NCECA 2010 PROPOSAL FOR A 30 MINUTE EDUCATIONAL LECTURE
Title: American Perspective: Two Italian Residencies
As individually unique as the Italian provinces of Tuscany and Umbria, were my residency experiences as an American clay artist at La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.fi.it/index.htm) near Certaldo and the Scuola d’Arte Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/) located in Deruta. During my Spring ’09 sabbatical, I completed three week residency projects at both studios. The primary focus during the artist in residencies was the production of artwork for the Landfillart Project (http://landfillart.org/).
In Deruta (the majolica capital of the world), various artists associated with the Scuola d’Arte Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” provided input in my art process. Nicola Boccini, assisted with a plaster mold for the project and innovative concepts regarding porcelain which he developed during a residency project at The European Ceramic Work Center (http://www.ekwc.nl) in The Netherlands. The Master of the majolica technique, Romano Ranieri, provided demonstration and assistance with the centuries old technique. Vinicio Barcaccia demonstrated the European potter’s wheel as applicable to my Landfillart project. During my residency, David Roberts conducted a “raku nudo” workshop and I was able to integrate my project in his workshop.
At La Meridiana (featured in Ceramics Monthly April ’05), Pietro Maddalena (owner and resident artist) provided assistance with setting up a working studio space and feedback regarding my Landfillart project. During my residency at La Meridiana there were two workshops conducted in the community studio where I had studio space. Luca Tirpaldi conducted a “paper clay” workshop and Gail Nichols conducted a “soda fire “workshop. Both workshop instructors allowed my project to interface with their techniques.
My powerpoint slide presentation will provide a comparison of the residencies and critique of each experience. A current progress report on the residencies is available at the blog site:
http://frankgoryleurope2009.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 18, 2009
Dear family and friends,
Amazing to think that four months have passed in Europe and we are beginning to plan our return home. The boys are nearing the end with their cyber school program and I have completed my residency art projects. I have written a proposal for the 2010 NCECA conference comparing the studios I worked and have posted that synopsis in our travel blog.
Our agenda is to travel to the Adriatic Sea and east coast of Italy for a few days of beach time before visiting Venice. We are planning to travel along the coast of the Mediterranean as far west as Barcelona with a few stops in places like Cannes before heading north via Paris, London and Amsterdam. We have a July 15th deadline to return the Volvo to Gothenburg but are estimating that it should only take 3 or 4 weeks for the drive so we are thinking we should be back home by the end of June. But then again, we thought we were only going to spend 4 or 5 days in Rome and spent almost two weeks.
We truly miss our family and friends but the cobblestone streets and wandering amongst buildings from the 12th century has not gotten old. Susan and I will certainly miss our stroll after lunch each day to the local cafe for a cappuccino. We will miss sharing with the boys a simple dinner prepared in our apartment each night or the occasional two hour version in a local restaurant. The boys won’t miss watching movies on the computer cuz they don’t understand the local TV.
But most of all, we are going to miss some of the genuine friendships we have developed here. From Massimo and Marianna in Reggio Calabria who welcomed us into the Chindemi family with home cooked dinners and help locating Susan’s relatives. To Sally and Roberto in Tuscany who not just helped get us access to the Uffizi Museum and Medici Library but prepared 3 hour dinners so we could share conversation with their college aged sons. Or Sally (who teaches English in the 15th century building they filmed “Room with a View”) taking Susan into all the little used clothes shops in Florence. I will forever have etched in my memory the farewell lunch setup in the studio at Scuola d’Arte Ceramica prepared by the young artist from Greece where following another 2 hour meal folks sat around the table and recited poetry in their native language (I did Collin’s “Horizon”) then Maestro Romano Ranieri played guitar and sang Italian love and folk songs. Special times in a special place.
We look forward to hugs and the Italian kiss on each cheek from each any everyone this summer when we host our annual clam bake in August. Do drop a note and let me know you have received this cuz some folks are reporting spam filters blocking my emails from Europe. Thanks.
