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Sassuolo Baroque Palace — Contemporary Art Italy

September 16, 2016 By Jessica McAvoy Leave a Comment

Camera delgli Incanti Monochromatic Light

Camera delgli Incanti Monochromatic Light Sassuolo Image

The listing mentioned frescoes. Since I am always on the hunt for a good dose, we got off the bus in Sassuolo. I thought the first time I heard of the Palazzo Ducale di Sassuolo was on the map that was in my hands for the Discover Ferarri and Pavoratti Land Tour in Modena, Italy. I never expected to find a contemporary art installation in a Baroque Palace. But, this is Italy, so you never really can predict what’s on the other side of a stone fortress.

We were let off just outside the historical city center. Two enthusiastic young ladies, maybe high school age, greeted us. They were sitting on folding chairs under a pop-up tent trying to hide from the relentless sun. They had nightmarishly large textbooks open. It was early afternoon and somewhere between 100 and 110 degrees. Even under the tent, the sun hurt your eyes and skin. One girl had to relentless push her large framed glasses up from the tip of her nose. No doubt they were fast-tracked back down by droplets of sweat. They were eager to leave their posts and show us the way to the Palace. Even more eager to practice speaking English with us.

When we arrived at the Palace, the young ladies introduced us to the curator, Patrizia Silingardi. She asked if we would like a personal tour with her. Of course, we jumped at the opportunity. Patrizia said her English was not so excellent–which, of course, it was–so one of the ladies stayed to help translate while the other rushed back to the bus stop.

The thick stone walls protected us from the torments of the outside heat. We wandered through the rooms of the renovated second floor (what the Italians consider the first). Patrizia explained to us the meaning behind every one of the floor-to-ceiling frescoes. Not an inch uncovered in the palace’s heyday.

Frescoes at the Sassuolo Palace in Italy

Frescoes at the Sassuolo Palace in Italy

Sassuolo Palace, Contemporary Art Meets Baroque Frescos

Some frescoes were better preserved than others. The palace started as a castle and then changed hands to the powerful Este (aka Estense) family. They transformed it into the structure present today. This family ruled many of the cities throughout Emilia-Romagna for a few centuries and were the big daddy patrons of the arts in the region.

When we reached the Salone delle Guardie, I recalled learning of the palace in one of the many art history courses that I have taken over the years. Tromp l’oeil painted by Angelo Michele Colonna tricks the eye into believing the columns are marble and musicians fill the stone balconies above. The tapestry drapes hang with heaviness, and the infantry is in the distance through the painted windows. The information Patrizia provided was outstanding. Then we turned the corner.

Colonna Frescoes Palace Sassaulo

Salone delle Guardie frescoes by Angelo Michele Colonna

We entered the Camera degli Incanti, and my heart stood still. The baroque interior contained all the glitz and glamour one would expect — carved and gold leafed trim work, decorative garlands held up over the doorway by putti smiling down, and a variety of marbles patterned on the floor in a way that created an optical illusion. The room filled with natural light.

And the color blue.

It moved blue from the pale to deep, to purple, to green, and every variation in the color spectrum. The exhibition is titled Monochromatic Light.

On each wall firmly stood the moldings that once boxed in the family’s paintings. Now they were home to canvases of various hues of blue created by American and European artists: Winston Roeth, Anne Appleby, Timothy Litzman, Lawrence Carroll, David Simpson, Phil Sims, and Ettore Spalletti. If I recall correctly, the panels illustrated the various tones of blue light you see as the sun enters the space, moves throughout the day, and finally sets. Each panel was different, and they all worked independently and as a whole installation together.

The overall impact created a sense of sunrise to sunset in each space.

The boxes acted as windows framing the sky. As I stood in the center of each room, I faced a pale and subtle blue that worked up to a bright and bold blue, and as I slowly turned around, the deepest and darkest blues enveloped me. I felt the sky changing around me.

The power of the space evoked so many beautiful feelings. I have always been fond of contemporary art that responds to traditional architecture. Our tour with the curator was the icing on the cake. If you understand Italian, this link to a brochure will tell you more show you a few better photos of the palace.

