Sicily, Part Five

Before we get into this week's post, I have a special announcement!

My senior class at the University of Hartford is having a gallery show on May 2^nd to showcase all of our thesis projects. We are having the show on campus in the Joseloff Gallery, a privately owned gallery. Putting up a show requires a lot of effort and funding.

We have set up an Indiegogo, and are now accepting any and all donations for the next week! Everything helps, so if you can, please make a donation here.

Thank you in advance!

And if you are in the area, please join us for the opening reception of the show on Saturday, May 2^nd, from 5-7pm at the University of Hartford.

Now for this week's post, the finale in my Sicily series:

On our last bus ride to the airport from Taormina, our tour guide Rosa gave one last history lesson. This time she spoke about the creation myth of the island itself. I tried to take notes while listening, but I was enraptured in Rosa's telling of the story, the Trinacria. I'll summarize as best I can:

Three Nymphs were misbehaving (as nymphs often do) and Athena called them to Mount Olympus. There, they were Zeus' prisoners, awaiting their judgement by the God.

Zeus forgot they were there, and many years passed as they waited patiently to hear their fate.

One night, the Nymphs overheard three other gods discussing who among them was the greater god. Each beheld what they were the god of; one of soil, one of fruit, and one of flowers, and they argued why each was the greatest.

The next day, the Nymphs could think of nothing but holding soil, fruit, and flowers in their hands. They longed to see Earth again!

They waited until night, and while Zeus was asleep, the Nymphs decided to sneak out of Mount Olympus to gather a sample of each of the items, with the intent to bring it back to Olympus.

The Nymphs took with them a basket and descended to Earth, where they gathered the three samples.

But they lingered on Earth for too long! Dawn was coming and with it, Apollo, lifting the veil of night. As the Nymphs flew towards Olympus, they crashed into Apollo, where the three of them fell into the ocean, dropping the basket and all it's contents in the middle of them.

Zeus, becoming aware of their transgressions, was furious! He took from the Nymphs the life from their lungs and they sank where the fell to the bottom of the ocean.

Athena deemed this action too harsh, and so breathed life back into them. Instead, using the contents the Nymphs had gathered, Athena turned them into an island. The Nymphs were reborn as the island of Sicily, and the three corners of the island were where each of the Nymphs fell.

I am of Greek and Sicilian descent, though I've always been very connected to my Greek heritage in particular. However, being in Sicily led me to a sense of belonging, a sense of an ancestral home, and that feeling was more powerful than I had anticipated it to be. I was fascinated to learn how much Greek history shaped Sicily, originally known as "Magna Graecia," or Greater Greece. After learning of Trinacria, I knew I had to illustrate the mythos as a reflection of my time in Sicily, and a celebration of my heritage.

Rather than illustrating a single moment in the story, I chose to take a more allegorical approach. The composition was designed with the shape of Sicily in mind. If you lay over a map of the island, the positions of the three Nymphs correlate to the three corners of the island, as they do in the story.

Each of the Nymphs holds one of the objects they were collecting; soil, flowers, and fruit, and one Nymph holds the basket. Inside of the basket, I chose three fruits (well, two fruits and one vegetable) that are staples in Sicilian culture, and were a large part of my culinary experience there; grapes, blood oranges, and artichoke. Finally, the lighting is of course the break of dawn with a low, golden sun casting long shadows, indicative of Apollo's coming. The basket is positioned in between all three figures, and all elements of the piece hint towards the immediate fate of the Nymphs; the birth of Sicily.

I hope you've enjoyed my posts the past month, as I've enjoyed recollecting the experience.

Sicily, Part Four

This week on the blog is Part Four in my series recalling my experience in Sicily last year. If you haven't already, read parts one, two and three first!

Color sketch of Ionian sea from Taormina, sketch of Trinacria, symbol of Sicily

"3/23/14 7:20 am
Last morning here in Sicily.
The sun rose over the Ionian sea today, casting an orange glow on the water. I'll never forget the colors of this place. Mt. Etna always has a belt of fog at it's base, just above the coast line. And the colors of the ocean! I'm looking at them right now from the balcony in the hotel. Bluegreens, viridian, the purest light cool blue, and a summer of white on top of it all. It's paradise. I'm sad to leave, knowing what's back home.
Stressful school work, mind-numbing distractions, and the lack of this beautiful island."

