Journey to Italy and Spain with mosaicista Gina Hubler and friends!
“Art of the Italian Lifestyle” May 19 through May 28, 2008.
“Barcelona - The Magic Starts Here…” May 31 through June 7, 2008.
Art of the Italian Lifestyle
May 19 We meet in Venice and explore this floating city. This is where smalti is made and glass artists thrive! We will island hop on the vaporetti visiting Murano, the island known for its glass makers, and seeing the canals which make this city one of the most fascinating in the world. We will stroll along the Misericordia for our first Italian seaside dinner.
May 20 Step into the world of glass, we will be at Orsoni’s learning about smalti, how it’s made, visiting their colour library — like children in a candy store! Learning how to use this age olde highly coveted mosaicists glass. Where better than in the studio in Venice! We will start our mosaic workshop with our Venetian masters, and get a taste for the colour and metallics which makes smalti the choice of mosaicists world wide. In the evening we will meet for a passagiata (evening stroll) and another memorable dinner.
May 21 We will continue our workshop learning from the maestro, and creating with Italian style! In the evening we will explore the Grand Canale, with time to explore the fascinating small winding streets that make Venice such a mystery. We will enjoy our evening cena in a small neighborhood restaurant known for their Venetian specialties.
May 22 Our final day of class, you will have the opportunity to visit St. Mark’s Cathedral and see the incredible mosaic embellishment of this structure, as well as learning about its history.
May 23 What could be better... Mosaics, Italian cuisine, and all the promises of the Italian countryside... ours to explore. We will journey to Spilimbergo today, heading north in Italy we will venture to the contemporary mosaic school which is making headlines in the world today! Here you will see up and coming mosaicists and their proving ground. It is a beautiful journey through the Italian countryside. A region where olives and vineyards abound .
May 24 Today we will bid farewell to Venice, and head for Ravenna, the home of Byzantine mosaics. We will enjoy a tour of the mosaics with our guide from Ravenna! She is a delight, and will make both the artwork and the
history come alive. We will take in the evening splendor of this city, and
have dinner at a local trattoria.
May 25 Today after a leisurely morning of exploring Ravenna, we will
depart for Florence, the city of the Rennaisance, where you can walk in Michaelangelo’s path! Cross the Ponte Vecchio where jewelers abound, and
the Ferragamo shoe museum is just a step away. We will meet for dinner in a
ristorante which features Florentine specialties.
May 26 This will be a day to explore the Tuscan countryside, we will visit a “Pietra Dura” master’s studio, and learn about this fascinating style of mosaic which was patroned by the Medicis. When we return to the city you will have time to wander the street markets. The Duomo and Battisterie are just steps from our door!
May 27 We will explore this fascinating city, and its historic significance in the mosaic world. A visit to the studio where micro mosaics are created to be sold at the Vatican galleries, these mosaics are not to be missed. For our farewell dinner we will meet and dine at a restaurant, which specializes
in this regional cuisine, a wonderful salute to Italy!
May 28 Arrivederci Italia! Here we will depart with memories to last a lifetime.
May 29 For those of you who will join both tours transfers will be arranged
from Italy to Spain!
Barcelona - The Magic Starts Here
May 30 Barcelona! Today we will meet in the city known for the mosaics of Architect Antonio Gaudi. Our first stop will be “Sagrada Familia”
Cathedral, under construction for over 100 years, you will understand why
when you see the artistry at work here! In the afternoon we will visit Parc
Guell, another mosaic masterpiece of the 20th century. In the evening we
will visit the light and water spectacular of Plaza Espana.
May 31 Gaudi’s most magnifiscent residential project Casa Battilo, an undulating structure with mosaic accents and undulating seaside
architectural elements throughout. “La Pedrera” another of Gaudi’s projects will help unravel the mysteries of Gaudi’s life and accomplishments. In the afternoon we will explore one of the fine art foundations of which this city abounds!
June 1 Today we will visit Palau de la Musica, a mosaic and modernist
masterpiece, you will notice the different style of mosaic utilized and the
trends set also in stained glass and sculptural mosaics. This afternoon we
will take an artists tour of the city, a bohemian adventure.
June 2 Today we will visit the National Museum of Art and you will have
some free time to explore this fascinating city! In the evening we will
meet for a concertina or possibly... the Flamenco!
June 3 We will bid farewell to Barcelona and make our way up the Costa
Brava to our atelier home where we will create mosaics and explore this
fascinating seaside region and its environs.
June 4 Today we will head to Cadaques and Dali’s triangle. This is the area where he lived, loved, and created. We will find his home, the home he bought for his beloved, and the museum dedicated to his life’s work. A
surreal adventure!
June 5 Today is the final day for our mosaic workshop, we will have a bit of time for enjoying our seaside environment, in this naturally beautiful
region.
June 6 Today we will head for Girona, a lovely cittadina with architecture
from medieval through modernist periods. We will bid farewell here with
easy connections for airports in Girona or Barcelona, and memories for a
lifetime!
You may download a brochure for this year's tour, which also contains a registration form.
