florence

i have to be honest....after an early morning....and getting over my sickness....i was not in the best of moods to listen to long winded talks on church art....

soooo

the morning was good....but i was ready for lunch at 1:45 when we were given 5 euro. i was on a little bit of visual overload.... so here is the morning...

arrive
santa maria novella
question posed--how would i visually represent the church?

then...museo di san marco (rebuilt by cossimo medici)
fra angelico paintings
monastic cells

(one thing that was mentioned was that the best view of florences is from fiesole....so i need to find that on my next trip there)

lunch.....wandering and then the best pick me up!--cappuccino with a chocolate heart on top :)

after coffee i had a great afternoon seeing bits of florence
florence is a rennaissance city--the beginning of secular modernity

we saw the Bapistry infront of the duomo
and the gates of paradise! by Ghilberti
the Duomo bell tower
depicting the seven sevens
all the important trades of the city on bottom row

the orsonmichela "the garden of michael"
the guild's chapel--each guild ordered to commission a statue for their niche--florence liked to do things that drew everyone in together

Piazza Dela Signoria--main piazza, contains town hall
the masculine statues and authority of government offer a contrast to the the duomo (the mother church and father government)
the town hall is were the famous "David" was supposed to stand--which we haven't got to see yet...
the loggi is an amplitheatre...previous of civil speaches, but not used for concerts

we were sort of rushed through here, so not any good pictures....

then an amazing view overlooking the river
then we saw some art and back on the train....

assisi

8:30 bus ride toward the mountains, we speed along windy roads, passing beautiful mountains and lakes.

upon arrival we walk up a path lined with olive groves toward San Damiano. it is located amidst and olive grove, and is just gorgeous!
after exploring the church we walked up to a hill, picking sage on the way
and sat in an olive grove and sang worship songs, the sun was shinning, it was a perfect day in umbriathen up the mountain farther to a hermitage,Eremo delle Carceri situated right on the side of the mountain.

then the most delicious lunch ever! tomato salad, bread, cheese, olives, sausage, prosciutto, olive oil, blood oranges, and cake for desert! yum yum! i ate sooooooooo much! haha! if only we had some wine to go with!

tomato salad recipe-- ps was made fresh by matt on the spot!
tomato
garlic
basil
little salt and pepper
olive oil

then a bit of a break in the main square outside of the basilica di santa chiara for espresso/gelato

after gathering, we wander toward the Basilica di San Francesco--where the spectacula frescoes by Giotto are located

these frescoes were just breath taking! it was my first encounter with this early of work were i really connected with it. even though the frescoes were faded, it was so bright in there, every part of the interior was in color--i wonder how it would have looked the day after he finished!

and here is my ranting about Giotto:

he just engages you, makes you think
his work almost seems modern--the illutrations, the coloring, the use of distorted perspective giving it a someone surreal feel. and the beautiful pattern work along the bottom and throughout all the frescoes!--they covered buildings, drapery, floors, everything...
there is just such a strong graphic element to his work, that as a designer i can't help but love!
i love how the frescoes are painted and balanced in three
the flase symetry
the triangular and linear elements Giotto uses
the framing and reframing
the layers and diagonals, and the multiple planes that it creates
and there is a fascinating tension between Giotto and St. Fransic--it is amazing how Giotto brings to Fransic to life in his work and capture the spirit of who he was
yet despite the subject matter, there is such a sense of playfulness, which as a designer i love, i love that the subject can be serious, yet show in a light way that still works and is still true to the subject, in fact it even better communicates the subject!

giotto=designer's eye candy (in the words of matt--our director)

ok that was long winded.
i will add pics later, i just wanted to get this up!

ciao

week three: a papal audience

wed of this last week we made another trip to rome......for a papal audience!
before the event....without espresso yet....

we were literally maybe 30 yards away, and he waved to us when they announced our group form gordon college!

settemana due

jungle jam

silas (matt, our director's son) celbrated his birthday a week ago, but they didn't tell him, so we just had his birthday....and it was a jungle party!

we dressed up as various animals, and face painted and enjoy company and food :)

as well as a little music!-i got to play drums with alessandro-i miss drums so much! and i loved it!

