Apologies for the slow blogging lately, those last few days were a mad dash.

I am writing you from Rome, after a long day, 1 broken down train, and 2 broken suitcases.

The most important news du jour is that, both Brian and I, as well as most of the students have been awake since 4 AM today, (some earlier, some later).  That’s 4 AM our time… basically 9 or 10 PM your time.

ALL STUDENTS ARE ON PLANES.

ALL LUGGAGE WAS CHECKED THROUGH SUCCESSFULLY.

Everyone is sitting happily over the Atlantic Ocean right now, 40,000′ up, watching movies and eating lunch.

Everyone will be home tonight.

Brian and I are in Rome for a week, relaxing away from school-related-activities.

Thought you’d like to know.

kyle.

It was definitely rewarding to see everyone who was willing to trek out to the far side of Murano to see our show.

We had Hors’devors, Venitian style:

We had many guests:

And by all accounts, everyone had a good time. Thanks to everyone who helped make this possible!

Take the 41 from Venice to the Navagero stop on Murano.
Turn left from dock and walk down the sidwalk towards the clock tower.
Continue past the church/bridge until you come to a corner.
Turn right, avoiding the second bridge, and follow the canal almost to the end.
The studio will be on the right with the letters AT cast into the white glass doors.
The address is 26 Fondamenta Radi.

7PM!

Grammatically incorrect Italian aside, we would love for you to join us.  I’ll post directions to the exhibition TOMORROW.

Ciao!

It was a nice collection, with a lot of Abstract Expressionism (good) and Futurism (meh…) work. What was really great though were 3 pieces by Wim Delvoye (always fun) and Robert Rauschenberg’s GLUTS exhibition, rarely seen assembled sculptures form the late 80s and early 90s. Very nice. I bought myself the catalog.

(clandestine photograph... shhhh.)

We had a rare opportunity yesterday (rare for us students and faculty anyway) to go into the set up for part of the Biennale. We met with Alfredo Jaar, a Chilean artist, who talked about his film for the Biennale, and then set us loose to look through the rest of the Arsenalle Novella (the “New Arsenalle”, across the harbor from the Arsenalle, home to most of the Biennale exhibitions). It was the first “Press” day, so it was really still closed and being set up…

Alfredo Jaar speaks with our students

Z checks out some artworksss

The Biennale opens Friday.  Students are working at a frenzied pace – - our exhibition is next wednesday…

Off to the studios!

Today is a national holiday in Italy.  You can tell by all the old men wearing their uniforms and drinking at the bars before noon… very cool.

From Wikipedia:

The birth of the Italian Republic (officially on June 2, 1946) is a key event of Italian contemporary history. Until 1946, Italy was officially a monarchy ruled by the House of Savoy, kings of Italy since the Risorgimento (and previously of Sardinia). However, Benito Mussolini, enjoying the support of the monarchy, imposed fascism after the October 28, 1922 March on Rome, eventually engaging Italy in World War II alongside Nazi Germany. In 1946, Italy became a republic after the results of a popular referendum. Monarchists advanced suspicions of fraud that were never proved. A Constituent assembly was elected at the same time. 

I can only hope there is something like fireworks or parades or something later this afternoon – - hopefully I’ll be around to see them. There were none.

So – time flies when you’re having fun, right?  We’re taking this day of rest and working as hard as we can.  It’s funny – you wake up, breakfast at 8 – - class until noon, then studio.  By the time you look at the clock again, you’re late for diner. We’re here to work, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Tomorrow we go to see the Peggy Guggenheim collection and then visit and speak with an artist showing in the Biennale. I will of course report back..

I am very jealous that I missed an amazing demonstration and fieldtrip taken by the book students to a master paper-marbler.  Paper marbling is a technique used to paint paper that will ultimately find their way to hand-made books and the like.  You’ve seen it before and just don’t realize it.

Master Paper Marbler Alberto Valese very very graciously showed us all of his secrets.  I don’t think he realized how quick we pick up on techniques, and how far we will take the skills and run with them… So, thanks in advance Alberto – - 

Based on the premise that different densities of liquids behave in certain ways around each other, some mix and some don’t, you can create patterns in the pigments which then transfer to the paper.  

Doesn’t make sense? No worries – - it’s mostly just magic, really.

Guardi! (photos by Kat N. and Courtney  - – click through for larger images): 

Somehow, some way, we’re going back.  Video seems in order, no?

p.s. something is wrong with the font size, I know – - I can’t figure it out yet.

Art History class is in full swing.  The students have all been told that regardless of the syllabus, scheduled lectures, or whatever, if there is an event at the Biennale that seems more interesting than class, they’re all going.  When else will they get to see it in person?  Those readings can all be discussed later.

After lecture and a 2 hour lunch (these europeans do it right…) the group split to the two studios.  Print students are working at a frenzied pace, getting ready to show work in a week.

Book students dove in head first today working on a copy of an historic binding from the 15th century, found in Venice. (see photos below!)

