UNA BELL'ESTATE A FIRENZE
It truly has been a magical summer in Firenze. I can't imagine a more perfect place to learn, laugh, eat, or enjoy the summer sun. The students were a special group and the friendships formed will last long after the warm months have passed and this amazing trip seems like a distant memory. On behalf of the 2011 staff, we have so enjoyed getting to know these young adults and we thank you all for a wonderful summer. Thanks for reading, and one last time- saluti da Firenze!
UNA PAUSA A PISA
Abbey Roaders pose in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Final stop of the day on our last weekend trip
Jamie gives Pisa two thumbs up!
UNA GITA IN SPIAGGIA: VIAREGGIO
Adam and Anthony enjoying our last weekend trip: beach day in Viareggio
Claudia sketches in the shade
Sam & Claire
Callie & Eden
Aria, Emma and Ilana loving the beach
TABLEAU VIVANT
Students in Daniele's art history elective completed a Tableau Vivant project as their final assignment. Each group had to choose and re-stage a well-known painting, using group members and basic materials to construct costumes/scenery. Check out their work below!
Judith and Holofernes by Gentileschi
Baptism of the Neophytes by Masaccio
Birth of Venus by Botticelli
Madonna Enthroned by Giotto
PROJECT RUNWAY
For our final residence night, Abbey Roaders got creative and participated in our annual "Project Runway" challenge! Each team was given 90 minutes to create a fabulous look using materials like garbage bags, newspaper, aluminum foil, wrapping paper, dishrags, fake flowers, rubber bands, plastic straws, and magazines. As you can see from the final products, everyone "made it work" and created some fashionable ensembles.
Bari and David pose before taking on the runway
Julia on the catwalk
Staff team model: Daniele!
All of our beautiful (and brave!) models
Staff team poses proudly with Daniele
FINAL ART SHOW
As a culmination to a summer of truly impressive art-making, students in Digital Photography, Drawing, and Oil Painting had the chance to showcase their work in the final art show. The talent was absolutely incredible and it was exciting to see what the students had been working on for the past four weeks.
Altered books made by Digital Photography students
Drawing extraordinaires: William and Lindsay
Checking out the altered books
Danielle and Caterina consider the Old Masters copies
Final projects of Drawing students
Oil painting student Melissa poses with her self-portrait
Drawing teacher Lindsay poses with some of her students
FORTEZZA DA BASSO
Students enjoy an evening at Fortezza da Basso, an outdoor venue with live music, international cuisine, and clothing/jewelry vendors
Elizabeth and MacKenzie
Pa & Melissa
Caterina & Monica
Group photo at the entrance
STORIA DELL'ARTE
Aria Cohen and Sara Schuster shares their experiences in Art History class:
“Art history with Daniele has been unlike any class we’ve ever taken. His enthusiasm, coupled with our ability to experience the art in person, changed the way we think of art history. On a day-to-day basis, we travel throughout the city listening to Daniele explain, or “make confrontations” between pieces on our own. We constantly engage in analytical conversations, prompted by Daniele, and learn to recognize iconography, as well as understand the movement from Romanesque to Gothic, and finally into the Renaissance that Florence is famous for. Living in Florence is not the same once you’ve learned to identify the different styles that surround you. We’ve watched the great masters (namely Michelangelo, Raffaello, and Leonardo) diverge and expand their work, and we’ve (through Daniele’s descriptions) essentially seen the Duomo be built. Due to this class we’ve gone from being spectators of this city to a group culturally aware of Florence’s rich history.”
Students strategizing during the final scavenger hunt
Danielle, Kate, and Sara
Aria listens during a guided tour at the Accademia
Daniele and Danielle
GRAFFITISTE
Drawing students took to the streets for a culminating course activity this week. Lead by Lindsay and William, the students explored underground graffiti tunnels in the Le Cure neighborhood of Firenze. These tunnels are well known and serve as an art gallery, with local artists maintaining it and sharing the space. There is a waiting list to be granted a workspace within the tunnel, so the drawing students did the next best thing and created a collaborative graffiti project to install at the entrance to the tunnel. After almost two hours of careful work, studenti connected their work into one long piece and mounted it outside the tunnel for all of Florence to enjoy. They were excited to work with a new material and leave a piece of their (he)art behind for others to see. Check out their work below!
Checking out the tunnel before starting their projects
Working together to mount the piece
Drawing students and Lindsay with the finished installation
ITALIAN CONVERSATION
Sara Schuster shares her experiences in Italian Conversation:
“Italian conversation with Valentina has proved to be the perfect mix and learning and relaxation for me in Florence. In laid back settings (a bar- coffee in hand, or stretched out on a couch in one of the apartments are both prime examples) we practice talking, introducing ourselves, ordering or other necessities. Personally, after the long hikes throughout Florence that I experience each morning in my pursuit to understand the growth from Gothic to Renaissance to Baroque (art and architecture, that is), these afternoons are perfect. I love the alternately calm and interesting lessons as I learn everything from “Sono Sara e ho seidici anni” to “il mio fratello si chiama Alex” (“I’m Sara and I am 16” or “my brother’s name is Alex” for those not taking Italian). The class allows students to, at their own pace, begin to absorb and then tentatively formulate Italian. Rather than rigid structure and memorization, the class keeps everyone speaking, whether it be about “Milly and Molly”, the characters of a children’s book we’ve been working with, or over what we plan on ordering as the class shares a lunch out. My comfort level in Florence has changed as I learn to communicate, if only in my broken Italian, and I have no doubt that I will only get stronger by the end of the month.”
LA TRAVIATA
Our grande famiglia enjoyed an evening of culture during our last week in Florence- a trip to the opera to see Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata. As if this weren’t enough of a treat, we watched this musical masterpiece in the magical setting of the Boboli Gardens. Studenti put on their finest attire and witnesed (for some) their first opera experience in true Florentine style. What a way to end the week!
Ladies all dolled up
Cara, Eilis, and Jamie pose in Piazza della Repubblica
Austin, Emily, Elizabeth & Pa
Lauren, MacKenzie, and Eden ready for a little night music
Eleanor, Emily, and Anna enjoy gelato before walking to Giardino di Boboli
Caroline can't wait!
Bravo!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)