 

Honfleur, France – A Charming Normandy Base

April 22, 2016 By Jessica McAvoy 1 Comment

With slate and timber architecture and picturesque harbor reflections, Honfleur, France has always been a magnet for artists. Claude Monet, Gustav Courbet, and Eugène Boudin developed impressionism with Le Vieux Bassin (the old basin) as inspiration. A Parisian friend suggested Honfleur, France as a nice Normandy base and she was so right! This city is located across the river Seine from le Havre, and just a scenic drive away from the beaches of Normandy and the Cavaldos cider (cidre in French) region. After a few glasses of cidre we wandered around and watched the plein air painters in action.

Reflection of Normandy base for exploration, Honfleur's architecture in the harbor water.

Honfeur’s Le Vieux Bassin, or the Old Basin is home to sailboats, cafes, Normandy architecture, and a carousel

Honfleur Exploration and Beyond from this Normandy Base

Honfleur has plenty to see, eat, drink, and enjoy. The city is home to a few small museums including Musée Eugène Boudin which features the works of impressionist artists, and Musée de la Marine telling the story of Honfleur’s maritime history. France’s largest wooden church, Saint Catherine’s, also calls Honfleur home.

Le Vieux Bassin (the old basin or harbor) is the heart of the city. Once a merchant and fishing port, the harbor is now home to yachts and sailboats. Restaurants that tempt the taste-buds line the sidewalks and show off buckets of mussels and fresh fish. Don’t arrive ravishingly hungry–you do not want to stop at the first place you pass by. The view is worth so much that not all restaurants here are up to par. That being said, the ones that certainly deserve your taste buds’ attention. We had a fantastic dish featuring skate (ray in French). I have seen Jacques Pépin prepare it on his cooking show and watched my husband toss many a skate back into the Atlantic Ocean when fishing on Long Island, NY. This fish smothered in white wine, butter, and caper sauce is nothing short of outstanding!

A look at an old building in Honfleur, France, Normandy base for exploration.

Slate, stucco, timber, and brick Normandy architecture throughout the city of Honfleur

Bed and Breakfast Rosebud

Honfleur is home to a host of bed and breakfasts, inns, small hotels, and guest homes. Our favorite stay is at the Chambres d’hôtes Rosebud. A short stroll from Le Vieux Bassin and the attractions of the city yet on the outskirts enough to make getting back on the road a cinch.

Le Havre

Just across the river by bus or taxi is France’s second busiest port, Le Havre. Musee d’art moderne Andre Malraux (MuMa) is the shining star of this city for any impressionist buff. The museum was initially built in 1845 and was utterly destroyed in the bombings of World War II. Re-built in 1951, and then restructured between 1995-1999, the museum is now a clean, contemporary building allowing the country’s most extensive impressionism collection of art to speak for itself.

Cider Trail

The Calvados region of Normandy is home to some of the world’s best cider. The Normandy tourism board has worked with the orchids to create wonderful itineraries of visiting and tasting along this 25-mile route through Pays d’Auge. Many of the mills require appointments so stop by a tourist info building to get things off to the right start.

Hens at Cider Orchid in Calvados, France, easy to reach from Normandy base Honfleur.

Hens clucking around outside of a cider mill in Cavaldos

D-Day Landing Beaches of Normandy

There are five main D-Day Landing Beaches: Sword Beach, Juno Beach, Gold Beach, Omaha Beach, Utah Beach. The beaches and towns along the coast are dotted with cemeteries, museums, and memorials. They are all moving, and it can be an emotionally draining day. If you are visiting the region to pay homage to a loved one or looking to view something specific start with the particular site you came to see so that you are not too exhausted. I also recommend hiring a tour–private or group–if you are looking to gain something specific out of your experience as it can be overwhelming. If you are visiting to pay your respects and learn more about this historical place and time you should be fine on your own. Either way, visit a tourist info point first to gain your bearings.

D-day landing beach in easy to reach from Normandy base of Honfleur.

Flags wave proudly in the breeze on one of Normandy’s D-Day landing beaches

Frescoes in Croatia: Learning the Art of Fresco

July 21, 2015 By Jessica McAvoy Leave a Comment

Frescoes are created by applying pigment to a damp wall surface of plaster (usually made by limestone or marble dust and water). They have been used during the centuries for purely decorative to the illustration of political or religious doctrine. The frescoes we viewed in Istria were created during Medieval times in small Gothic churches as a means to explain the stories of Christianity to illiterate parishioners.

When we checked into our accommodation in Bertoši located near the center of Istria in Croatia, our host asked us about our interests. To see as many frescoes as possible was my reply, of course. She made that happen, and she also connected me with local fresco artist and art professor Hari Vidović.