3 Legged woman, symbol of Sicily - Trinacria
-Head of Medusa, thrown into center of Sicily to protect it by Athena
-3 Legs = 3 corners of Sicily, 3 Nymphs w/ Basket of fruit, soil & flowers
-Greek Symbol, 2800 years old (Naxos 2800 years old, 1st settlement)
-Birth of Sicily - basket & Nymphs fell into ocean, Zeus made an island
-Messina, Syracusa, Palermo 3 major cities at corners where 'knees' bend

This trip is perhaps the greatest experience of my life in so many ways."

On our last bus ride to the airport from Taormina, our tour guide Rosa gave one last history lesson. This time she spoke about the creation myth of the island itself. I tried to take notes while listening, but I was enraptured in Rosa's telling of the story, the Trinacria. I'll expand on the Trinacria next week as my final post about Sicily.

Finally, I'd like to share with you my final writings from Sicily, my reflection from the plane ride back to the U.S.

"3/23/14
On the plane from Rome to Boston.
I just looked through this book. It's incredible how vividly a memory can come to you from journaling and sketching. With each page I would remember the exact moments I drew something or wrote something down. I could remember the sights, the smells, the sun on my skin, the tastes, the feeling of the place, and my own emotions in that moment.
I've been a student of art for my entire life, but never have I kept a sketchbook and journal like this. I've talked about needing to sketch more, but never have I had a book in my pocket the way I have had the past ten days.
I've become attached to this book already. Sicily was the spark I needed to force myself to journal, and now I want to bring that home. Regardless of the monotony of daily life in Connecticut or New York, or the comparatively boring scenery, there is beauty everywhere.

If there is one thing I can take away from this trip, it's that beauty does not only exist in vast mountains and oceans, sprawling archaic cityscapes, or in grandeur. It also exists in every tiny moment that make up those larger than life scenes.
It exists in the rusted iron door knockers on a weather beaten green door, in the shimmer of light on a cobble stone street. It exists in the moments when a complete stranger says, "Buon giorno!" to an American abroad.
It exists when the sun shines just the right way, illuminating a potted plant on a balcony above you.
Beauty exists when you wake up to the sun rise poring through the window, rather than a beeping alarm.
It exists in the sound of waves and smell of salty air, in the taste of wine and sounds of laughter with good company.
Beauty exists in solitude, exploring every nook and cranny of an olive oil estate, in the moments when the sea's colors beckon you to wade out & touch them all.

Beauty is everywhere, you need only to look.
And it's in those small moments that the sudden need to capture it in writing or drawing or painting arises, and a book in your pocket becomes a necessity.
I've never felt more connected to my pen or pencil, and I've never been able to see so well. Regardless of whether or not I spent 5 minutes or 50 minutes on a sketch, however loose or tight it ends up, it's in the seeing that matters. By looking at something and attempting to draw it, you take it in in a different way. It forces a slower pace, and opens up a greater appreciation.

I can recall the first semester I was an art student in HAS, after switching from Hartt (I was a music major for the first two & a half years of college). That was just one year ago. I recall the feeling of being able to look up, look around me and appreciate the visual sights as opposed to being locked up in a practice room all day. Art requires looking, experiencing, traveling, it all goes into your visual bank. Traveling to Sicily takes that feeling from a year ago and expands it a hundred fold. I feel reinvigorated, and humbled.

Returning home, I will keep this journal in my pocket as I have the past ten days, as I still have half of it left to fill. Once full, I will continue journaling, sketching, writing and painting. It will keep me humble, force me to think of the basics of visual communication, and help me to keep my eyes up and open. It will keep my love and appreciation for art alive. 

Painting is more than a job, or career, so much infinitely more. It is something intangibly personal and therapeutic. There is nothing else like it. There is a stillness in motion, as I recalled on the third day in Sicily while I sat by the ocean. But as I sit here now reflecting on art, those same words apply to painting. While painting, there is a peace and calm in the heart, even if there are moments of stress.

