beauty not only Florence has, but all of Europe has. The studio art kids have quickly embodied a family structure in which I think many of us have made not only potential artistic partners or peers but life long friends. I’m looking forward to not only growing as an artist, or student, but as a friend, and an independent, even more adventurous individual. With September winding down, who knows what October has in store for us all, but that's also the beauty in it.
Let the Adventures begin!

Adventures: So far – Pisa, Lucca, Venice, Chianti, Cinque Terre, and Piazza MichelAngelo.
What’s in store – Oktoberfest, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Vienna, Salisbury,  Budapest, Ireland and potentially more!

View from Piazza MichelAngelo.

Troy and the adorable puppy we met at the top of Piazza MichelAngelo.

Casually found out by our art history professor that Michelangelo's body was in front of us. You can imagine how intensely surprised and excited everyone was.

Art students taking over Pisa!

Hiking at the beautiful Cinque Terre. 

Private Ferry in Venice.

Sarah Sze represents the US at the Biennale in Venice. Absolutely mind blowing.

Chianti wine tasting trip with all the students of ISI Florence.

Photography class during one of the first weeks here in Florence.

Chloe, Laurel, Nicole and me at Vogue Fashion Night out. 

The view from Cinque Terre. The first time I have ever been swimming in the Mediterranean. The water was unbelievably blue and way warmer than what I'm used to back in the Northeast part of the US.  

Ciao Firenze

Ciao- e arrivato in Italia!  UCONN Fall 2014 Studio Art Study Abroad has arrived in Italy! We've been here for almost two weeks and we've hit the ground running enjoying everything this beautiful city has to offer; and we're just getting started. Over the next four months, check in on this blog and read what the students are sharing about their experiences and photos from Florence and their travels throughout Europe. This is a great group and they're already exploring this breathtaking city, its art, light, history and amazing food- if you're been here you know what I mean. Here's a sampling of our first few classes, out on the streets, in Florence Italy, enjoy! Professor Deborah Dancy

ciao =[

Throughout the past few months I have found myself in new countries, listening to new languages, and experiencing new things. One thing I have come to realize is that all these memories have been made with new close friends. these people who i have never met before this program have now become close friends to the heart, sharing a memorable part of my life. Dancing at the top of a port town in Sicily, having an Oktoberfest stein, or even having just a fancy dinner on one the worlds biggest ships, they are my friends to the end.

by Rob Sargent