Graffiti clean up in Florence!

on the side of the Brunelleschi cathedral, Santo Spirito 2009

Well, it's about Time! http://www.angelidelbello.org/index.php a group that is working on cleaning up Florence's (Firenze) horrible problem with graffiti!

Fiorentini! e' tempo di comminciare a reprendere la citta'! E' da troppo tempo che i muri communali sono stati disgraziati da graffiti! Adesso che questo gruppo che e' dedicato di pulire la citta..hanno bisognio di piu persone! :-)

If I was still living there I would be part of this program. I have been disgusted by how degraded the city streets have become in the last 5-10 years. (and have written about it at least a few times in this blog- the latest time here: in "Florence, choked with graffiti" I only hope that this can continue to be funded, and they can get a handle on the graffiti problem.

Oh, and before you go and give me hell about not appreciating graffiti, this shit in Florence is just cut rate tagging...and it is on historic buildings! it's a real tragedy.

e' una vera tragedia.

the hissing of summer lawns

Well, it's monsoon season again in Southern AZ- last week we had a series of storms every afternoon- it was exactly the thing that us Tucsonans long for at this time of year- Clouds and rain!

I know, it's strange to love clouds and rain- especially if you are from another part of the planet- I remember when I moved here from Boston (almost 20 years ago)that I thought I could never get enough sunshine...and the old timers would shake their heads and give a knowing laugh...
"Oh, just wait , little Yankee Girl..that sun will get you!" And they were right.

It's almost cumulative- those first few years here I think I was still thawing out from my years in New England. I was outside all summer long- be it 100* or more- riding my horse- hanging out with friends by their pool (they were in the shade)...and enduring each drive in my non-air conditioned 66 Plymouth Fury with a sense of adventure. Hey, I was innocent! I had yet to arrive at the crossroads- I was still thawing out.

Around 3 years in- I finally had enough. enough heat, enough HISSSSSS of the cicadas hanging out in the mesquite trees, enough of being burned by my steering wheel. Enough already of the heat! I was ready to move on- go back to New England- and perhaps get a Masters degree. So- I lined everything up- get tickets to fly to Boston to scout out living possibilities-  and you know what happened? Two weeks before I was scheduled to fly, I had a chance meeting with a very handsome Italian Physicist. He worked for the U of A- we were married within a year, and have now have been listening to the Cicada Symphony for 16 years together.

I have to say I still mind the heat- 100+ degrees - even if it is a Dry Heat- is still 100+ degrees. an oven is and oven is an oven. I even "cooked" a kid  in the Tucson summer- Cosmo will turn 9 on July 24.

But there is a certain weird camaraderie between Tucson's summer society. we give each other "knowing" looks as we scan the skies for clouds.
It's a Tucson thing, you may not understand......however.....
You May be from Tucson if.....................

• You can pronounce”Saguaro”, “javelina”, “San Xavier”, “Ina”, “Tanque Verde”, and “Cholla”
• from June-October you can fry an egg on the hood of your car
• Bragging season? October-April
• Whining season? May- October
• You think someone driving wearing oven mitts is clever.
• You think 60 tons of crushed red rock makes a beautiful yard.
• Vehicles with open windows have the right-of-way in the summer.
• You no longer associate bridges or rivers with water.
• You know a swamp cooler is not a happy hour drink.
• You can hear the weather forecast of 110 degrees without flinching.
• You can make sun tea instantly.
• The best parking is determined by shade…..not distance.
• You know that “Valley Fever” isn’t a disco dance.
• Hotter water comes from the cold water tap than the hot one.
• You actually burn your hand opening the car door.
• Sunscreen is sold year round, kept right at the checkout counter.
• You put on a hat and fresh sunscreen just to go check the mail box.

:-) ciao ciao- Enjoy the Monsoooooooons- MaureenBZ

Tucson, keepin it subversive

Tucson is a really laid back place to live- ample space for studio and gardens- I think we have pretty cheap rent too (though I haven't rented in years)
we spend a huge amount of time outside- so those of us with Seasonal Affective Disorder have no problems at all- Here in southern AZ we have so much sun it's almost maddening.