We arrived in Roč (Rozzo) on a sweltering afternoon and were instructed to meet Hari at the entrance gate. When we got to the town it was quiet and all shutters were drawn closed to keep out the heat. The air was stifling. We waited a minute or two and then around the corner came a gentleman in a puffy green Medieval top, tights, and painter’s cap. It was truly awesome to see him walk over dressed in full ethnic garb. Looking around our moto was the only thing in sight not ancient.

Hari was warm and open (which has been the case of every Croatian person we have met with no exception) and seemed as excited to meet us as we were to meet him. He took us to his studio telling us a bit about the history of Roč along the way. The town contains three churches from the 12th, 14th, and 15th centuries and is surrounded by Medieval walls, a Roman lapidarium, and has a cannon from the years it was apart of the Venetian empire. Hari told us a fantastic legend of a granny that saved the town from a Turkish invasion by filling the cannon with ash and setting it off making the invaders below believe there was an entire army firing down on them.

When we arrived in the studio, we began with a shot of local honey grappa, and an introduction to the materials. On the work table, there were a few tablets illustrating the different stages of surface preparation, as well as jars of pigments and brushes. It had been months since I painted and I was so anxious to get started! But, like everything, first comes preparation.

Hari walked us through the different stages and showed us our surfaces we would be painting on – ceiling terracotta tiles that were a few hundred years old. We applied a layer of gritty plaster made with river sand and water and set out to see the local church where we were given a tour of the frescoes while time worked its magic.

Hari applying a layer of plaster to the surface

Hari applying a layer of plaster to the surface

When we returned, we applied another layer plaster, this time much silkier and with marble dust added. We had a few minutes while it settled and so we riffled through some images to find what would be our muse and created a template on tracing paper. We began mixing our paints and then placed our templates on top of the surface. Using a toothpick,  traced the template into the plaster.

Plaster with limestone and marble dust

Plaster with limestone and marble dust

Working on the plaster surface was very much like working with watercolor. You start with the lightest colors and work up to the deeper and darker ones with layers. Some translucent, some opaque. After time you begin to feel the moisture dissipating from the surface. At this point, it is time to stop. If you are to go any further you must add a binder to the pigment as it will not absorb.

pigments

Pigments

We enjoyed our time with Hari in his studio creating our works of art to take home. Having a hands-on understanding of fresco creation was enlightening. Apart from the painting, we also really enjoyed chatting with Hari. He speaks excellent English as well as Italian, and we had plenty in common with him besides art!

The workshop lasted around 3 hrs or so and cost about 600 or so kuna each (about $90) and was well worth it for the experience. Daryl as a non-artist had a great time, but 3 hours of prep and painting was his limit. I could of stayed an entire day working on my fresco. If you are unhappy with your artistic creation but want a fresco to take home, Hari also has some of his own beautiful frescoes available for purchase in the studio. If you are in the area and are interested in learning more about fresco workshops with Hari email him: hari.vidovic@gmail.com.

Fresco completed during the 3 hour workshop

Fresco completed during the 3-hour workshop

 

 

Frescoes in Croatia: Dance of the Dead, Beram

July 20, 2015 By Jessica McAvoy Leave a Comment

As is the case with most frescoes in Croatia, the Chapel of Our Lady on the Rocks (Crkvica svete Marije na škriljinah, S. Maria delle Lastre) is not easy to visit. You must locate the key keeper to gain access. Sometimes, as in Draguć, the key keeper hands you the key and off you go. Other times, as in Beram (Vermo), you must locate the woman with the key, then she will hop in the car with you and direct you to the church.

The entrance is 20Kuna (about $2.85) per person. Some guidebooks say this is for the time spent by the woman to take you- she told me that this is not the case and all the money goes towards the upkeep of the church. The key keeper does not speak English, but does speak some Italian in addition to Croatian. Our Istrian friend Marijana offered to bring us since I didn’t think the woman would want to hop on the moto…

Beram-Fresco-Detail-5-webWe went late in the day, around 6:30 PM. The small Gothic church is surrounded by pine trees and there is no electricity. The time of day proved to be a little too late to really view the Dance of the Dead fresco which is located on the west wall of the church, however even in the darkness, the red still vibrated. The rest of the church had enough light coming in to see fairly well. Photographing the walls was not quite successful (I will not use a flash to photograph art as it damages the pigment) and I apologize for the poor quality of the photos. There are two windows on either side of the main door, and there is a second door on the south wall, as well as two windows in the nave allowing light to enter.

