Ho andato a Firenze!!!

AHHH Sunday! True day of rest in Italy... and much needed. This past week was something of a whirlwind. I got back Monday night from Rome with mom and dove right into to my studio work. I finished my midterm project in book arts. That's the two books I have mentioned before... they were both journals using Japanese binding... the covers were made of materials found in Cortona... images that will remind me of my home here. I really ended up loving both of these books. Our critique went well and I'm sure I will receive a satisfactory grade for them. Those were due on Thursday. I also had a lot to do in ceramics... I did a three piece series of large serving bowls. Each a little different in size and all three using a texture that reminds me of the hill towns here in Italy where the buildings sit on the cliffs... I really love these three bowls... One of them is going to be my exhibit piece in the closing exhibit for all of Cortona which is this coming up Friday... so soon! The first one to be fired will come out of the kiln tomorrow so I'm anxious to glaze and see how it finishes. I've now started a set of goblets with a matching decanter. I finished the decanter for the most part Friday and Saturday. It just needs some smoothing out but I think I'm going to love it. I started the goblets today... not really sure how those are going to turn out. They are the pieces that I've been waiting to have a chance to make. I REALLY wanted some goblets but the one I made this morning wasn't that beautiful and still has a lot of work to be done so I might be experimenting more with size and shape this evening. I will be spending most of this upcoming week glazing pieces and finishing everything up for my final critique which is next week after the exhibit!!! ahhh... I think I'll be fine in ceramics. I've really kept up my pace in that class. I am super nervous about book arts though. We have our final project due in 1 1/2 weeks and I still have no idea what I'm going to do for it. I'm still contemplating the small biographies that I mentioned. I think that would be special to have and something I can add to in the future. I'm gonna need some pictures though of each person and Im not sure how I can obtain that while in Italy. I guess I haven't mentioned my Italian class much haha. It's really been a breeze. I thin our prof knew we would be spending all our time in the studio and therefore didn't challenge us much... which I appreciate. We have our final this thursday and an essay due Tues... but I don't think either will be very difficult.

Yesterday we went of a field trip to Florence and I loved it. First we visited the Academia which houses Michelangelo's David sculpture and it was amazing. This thing is huge in person and I didn't think it was possible for a statue to be sexy but DAVID IS HOTT!!! haha... It was an amazing piece of art to see. After that we had the day free... of course they proposed hundreds of museums and cathedrals to see but I am just museumed out so we shopped haha. Florence has great shopping and amazing leather markets... I wanted a leather jacket sooooo bad but i refrained. I got a lot of business type skirts and blouses though for my internship that starts in August since I have no business casual attire in my wardrobe. I really enjoyed the freedom to walk around and explore without a schedule. Today I spent a few hours at the pool working on my tan that has faded terribly since my Florida trip in May. I only have two weeks left in Cortona and then we're off to Venice... it's surreal to think that I'll prob never see this place again. It's become like a second home... I know this place like Douglasville... scary! I guess I have a paper to write and goblets to make so I must be going.