Final days in Florence (for everyone else)

It's been an interesting week. It went from everyone pulling all-nighters--studying, drawing and writing papers, to all night walks around Florence and piazza hang outs to say goodbyes to everyone who's leaving. Some highlights--I got to do several portraits while Jackie was working on her drawing final...
Wonderful sandwiches!! at Noe
Aladdin pants and hammocks!
Dinner with la Marsha at Pizzaiolo....soooooo good. Like pizza straight from Napoli.
And breakfast with Tony! Definitely the best way to start the day.
Allora, now, I'm trying to start and finish paintings....say more goodbyes, and manage to get more sleep!!

CSU Banquet

Last weekend, we had our final banquet at a lovely restaurant near the Bargello. We all got dressed up and ate yummy Tuscan food--our last hurrah as a group...
Our lovely dinner..
Followed by spumante in Santa Croce
...and karaoke, which I usually can't stand. but it was really fun this time!

So now that finals are over CSU Firenze is officially finished. People have already started leaving, although most of my friends are staying at least until the end of the weekend or maybe even a little longer. Our apartment will soon become a refuge/hotel for now homeless students as they complete their travels. But all us art kids are still here another few weeks finishing up exams at the Accademia! Speaking of which, I have to go finish my sugar lift for my second to last etching!

Last Week-ish

Last week I went to the Pecci Museum in Prato with Avery! It was super hot but we took shelter in the almost empty contemporary museum to see a new painting the museum acquired by Lorenzo Bonechi (really neat contemorary tuscan artisit!) and an installation show by Loris Cecchini (dotsandloops) Very interesting!
Me with "Conversazione"
Then, later that week, Marsha had all of us art kids over for dinner. We all made fabulous things (and Marsha loved my porchini mushroom risotto--yay!)
the food (second course):

I have a lot more to post, but I'm really stressing out about my etching final--I have to do it next week, instead of in two....so lots of work to do. Wish me luck!

Mostra Nostra!

We had our final show yesterday! It was a big success, tons of people came, the art looked great...I'm so proud of everyone :)Along with my Annunciation piece, I had a wall for a few of my small portraits I've been doing!


All the art kids with Marsha and Domenic (photo stolen from Jackie!)
Other than that...the semester is winding down--one more week until finals. And then I have until mid June to finish a bunch of etchings and do some more paintings. But I just booked a flight to Greece to see Jeana while she's at her conference in June!! I am so so excited and also terrified that I don't have enough time to do everything...I dread to think about packing up all my stuff from the whole year. But I'm going to paint all day tomorrow, hopefully...

LDM Art Show: the art is in the streets

Yesterday was the Lorenze dei Medici art show on Via Faenza. Marsha had all us CSU kids participate, so we set up our art in the restaurants and shops, and on easels in the street. Here's me with my Annunciation piece!
After all that running around, we had a lovely late morning snack of bagels and cream cheese and lox and a few bottles of wine...
Then we had a very long day of art show stuff, but later that evening we had "Cena sotto le stelle"--dinner under the stars!
It was a yummy price fixed 15 euro meal with delicious antipasta (prosciutto, other meaty things, crostini with liver, and bruschetta), then a pasta course, and a meat and white bean dish, and wine of course, and a chestnut flan for dessert!
I have a lot to catch up on...I've been really sick and I've fallen behind on everything. But my parents visited me for my spring break and we spent a lovely week in Rome! I'll post more about that later. ciao!