When I first moved here (from Boston in 1992) I was told that the few white puffy clouds that were in the sky made it a "cloudy" day...and that one day I would be just like all the other Southern Arizonans, who plead for a drop of rain to eek from a feeble cloud.....they were right!

When it rains here it's like a party- everyone goes to the window and the porch and slurps in the smell of wet creosote bush and desert ozone. You should see the tweets about the rain- Tucson Tweeps all bombard their twitterverse with exhalations of joy.  The plants green up, and birds tweet merrily.....All is good with the desert world..for about 15 minutes. Then it's back to sun sun sun sun sun sun sun.......The rarity of rain can explain why Tucson is also the home to Rainwater Harvesting and our local RH guru Brad Lancaster.(check out his book and website here)

Tucson is unlike most of AZ also because it is a patch of Democratic Blue in a sea of gun totin' whoop it up red Republicans. (ok, I'm exaggerating there, got a bit carried away with my stereotypes,  but we are really a Democrat haven in a red state) There are often motions for Pima county to succeed from the rest of AZ. While Portland keeps it weird, Tucson keeps it subversive.

It's awful that Tucson got "on the map" this year from the acts of a lone disturbed individual. But it was heartening to see the community pull together in the wake of the tragic shooting spree. We all have a lot of healing to do- and us subversive liberal artsy fartsy Tucsonans are keeping it real down here in the Olde Pueblo.
ciao for now- M

these are some people in the neighborhood....

Here are a few images of people in the neighborhood where we live in Florence-
Classic Florentini- in a colorful setting- just off the tourist track- a few steps from Palazzo Pitti

This gentleman has been selling books at this shop for decades-always open!

if I want to chat, I go visit Gianni Morganti in Piazza Santo Spirito- a great place for specialty items for the kitchen

 

 

Che c'e di bello?

What is beautiful here?

reflections in the fish pond at Boboli gardens

Florence is a city of contrast- there are certainly problems, as with most cities, but she also has much beauty. Today I thought I'd share some of the beauty- (after all of my griping about the brutto- ugly- graffiti)so- here are a few of my favorite images of la Bella Firenze.....

the Neptune Fountain in front of Palazzo Vecchio

admission

Ok, after bitching about the graffiti I have an admission to make: I too am a terrible scofflaw.
It used to be that you could take photos (without flash) in most of the churches and museums here in Florence- but with the advance of digital cameras (where everyone can get reasonable images even with a $100 camera) many places have outlawed cameras, even without flash.
The theory among us common folk is that the museums and churches closed to photography once they saw their gift shop sales diminishing and realized that tourists wouldn't buy books if they were able to take somewhat reasonable pictures themselves. So, instead of "no flash" symbols there are now "no Camera" symbols.

but sometimes you just can't help but take a risk.........

:-) M

(Breakin the Law, Breakin the Law!)

Florence: choked with grafitti

My husband is from Florence and we have spent a lot of time here- living full time from 97-2000 and since then we return about once a year. We live in the central historic part of Florence- near Brunaleschi's  Santo Spirito and around the corner from Piazza del Carmine. It's a real florentine neighborhood- a bit off the big tourist track, and filled with colorful characters and dramas.

Around 2006 when I came for a visit I noticed something- the city was starting to be touched with graffiti- I took this image then because it was so unusual to see spray painted graffiti in the historic center...
How was I to know, it was the shape of things to come?

Since then, we've returned a few times, and each visit I see more and more tagging and disrespect for this city's cultural masterpieces. Two summers ago when we were here the big news was that they found some exchange student (not American, thankfully) who was spray painting the Duomo. Having been caught, he was sent back to his home country's justice system- I'm hoping he got his due.

Here are some images from Easter 2009- 

on the doorway of Santo Spirito

down a side street (OK, I admit, I actually kind of like this one...)

coca cola assasina

and this year, I'm noticing even more graffiti- (these images were taken tonight on via Maggio- a main street on the Pitti palace "Oltrarno" side of town-where a celebrated Medici mistress resided )

in fact, the streets that were being painted over 2 years ago have now stopped re-painting- it looks as though they've given up hope- I can only hope that the money that had been spent on re-painting is now being spent on youth programs that can help channel this creative/destructive energy into meaningful skills- I doubt it, but, I hope, nevertheless...

whoa! clip clop clip clop......
*getting down off my high horse*

Sorry, I just get so bothered by the inaction here- this city is so important culturally, but life here isn't all "Room with a View". I think this issue needs a bit of attention, or the world risks losing a real Italian Gem.
- from Florence-
M

Christmas night Campanilismo

 

it's Christmas eve and the bells are ringing

their tones echoing off the wet cobblestone pavement

accompanied by the roar of the

river Arno- it's banks 

swollen from months of heavy rains.