The key keeper narrated all the frescoes for us and Marijana translated. We felt very fortunate to be able to communicate with her as we found the story of the church and its frescoes fascinating. She explained to us that during the 18th century the original church had been expanded, the Gothic vault ceiling had been covered by the Baroque tabulas that are seen in there now, two windows were added on either side of the door damaging the frescoes of Adam and Eve, and the Wheel of Fortune, and that also during this time, the frescoes were covered up with mortar and not rediscovered until early in the 20th century.

Detail of the Baroque ceiling

Detail of the Baroque ceiling

Beram-Fresco-Detail-web

As described by guidebooks and websites the Dance of the Dead frescoes are beautiful. They were created to remind the faithful that everyone is equal in their dance with death; the pauper and the elite alike – all dance together when the time comes. They were vibrant enough for us to see much of the color and detail in the dark space. There was, however, plenty of light enabling us to view the rest of the frescoes. On the north wall is a rendition of the Adoration of the Kings running almost the entire length of the church. Through incredible detail, Kastav and his assistants pay homage to Istrian landscape and seascape by illustrating native flora and fauna, and the culture of the people painted in the traditional clothing of his time.

The south wall tells the story of the life of Mary in addition to other stories from the New Testament. For me, the most beautiful of the frescoes is a rendition of Veronica’s Veil in the underside of the arch over the entrance door. I was amazed at what great condition it is in.

I found the following website which I recommend checking out if you want to see more photos and descriptions of the frescoes, as well as history of the church itself. It also contains photos of the Dance of the Dead fresco which I was unable to photograph due to the lack of light. http://www.istrianet.org/istria/architecture/churches/beram/murals-descriptions.htm

Veronica's Veil

Veronica’s Veil

 

Frescoes in Istria Croatia: St. Rok of Draguć

July 19, 2015 By Jessica McAvoy Leave a Comment

Istria is littered with outstanding frescoes. The trick is to be persistent enough to find the key. Draguć (or Draguccio in Italian) is a tiny town near the center of Istria, Croatia. There are two small Medieval churches containing frescoes in opposite directions on the outskirts of what remains of the fortified city. When you enter with your car there is a graveyard and small church,  St. Elisia (XIII c.), on your right side. You then come to an open area to park and a map of the village and its sights. Unfortunately, a few weeks prior to our visit the roof of St. Elisia fell in so we were unable to view the inside. Hopefully the damage was not to severe to the frescoes.

Finding the key to gain access to frescoes in Istria Croatia can be a challenge.

We were very fortunate to be wandering around with our new Croatian friend, Marijana, and her Bernese Mountain Dog, Misha. Marijana had wanted to take me to the newly opened House of Frescoes (which had an opening that she had read about, but when we arrived learned it is not actually opened to the public yet). She quickly started asking people she saw how to obtain the key to the church on the opposite side of town, St. Rok (aka St. Rocco, or St. Roch). We found out the key was being held at house #40 (always ask around as key responsibility shifts). She exchanged pleasantries, obtained a Medieval iron key the size of my face, and off we went!

Approaching the exterior of the church is nothing short of a fairy tale – the church is perched atop the hill with views of the valley all around. We arrived later in the day so the sun and daylight were low on the horizon. Putting the key in the door, adrenaline was rushing through my body and I could not get the key to catch! I had no idea what to expect. When the door finally opened I was amazed by the wonderful condition the frescoes were in. The door has a small window that is open to the elements with the exception of iron bars, and there is also a small open window on one side.

The Church of St. Rok with frescoes in Istria, Croatia

The Church of St. Rok located in Istria, Croatia

The frescoes inside created by Antonio da Padova are immaculate considering they date from early 16th century and exposed to the elements through this door and window.  A local fresco artist, Hari Vidović, which I had the pleasure to take a fresco workshop with, explained to me that St. Roch was the patron saint called upon to protect again the Plague. As such there are many churches dedicated to his honor throughout Istria, and Croatia as a whole.

Interior view of the Church of St. Rok, Draguc, with frescoes in Istria, Croatia.

Interior view of the Church of St. Rok, Draguc, Istria, Croatia.

