AIR JUNE 2024 The Apartment, Studio, & my favorite spot to cool off.

Hi friends and family!!

I was much busier than expected at Borgo this June, and incredibly torn between using the little free time I had to write about my experiences, or to live more of it. For those of you following along, I'm sure you know which I chose.

Aside from a few photos and videos I shared on instagram, I spent most of my time teaching, painting, and walking the grounds, being drawn to the blue lagoon swimming hole at the river on many hot and humid days.

The fact is, the words have were not available to me while I was still in it.

Truthfully, a lot of my AIR experience is so intertwined with my personal life and hard for me to untangle.

I will need to take some time to process this latest adventure once I’ve been separated from it for a while, so I thank you for your patience.

Some themes I’m pondering:

“Luck”
Flow & the vast powers of water
How I’m perceived as an Artist in DE vs Borgo
Worth & Value
Connection
Kindness & emotional manipulation
Rooting vs freedom
AI and the cathartic nature of art making

Do any of these topics interest you?

What would YOU like to know more about?

For now, I can tell you about the logistics.

My first few days were spent getting adjusted to the six hour time difference and reacquainting myself with the bucolic grounds that is BSP. Borgo Santo Pietro is situated in Tuscany near Siena, and is very remote. One store is within walking distance and serves the Borgo staff without wheels as well as any remaining residents of Palazzetto.

It is run by a kind and patient older man, Lorenzo who keeps the place open well into the night to allow for Borgo staff to get those after work drinks, snacks, and have a place to unwind.

I settled easily back into the pace of Tuscan life, the incredible amenities and those less than what I’m used to as well.

The artist's apartment

The apt provides for a convenient and safe place to stay while away from Borgo. This upstairs farmhouse apartment is on the property of a man named Giuseppe and his family. There’s a small kitchen with dorm-sized refrigerator, cooktop, microwave, and table and chairs. There's a small well-used futon, a bathroom with a very small shower, and bedroom with full sized bed, cedar armoire, mirror, a small desk, and thank the lord, a fan. Every room had big windows and wooden shutters, but screens are uncommon in these homes.

I spent very little time in the apartment. I would return after dark sometimes with a bottle of Chianti and some chocolate from town.

I was drawn outdoors before sunrise, as the fog in the fresh cut barley fields drew me and my camera outside. The morning dew and promise of high heat and humidity in the afternoon allowed me time to play comfortably within the in between spaces. I’d sing and clap my hands to make my presence known (thank you Anna for the tip!) so that the wild boar, foxes, and wolves would make themselves scarce. I suppose my singing voice would also clear the area so much so that I could get creatively uninhibited and make some self-portraits.

Without ac, I learned to open up my windows at night and shut them in the morning to capture the cool air. I was fortunate for the fan on those days the humidity and heat was at its height.

Without wifi, I learned to make the most of the daylight and was up and out with the rising sun.

The artist's house studio

Once I took an account of the supplies on hand, I booked my transfer to Ruffoli in Siena to pick up what I’d need for all the potential lessons I'd teach for the month as well as pick up a cheap Italian phone. Unfortunately the winding roads and lingering jet lag made for... an eventful journey. Note to self - don't forget the dramamine!!! Shout out to Jonathan, my driver who handled things like a champ and took good care of me. I gifted him a painting to always remember the artist who... he would never forget.

On another note, one of the clerks reminds me so much of (Delaware folks will know) Jerry’s, Dave Bart! The store has some serious history and they have a lot of items there, but not everything.

I kept things somewhat simplistic, and worked with water soluble materials, including gouache and watercolor. My lessons were a combination of skill building and allowing the creativity to flow.

With an impending 14 person wedding party group lesson, I knew I’d need a lot of materials, but I truly didn't know the half of it! I finished out the season having provided lessons for a total of 46 people. I enjoyed every single one of them!

Below is my first student, who set the stage for an amazing month full of fabulous teaching and learning moments.

The artist's house studio is farmhouse-chic, with an unlevel desk and table, and matching chest, very wabi-sabi or perfectly imperfect. Dozens of large stretchers lean up against the wall with some left over rolls of canvas, easels, drawers full of acrylics, and some other studio staples.

The lack of a sink can pose a problem, but I was prepared with some buckets I found in the chest, and recycled water bottles. The space has tons of windows, which served better to let in the swarms of blood-sucking mosquitos than the light, but I enjoyed painting en plein air, in the shaded gardens or by the river on most days.