As promised, there is a little more I wish to share about my time in Florence.

I have not told you about my experiences at the art school and they are worth noting, as they too, were a part of my growing edge. I really liked the art school (well of course I  would!) It too, like the language school, was a shamozzle of thinly veiled chaos. As they cater to students young and old, short and long term, it seems that in your first lesson you will always be treated like a complete novice. I did not admit to anyone that I was an art teacher until a few lessons in mainly because, to my surprise, I did feel like a bit of a novice! I have already spoken of the first drawing lesson where I felt totally frustrated but I think I was in high self expectation city that day!! I took that baggage into my first and second painting lessons as well…

The first painting lesson we did a colour matching exercise not unlike something I would do with Yr 7’s. We were however using oil paints instead of acrylics and they are very different to manipulate. Now for someone who majored in oil painting when I  did my Visual Arts degree nearly 20 years ago, AND loves colour, I was seriously doing a shit job with this exercise! Do you know how EASY it is to make brown?? The best part about this whole exercise was chatting to a lovely American couple sitting next to me!

The next lesson we had to come with something we wanted to copy, preferably a famous work of art. Luna, my wonderful teacher, consulted with me about my ideas and tried to steer me into something small and achievable in the 4 sessions I would  have to complete it. I decided to have a go at replicating something from the Renaissance, after all, here I was in the heart of Renaissance country. I chose a beautiful cropped in image of the Madonna and child. Both Luna and Sophia (the other painting teacher ) were worried it would be beyond me because of the technique called “sfumato” that was used in this artwork. Sfumato, literally means smoky and it is that effect where all the edges are so softened and blended that the image looks slightly fuzzy around the edges – like putting vaseline on a camera lense. It is a difficult thing to achieve. Stubborn ol’ me decided I was up for the challenge and went ahead and started the painting. Sensibly, I listened to Luna and only made the painting about the size of the photo copy (approx A4) even though I would’ve loved to have made it much bigger.

The first two sessions working on my little masterpiece  (haha!) I spent most of the time swearing with frustration! My “not good enough” demon was doing a fine ol’ dance in my head as I struggled with the paint. Fortunately, I did start to get the hang of things in the last hours I spent on it. I soon realised, just as with other things in life, once you stop resisting and listening to your head voice, and start relaxing and feeling into the situation, things become easier. What can I say? I’m a slow starter but I always get there in the end! I was even enjoying myself! 😉 I will share a photo of this painting on this blog because I’m actually kinda proud of it. It’s still not finished to my perfectionistic standards, and I will probably do some work on it when I get home cos it’s still not quite right… 😆

This whole episode was yet another example of the perils of thinking I knew how to do something and also the tendency to want to stay with what I already know. I could’ve so easily done a copy of some modern abstract artwork, because I already do fairly abstract stuff. Believe me I was sorely tempted to take this road, after all I’m an art teacher so I should be good at art right?? Let’s face it, I do prefer things to be on the easier side, but I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone with this one…

And speaking of comfort zones, that’s exactly where I’ve been these last 3 days…

I instinctively knew that I would need a few catch up days after Florence and before starting my teaching program, so I booked myself into a hotel. A very nice hotel! A hotel with a swimming pool, restaurant and a day spa!  Forgive me if it sounds indulgent but I have enjoyed 3 days of luxurious R&R. I have slept as much as I  wanted, swum in the pool, had a massage, pedicure,haircut and floated between the sauna and spa a few times! I have had room service one night and dinner in the restaurant another and dinner in the pizzeria across the road tonight (this is the only time I have stepped foot outside the hotel!) I have even eaten a snack and drunk from the minibar in my room, something I have never done before cos it’s usually so outrageously priced! I have giggled at Italian TV (Gilmore girls in Italian is hilarious!) and watched MTV play a combination of English and Italian pop music. Call me a nerd but I kinda like Italian pop music!

All in all, it’s been bliss in this little cocoon and something this frightened caterpillar needed before she launches into the next life of this journey. Forgive me if it’s all starting to sound like a rerun of “Eat, Pray, Love” except I think my novel should be called “Love, Eat, Pray!” First part of my journey was in the loving arms of friends, second part I have definitely been eating! And this last part, well I’m certainly saying a prayer that it all goes well!