two trips worth noting: arezzo and roma

saturday a small group took a day trip to arezzo, a town to the north, about half way to florence. it is home of the famous pierre della francesca "true cross" fresco cycle. the town is larger than orvieto, and not situated on a hill. lots of beautiful medieval architecture, a park with a gorgeous view, oh some great shopping!

so here is the skinny:

train departs at 8:15 ish.....

first stop, an a little caffe for some capuccino and a second breakfast sandwich

then the church with the frescos, no photos allowed.... and we made our way up to their duomo...


while arezzo's duomo facade can not compare to orvieto, it was still beautiful with gorgeous stained glass and side chapel

then wandering in the crowded streets for a bit, stopped in some stores, got provisions at a open market and back to the park for the most perfect picnic lunch! wine, bread, cheese, prosciutto, and tomatoes....my new favorite meal!
after a very long and satisfying lunch, time for gelato! blood orange and vanilla! yum yum!
some shopping and back on the train to orvieto!

roma trip due
some beautiful churches!

and the trevi fountain for a moment

and a walk back to the train at dusk

roma

so we went to rome and here is a little tour:

first.... 5am get up....arrive at rome 20 til nine and snack (pineapple yogurt)

second.... nationale museum of roma

third.....pantheon



fourth....gelato, panini, open market tomatoes

fifth....various cites


sixth....forum, colosseum, etc.


seventh....gorgeous overstated church....dead camera battery

wine, ceramics, and the dumo

ciao!

hey friends, so i love italy!
i had riostto for the first time, amazing! we all go to a restaurant for lunch and dinner and have huge family style meals, and we often find ourselves saying everyone is our favorite! haha!

cappucino (milk and coffee) and a pastry is a daily staple to every good italian's (and currently mine as well) diet. gelato (which is supposedly better for you) is clearly divine.

i went to a farmer market this morning! have gone out for wine and snack on a couple of occassions. watched some huge soccer matches. walked in the surrounding hills. ran in the rain (only run so far....might need to get on that sooner or later)

the people here with me are great! every day something new is discovered. and everything is exciting.

i feel so blessed to be here!

i have been given an idea concerning photography.....i am going to become a minimalist. and instead of constantly shooting, shoot on specific occassions and not so much at first. when it comes to orvieto, i am going to be here awhile, so i am going to try and take in things, to get to know the place before i document it. so sorry for the lack of photos..... but hey, as the color come back in the land, orvieto will only become more and more beautiful.

ciao

a new home

Monastery San Paolo
Via Postierla, 20
05018 Orvieto (TR)

ok so

in four days time i will be flying to chicago right now... probably receiving my complimentary pour of soda with no snack... i can't believe it is finally here! i am ready for a new adventure, i don't have anything ready, nothing packed, nothing washed to pack, no supplies, i haven't order euros yet.... but i think i am ready!

i can't even imagine what these next four months are going to be like!

i feel very excited and very scatter brained.....

italy here i come!

three weeks tomorrow

i am beginning to get really anxious to go. three weeks from friday and i will be on a plane right now headed to meet everyone in d.c. then off to italy. i must admit...i am a little scared. but i think in a healthy way, i am so excited! i think i am mostly nervous about packing. i hate packing, i feel like i never know what to bring and always bring things i never wear and leave things i wish i had.

and i don't know how much to bring. i am traveling for a week and a half after and i need to somehow get whatever i can't travel with back to the states.

and i am trying to decide how much i want to spend now a photography equipment before i go. i would love to pick up a wide angle lense and a couple of filters, but it is all so expensive....

i have been doing a lot of research on italy, and reading rick steves europe through the back door. so i have been getting really excited. already know tons of places i want to go in italy for long weekends and tons of places in france i want to visit! but what i have been doing enough of is brushing up on my italian.

so i guess the leaving part and the traveling part are the exciting things and this trying to get ready to leave thing the overwhelming part.....

hum.....thoughts or suggestions please :)

drew roos

a photographic note

the goal is not to change the subjects, but for the subjects to change the photographer

plum cove

so one of my favorite projects was for plum cove elementary school in glouchester ma

illustrations

so i have discover my love for these kind of illustrations

la radio

here are some old radio designs i did before i started seeing them everywhere...
but i am not sure what to do with them....

reminiscent