Campanilismo

is the love of neighborhood church bell.

For traditional Italians

it trumps the ringing of the cell phone.

It

is the sound of Home

and warms the soul

like

fresh cooked pasta

paired with a nice Chianti

(hold the Fava beans, please)

Merry Christmas 

from Florence

M

Cosmo

was named after this guy- Cosimo di Medici. this piece is located in the Piazza Signoria of Florence Italy. I've always loved this sculpture- the patina on it is fantastic! Plus- look at how gorgeous the horse is- I'm such a sucker for equine beauty

luggage

oh yeah, after 33 hours in transit....it turns out that they lost Cosmo's suitcase.

So now he's re-wearing the same outfit that I hand wash nightly- that, and this goofy Italian sweatsuit that I bought him in our neighborhood children's clothing shop. I think he looks like an Italian gymnast- pretty cute! We are hoping to find his suitcase today, when we go wade through the "ocean of suitcases" we've been told is at the Florence airport. until then...Cosmo's working on his floor routine

Finalmente

Well, we made it to Florence- after a grueling 33 hours of travel! It usually takes at most 20 hours to get here from Tucson- but yesterday- or was it the day before?- we flew into Frankfurt right when they were getting hit with another snow/freezing rain storm.
Needless to say, the airport was in chaos- it had already shut down a few days before from another epic storm, and they were still scrambling to get passengers on planes since that shutdown...
In fact, we met one family of 4 that had flown in from San Francisco 3 days previous- and they were scheduled to return to Frankfurt in 2 days (after what should have been 5 days in Florence). It's a trip they will always remember- and hopefully they are able to have some good memories too.

Porta San Niccolo' from the banks of the Arno. December 2006

So- We are here now, in our funky Apartment in Florence- it's in a bit of chaos from now being lived in, so we've got some work to do- but I'm sure it'll be in better condition in a few weeks...Our tenant was a bit of a pack rat, so there's lots of stuff to sift through.
I've also discovered that my USB plug is on the fritz so I can't download any images today. I'm going to buy a new one hopefully tomorrow- and then I'll post some of the images I took on our walk tonight.
(Florence is all decorated with Christmas lights, and it is raining, so there are lots of beautiful reflections framed by Renaissance architecture)
OK- I'm off to go eat pasta-
arrivederci- Maureen

Ciao!

Santo Spirito, Florence Italy 

Please note: I will be closing my etsy shop from Dec 16 to Jan 12 for winter vacation. I've lined up our house sitter / dog sitter and I'm packing my bags- heading for "the old country" to spend some time with my Italian friends and family- bringing Cosmo to visit some of the museums and sights in the Florence area while I'm there, plus visiting jewelry studios where I used to study and work...
(I will be blogging about places we go during our visit here on my blog- hope to give you a unique view of Florentine life and holidays )
I look forward to re-opening with some new designs and innovations for my jewelry line in January!
(I'm pretty excited about this new thing- will be working on it's organization during the break as well)
Wishing you safe and Joyous Holidays-
ciao= Maureen

Yuma part deux....

OK, so, you've just arrived at Lute's Casino, pins for swapping in hand, and a thirst for Margaritas you make your way into the bar.......

The annual pin swap is a great way to break the ice. It's a way to open new friendships- those who have made swapping pins (Usually some fantastic and funky stuff) go around and find others to trade pins with- I love the collections that are emerging with these pieces- these are pins that are the artist with their hair down! I made some really funky pins this year- and their freedom has opened up new doors for my creative thinking. good stuff.