My final thoughts before wrapping up this trip have to do with distraction. Traveling and journaling, keeping my eyes open, waking up at sunrise and enjoying that sunrise before starting my day, spending my free time exploring, thinking, writing and drawings, leads to a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment at the end of a day. I didn't have a phone, computer or any device with me for the past ten days. I noticed within a single day how much more in tune with myself I felt, how much better I slept, how much more human I felt!

I'm as guilty as anyone else in my generation for being addicted and dependent on phones, computers, internet, etc. But a ten day complete break from it all was incredibly powerful for me. I often complain about not having enough time in the day to work, but how many hours are wasted on my laptop? I depend on TV shows for "down time" and relaxation. After this trip there is a clear distinction between relaxation and distraction. Relaxation is healthy for the mind, you clear your thoughts, settle your emotions, and regain balance. Distraction simply pushes all of that into the back of your mind, bottling up everything, and never balancing anything. Well no more, not for me. No more distractions. I want to paint!

It is those distractions that detract from our humanity. All of the beauty around us goes unnoticed because we keep our heads down in our own personal worlds where we are the center. Not the Sicilians! They look up and say hello. They make everything around them a work of art. They are warm and kind, inviting strangers into their homes. It is unlike anything I've ever witnessed.

All of the hours spent on the internet, watching TV and movies, texting, etc could be so much better spent! Taking a walk just because, with no where to go, head up and taking in your surroundings. Bettering yourself as a person, or as an artist. Both!

On this trip, even if I wasn't drawing or painting, I sat somewhere and looked. I would take a walk, and better yet I'd do with friends. I'll repeat something I've already written:

I feel human.

It is a combination of the incredible experience, traveling around Sicily, learning what I have learned, as well as the lack of distractions that sort of gave me a new breath of life. I don't want to go home because I don't want to leave Sicily. I don't want to leave the beautiful place, nor the experience of the place. I know old habits of distraction, stress, etc, wait for me back home. But I know it's on me now to bring Sicily home with me. To take all I've learned and continue to push myself and learn more. 

One of the greatest things said this entire trip sums it up; as Jeremiah related a quote by Jack Beal in the Greek theater at Taormina:

'Make your art like your life and your life like your art.'"

One year later, I can say that I did take Sicily home with me in so many ways. I've kept a journal & sketchbook with me at all times, and I spent last summer focused on plein air painting. After my thesis project is complete in May, I intend to return to plein air painting. I've let go of so many distractions, and spend my days filling my time with art, books, and experiences in their stead. At the end of the day, my goal is to go to sleep feeling accomplished and fulfilled. It is far more rewarding than anything one may gleam from distractions.

One year later, I can say that Sicily changed so much in my life, from the way it inspired and still inspires me artistically, to the way it changed my approach to every day. The lessons learned in those ten days will inform me indefinitely, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have had that experience.

Next week will conclude my Sicily series. I will write about the illustration I painted as a reflection of my time in Sicily. 

Also, I will repeat the public announcement made on last week's post:

I've been expanding my social media presence! In addition to this blog, my website, Facebook, and deviantART, you can now find me on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr!

All of the profiles feature my current portfolio, and I've begun to post unique content to each as well. Over time, the unique content will continue to grow, so be sure to follow me on your favorite platform. Thanks!

Sicily, Part Three

This week on the blog is Part Three in my series recalling my experience in Sicily last year. If you haven't already, read parts one and two first!

“3/21/14

The Catania market is like a step into another world, separate from not only the U.S. but even the rest of Sicily. The market was bustling with people. Butchers and fisherman shouting over the crowds to sell their stuff. As soon as you get to the fountain separating the market from the piazza, an overwhelming smell of fish and flesh slams your nose. I almost slipped on the unexpected slime on the stone streets. There was a beauty in the market when the sun reflected on the wet ground and through the transparent red awnings amid all the chaos.

I found myself wishing we had markets like this in America. Meats were fresh, fish were still alive. Every part of an animal is sold.

We also witnessed an anti-mafia protest, mostly by young students. They were calling for the police to control the mafia, and were gathered in the piazza naming off members of the mafia.