When we opened the door the light rushed in around us. As with any art I view, I will not take photo with a flash. I am not a photographer, so I apologize for the poor quality of photos. I hope you at least get an idea of what we saw from them.

Ceiling section in the Church of St. Roc, Draguc, with frescoes in Istria, Croatia.

Ceiling section in the Church of St. Roc, Draguc, Istria, Croatia.

Never did I imagine that the sleepy village of Draguc would still be protecting such beautiful frescoes.

We were greeted with still vivid earth tones in an almost entirely covered interior. I am not exaggerating by saying my breath was taken away and I had tears in my eyes. There were locations where time and water damage have removed the surface but overall the condition was remarkable. There were also places at shoulder height where the frescoes have been covered in graffiti over time. I tend to find the graffiti exciting to look at and a raw illustration of time and place.

Graffiti from 1623 on frescoes in Istria, Croatia

Graffiti from 1623 on fresco

Yes, looking at beautifully restored frescoes can be exhilarating. But in Croatia, seeing the time worn surface of the original hand, in a church that requires a hunt, is incredibly rewarding.

Close up of one of the frescos in Istria, Croatia

Close up of one of the frescos

Frescoes in Italy: Orvieto

May 20, 2015 By Jessica McAvoy Leave a Comment

Lavishly decorated and with no inch untouched, construction of the Duomo di Orvieto (Cathedral of Orvieto) began in 1290 and spanned several centuries. The cathedral is a bounty of artistic and architectural beauty that began in the Romanesque style and was completed in the Gothic style. The facade glistens in the sun and is balanced by 20th century bronze doors, a rose window, and bas-relief carvings. You enter through the main facade which gives you a true sense of scale. This space, like most of Italy’s cathedrals, was designed to make you feel humble and in awe. It does not disappoint on either front.

Orvieto Cathedral

Facade of the Duomo of Orvieto dedicated to the Our Lady of the Assumption.

Once inside you can drop some Euro into a a machine that looks like an old payphone and view details of the cathedral along with commentary. When you get your fill of the digital era, you can walk right up and view the frescoes (I recommend saving your money and just doing this in the first place). Each chapel is covered with frescoes, all worth a look. The star of the visit for me though is the Cappella di San Brizio, also known as the Signorelli Chapel or the Cappella Nuova.

The chapel nave contains frescoes by Fra Angelico and Benozzo Gonzzoli. Shortly after production began, these two gentlemen were called to the Vatican by the Pope and the chapel frescoes went unfinished. Luca Signorelli was contracted approximately 50 years later to complete the task. He (and his studio) went on to create an intricate illustration of preaching, the Last Judgement, entry to Hell and more.

When I visit cathedrals I take notice of how the artists created the works to specifically relate to the lighting situations found in the surrounding space. Now these pieces are all artificially lit with spotlights, however I view the light coming in the space through the surrounding windows and understand how that light in particular (along with few candle offerings) was the only source of light highlighting the work for centuries. Artists at the time were aware of how to maximize the dramatic effect of their works by consciously designing the highlighted locations within in the frescoes to enable the natural light to make the most impact visually. The photo below shows the unfortunate spotlight located at the left lower side of the window and the strong afternoon light flooding in.

The Signorelli Chapel in the Orvieto Cathedral illustrating the spotlight as well as the natural light filling the space.

The Signorelli Chapel in the Orvieto Cathedral illustrating the spotlight as well as the natural light filling the space.

The lighting and shadow in the frescoes are addressed in relationship to the direction of the light flooding in the space from the window. This photo was taken in the afternoon. Take notice of the “line” of light haphazardly created by the spotlight. While I am grateful that lighting allows us to fully appreciate the works, there was a time when you had to drop a coin in a box to turn the light on in many cathedrals. This allowed you to view the frescoes both naturally and artificially.

The chapel has a time limit of 15 minutes for viewing with a set maximum number of people that can enter at a time. If you see a tour group inside just hold off for a few minutes and enter after they exit. In my experience the guards will allow you to look longer if you are visiting at off-peak times (first thing in the morning or after 3 pm). To really study all the frescoes inside the cathedral I would allow at least two hours. For a brief gaze a half hour to hour should suffice. For more information visit http://www.opsm.it/.