Ciao……………………frank
Amazing to think that four months have passed in Europe and we are beginning to plan our return home. The boys are nearing the end with their cyber school program and I have completed my residency art projects. I have written a proposal for the 2010 NCECA conference comparing the studios I worked and have posted that synopsis in our travel blog.
Our agenda is to travel to the Adriatic Sea and east coast of Italy for a few days of beach time before visiting Venice. We are planning to travel along the coast of the Mediterranean as far west as Barcelona with a few stops in places like Cannes before heading north via Paris, London and Amsterdam. We have a July 15th deadline to return the Volvo to Gothenburg but are estimating that it should only take 3 or 4 weeks for the drive so we are thinking we should be back home by the end of June. But then again, we thought we were only going to spend 4 or 5 days in Rome and spent almost two weeks.
We truly miss our family and friends but the cobblestone streets and wandering amongst buildings from the 12th century has not gotten old. Susan and I will certainly miss our stroll after lunch each day to the local cafe for a cappuccino. We will miss sharing with the boys a simple dinner prepared in our apartment each night or the occasional two hour version in a local restaurant. The boys won’t miss watching movies on the computer cuz they don’t understand the local TV.
But most of all, we are going to miss some of the genuine friendships we have developed here. From Massimo and Marianna in Reggio Calabria who welcomed us into the Chindemi family with home cooked dinners and help locating Susan’s relatives. To Sally and Roberto in Tuscany who not just helped get us access to the Uffizi Museum and Medici Library but prepared 3 hour dinners so we could share conversation with their college aged sons. Or Sally (who teaches English in the 15th century building they filmed “Room with a View”) taking Susan into all the little used clothes shops in Florence. I will forever have etched in my memory the farewell lunch setup in the studio at Scuola d’Arte Ceramica prepared by the young artist from Greece where following another 2 hour meal folks sat around the table and recited poetry in their native language (I did Collin’s “Horizon”) then Maestro Romano Ranieri played guitar and sang Italian love and folk songs. Special times in a special place.
We look forward to hugs and the Italian kiss on each cheek from each any everyone this summer when we host our annual clam bake in August. Do drop a note and let me know you have received this cuz some folks are reporting spam filters blocking my emails from Europe. Thanks.
Ciao……………………frank
Thursday, April 30, 2009
A Tuscan Residency
A Tuscan Residency. April 2009
I had planned the residency at La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.fi.) since the Portland, Oregon (200?) NCECA conference where I had met Claudia Bruhin (the administrator). On our initial drive through Italy in February we had stopped at La Meridiana for a few days to confirm residency dates and identify housing. Initially, the residency was to be six weeks in length and include a project with Pietro Maddalena (the resident artist) where he works with a group of High School kids and I would work with elementary children doing my whistle project. Prior to our departure, I received and email from Claudia that the building the project takes place had been designated for restoration so Pietro was cancelling till next year. Still the residency portion was still available.
Having had an Italian residency experience in Deruta, I came to La Meridiana (located near Certaldo) with expectations but also comparisons from Deruta. Like the differences between the provinces of Umbria and Tuscany, so are the differences between Scuola d’Arte Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/) in Deruta and La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.it) in Tuscany.
After a rainy (fairly cold) weekend, I arrived in studio where Pietro provided a space in the corner of the community studio, a block of stoneware and a block of raku clay and a nod of approval for a creative endeavor. He was off to his private studio located on the other side of the farmhouse or to attend to the various chores of maintaining the property.
I have continued to explore the landfillart.com project in various clay bodies, made several simple pots with those same varieties and a couple of “rasta whistles” just for good measure. I usually arrive early in studio after a brisk mile walk along the country road overlooking the fog filled valleys of the rolling Tuscan hills. Pietro is usually the first to greet me in the studio and the other days I asked if he had a set of letter punches because I traditionally stamp my name of initial on the bottom of my pots. Pietro asked how I choose initial or name and I replied it was probably just of matter of whim. Because there were no letter stamps, I had the option to scribe my name with my favorite tool, the wooden vegetable skewer, and hence have been scribing same poems or thought of the day (often in Italian) on the bottom of the bowls.