Catania sits on top of an ancient Roman Catania, which is buried under ash and lava.

Magma is a greek word that translates to liquid fire. Mt. Etna is an effusive volcano with 4 mouths that are individual.

Everything grows in volcanic ash – fertility.”

I wrote this quick journal entry about Catania on the bus as we rode from the city up Mt. Etna. The last part, starting with “Catania sits on top of an ancient Roman Catania...” was actually note-taking from the history lesson our wonderful guide Rosa was giving us on the bus.

Unfortunately I didn't do any sketching in Catania, as we were only there for an hour or two and I was overwhelmed with all that was happening! But I had to share some pictures to give a sense for this place that words couldn't describe. Thank you to Kyle Garron for these beautiful photographs that he took while we were there together! 

Photograph by Kyle Garron

Photograph by Kyle Garron

Photograph by Kyle Garron

Photograph by Kyle Garron

On the opposite page in the journal:

“3/22/14

Taormina's architecture from 1200's, towns grew near Norman Fortifications.

Greek Taormina is from 4^th cent. B.C.

-Taurus-cliff shaped like head of bull”

A sketch of a great fountain in a park next to our hotel. The park was built from brick from the Taormina theater. And another history lesson! This was my last full day in Sicily, and we definitely saved some of the best for last.

Sketches from the Taormina Theater

“Archimedes was Greek, but Sicilian. Invented magnifying glass & catapults”

“Make your art like your life and your life like your art" - Jack Beal

Sitting in the Taormina theater, we had a couple of hours to explore, sketch and paint. Jeremiah gave one last big talk as we sat there, in the same spot that the great Thomas Cole and so many other artists have been inspired by over the centuries. The experience in Sicily was one that showed me how to do exactly what Jack Beal says in the quote above, relayed to us by Jeremiah. Beal was a teacher and close friend of Jeremiah's, who sadly passed away in 2013. But what I love most about that quote, is that we heard it for the first time on the last day. The previous 9 days showed us the way, allowed us to experience making art like our life, and life like our art. Only after we knew it internally, were we given the words to describe it. And what perfect words they are.

Theater at Taormina, 3/22/14. Watercolor, 8.8x5.75"

I sat at the Theater in Taormina, in the same spot, for about two hours. Breathing it all in, reflecting on the trip, reflecting on what Jack Beal's words meant to me. And in doing so, internalizing it all, I knew that this feeling, and this way of living, was one that I would need to strive to keep with me when I returned to the U.S.

Last week will be the final part in my Sicily series, so don't miss it!

Also, a bit of a public announcement here!

I've been expanding my social media presence! In addition to this blog, my website, Facebook, and deviantART, you can now find me on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr!

For now, I've uploaded my portfolio on all of these profiles, but over time I will be posting unique content to each. So be sure to follow me on your favorite platforms!

Sicily, Part Two

Last week I began a series of posts about my trip to Sicily last March. You can read part one here.

I'll be continuing from where I left off last week, five days into the trip.

Sunrise at Campofelice di Roccella, 3/19/14. Watercolor, 8.8x5.75"

Sketches from Alimena, and the view from the park

"3/19/14 7 am

I feel a lot better this morning than yesterday.

Hung out with great company last night on the beach, a great way to end a day that started off so poorly.

I woke up to the glimpse of light in the hotel room at 5:30, it's such a peaceful way to awake.

I just painted a quick sunrise for our last morning in the Fiesta hotel, I'll have to go back in with darks later.

It's much too damp in the morning, nothing dries!
But I'm much more at peace today, I'm sitting at the ocean waiting for that painting to dry as I write this. I've been untterly humbled by this trip in countless ways.

Not only for being in Sicily as a place, seeing the incredible vistas at every turn, or the incredible humanity of the Sicilians, but of course in my art as well.

I am still learning, and have so much left to learn, so far to grow.

Being here, journaling sketching, puts me completely out of my comfort zone. And as much as it can be stressful, Jeremiah gave a moving pep talk to us all last night and just reminded us to enjoy the process. Remember that you love this, drawing, painting. It's too easily forgotten sometimes when I get wrapped up in not being as good as I want to be.