Frescoes in Italy: Assisi

May 16, 2015 By Jessica McAvoy Leave a Comment

The first thing you notice when you are approaching Assisi is how beautiful it is perched in the distance. Then, after being welcomed in many languages on various electronic signs, you notice how beautiful it is right in front of you. Take note of how well manicured all the gardens are and how clean the sidewalks are. This my friend is for you, the tourist, the person who has come to visit the Basilica di San Francesco (St. Francis).

St Francis of Assisi Bascilica

The building of Assisi’s pride and joy began in mid to late 1220s shortly after the canonization of St. Francis. He was secretly laid to rest here for fear his remains would be looted. The exact location of his final rest was only re-discovered in the early 1800s.

As you enter the nave of the upper basilica you are hugged by beauty. Frescoes surround you. There will undoubtedly be a tour group or a few in the space. Be patient as they will only look for a minute and move on. The upper section is believed to be the work of Giacomo, Jacopo Torriti, Pietro Cavallini, and Giotto (or not).

The lower section contains 28 frescoes of the life of St. Francis and art historians have quarreled for years if these are from hands of Giotto. Really, it does not matter. They are beautiful and exquisite.

In 1997 the upper Basilica was heavily damaged by an earthquake. Four lives were lost in the nave that day when a Cimabue fresco came crashing down. Walking through this space gazing up and around it is hard to not contemplate how the years of painstaking restoration following the earthquake may have forever altered for good or bad the frescoes. According to reports by the BBC over 300,00 fragments, many smaller than a fingernail, have been pieced back together. Photographer Ghigo Roli had just completed photographing all the frescoes inside the Basilica hours before the earthquake hit. His photos ended up to be priceless for the reconstruction efforts. Images of before and after can be seen in the book The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi : glory and destruction.

Earlier this year I read an Artnet News article that referred to claims an Italian newspaper made that the frescoes were destroyed by the restoration process. There will always be a risk in preservation leading to destruction, but we must ask ourselves is the alternative, simply just allowing destruction to occur, a better course of action?

Giotto & Cimabue

The lower basilica is outstanding as well. There are three entrances, one which brings you right in front of a magical wall. Giotto and Cimabue, side by side. Teacher and student. I often avoid places that are over-run by tour groups. Assisi is one place I will never avoid. If you plan to truly look at each fresco allow yourself half to a whole day to visit. To just breeze through and enjoy gazing I suggest budgeting 1 to 2 hours.

For more information about Assisi visit assisionline.com.

A Decision for Change

March 15, 2015 By Jessica McAvoy 2 Comments

We spend on average 40+ days a year away from home and find ourselves planning our next trip before returning from the last. I find myself planning trips that I am not ready (or planning) to take. I plan for everyone around me whether they ask or not, and at less than ideal times (an unofficial sign on my office door at work said “Unlicensed Travel Agent”).

Earlier this year a friend gave me a NY Times article by Stephanie Rosenbloom (What a Great Trip! And I’m Not Even There Yet) that discusses the thrill of planning the trip. Yep, I get a real thrill from planning – making checklists, reading reviews – and examining the individual that created the review (ie: how many hotel reviews has he/she created, are they all typically the same as in really poor or excellent or a variety, do they typically stay in 5 star resorts and are now comparing this 2 star b&b to what they are used to?)  I know, most people find research and organization repulsive. Not me.

A vacation in the sense of the word as it is known is never enough for me. Over the years we had joked about “selling it all” and traveling but it always just seemed so distant and untouchable. After all, we had been living the American dream. In 2003 we purchased a house that over the years we turned into a home. A haven of what we love. We had it all, the house in a little village that we helped to revitalize. We lived only a train ride from NYC, and a 20 minute ferry ride or drive to the beach.

Why would we want to give it all up? Well, we were living a dream, but it was no longer ours. We both had been feeling fed up with careers. I had a few great reinventions of myself but found that now I was just dabbling in a few different things with a 9-5 job to make up the difference in order to go on vacations. My feeling was that having a career at this moment in time was not what I was looking for, but Daryl was only just reaching this conclusion and the first trip to Hawaii sealed the deal for him. We had come to a decision for change.

We came home from our first trip to the Big Island of Hawaii in 2013 to a snowy, wet, cold and gray early March. On the flight home we felt homesick for Hawaii and vowed to start cleaning out and getting rid of some “stuff.” Quite amazing how much stuff can be amassed in a 1,000 sq ft home over 11 years. For a number of years we had lived by a “something comes in, something goes out” rule, but we still had lots to part with. Before we knew it we were back in Maui and Kauai, and after returning from that trip quickly booked another back to the Big Island and to Oahu.