After pin swap we meet at the Yuma Theater for opening the Symposium with short intros and remarks. Many people go back to the bar afterwards, but I usually just head to the hotel- I know it's going to be an early wake up..........

chirp chirp! (cue: early morning birds, tweeting)

Day 2 begins the presentations! a variety of visiting artists presenting their work and ideas-
want a list of the artists who presented this year and their website links? Ok! here it is!:)

2010 Presenters
clay • fiber • wood • metals • painting • photography • printmaking
Jennifer D Anderson  • printmakingSam Chung  •  clayArthur Ganson  • sculpture
Zig Jackson  • photography
Becky McDonah  • metals
Bruce Metcalf  • metalsStephanie Metz  • fiber
Pete Pinnell  • clayBetsy Schneider  • photographyLisa Slovis  • metals
Patrick Stafford  • wood/multi-mediaDale Wedig  • metals

You have your choice- there are 12 presentations by 12 artists in 2 days and 3 locations- (sometimes you have to choose between one cool topic and the other) Friday's lineup has 7 artists presenting throughout the day- It's hard to choose sometimes, but no matter what, you will be treated to a really great presentation.

 

 

After a full day of checking out the amazing presentations Friday night there is an opening reception and silent auction. (Where the bidding is fierce)

Many people go out to eat after the opening, but I choose to go to the "show your stuff!" at the Yuma Theater to watch students and other artists present their work in an informal forum. (It's great to see the work that is coming through the schools...some big talents heading our way!)

  The Coranado- "home" for the Symposium crowd - (often booked a year in advance)

On the way back to the hotel I find my way to the bonfire at the back of Neeley Tomkin's studio- I stop and chat with a few other artists for a few moments- then head to the Coranado- "home" to catch some ZZZZZ's



and so, you see...it's a long story...and I'm verbose. I have to split this blog post in three!!
stay tuned for the stunning and entertaining conclusion of this epic saga!
.................................Yuma III - the relay

Yuma Symposium 2010 pt 1

I just got back a few days ago from the Yuma Symposium.
For a few hundred craftspeople, it is a weekend that we look forward to every year.

It's a funny thing for many Arizonans to fathom-
Yuma, while it does have it's charm doesn't usually evoke thoughts of a great destination-

Yuma is most often kindly thought of as perhaps a curious outpost on the edge of border towns in the U.S. ..a great place to stop on your travels to Southern California, but not usually a cultural mecca. Except on one long weekend every year (for the past 31st years) at the end of February. Then the floodgates open (*it's the desert) and hundreds of highly creative "Makers and Thinkers" fly in to lite upon the town like a cacophony of rowdy parrots.

Day one starts with a big party and meet up at Lute's Casino "Where the Elite meet". Driving in from all over- (Arizona, Oregon , North Carolina, Washington, California, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado...NM....etc etc.. )we meet up with the rest of the Symposium attendees for the annual Pin Swap and registration.

Yes, it's in a huge bar- and refreshments are flowing-And.. perhaps I should say right here that really, the Symposium has a party every night, (just to get that out of the way.)

Yuma Symposium started as a backyard barbeque after a Visiting Artist event 31 years ago...It was then as it as now: a jovial gathering of artists. The description of the events is too long to put into one blog post so I'm going to post that later this week....

Yuma Symposium part 2 in a few days...(along with tales of soldering woe)

atmospheric perspective

atmospheric perspective
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

There's just something about this image that makes me want to fly...
I am reviewing my pics that I have been taking this past month and I am struck by the beauty that is southern Arizona this time of year.

Down here in Tucson we are in such good moods these days- the heat has finally broken and we are once again emerging from our air conditioned and swamp cooled houses...picking up rakes, taking bike rides, going to the park, and just enjoying being comfortable without artificial cooling.

Now we can enjoy 5-6 months of incredible weather- having paid our dues all summer long with brutal heat and violent storms.

I have lived on New Hampshire and Boston (and still consider myself a New Englander) and I can sympathize with those of you who are staring 6 months of cold grey winter in the bearded face...so I'll be kind and not rub it in too much....but I'll take AZ summers over NH winters anyday!

I'll keep posting pics of my Desert world for you- stay warm, keep reading, and start socking away money for that escape to warmer climes in February (if you plan on coming to Tucson I'd book your hotel and trip now....the gem show usually takes up most of the town-)

ciao for now- Maureen BZ
aka Cosmo's Moon

health care debate

ok- so here I go throwing my hat into the ring..