But that's just fuel for the fire.

I am excited for the rest of the trip, I'm ready to just give it my all and love it, whatever comes out of it.”

More sketches from the park at Alimena

This day was wonderful. We spent the morning and early afternoon in Mario's (our bus driver's) home town of Alimena during St. Joseph's day, which is more or less father's day. We had a picnic/barbecue at a park on the top of a mountain overlooking a great distance. It was a laid back day, and everyone was in high spirits, including myself. A huge part of being in Sicily was of course the food. I tried everything we were served (and ate some pretty strange things) but loved everything! At the barbecue Mario grilled artichokes with olive oil, salt & pepper. A must try!

Value sketch for the painting, "Masseria degli Ulivi," and sketches from the olive oil estate

“3/20/14

The olive oil estate is gorgeous. Having a day to just focus on painting and drawing is exactly what I need. When painting from life, I need to get back to basics a lot faster. When you have 30-60 minutes to paint something from life, value and larger shapes become more important. I'm still taking too long to get to the right values of dark & light. Jeremiah said to paint light, not the object. Don't forget!”

Masseria degli Ulivi, 3/20/14. Watercolor, 8.8x5.75"

We spent two days at Masseria degli Ulivi, an olive oil estate. They opened their hotel early in the season just for us, so we were the only guests! We were free to roam around the estate to just draw and paint the buildings, the olive trees, the wildflowers, anything we want. The food here was some of my favorite of the whole trip. The most delicious homemade pastas, bread, and of course olive oil!

Watercolor sketches of one of the buildings at the Masseria, and some geranium leaves

More sketches from the olive oil estate

“Late afternoon gives long shadows, golden glow. According to Jeremiah, the 'baton' sketching technique and 'painting with the pencil' loose shapes of value rather than contour lines is how Wyeth did it. It's difficult, but it makes sense. Helps when translated to paintings.

Sicily looks fascinating because of how old it is. 'Old' visually translates to nature taking over; mosses, grasses and plants growing out of stone, cracked and imperfect shapes/objects, and organic building materals; stone, wood, clay, etc.”

There was such a sense of history in Sicily, this place had clearly existed for hundreds and thousands of years. Older olive trees grew long, twisted, and heavy. Buildings were hundreds of years old, made of organic materials rather than the metal cities of modern America. Nature was allowed to grow and reclaim some of what the Sicilians built. It felt like stepping into another time, and somewhere full of magic. That feeling stuck with me after returning to the U.S. Fantastical, magical worlds that exist in the imaginations of illustrators and painters do exist in the real world. I feel like major parts of America are too stifled but humanity, too controlled. In Sicily, there was integration with the natural world. It is too separated here for my taste.

Come back to the blog next Monday for Part Three, and follow me on Facebook for more regular posts and updates on my Argonautica series!

Sicily, Part One

Today is going to mark part one in a series of posts for the month of March. On March 14^th of 2014, I had the great privilege to travel to Sicily for ten days with a group of fellow art students under the tutelage of Jeremiah Patterson.

The short term study abroad program focused on plein air painting with watercolor, and served as my introduction to the art form. It was also my first experience traveling outside of the United States, and to say the experience was life changing doesn't scratch the surface of those ten days.

It was the first time I kept a sketchbook in my pocket, at all times, everyday. Wherever I went I always had my sketchbook, a pencil and a pen. It opened up my eyes to the world around me in a unique way. I allowed my gaze to linger longer than usual, as I carefully observed Sicily to drink it all in. I kept a keen eye, always looking for something to interesting to draw or paint. The problem with Sicily was that everything was beautiful and interesting! I couldn't keep up! The act of keeping a sketchbook connects you to your world and your experiences. I discovered that even the most scribbled mess of a sketch, splash of color, or quick note can capture a moment in a profoundly more personal way than a camera.

Another noteworthy part of this experience in 2014 was the lack of technology. I didn't bring anything with me. Not a laptop, not a tablet, not even a cell phone. (I did have a point & shoot digital camera for reference photos). All I had was my sketchbook, my watercolor block, and a wristwatch. It was enlightening to detach from the myriad of distractions we are pummeled with every moment of every day! That part of the experience is worthy of an entire post itself!