During the second week of my reisidency at La Meridiana, a porcleian paperclay workshop began begin taught by Luca (last name). There were seven participants from various locations in the world with all speaking English in which the instructions were given. I was able to observe the process from my “residency corner” and also use the paperclay to make one mold for my landfillart.com project. It was enjoyable have a group of artist-students milling around the studio and re-captured the spirit of the Deruta studio.
I had planned the residency at La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.fi.) since the Portland, Oregon (200?) NCECA conference where I had met Claudia Bruhin (the administrator). On our initial drive through Italy in February we had stopped at La Meridiana for a few days to confirm residency dates and identify housing. Initially, the residency was to be six weeks in length and include a project with Pietro Maddalena (the resident artist) where he works with a group of High School kids and I would work with elementary children doing my whistle project. Prior to our departure, I received and email from Claudia that the building the project takes place had been designated for restoration so Pietro was cancelling till next year. Still the residency portion was still available.
Having had an Italian residency experience in Deruta, I came to La Meridiana (located near Certaldo) with expectations but also comparisons from Deruta. Like the differences between the provinces of Umbria and Tuscany, so are the differences between Scuola d’Arte Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/) in Deruta and La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.it) in Tuscany.
After a rainy (fairly cold) weekend, I arrived in studio where Pietro provided a space in the corner of the community studio, a block of stoneware and a block of raku clay and a nod of approval for a creative endeavor. He was off to his private studio located on the other side of the farmhouse or to attend to the various chores of maintaining the property.
I have continued to explore the landfillart.com project in various clay bodies, made several simple pots with those same varieties and a couple of “rasta whistles” just for good measure. I usually arrive early in studio after a brisk mile walk along the country road overlooking the fog filled valleys of the rolling Tuscan hills. Pietro is usually the first to greet me in the studio and the other days I asked if he had a set of letter punches because I traditionally stamp my name of initial on the bottom of my pots. Pietro asked how I choose initial or name and I replied it was probably just of matter of whim. Because there were no letter stamps, I had the option to scribe my name with my favorite tool, the wooden vegetable skewer, and hence have been scribing same poems or thought of the day (often in Italian) on the bottom of the bowls.
During the second week of my reisidency at La Meridiana, a porcleian paperclay workshop began begin taught by Luca (last name). There were seven participants from various locations in the world with all speaking English in which the instructions were given. I was able to observe the process from my “residency corner” and also use the paperclay to make one mold for my landfillart.com project. It was enjoyable have a group of artist-students milling around the studio and re-captured the spirit of the Deruta studio.
Tuscany
April into May. Tuscany. 2009
With hearts sad, we moved on a rainy Saturday morning from our comfortable abode in Deruta to a rural farmhouse apartment in Tuscany. The small town is called Bagnano and is located about half way between the towns of Certaldo and Barbarieno. The night of our arrival the house was cold and damp and we longed for the warmth of Deruta. Fortunately, our British landlady Sally came to the rescue with some firewood for the kitchen stove and the warmth of the fire changed our spirits.
The next few weeks will revolve around my doing a residency art project at La Meridiana while the boys put a major push in cyber school with “MamaG” as head school master.
With hearts sad, we moved on a rainy Saturday morning from our comfortable abode in Deruta to a rural farmhouse apartment in Tuscany. The small town is called Bagnano and is located about half way between the towns of Certaldo and Barbarieno. The night of our arrival the house was cold and damp and we longed for the warmth of Deruta. Fortunately, our British landlady Sally came to the rescue with some firewood for the kitchen stove and the warmth of the fire changed our spirits.