I believe strongly that we should have a public option for healthcare in the US-
and if that is considered "liberal" or...gasp.."socialist", so be it. I am proud to be someone who cares about living things- be it plants, animals, or even..humans

I would be dead today if Italy didn't have socialized health care- My appendix ruptured while I was living there (actually, right after I returned from a long trip to the US) I was operated on, and stayed in the hospital for 6 days- all without paying a penny.

OK, so, the room wasn't private, and no TV, plus you had to go down the hall for the bathroom..and things weren't super modern.. (after all it WAS the hospital that Leonardo daVinci used to do his anatomical dissections in)

But the point is that I HAD health care in Italy- no questions....

and I Still wonder if my appendix had ruptured one week earlier, while I was visiting the US...and had no insurance (because at that time I was living in Florence)
what would have happened to me? I most likely would have tried to "tough it out" and avoid the ER, because I would have been worried about being saddled with a lifetime of medical bills-

While I was in the hospital a young american girl was admitted to my room.

She had been backpacking in Europe and ended up also with appendicitis while in France..she was operated on there, and decided to join her friends in Italy after they discharged her from the French hospital..

Well, needless to say, not a good idea...she ended up in incredible pain, and came to the Florence hospital straight from the train station...

I became her interpreter- and when her father showed up from the US, he was so grateful to the doctors for helping her...

The only thing I had a hard time translating for the father was when he asked where to pay the hospital bill.. He couldn't believe that his daughter was taken care of by a team of doctors and admitted to the hospital without charge. It was profound for him..

During this time of debate over health coverage in the US, I wonder what he (the father) is thinking about socialized medicine... I'll bet that he isn't out in the packs of demonstrators waving pics of Obama as Hitler.. No-I'll bet that he goes and hugs his daughter

coca cola assassina

coca cola assassina
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

an image of the sad state of many walls in the historic center of Florence Italy... The problem with graffiti in Florence (Firenze) has been on the increase over the past 5 years-

I am fortunate enough to travel there on a yearly basis, and have even spent 3 years (97-2000) living there full time.( My husband is from Settignano Italy, a village in the hills just outside of Firenze proper)While we lived there, we stayed in a building in the San Frediano area of the historic city proper. 

I can say, that in the past 3 years I have really noticed a huge increase in tagging...and here I must make a distinction between tagging and graffiti...Tagging , to me , is similar to when a dog lifts it's leg to mark it's territory. Graffiti, while usually still illegal can also be an artful and creative expression (when well done) . Tags are indiscriminate scrawls, graffiti , when well done can even enhance or inspire. 

Unfortunately In Florence, I have even have seen tags on the Duomo and other Masterpiece churches as well, such as Santo Spirito, in "my" neighborhood. No, I'm not at all religious, but I appreciate the masterful architecture on these amazing historic buildings.

Usually, (with Florence at least) the government makes a big show of concern about these things, then sits on it's hands and does nothing. (this was the case while we lived there and belonged to an initiative to enforce controls on traffic in the historic city....many meetings, a few appearances from "il Sindaco" -the Mayor...but nothing realized except a pretty, wider sidewalk on  a section of our busy street...and that took 8 years to come to fruition!

I realize now that I have a voice that can be heard about this problem, and will be tweeting/posting images/blogging on a regular basis about this, to bring to light this rape of one of the world's Historic treasures. 

Save Florence from Blight! Un ambiente sano per la citta! 

ahh.. winter in Southern Arizona!

While most of my family toughs out winters in the Northeast and Northwest, we revel in the splendor of cloudless 70 degree days here in Tucson.

I call it bragging season....

here are a few images I took this week (for my project 365 experiment)

I met my friend Kariman in the park. She was flying a handmade kite with her son

We went for a hike at Catalina State Park, near Tucson. The mountain snow runs off into a series of streams .. that eventually ends up in the Santa Cruz river. (which is dry 85% of the time)

Rhythm and texture found in the remains of a cactus..

Before you get upset about my bragging, remember to mark your calenders for late August, when the monsoons dry up and we here in Tucson are stuck with another 2 months or so of hideous heat ..(then be sure to send me a reminder of the lovely weather you are enjoying)

what goes up must come down.

Snuggle up, put another log on the fire..I'll try my best to send some warmth your way~

ciao- Maureen