Each part of the post I'm going to share a few pages from my sketchbook and take you through what those ten days were like for me. Some of it is of course very personal, but that's what makes keeping a journal like this so special, and elucidates why the trip was so enlightening for me.

Sketches of Selinunte - Temple of Hera

“3/14/14 @ Castel Buono

This is Paradise!

It feels unreal, like a fantasy. The teal ocean, the peach and sand buildings, rolling green hills & mountains. The warm sun and cool sea breeze. The aroma of thistle, weeds and wildflowers. It's overwhelming my senses already.”

Sketch of berries outside my hotel window, a Valley along the road to Palazzo Adriano, and a doorway to a bakery in the town

"At Grand Hotel Selinunte.
Not having a cell phone or computer is liberating. I'm looking to this paradise I'm in instead of thoughtless distraction. I don't ever want anything other than this."

3/15/14
Sketch interrupted
-sweet older woman loved our art, invited us into her bakery.
Gave us free sesame-semolina bread (amazing!) and a local traditional pastry - incredible! slight licorice flavor & biscotti"

La Fontana all Palazzo Adrianno, watercolor sketch. Pencil of  ruins of an arab castle at Planeta Winery

3/17/14
Jeremiah haves us a quick lecture about the use of the Golden mean in Greek temples when we visited the incomplete temple at Segesta. The temple was erected to impress the Athenians in order to secure their help in a war, but was never finished!

Sketch of overlook from theater at Segesta, and designs from the ceiling of a Chapel 

"3/18/14 @ 6:45 am
Second attempt at painting the sunrise this morning, another failed attempt. Being in Sicily counters the stress to a degree, but I so badly want to get a decent painting already! I've already torn out five paintings and thrown them away.
We're now staying at our second hotel on the beach. I sat by the ocean for a half an hour last night. It reminded of home, since it was dark and I could only hear the sounds of the waves. There is a stillness in motion, a calm peace in the rhythm of the waves.
There is a strange dichotomy of emotion within right now. Awe of everything I see, touch and taste. Inspiration to try harder, to push myself, to grow. Disbelief that I'm even here! That, couple with the stress of feeling like I'm not good enough & don't deserve to be here. Jeremiah talked about throwing away anxiety, I don't know I can."

Sketches of a house in the mountains alongside the road to Castello Buono, a sculpture over a fountain in Castello Buono, and a watercolor sketch alla Castello Buono

Church Bell tower alla Castello Buono

This day was an important one for me. As you can see from the passage of writing above, it didn't start out entirely positive. This reflected in my subsequent sketches, and Jeremiah sort of came to the rescue. I was tight, and a bit frustrated. He essentially told me to loosen up, and showed me a technique whereby you hold the pencil towards the end of the shaft, like a conductor holds a baton. You lay the pencil on the page, and use the wrist to rapidly lay tone and find shapes through that motion. The result was the church bell tower on the right.

Cefalu Boat in the Afternoon 3/18/14, watercolor, 8.8x5.7"

Cefalu was perhaps my favorite place in all of Sicily. It was a great little city right on the Tyrrhenian Sea. This day was also a bit of a break through day for me.

Sketch of Statue at Duomo in Cefalu, and speed sketch of sunset over Cefalu

"So this morning started out poorly. Struggling to have any confidence in my sketches and especially my paintings. Roaming Cefalu and sitting on the dock, taking my time to paint a boat, after talking to Jeremiah really helped me feel better. The water was beautiful and soothing.
I finally got a painting I feel OK about in the boat. Then on our way back to the hotel we pulled over to look at the sunset over Cefalu. I owe it to Chelsea (Norwich, a fellow student) for challenging me to grab my paints and bust out a quick 2-3 minute color sketch, it was exhilarating!
Adrenaline was high and for what it was it came out OK.
I'm glad I was able to turn it around today. I needed that.
Finally getting the hang of it all - looking forward to the next few days."

Check back next week for part two, and follow me on Facebook for updates on my Argonautica series!