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Italy through the eyes of a mosaic artist

Here I am, landing in Milano and already on deadline. I have been giving this tour of Italy for the past 6 years, and my reflections of past tours are sure to bring a smile to my heart, as well as quite a few hearty laughs! The focus of my tour is mosaics, something I have studied and researched relentlessly in the past decade or two... time seems irrelevant after 40. This year I have changed the tour substantially, choosing to bring the group to Umbria to my studio, where I will teach a class, and the participants will live in a pensione with a local family, a true Italian education!

We will spend time exploring the Umbrian medieval hilltowns, and our mosaics will reflect the design and coloring of this region. I started this tour as a way to share the incredible experience which I have had as an artist with others whom may not have the time to assimilate this lifestyle. It has been a tremendously rich experience for me as an American artist who has spent her life living in a society where the work ethic often takes precedence in life. Living in this part of the world puts working into an entirely different perspective; here they work to live, not live to work as I often find in the U.S. Food and the gatherings, which result around it, are celebrated here, and this seems to be the focus of the lifestyle, as well as a natural appreciation of art and design. As an artist I have found that the benefits I've received from the seemingly lazy periods I've spent in this area, waking late, taking endless passiagata's (walks through the countryside) have been a rich source of inspiration of which I've drawn on endlessly when I have returned to the states with my frantic lifestyle of "to do" lists.

My goal is to share the inspiration, which results from these periods of lavish meditation, and organic culinary delights, as well as teach the history of mosaics in this fascinating country. There are three schools (or styles) of mosaic in Italy.

The Ravenna school, is also known as the artistic school, this city has been considered the mosaic capital by many. This style of mosaic is recognized by its use of smalti and marble in small, often cubed tesserae. In this city they have kept the double indirect method of setting alive, a method that is often used for restorations as well as making copies of ancient mosaics. The city is a treasure of Byzantine style mosaics, and is one of the best places to see this style of mosaic as well as meet many artisans which have made this their life's work. My favorite classical mosaic in Ravenna is the three wise men in St. Appolinare Nuovo, it is there tights that keep me coming back! (photo) There are also a number of contemporary mosaicists throughout the city, the newest sculpture, right out of the train station is from the studio of Marco Bravura. (photo)

My friend Manuella Farenetti, is an wonderful guide to this city, and though I have been with her over a dozen times, I always learn something new with her tours. She is also the author of the book "Technical Ð Historical Glossary of Mosaic ArtÓ which is an excellent resource for the understanding the language and history of this centuries old art form. Lucciana Notturni, also an old friend is a respected "maestra" in this area, teaching at the restoration school as well as in her private studios. Lucianna's classes teach mosaicists the techniques of making copies of ancient mosaics. In her studio they also work on interesting commissions, I can't wait to see what they are creating on now! As a mosaicist I find it a joy to spend time with my peers, sharing experiences and learning about their current work as well as sharing my own.


"Pietra Dura" was the second style of mosaic to emerge in Florence during the Renaissance. This was a style that had the patronage of the Medici family, and thrived during this period. Unfortunately this style is becoming somewhat of a dying art, as it is very labor intensive, and the period of apprenticeship is far longer that our contemporary lifestyles dictate. One of the few remaining masters of this art form, Mauro Tacconi has his studio in the countryside of Florence. His father Marco, gained fascination with this form of art in his early teens, and became one of the foremost masters creating in this method. Mauro, his brother Marco, and his uncle Enzo still work in the studio creating unequaled works of art using semi precious stones, and marbles from the surrounding countryside and around the world. This style is similar to an intarsia, or inlay method, using marbles and semi precious stones. The stones must be cut with precision; incredibly an ancient tool is used, comprised of a tree branch and metal wire, which is strung from one end to the next. A paste of carbide is brushed on as the wire is drawn through the stone which is held in a vise in front of the artisan.
I only watch in amazement at this procedure! This style of mosaic is used as gifts to Kings and heads of state, Tacconi mosaics are museum quality treasures. Mauro is planning a trip to Miami, and I look forward to having him as part of our mosaic exhibition next December at the Atelier, I always enjoy my time with him and his family!

In Rome, we will visit the Vatican and explore the third style of Italian mosaic. This style is a very "painterly style". In the mid 1500Õs it was noted that the artworks embellishing St. Peter's were become damaged due to the humidity in the great building. Pope Gregory XIII decreed that all the paintings were to be copied into mosaics, as such they would become "art for the eternity". A school was opened in the Vatican City in 1576, and artisans from around Italy came to be trained. The mosaics, which resulted, are very difficult to distinguish as mosaics, they took on the characteristics of the paintings, which they were made to replicate. This style utilizes smalti, in a form, which is called smalti fillati, or filament. The glass is heated to a molten state and then pulled into long strings. The size varies between capellini and linguini, and is fitted very tightly with interstices, which are not recognizable. The school at the Vatican is now closed, however their remains a studio where seven mosaicists still work, keeping the Vatican mosaics restored to their original grandeur. It is in this studio that the most comprehensive library of smalti can be found. They have over 12,000 different colors to choose from, many of which cannot be reproduced today. Originally the Vatican had the facilities to produce their own smalti, however their furnaces were shut down, and todayÕs production of smalti is much glossier than ancient colors.

The styles of the ancient mosaics are quite varied and it has been with great intrigue that I have researched both the techniques as well as the artisans, which are masters in these forms. I enjoy stepping into this world, and it has been a great inspiration for the works, which I create, as well as the classes I teach. It is fun to share the research, which I have done, as well as the friends, which I have made in Italy with others on this holiday. What better place to learn than in this land of cultural and gastronomic wealth! When I created this trip it was with the idea that it would be an adventure, which I would participate in if someone else were giving it. I still approach it that way, the tours groups are small, and as such they also take on the personalities of the participants, which has been quite a source of hilarity at times. Nothing better for the soul than a healthy laugh, good food and wine, and a mosaic class with the masters!

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