Viterbo

As I mentioned before, in the summer of 2000, I attended an art  program at L'Accademia de Belle Arte di Lorenzo da Viterbo. The trip impacted my life immensely and later fueled my degree project at Mass Art. The program is still available through the Montserat College of Art. I highly recommend it to any artist; students and adults alike.

Out of curiosity I wanted to see if my old instructors are still working there. I was pleased to see that they are. You can check out links to bios and work from Caroline Bagenal (more here) and Judith Brassard Brown. I also studied with Charles Boyer, who teaches a journal writing class in Viterbo. Fred Lynch, another instructor through the program, has set up a blog for his students here. It is so amazing to see drawings of so many places in Viterbo that I sat and drew at myself.

It's funny, my sister, Destiny, and I were talking the other day about the subtle power that lies within drawing. Recently she came about an old sketch book and began flipping through it. She described how every image brought her back to that moment in which she drew that particular piece. She described the way her legs were crossed, how she felt emotionally, what the wind felt like on her skin, what she was thinking as she drew, and so on. It got me thinking about my own art and how I felt while making it. It's amazing that, while looking at other's works from Viterbo, I can still remember my experiences while creating my own art there. It is truly remarkable that rekindling those feelings of empowerment and joy are inspiration enough to keep us all creating something new.

I did this quick study while I was sitting in a piazza in Viterbo. I remember tracing the outlines of the arches over and over again, adding more warmth as the sun peaked in from the hills. It was a beautiful day and I could hear the sound of running water from a near by fountain. There was a grandmother and child holding hands, a couple walking arm in arm, and myself sitting on the cobblestone walkway. I took it all in and let out a sigh of contentment. 

It's amazing that, eight years later, I can still recall all of that just by looking at this sketch.