The next few weeks will revolve around my doing a residency art project at La Meridiana while the boys put a major push in cyber school with “MamaG” as head school master.
High School Arts Program
A High School Exchange Program
Nicola Boccini (www.boccini.it )who is Director of Scuola d’Arte
Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/)where I am
doing a residency took me to visit and tour the local high school. It was
incredible and speaks to a town of 8 thousand people that has nearly 3
hundred pottery studios. The high school specializes (go figure) in
ceramics for ages 15 to 19. (I have attached a compressed file with some
photos of the school so let me know if you are able to open the pictures)
The school's enrollment is approx. 200+ students which come from the
entire region. Students who wish to study science or medicine go to a
different High School. I would compare the level of artwork and
instruction equal to some college programs. First year students study
principles of ceramic design, mold construction, restoration, ceramic
history. They were doing print making on tiles, lamp design and
construction, a room with a 6 X 6 foot mold for an installation piece at
the local ceramic art museum. We visited the room where “Vinny” who had
shown me how to use the side seated European potters’ wheel was working
with “special needs” kids putting clay into molds for mural construction.
It was amazing and reinforced my understanding of why a town of 8 thousand
people can embrace nearly 3 hundred pottery studios. And they have been
doing it for centuries !!!
Although there remains an issue with language, primarily my not being able
to communicate in Italian, the director of the High School asked (via
Nicola) if I would explore the possibility of an exchange program for
their students back in America. We plan to meet again to discuss some
options. I have sent emails to both Shirley Micheals (Keystone's
Study Abroad person),Catherine Cullen (@ NEIU) and Nancy Sanderson (at Wyoming Seminary) to explore possibilities.
With hope and faith in the art of possibilities.
Nicola Boccini (www.boccini.it )who is Director of Scuola d’Arte
Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/)where I am
doing a residency took me to visit and tour the local high school. It was
incredible and speaks to a town of 8 thousand people that has nearly 3
hundred pottery studios. The high school specializes (go figure) in
ceramics for ages 15 to 19. (I have attached a compressed file with some
photos of the school so let me know if you are able to open the pictures)
The school's enrollment is approx. 200+ students which come from the
entire region. Students who wish to study science or medicine go to a
different High School. I would compare the level of artwork and
instruction equal to some college programs. First year students study
principles of ceramic design, mold construction, restoration, ceramic
history. They were doing print making on tiles, lamp design and
construction, a room with a 6 X 6 foot mold for an installation piece at
the local ceramic art museum. We visited the room where “Vinny” who had
shown me how to use the side seated European potters’ wheel was working
with “special needs” kids putting clay into molds for mural construction.
It was amazing and reinforced my understanding of why a town of 8 thousand
people can embrace nearly 3 hundred pottery studios. And they have been
doing it for centuries !!!
Although there remains an issue with language, primarily my not being able
to communicate in Italian, the director of the High School asked (via
Nicola) if I would explore the possibility of an exchange program for
their students back in America. We plan to meet again to discuss some
options. I have sent emails to both Shirley Micheals (Keystone's
Study Abroad person),Catherine Cullen (@ NEIU) and Nancy Sanderson (at Wyoming Seminary) to explore possibilities.
With hope and faith in the art of possibilities.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
DERUTA
Deruta . April 2009.
Deruta (the majolica capital of the world) in the province of Umbria has been a pleasant surprise. About an hour and half drive north of Rome, this small town of eight thousand people hosts nearly three hundred pottery studios. In February, we visited Nicola Boccini, Director of the Romano Ranieri School of Ceramic Art (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/) on the advise of Bruce Dehnert at Peter’s Valley Craft Center. Nicola, a well know Italian artist in his our right has opened his studio to me and helped find the family a beautiful apartment in the historical district of Deruta. We plan to stay in Deruta a few weeks before Certaldo and my art project at La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.fi.it/).