And now, parents, since you’re really the ones reading this thing, here are all your children, working in their respective studios:

Book studio girls

more book studio girls

Ali and Erin

Eric C. and Robin

Jacob and Eric A.

Z. with Brian Garner, instructor

Tomorrow (tuesday) is a national holiday in Italy.  It will be interesting to see how the day goes as apparently everything is closed. No matter to us really, we’ll be in the studio all day working, including yours truly who promised to letterpress print the invitations to the exhibition next week.  Eeep!  Have you ever tried to repair a car with no replacement parts and only half of the necessary tools?  That’s roughly how I feel on this print project.  I’ll keep you informed for sure.

Hooray for ITALIA!

Click through the images on the right for many more photos and larger versions of the above shots.

Apologies for the sparse postings.  I told you internet was hard to come by, and my schedule has not been jiving with the hours of the computer lab. Furthermore, I have forgotten my card-reader at the hotel, so the photos are also a couple days behind. Scuzi.

The Book Students got a real treat earlier this week. With some fancy footwork by our eyes and ears on the ground Irene Woodbury, they were given a private demonstration by a paper marbling master. What is Paper Marbling? Totally awesome is what. It was only after I missed the demonstration that I realized how badly I wanted to see it.  They were trained by one of the best, and then all made their own marble papers for books both now and later. Photos soon…

The Print Students are settling in nicely to their studio. We purchased and mailed ahead this really fabulous vinyl relief material (think sheet rubber with a smooth vinyl surface) that both carves and prints like a dream. The presses are huge (see the previous post) and they’re learning out their tools, figuring out imagery, and working hard. We got a private demonstration at a glassblowing studio on the island. In a matter of minutes (ok, more accurately 30 or so) we saw a master glassblower turn some globs of molten glass into a fully articulated female figure, probably 18″ tall (sorry, 50 cm), simple and classic.  We’re going back with everyone for a second visit.

Today, Saturday, the Print Students worked in the studio on Murano for the day while the Book Students went to Burano (known for their lace) to find lace (go figure) for a book project. Sadly, the museum was closed for renovations, but a quick look around the shops found master lace workers stitching away, happy to take photographs, and with coworkers to explain in english whatever you wanted to know.

Tonight?  It’s saturday night.  Coming back from the Rialto, Brian (who teaches the Print half) and I saw a couple of large parties in various mansions on the Grand Canal.  I mean, it is Saturday Night.

Getting back to the hotel, I wrote out a note for the students announcing tomorrow’s events, expecting everyone to be out still at 11pm….  Where are they? All in the hotel, hanging out with each other, watching movies on friends’ laptops or just hanging out.

Sunday is class (yes, unusual, but remember this is only a 3 week program)… Almost one full week on the islands now.  I think I can get used to this…

kyle.

It’s thursday, I think, and we have been running hard since we arrived.  Students have seen their studio spaces, we have visited a paper studio on Venice and made paper, the print students visited their studio today on the island of Murano, and the book students went to a paper marbling workshop.

lecture and workshop at the paper studio, first day!

Tomorrow we will assemble our print supplies in the print studio, and the book students are on 2 fieldtrips, researching for their work.

Murano, an island to the north of Venice, is known for its glassblowing studios.  Any glasswork bought in Italy came from here, and from what we could see today, it was a tourist trap to end all tourist traps… No problemo – for the next 3 weeks, we’re locals and will try to act as such. 

Our print studio is on the north side of the island, way off the beaten path, on the back lot of one of what must be hundreds of glass studios on the island.  The space is huge, raw, new (as in new to being a print studio) and amazing. Gianfranco Gorini, an Italian Master Printer, manages the space, which is called the Venice Printmaking Studio and just relocated this spring from Venice to Murano.

a press in the Venice Printmaking Studio (on Murano)

In case you haven’t noticed, internet connections are a little hard to come by here… I have been writing regularly to save up and post online, but you may see a post or three appear at once with a day or two between.  So far I’ve burned through about 3GB of photographs and video – they’re getting posted online as time permits as well.

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the KVH aside del giorno: COFFEE!

I love coffee, and already drink strong coffee in the states.  This isn’t american coffee though – this coffee is 100x better.

Firstly, understand that when you order a coffee here, you’re getting one of two things, a cappuccino (or is it cafe latte? — espresso + steamed milk) or just an espresso.  Me? I prefer the espresso, and to save time and money, have taken to ordering une espresso doppia – a double espresso.  They’re served in ceramic mugs, and drunk while standing at the bar.  You’re in and out in a 2 minutes at the most, so the concept of a coffee to go is rather foreign.  This is also due to the fact that you can’t walk more than 20 steps in some parts of this city without hitting another Bar, which really means “cafe” in terms of how americans think of it.

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So, parents, although you probably all know by now, rest assured that everyone is here, safe, finding their way around the islands, and adjusting to their jetlag admirably. They are already shopping (yes mom, for you I promise)!