We loved it there so much we even planned a trip for the middle of the summer on Long Island. If you know Long Island at all, you know that you basically live here all year anticipating the summer.  Miles of sandy beaches, beautiful skies, and the only time of the year where people slow down from living life 100 mph to 97 mph… ok, maybe 95 mph.

The fall of 2013 Beth Giacummo and I created the NY Contemporary Arts Symposium (NYCAS) to bring 12 international artists to NY to create and collaborate with each other and the community. At this point I realized I was done with traditional life as I knew it. Meeting the artists here for the residency instilled a feeling of being trapped by circumstances. I loved my house and my life – just not my situation.

Now I was faced with the opportunity to be apart of residencies in other countries. I have had to turn down invitations to participate in both Romania and Austria, and what for? In January we headed off to Toledo, Spain with a gaggle of friends to be apart of NYCAS artist Fernando Barredo de Valenzuela art happening surrounding the release of his book and the 400th anniversary of El Greco’s death. Participating in the event reminded me that life is about more than living someone else’s dream.

On our flight home from our 3rd trip to Hawaii that year just 6 weeks after being in Spain, it was settled.  We were selling our house and moving to Hawaii… well, maybe after spending some time exploring Europe. Oh yeah, and one more quick vacation back in Hawaii before leaving for Europe!

 

Papakolea, or the Green Sand Beach in Naahelu, Hawaii. The sand is small particles of peridot giving the beach a green hue.

Papakolea, or the Green Sand Beach in Naahelu, Hawaii. Intoxicating!

 

 

Big Island Wood Turners Club Exhibit

March 7, 2015 By Jessica McAvoy 1 Comment

Earlier this week we decided to sneak away from endless bouts of snow and cold to the land where palm trees sway. You guessed it… Hawaii! We got on the plane looking for summer and everything that accompanies – swimming in the ocean to fresh fruits and veggies. Yesterday we drove from Waikoloa on the northwest coast to the southernmost point in the USA, Ka Lae. I had read in one of tourist magazines about the 17th Annual Big Island Wood Turners Club exhibit at the Wailoa Arts and Cultural Center in Hilo. We are always mesmerized by the wood work we see here so we decided to go the long way around the island and check it out.

The quality of the wood work is outstanding. I always fall in love with the eloquent Koa wood rocking chairs and can justify why I need one… believe me, these are no Crackerbarrel front porch rockers. Every curve is meticulously carved and the joints are impeccable. If furniture is not your thing, there are tons of wood pens, decorative boxes, vessels, bowls, sculptures, paddles, and wall pieces to eye up.

All of the pieces in the Big Island Wood Turners Club exhibit must have some part of their creation made from use of a lathe. Koa wood, norfolk pine, avocado, mango, and jarcaranda are just a few of the species the artisans use. Most of the pieces in the show are traditional style vessels such as bowls, lidded boxes, and pens, but there are some non-functional sculptural pieces as well. There are a number of bowls turned out of of a single wood species of wood and polished so smooth you can see your reflection and could be mistaken for porcelain. Others are designed of multiple woods, with inlays and patterns, and even some with unfinished edges. The characters of the different wood species are explored by the artists.Big-Island-Wood-Turners-Exhibit1

We worked our way around the exhibition and in the lower level we noticed a makeshift wood shop set up. We wandered our way down. That is where we met Doug.

Doug's LatheDoug Leiteo is the current President and the non-profit organization’s co-founder. About 20 years ago he and a few of his turning buddies decided to form the Big Island Wood Turners Club. When we first approached his work area he was finishing up his lunch and we were trying not to bother him – Daryl asked a question or two and then he opened up and started showing us his custom rosette cutter/die. He designed the machine and built it to fit his needs.

Doug started out as a US Navy mechanic and then opened his own machine shop where he worked on all sorts of projects but loved drag racing and engine work. His face lit up as he told us his story of where he has been and what he has worked on. Currently he is designing and building a custom glass blowing lathe.

About Me

Every day is the first day of a new adventure. I have a love affair with food, wine, art, and language... Read More…

About Me, Jessica McAvoy

Every day is the first day of a new adventure. I have a love affair with food, wine, art, and language... Read More…

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