I have been spending virtually day and evening in the studio working on my contribution to the Landfillart Project (http://landfillart.org/). Susan and the boys after mornings of cyber school have been coming to the studio in the afternoon to learn a little bit of the art of majolica from master Romano Ranieri who doesn't speak a word of English but occasionally busts into opera. Yesterday the boys bought their instruments to the studio to play for master Ranieri.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Latter part of March "09
THE LATTER PART OF MARCH ‘09
We returned from Sicily to Scilla in the Reggio Calabria area upon receiving an email indicating that maternal grandmother Crea relatives had been located. So we once again met Daniele and Nino Calandruccio at the small church in Paile on a raining Sunday morning and drove to a little house where several dozen people had gathered in the kitchen to greet us. Sitting amongst the all talking at the same time women was an 89 year old blind woman who from the all the chatter may have been married to the brother (or cousin) of Susan’s grandfather. It wasn’t long before Nino said “ok andiamo” and we were off for a cappuccino, hugs and hopes to meet again in America.
We returned from Sicily to Scilla in the Reggio Calabria area upon receiving an email indicating that maternal grandmother Crea relatives had been located. So we once again met Daniele and Nino Calandruccio at the small church in Paile on a raining Sunday morning and drove to a little house where several dozen people had gathered in the kitchen to greet us. Sitting amongst the all talking at the same time women was an 89 year old blind woman who from the all the chatter may have been married to the brother (or cousin) of Susan’s grandfather. It wasn’t long before Nino said “ok andiamo” and we were off for a cappuccino, hugs and hopes to meet again in America.
Couple of night in Scilla including a pizza dinner with Marianna, Maximo and Diemitiro at the Calypso before departing north to Rome. An overnight stop in Pompeii and tour of the archeological site. Amazing preservation of an entire Roman city and the excavated forms of people including children sent a chill through my body.
On to Rome and what an incredible city!!! We spent the first few nights in a convent with the bathroom window overlooking the Vatican and St. Peter’s Cathedral. It’s amazing the “awe struck” I experience upon entering St. Peter’s square and the Cathedral for the first time. Michelangelo’s Pieta or the walk under the floor past the tomb of Pope John Paul 2nd with people opening weeping leaves me without description.
We spent one day on a tour of the Vatican Museum and it was beyond words. The vast quantity and quality of artwork is week’s worth of exploration. To photograph Evan and Aaron in front of Raphael’s School of Athens has me hope that they will experience the same with their children. As I looked up in the Sistine Chapel, I recalled Ellen Dissanayake's definition of art as "making special". Now I have a better understanding of the word "special".
We moved from the convent to an apartment in the historic district. Fr. Brain's contact Emanuela walked us to see several different locations and Susan just loved the apartment that had the master bedroom up a spiral staircase with a terrace overlooking the rooftops not more than a the block from the Pantheon. Best part is the Sisters offered to keep our car parked at the Convent since there are no cars allowed in the historic district.
Spent another day on a guided tour of the Coliseum and area around the Roman Forum. Sometimes I find it difficult to grasp the time concept that Rome has a history of several thousands of years but the view of a marble statue or Corinthian column never tires the eye.
A special moment when Fr. Brain Clarke (who is from NEPA and studying in Rome) met to show us a couple of churches off the tourist path. Not only was it wonderful to connect with the person who helped arrange our housing and Vatican Tour but the personal insights to the churches we visited were priceless. Because Evan and Aaron were not raised in Roman Catholic stories and traditions, I wondered their responses to seeing a piece of the table from the last supper or pieces of the cross from the crucifixion. The relics brought back from Jerusalem by St. Helen (Constantine’s mother) in the 2nd century included nails from the cross, thorns from the crown and were tucked away in a chapel that was once her home. Very special and unique. Thanks.
A scheduled audience with the Pope tomorrow morning (arranged by Fr. Brian) before departure for Deruta and the 1st of two art projects. I look forward to putting my hands in some clay and now after a few months of immersion into the Italian culture feel ready to begin.
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